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Archive for August, 2010

A day at the Dublin Horse Show.

Posted in Events, Reviews, Social History, tagged , , , on August 6, 2010| 2 Comments »

Bright sunshine and serene sky had encouraged the ladies to don the lightest and most attractive frocks. As a leading social event, the day was attended by every favourable circumstance, and was in every way a success.

So noted The Irish Times of August 24, 1911. The “splendid gathering” that is the Dublin Horse Show has remained a staple of Dublin life, though the Royal Irish Lancers and the sort are long gone from the scene. Yesterday, I made my first visit to the show, and what I found was an event even larger than I had expected.

I must say, I never fully understood the social significance of the Horse Show before visiting it myself. My mother, a child of Ballyfermot, recalls attending the Horse Show as a child with her father. Yesterday, it was clear the event draws people from all across the capital and beyond. The crowd is probably best described as international in composition, and pub rumours of waiting lists for hotels in the area suggest the Horse Show is safe for the forseeable future. With over 300 stalls, several packed bars and dozens of catering vans and even restaurants on site, the amount of employment generated by the show is staggering itself. The show runs smoothly, but only as a result of the hard work of countless staff.

(more…)

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Watts was a different kettle of fish altogether.

Posted in Dublin History, Miscellaneous, tagged on August 6, 2010| 7 Comments »

adifferentkettleoffishaltogether art space on Ormond Quay.

The adifferentkettleoffishaltogether space at Ormond Quay was previously Watts Gun Shop. There for years, I was always fascinated by it. A bit like Rory’s Tackle Shop in Temple Bar (still there and with a snap of a happy Amy Winehouse in the window…), it was a bit of a throw-back to a much older Ireland.

Today, it is an art-space used by Mannix Flynn and Farcry productions. Most ironically, in 2006, they staged an exhibition there where……well, I’ll let them explain it

In 2006 Farcry constructed an arms dump and, along with members of the public, actively engaged with a process of placing firearms beyond use. It was a cultural mirroring of the John De Chastelain process that had begun with the provisional IRA. Over a period of 4 days 200 people entered the building on Ormond Quay and saw for themselves upfront, close and personal what it was that we were letting go of. The gun has been phased out of Irish politics and a new process of achieving aspirations has begun.

Anyway, in the last few days this showed up in the family and I thought it worth posting. If anyone has a photo of Watts back in the day please post it!

'With Compliments' card from Watts, 18 Ormond Quay Upr.

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The United Irishmen

Posted in Football Articles, tagged , , , , , on August 4, 2010| 2 Comments »

The first Irish national to score in the new Lansdowne Road? Dave Mulcahy. A nice goal against Manchester United, and no doubt a mantlepiece photograph for decades to come.

Saint Patrick’s Athletic played in the last soccer match in Lansdowne before renovation, so how fitting one of our own would be the first Irish player to pop one in. Sure Jonny Evans got one for United (You know, that team everyone was cheering for….) before Mulcahy, but he’s from ‘up there’.

Whatever you make of the poxy Calcio Moderno, or modern game, there is no denying the mess the Football Association of Ireland made of it tonight. Was that fixture designed to promote the Irish domestic game? Did they not consider the fact that before earlier this week, many of these lads have never played together? For the second time in a week, a Dave Mulcahy goal felt more like a victory in itself.

In another pretty meaningless friendly only last month, Bohs managed to beat a strong Aston Villa side at Dalymount Park. Without ringing up Sherlock Holmes, one can presume the fact Bohemian F.C are an actual football team themselves and not a selection of players from the four corners of the country helped in that one. This might have been a pre-season for Manchester United, granted- but League of Ireland fans know only too well we’re more than halfway through a season.

Hopefully one moment of skill or two from a domestic player tonight will lure a family to their local club this weekend. It was quite sad to hear the usual ‘is the League a pile of crap’ debate open up on Adrian Kennedy tonight. Even a small portion of the money that leaves this country weekly at Dublin Airport to travel to football abroad, if directed into the domestic game, would have a huge effect. It’s the financial instability of Irish football more than anything that holds the game back. Why are clubs with mass community support and history like Derry City F.C kicking a football around the First Division? Money my friends, money.

Can the FAI really complain about the Celtic/Manchester United/Sunderland (Or eh…never mind that one) leanings of most of the nation’s youth, when the way to promote the domestic game is to send a mix-match of domestic players out to be slaughtered? There is absolutely nothing wrong with supporting any of those teams, the SPL and EPL are both entertaining, but no doubt tonight should have been about Irish football.

Roll on Friday, when three points are at stake again. I just hope our lads aren’t too tired.

Any ideas on building support for the domestic game? Anyone? Send your postcards to...

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The Teachings of Padraic Pearse (1966)

Posted in Uncategorized, tagged , , , , on August 4, 2010| 2 Comments »

Earlier in the week, I scanned up the covers of around 20 political pamphlets (from 1963 – 89) that my uncle passed down to me. Here is the first full scanned up pamphlet – The Teachings of Padraig Pearse by A. Raftery (March 1966)

Paddy Carmody (1927 – 1979), who wrote under the pseudonym of A. Raftery, joined the Irish Workers League in 1948. He became a leading figure in the Irish Workers’ Party, then the Communist Party of Ireland; as author of various pamphlets on Irish history.

It is believed that Carmody started using a pseudonym after he was sacked from Dublin Corporation for his political activity. Though he was reinstated after his union fought the case, he never used his real name on any publication after that.

Below is a short obituary from The Irish Times:

Paddy Carmody Obituary, The Irish Times.

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A Random Drop Inn: The Garage Bar

Posted in Pubs, tagged , on August 3, 2010| 3 Comments »

The Garage Bar- Essex Street, Temple Bar.

Amazingly enough, The Plough and the Stars was sold out. I’ve seen it (Review is here, cheeky plug), but young Kevin hasn’t and presumed he could pay on the door. Alas, you can’t. We wander up to The New Theatre, at the back of Connolly Books, where it is more or less the same for The Quare Fellow. “If you call back in twenty minutes, we’ll let you know of any returns”

Twenty minutes seems time enough for a pint.

Alas, the night is gone. We’re not leaving The Garage now. I’ve often walked past this place on the way to work and heard The Clash pumping out and wanted to head in there and then, and sometimes I’ve gone back post-work for a sneaky one with another ‘just off work’ comrade or two. It’s a small spot, but it seems to have someone spinning vinyl (or at least sounding like they’re spinning vinyl) in it over the whole week. It offers a pretty extensive cocktail menu, at least by the standards of this city. The look of the place is unique, a sawdust littered floor not too common in Temple Bar. It has a charm but.

A Black Russian pops over (Not the start of a joke) to the table from behind the bar, they had one over. I don’t want to touch it, a bizarre hybrid on paper consisting of Guinness, vodka and whatever else. Alas, it is surprisingly ok. On a sunny day visit here before this, I abandoned the ‘usual’ (Eh…just a pint thanks) for a few cocktails out the front in the sun with a friend, while Germans ran around us playing Vuvuzelas. Like a few Dublin pubs, it seems outside is the place to be on a busy night here.

Three rounds are ordered in, and each one passes the test. The Guinness is fine, reasonable in Temple Bar at €4.50, and seems popular enough with punters. It’s the music that’d keep you here, and bring you back. It passes the pint test and the music test, and I really like ‘the look’ they’ve gone for,but for some reason they have the tellies on too. Turn ’em off. A very small complaint that.

A quick glance at the watch, and there’s time for one more. By now, The Quare Fellow is long over too. I’m sure Brendan missed a play or two for a drink.

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Summer is here…

Posted in Uncategorized, tagged , , on August 3, 2010| 1 Comment »

Spotted this Bulmers advertising gimmick in the newly opened Ruairi MaGuires in Dundrum last night. (A full review of the bar is on the way.)

The lovely Seamus holding a bottle of 'Summers'

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Pat Mustard in the city?

Posted in Uncategorized, tagged , , , on August 2, 2010| 9 Comments »

The new Dublin Milkman service is offering to deliver a loaf of freshly baked bread from the Bretzel Bakery, 1 litre of Milk (full fat or low fat) and 1 copy of The Sunday Times in a “nice covered wooden box” every Sunday morning to your door for €6.

An attempt to revive a much missed ‘community’ service or a scheme to cash in on the laziness of the Dublin bourgeois? My feelings are divided.

What you get for €6.

Their website states that they do not charge for delivery and make the enticing argument that they deliver straight to your door and their “product offering” (i.e. the bread) is of a much higher quality than Tesco, Spar or the like.

In time, they hope to expand their range of goods and offer “bacon, sausages, black pudding, white pudding, freshly squeezed orange juice, freshly ground coffee, croissants etc..” and also start delivering on Saturday mornings with The Irish Times.

If your living more than 10mins walk from your nearest shop or if you find any walk tough (due old age or an disability), this service may genuinely help you. Or indeed if you have a fondness for the Bretzel Bakery but live too far away to get your fix. But if you don’t fit into any of those three categories, maybe you should just get off the couch.

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