Eye on Oirelund

More reflections on Dublin...

The city is always one of those places I often hanker to return to, but this most recent visit has reminded me that I don’t actually want to linger that long when there. It’s like a quick, satisfying fix of something you want regularly, but not often. I’m sure with broader exploration that opinion may change, but for the city centre, a short, sharp blast of finest Grinness, a wander along the Liffey, a deep inhale of the hops in the air from St. James’ Gate, that does the trick and I’m ready for the off again.

There’s definitely a gentrification that strikes you visually compared to the Dublin of say, fifteen years ago. Objective 1 cash has been spent and invested pretty wisely. The streets have more urgency and speed, buildings, shops, and pubs are generally more tourist-friendly chic and smart, the poverty has been further nudged to the suburbs and off the beaten track. While the rich vs. poor contrast is a fair way from what can be found in NYC, it’s still in evidence in Ireland’s capital and easy to stumble across. The building below, just off of the river and under half an our from O’Connell Street, is a good example - half derelict and shelled; half lived in, decrepit, and grim.

The benefit for the visitor is that Dublin is a more easy-on-the-eye, convenient, clean place to come to. The downside is that some of the character has been erased, it doesn't have the large-city-with-a-small-town-feel that it once possessed. Pros and cons though, eh?

One recommendation is to wander the Trinity College campus, home of the Book of Kells and film set for the likes of Educating Rita, late at night. The gentle lighting, soft curve of metalled pathways, looming statues, and sense of stepping back in time is most poignant at the midnight hour.