Blade Laws in Ireland??

M

Morgoth412

Joined
Oct 4, 2002
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Sometime in the summer my family will be going to the Emerald Island...whats the knife laws over there? I plan on breaking them anyway...but I want to know what would be OK to use with sheeple around. Thanks in advance!
-Kevin
 
Well I guess that i should answer that seeing as i live in Dublin

(ahem)

Knife laws here are vague (purposely so i'd imagine). Put plainly
you can be arrested if any item that is 'Sharply pointed' is found upon your person. (Seriously)

Buying anything bigger than a Swiss Army knife in Ireland is near impossible. There is NOT ONE shop in Dublin with a decent selection
of knives, (not even cheap nasty ones)


Oh and ALL the fun stuff is illegal here,(Auto's, butterflys, even a powerglide is just bearly legal) if you're going to carry a knife here dont get caught. You probably shouldn't risk bringing an auto with you at all. Yes, in the US Auto laws are kind of overlooked, here they aren't. If you bring a switchblade with you into the country, and its found, you're looking at a 3 month sentence and a
$1200 fine.



Put plainly, if you're going to bring a knife (or knives) with you when you come here, dont bring anything other than a standard folder, and DONT GET CAUGHT with that folder about your person.

(All of these laws stem from Irelands problems with drink-related violence, but if i start on that, i'd be going off in a tangent)
 
It's great to know that with all these knife and gun bans, no-one ever gets stabbed or shot anymore! :rolleyes:

Before reading this thread, I had a glimmer of hope that maybe the laws in Ireland were slightly more sane than in the UK.
 
Kevin-my suggestion is to stick with the SAKs. I carry one in my backpack and then keep a Spyderco Cricket in my pocket. The Cricket is about the least threatening knife I could think of (a Spyderco Pride would be a good choice, also). A lot of times I didn't even carry the Cricket. It's just not worth taking a chance on having your vacation ruined. Ireland is a wonderful country. Have a great time.

Swingshot-maybe we should start a knives for whiskey exchange.
:) I'd love some Green Spot or Crested Ten or even Midleton Very Rare (the grail of Irish whiskey).

Jack
 
..... However The Gerber site says Dublin alone has SIX Gerber dealers.



Even carrying something as small as a Cricket may get you in trouble.
The whole thing is centred on proving you have a legitimate use for any knife. Eg: If you're going hiking then a Cricket or bigger would be fine. But if you were to go into a town with it things may get more awkward.

Sorry I can't reply with an indication of blade shapes/sizes that are legal for EDC. Problem is potentially everyhing is a problem. (Potentially is the key word here) :-(

And that is why I dont have an EDC - too much hassle.
 
So laws there are as bad as the UK. Well, even still I think I'm going to carry my SAK soldier and I'll carry a Delica in the waistband. Thanks for the responses guys. If you could do me one more favor though...what are the search laws? Can cops there just walk up and search whoever? Or is it like here where they have to have probable cause and such and such? Thanks again!
-Kevin
 
Actualy they're far worse than in the UK....

If they think that you're up to something then they'll see that as good enough cause to stop you. It's not too likely to happen unless you're sticking out like a sore thumb though.

Use common sense and you should be fine :-)
 
I'll try to blend in. Or at least look like a normal tourist. Hearing this makes me glad that I live here in the good old US of A... But Ireland should be great to visit!
-Kevin
 
Originally posted by Morgoth412
So laws there are as bad as the UK. Well, even still I think I'm going to carry my SAK soldier and I'll carry a Delica in the waistband. Thanks for the responses guys. If you could do me one more favor though...what are the search laws? Can cops there just walk up and search whoever? Or is it like here where they have to have probable cause and such and such? Thanks again!
-Kevin
Click to expand...

So, even tho' swingshot has said that you can end up in the slammer for carrying practically any knife,and that "potentially everything is a problem" and that, basically, they can stop and search you if you simply look like you're "up to something", you've decided that the smart thing to do is carry two? I may be a little slow here, and of course, everyone is entitled to make their own decisions, but I find your reasoning a little mystifying. :confused:
 
Well I never expected to be questioned by a knifenut about carrying two knives, even if it is against the law. I figure that the SAK can easily be explained away, so that wouldn't be too much of a problem. As for the Delica...well I'll just cross my fingers. (Yea maybe I'm not thinking this through enough, but I think I can avoid police attention.)
-Kevin
P.S.- Whats the drinking age over there?;) :)
 
Originally posted by Morgoth412
Well I never expected to be questioned by a knifenut about carrying two knives, even if it is against the law. I figure that the SAK can easily be explained away, so that wouldn't be too much of a problem. As for the Delica...well I'll just cross my fingers. (Yea maybe I'm not thinking this through enough, but I think I can avoid police attention.)
-Kevin
P.S.- Whats the drinking age over there?;) :)
Click to expand...

I'm not questioning the fact that you carry two knives, Kevin. I normally carry 2-3 not counting my keychain knive. I'm questioning your common sense. I don't know how long you're gonna be in Ireland, but if it's just for a visit, even a knifeknut can do without for a little while, rather than ruining the whole trip for, not only yourself, but your family.

Now you're asking (maybe in jest, but I doubt it) if it's gonna be legal for you to go to a pub. That's smart. Carry a couple of knives and get shitfaced in a pub. If you think it won't be easy to get into a skirmish in an Irish pub, after having had one too many, a reality check is in order. Then the local police won't need a reason to search you, they'll have one. Sure, I know, you will only have a couple of pints. Famous last words.

Suit yourself, but I wonder if you shouldn't ask yourself if, for a relatively short period of time, what you *really* need other than a simple SAK Tinker, or something similarly sheeple-friendly knife.

I hope this doesn't sound like a lecture, I just don't want you to screw up a visit to a truly wonderful place, because you think you're gonna be lucky and not get caught. And, yeah. I don't think you're thinking it through. 2 cents from a habitual scofflaw, who has paid the price.
 
Nah, I don't take it as a lecture man. YOu're just throwing your 2 cents in and thats fine. This is a chat forum after all. I'll think about what you've said. It's good advice no doubt.
-Kevin
P.S.- The drinking age thing was a jest btw, LOL. Sorry if you took it wrong, messing around.:p :)
 
How about carrying a Victorinox Cybertool? If you have electronics you might be able to explain it that way. Get the Cybertool 41 and it even has a saw and file. If you must have a lockback look at the Wenger line of Swiss Army knives. They make some models that are about the size of a V-nox Recruit but have a locking main blade.
 
-Kevin
P.S.- Whats the drinking age over there?;) :) [/B][/QUOTE]


18. its not really enforced. IE: If you LOOK eighteen you'll get served. But if you don't many will serve you anyway.

So in conclussion, you can't carry a knife here, but its easy to go get drunk if you're underage.

'Ireland - a country of many contrasts' (snigger)
 
I'm heading to Belfast this summer, so I purchased a BM mini-griptilian to replace my TSEK. Then I found out that a locking blade is considered "not a pocket knife". Then I found out that unless you are currently using a knife for a legitimate purpose its not necessarily legal to possess one... :confused: Also found out that having a knife (any knife) in your car can be considered "on your person" even if you are not in, or even relatively near your car (I believe that was how it was explained).

The advice I garnered from my inquiries was this...

If you are a tourist, you can probably get away with a Swiss Army Knife under most situations, with discrete carry, and sane behaviour, but not necessarily. Ensure that maximum length of any blade (I dunno about a saw blade..) is < 3". If you look suspicious, are a prick, or generally give a LEO any indication that you are not apologetic and appalled at yourself for your ignorance of their knife laws, you could be in for confiscation, or some serious complications.

No locking blades in the UK (dunno how this relates to the Republic), apparently there was a ruling that indicated a locking folder is considered a fixed blade, and not a pocket knife...This INCLUDES multi tools. So no leatherman WAVE (though I will be bringing my Leatherman Juice in lieu of my mini-grip, small, colourful, and no locking blades)

Don't even imagine/dream/fantasize about bringing ANY blade into a pub or other establishment that serves alcohol. Think twice about nail clippers. When your pints come in plastic glasses, you'll realize just how preventative some establishments can be of escalated violence... there is no valid explanation for carrying a blade in a bar/pub/whatever, and you'll be a long long way from home trying to explain that "where you're from it's perfectly normal...". Also, Spyderco's are some of the meanest looking knives out there, esp. to sheeple. Doubly so if its a spyderedge. I don't mean to sound preachy, but it's my understanding that knives are even more feared by the general public "over there", than "over here". A SAK might be considered a tool. Nearly anything else is considered a "knife!".


Regards,

Shaun.
 
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