Come Here To Me!

This is an interesting one. I passed by Cope Street recently and was struck by something titled ‘NAMAlab’ right next to, ironically enough, the Central Bank. Inside I found an incredible and innovative research exhibition looking at NAMA properties around the city and offering alternative proposals for many of the sites, dotted around our capital.

Hot on the heels of projects like Redrawing Dublin and the public forums around the city and her faults and potential, this is well worth an hour of your time. Drop in.

NAMAlab is a post-graduate architectural and urban research unit based at the Dublin School of Architecture, Dublin Institute of Technology (DIT) for the next six months.

NAMAlab has started mapping what we believe the NAMA portfolio to be in Dublin. This is the first time such information will be available to the public as a visual document.

NAMAlab currently offers 48 alternative proposals for NAMA sites based on the idea of recapturing the identity of Ireland in a post credit crunch society. These include a new National Contemporary Art Gallery in the abandoned shell of the Anglo Irish Bank, a NAMA jail adjacent to Dublin Castle, a trout farm on Grand Canal Basin, The New Abbey theatre on O’ Connell Street, a National Casino on Fleet Street and many more….

If the aim of NAMA is to maximise asset value, the aim of NAMAlab is to maximise the social
cultural and strategic value of the NAMAlands and set a precedent for change through
Architecture.

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It’s pretty amazing that they did, but two Saint Patrick’s Athletic fans made it to Kazakhstan last week to watch the lads in action. At home, a large crowd squeezed into McDowell’s pub to watch a stream that can only be described as absolutely dire. Twenty seconds of football, followed by thirty seconds of a frozen screen. Giving up, we followed text updates instead.

When we drew level and brought the game to one-a-piece, the place erupted. An away goal really is a huge advantage in European competition. Sadly we ultimately went down 2-1, but there is a feeling of confidence in the camp as by all accounts with regards the weather it’s a different kettle of fish altogether out there.

The return leg takes place this Thursday. I’d encourage all those who may have come down a few years ago or make the odd game to consider returning, and indeed those with just a passing interest in the game of football should seize the opportunity this week creates with Europa League qualifiers on both sides of the River Liffey on Thursday night. If we progress, we’re off to the Ukraine. It’s not been an easy few weeks……

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This Saturday and Sunday sees the return of Kings Of Concrete to Wood Quay. Music,street art, skating and more besides feature. In previous years it has always been enjoyable, so here’s hoping the weather holds up and the god of the weather doesn’t ‘do a Bloomsday’ on the youth.

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The first one...

The Sunday Times today featured an excellent article from Neil Callanan and Ciara Kenny around a developing storm in Temple Bar, over a submission to Dublin City Council from McDonalds for a proposed three-storey outlet at Frankie’s Steakhouse and Bar in Temple Bar, noting that they believe a branch would “…add to the vitality of the area by attracting foot-fall”

Having a keen interest in the social history of the area, and the massive regeneration of Temple Bar in the 80’s, something that has always irked me is the presence of multinationals like the Hard Rock Cafe and Urban Outfitters in what began as a sort of cultural or (dare I say) almost bohemian quarter. The beauty of Temple Bar is the unusual mix of shops, restaurants and the like within it. It is hardly the ideal location for the Golden Arches, and like the tourist-trap public houses opposite Frankies, it would only contribute to the decline of the area.

Tommy Graham of History Ireland is quoted in the piece as stating “Temple Bar has been over-developed. There are far too many pubs and clubs. The original spirit of it was lost long ago.” It is difficult to disagree.

The story of Temple Bar is such a great one almost as much because of what Temple Bar didn’t become as for what it did. It should not be forgotten that the genius plan of CIE in the 1980s involved demolishing property in the area and to build a bus terminus in its place. Today, this area is home to the Irish Film Institute, the National Photographic Archive and more besides.

For all that is wrong with the area today (and we all know a lot is), surely adding a McDonalds to this corner of Dublin isn’t quite the solution?

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Last nights launch party for Casa Rebelde in Temple Bar went swimmingly. I provided the tunes, Ci of this very parish was on hand to do all asked of him (mainly handing out beers, for which everyone is very grateful) and the music kept going for over two hours. I finally have a St. Pauli cap on my head (somehow came back from Hamburg without one) and if last night is anything to go by Casa Rebelde has found a great home for itself. On behalf of ourselves, congrats to all involved!

I’m proud to note the winner of the Keepy Uppy competition was the drummerboy of the Shed End Invincibles 😉

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Pats and Bohs: Two sides of the Liffey, one airport.

Saint Patrick’s Athletic versus Karagandy should be live today from 2pm in McDowell’s, Inchicore. Across the Liffey, Bohemian FC versus Olimpija Ljubljana is being streamed into the club bar at Dalymount Park. European adventures are one of the highlights of following the League of Ireland so at different points of the day we’ll all be glued to screens here at Come Here To Me HQ.

……There is no Come Here To Me HQ, for anyone who thought there might be, even just for a second.

BELIEVE.

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Me neither.

This is where Saint Patrick’s Athletic of Inchicore find themselves on Thursday. Despite my ambitions of following the lads on a European trip this year, a Euroasia trip is out of the question. Still, there is always the home leg Thursday week in Inchicore!

(more…)

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G.F Handel’s pub on Thomas Street sat closed for a long, long time.

Above its door, the sign above which read G.F HANDEL included the man himself, undoubtedly a man who gives Dublin one of its most unusual chapters of cultural history in the form of the world premiere of the Messiah on Fishamble Street.

The pub, after sitting desolate for so long, is back in business. Now however it’s named Arthurs. This is wise, with it being the closest pub to the Guinness Brewery.

What’s happened to Handel above the door? Well, I noticed he’s still there! G.F Handel below is painted out, but the ‘eighteenth century fella’ remains. What do you think, Arthur and George? I can’t see the resemblance myself! It could be anyone next.

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…..Jesus.

The things people will do for a free pass these days. I would advise Amandra Brunker to stick to the journalism, but she’s not exactly a shining light in that field either.

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‘Thanks for 20 years in Temple Bar’ reads the sign in the window of Borderline.

That great yellow record shop is as old as the hills and an institution of Temple Bar. Like so many other vinyl specialists in the city but, its days are sadly numbered and there is currently a huge sale on in the shop. The vinyl above, Some Girls Are Bigger Than Others by The Smiths, was picked up today at 50% off. I’m going to miss popping in and just browsing through the rares, bootlegs and classics.

Best of luck to the lads involved in the shop on whatever road they go down. Vinyl will never die!

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What a night last night in Inchicore.

European nights are what following Saint Patrick’s Athletic is all about. We’ve not been the most successful club on the go in recent years, but we’ve seen some excellent European nights. Hertha Berlin, IF Elfsborg, Krylia, Celtic, Valetta and eh…..Zimbru. There is a buzz on European nights which can not be beaten. Along with the diehards, a much larger chunk of southside Dublin emerges on these nights, along with a few club legends and faces of old.

ÍBV hammered our goal out of it towards the end of last nights match, and I’m amazed I’ve ANY nails left to chew on at all. Still, the 2-0 result, which puts us through at 2-1 over the two legs, was probably fair. Paddy Power offered me odds of 11/2 on this exact result, and once I publish this post I’m off to collect the winnings. What a strange and unusual feeling that is!

Where to from here for Mahons Army? Kazakhstan. I know nothing of Kazakhstan, beyond what I learned from Borat. I imagine this is akin to saying ‘I know nothing about Ireland beyond what I picked up from Father Ted’, so mankinis are out of the suitcases. Not that there will be many of them, beyond the team its unimaginable any fans will make the trek.

Still, if Israel are in the Eurovision why not Kazakhstan in the Europa League? I’m hopefull. Ireland’s European Team go marching in.

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