By Elliott Brack, editor and publisher | Living in a foreign city for a week certainly gives you another perspective on life.
Our youngest has an Irish-related client and was headed for Dublin, Ireland, for a week. Renting an apartment there with two bedrooms, my wife and I got an invitation to buy a plane ticket and go along. It’s hard to refuse such an offer.
People suggested: “Take a raincoat and umbrella.” Surprisingly, we had nothing but sunshine and nice weather, though it rained one night. Temperatures in Dublin last week were between 45 to 65 degrees, which compared to Georgia weather, was delightful.
Being in Ireland (or England), you get to sample their multiple daily newspapers. There must be 10 to12 different ones on sale at any newsstand. We always bought The Irish Times, plus a different tabloid each day. And what a different offering they give you! Newspapers and television are often accented with American stories, such as the problems in Charlotte, or with American politics. Every Irishman we talked to knew of Donald Trump, with all of them giving unfavorable comment. They seldom mentioned Hillary Clinton.
Yep, here’s your correspondent “on location” in Dublin last week with the most recent Mystery Photo.
Big talk in Dublin was of a bus drivers’ strike the week before, and one held Friday to Saturday as we were leaving. Buses, often double-deckers, haul 400,000 people a day in Dublin. The strike caused disruption, with taxis providing some relief. At least it was quieter with buses not running. The core of Dublin is relatively small, so a smart way to get around (especially with three in a group) is by taxi. They are efficient and plentiful.
Though cable TV is around, our apartment had only the nine over-the-air channels. Often American programming is on, and during the day, the Irish have their own version of silly game shows. They also have two channels aimed at children the whole day through.
Most Americans may not realize what beautiful, wide-beach coastal towns are on the Irish Sea near Dublin. Many of them are accessible through public transportation. If you ever are in Dublin, drive north or south along the seaside to experience these towns, 10 to 15 miles from the center city.
The famous Trinity University is located right in the center of the downtown area, south of the River Liffey and bordering pedestrian-only Grafton Street. Dublin has more than 60,000 students within its borders, and you see these students everywhere.
Irish newspapers devote nearly 100 percent to local sports. The only exception is golf, which follows world players, especially on the American circuit.
The whole of Ireland was caught up in Gaelic football, with a “super bowl” match between Dublin and Mayo while we were there. We watched on television. It’s somewhat like soccer, and also like rugby, using a ball similar to a volleyball. It took a while to figure out scoring (three points for moving the ball past the goal, one point for kicking from anywhere on the field above the goal posts.) Some 83,000 watched in person, and perhaps 75 percent of the nation saw it on TV. With all the hoopla before the game, the teams tied 15-15, and will play again next Sunday. While Dublin was said to have played poorly, Mayo played “above their game” — all this from players who are strictly amateurs. But with all the hype of this match, someone’s making big money out of it.
Perhaps the best part of being in Ireland is that the language is English. Though with some accents, it’s often difficult to follow. The Irish are genuine and friendly. It’s great to live a week in such a distinctive place.
- Have a comment? Send to: elliott@brack.net
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