Introduction

This chapter introduces the study and clearly identifies the subject of research. A brief discussion of the methodological approach is provided, that is, ethnography, as well as some comments on the nuances of researching serious criminality. The chapter then provides a history of Dublin’s illegal drug trade from 1979 to the present. Ireland was a country with low crime rates and a very small drug scene before 1979. However, the introduction of heroin led to a dramatic change as addiction spread and the devastation that accompanies a rapid epidemic of opiate addiction became evident in affected communities. The evolution of the drug scene in Dublin is discussed, as is the growth of an accompanying class of serious criminals who regulate the trade with violence.