Lets see some rules for the chuggers, 1 person per 500m of road not 20.

Yes when the buskers have some talent…but spare me from some if our home grown or Eastern European chancers..murdering some obscure Transylvanian folk tune on a banjaxed accordion.

I’m a busker (youtube search my name with busking after it if you like). I started doing it with my brother about 3 years ago. I only do it on rare occasions now but busking has been the most important part of honing my craft. For 1 of the 3 years we used Amplifiers. It was an awful effort to lug them into town on Dublin Bus but there was a definite difference in how much money we made when we used them – probably made an extra third more. I think the 20 songs thing is a good idea (how that is regulated is a wonder to me), however, I feel like if you can deliver 10 songs that are of a high quality then that should suffice. I cringe looking back at our early days of busking because we played a lot of things over and over again which definitely annoyed the local shops and businesses more than the passers-by. These regulations are coming in not just because of the quality of the buskers but because of the shops and businesses complaining. Some people are really good at gathering a crowd and crowds block shop entrances and that really pisses off shops. There are people busking who are making a proper living off it, they’ve invested time in learning/playing songs to a high standard. They may be few and far between but I really hope these new regulations don’t deter them from playing. I’m now pursuing music full time and living in London – I have busking to thank for that. :)

Yes.. They liven up the streets, it’s not easy singing your heart out in front of everyone either! Saying that, I was walking the streets of Galway yesterday on what was a beautiful day and one of the Gardai had to ask a busker outside Brown Thomas to turn down his speakers.. it was obvious it wasn’t the first time he was asked either and was the only one with loud speakers.. All the others buskers I saw hadn’t ..unfair advantage to him although I found his music too loud so I crossed the street!!

Yes, but only when they don’t plug in. Part of the craft of busking is learning to project your voice above the crowd.

Only buskers I object to are the guys with very loud amps. Often they’re damn good, but it’s not fair on anybody to impose themselves (for example – there was a great beat-boxer on Grafton St on Sunday, just waaay too loud) on everybody the length of the street, not least other buskers playing unplugged and trying to make a few bob.

I love buskers on the streets, they add a great atmosphere, especially good musicians playing decent music. And the bad ones, well maybe they’ll be the next big thing, at least they’re giving it a shot, I admire their bravery.

Chuggars on the other hand should be banned, along with aggressive begging, stopped off for some tapas the other evening and within the space of 30 mins sitting outside we must have been asked for money 6 or 7 times, with a couple of them not taking no for an answer, this is bad form and not good for our country’s tourism.

They are ok when they sing/play well, are not too loud, and do not make it difficult to walk down the street. All three criteria do not always apply simultaneously.

I think they add to urban living but what’s with the bands busking on Grafton St. with practically a full PA system?

Buskers are fine until you work in a shop that they’re constantly outside. You can’t hear your customers over their screeching and wailing, and the amount of buskers who sing the same 4 or 5 songs on repeat ALL DAY is unbelievable. We’ve recently had one girl who just sings “Mr. Brightside” by The Killers over and over and over again, failing to reach at least half of the notes. And she’s one of the better ones, believe it or not. Customers ask us how we stand it, because they can’t tolerate it for more than a few minutes. Most days we welcome the rain, because it keeps the buskers away.

When done well it is great to have.

46% saying no. Holy crap. Miserable so and so’s. I love it but bear in mind this is not beggars or chuggers. Was on graften and Henry street yesterday morning with my partner just killing some time. Such a variety of acts. Now the leprechaun wouldn’t be my thing but he wasn’t getting in anyone’s way. Even the guys that are terrible are st the very least doing something to earn there money. Fair play I say.

14% of people don’t know if they like listening to buskers? Come on people, it’s not that hard a question!

There are some REALLY TERRIBLE buskers in Killarney! It seems they have a continual Bad Busker competition running..

There was talk a few years back of introducing similar rules in Galway. Thankfully it never happened. While I agree that the use of amps should be curtailed, I don’t agree with setting a certain standard for busking.
Some of my favourite buskers down through the years have been the more off the wall ones, they really add to the unique character of each city. The guy with the card board guitar whose sheet music reads “plinky plinky plunk”, the giant man who used to dance on half a barrel in wooden clogs (sadly not seen in years), the elderly gent who plays a range of instruments while his two figures of, bizarrely, Obama and Marilyn Monroe play along on drums and of course the guy dressed as a devil who set up his stand straight across the street from an evangelical preacher. Fantastic.

As long as they’re not too loud, who are they hurting? You don’t like them? Move on down the street.

Dublin City Council are going to have to employ one or maybe two Busker Judges. Great, that will be one or two more off the dole so Enda will be happy. Could they not get Louis Walsh to do it? Hopefully their next target (after they have rid our city streets of Buskers) will be the junkies, the alcoholics, the beggars, the gypsies … This could create a lot of employment, expect Joan Burton to be making an announcement soon.

I like buskers. I think they really add to the atmosphere of a city and well done to anyone who puts themselves out there in an attempt to earn a bit of spare cash. Not sure about these rules-who’ll check up if the musician has a selection of at least 20 songs? Less songs, well performed would be better, but even the less than brilliant singers and musicians can bring something to the ambience of a summer’s evening.

oh for gods sake ligthen up ppl ,some are good some are brutal some are mediocore but they all add to the atmosphere of the city ,surly the police have more importent things to do ,the only thing i would agree with is the use of sound amps which tend to be too loud at times ,other than that i think there great for the city .

yeah when there good. they make the atmosphere especially around Christmas. was in Galway a while back and there were both street entertainers and buskers there doin there thing. definitely a good thing for the city. any of the doom and gloom merchants who voted no don’t have to put up with it anymore as they can now buy pretty much everything online. Charles bridge is a fantastic spot for the buskers.

Does this mean that the leprachauns at Molly Malone statue will have to go? Please say it is so.

I love buskers, fun ,entertaining , lively, talented , confident , colourful . Too many rules can have an adverse effect but I reckon 20 songs in their repertoire is a good idea ….. there is nothing worse than hearing the same song or two being sung over and over…

Wonderful more rules and who s going to oversee the new rules.

Hopefully this will be good for the genuinely talented buskers whose audiences are often lost to performers doing the same bad covers again and again with very loud amps.

They’re fine when they have some talent and a volume control! A while back there was a violinist playing classicak music outside Marks and Spencers with the amplifier up so loud my teeeth rattled. I just thought to myself that just because it was “good” music there was no need to deafen everyone.

In response to the human statues/Backing-track crooners/drunk-in-leprechaun-costumes I would like to set up a small stall on Grafton Street, selling old rope.

“Get your old rope here. Three hundred euro a yard.”

It depends on the quality of course. I really think buskers can add a lot to the atmosphere and shopping experience. Provided it’s not heavy metal or some such.

When the buskers are half decent a bit original (ie, not murdering Wonderwall), they can be quite pleasant. Grafton Street at Xmas can have a beautiful atmosphere.

However, I have on more than one occasion, felt terrible for the shops that buskers camp outside. Can’t be pleasant having to listen to that all day everyday.

A repitore of 20 or more songs??? Are officals from city council going to go asking buskers what songs they can play? ….How it going there I’m Joe Bloggs from the council any chance of a few barrs of Ride On or Black is the Colour….. pointless code and typical nanny state nonsense let them play what they want.

I think the talented buskers are great, and some of the other street performers are grand too. The only ones that really annoy me are the people who dress up as MIckey and Minnie Mouse on Grafton street….it takes no talent, and they attract attention away from all the real performers because kids are drawn in by them.

Yes! No more Saxophone Man on George’s Street, that man ruined “When The Saints Go Marching In” for anyone who had to work on that street.

Depends if they are any good, There can be some great Buskers in Galway but Belfast City Centre all there is some Romanian chancers who badly play the same 3 songs constantly on a horribly tuned Accordion. Last week I walking to Victoria Square and there was a Romanian fella banging a guitar not strumming the strings but tapping the body like it was a drum. he clearly didn’t know how to play it. Belfast City Council should issue licenses for proper buskers and send the Gypsies and Romanians packing

I love buskers !! If there really bad at what they do there funny and entertaining !!

They’re great, some of them are really talented.

My only problem is when they have created a circle of audience that occupies the whole of the street. Sometimes I have places too be and there’s a crowd of slow to move people who don’t seem to realize they’re blocking a whole street to push through just to get down Grafton st

When I was living in Dublin I used to go in to Grafton Street with a tener in change and a milkshake and walk around for an hour or so. Great way to burn a bit of time.
If you don’t like it walk on. If Madonna was a busker she might think twice about putting on toilet shows!

recently I don’t think that the council should decide the’quality’of the buskers, and rules should only be used to stop noise pollution :) also selling cds is central to any good buskers income and for getting their music out there, do it’s ridiculous to ban ‘merchandise’ when that will clearly only affect good quality buskers!

UP Tommy D lol serious rap @ Henry Street

Got to mention my favourite Lithuanian busker … Anastasija Liadova plays in Temple Bar most nights. It’s a little safer there than in Russia where 3 young female entertainers are on trial for protesting against Tzar Putin :)

hi I’m a busker violinist love the vibe busking agree should be unamped and have a good repertoire can happily busk for hours and not repeat a thing…..

:-) Yeah – Buskers in general create a good atmosphere in public areas AND in general they are entertaining – I think that Buskers Break the Mould and add to the quality of life! Buile Bas for the street entertainers!!!