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New interactive Dublin architecture website

March 18, 2011 by Sam

'Architecture Dublin', Click to enter website

Cool new website which allows tourists and locals a chance to view different buildings in Dublin from various angles and read up about their architectural history. They describe themselves as a “an interactive resource that presents award-winning architecture using Google maps API, interactive flash movies, voiceovers, immersive audio, photography, satellite images and Google street view panoramas”.

It’s a work in progress. Six award-winning building are currently featured and are two more coming shortly.

They are also asking people to add their comments, opinions, photos, or videos to their Facebook page.

Posted in Miscellaneous | 1 Comment »

“Saint Patrick was a gentleman, he came from decent people….”

March 16, 2011 by Donal

ADW does it again. Andrews Lane.

Have a nice day tomorrow and treat the city with some respect.

It’s my day off. I’ll leave it to Flann O’Brien:

And here’s a good wan. The brother met an oul fella below in Wiekla town and yer man said straight out of that there was no Saint Patrick and that the whole yarn was invented be Strongbow or somebody. The brother asked him, if that was true, how come there was no snakes in Ireland? Know what th’oul fella done? Laughed in the brother’s face. Me dear man, says he when I was a young man settin out to make me fortune, I first emigrated to Australia. There was work to be had there but it was too hard and the grub was something fierce. With the result was I continued me travels to New Zealand. Ever heard tell of New Zealand? Right. I’ll tell ya wan thing about New Zealand. There isn’t a single snake in the whole place.

Posted in Uncategorized | 10 Comments »

Changes to the Nitelink service.

March 16, 2011 by Donal

We saw this coming. Highlights include axed routes and a few buses that now go halfway around the world. The changes come into effect from Friday 25th March 2011.

Come Here To Me ‘Save The Dublin Nitelinks’ Facebook Page.

Continue Reading »

Posted in Uncategorized | 2 Comments »

One will not be discriminated against.

March 16, 2011 by Donal

The Guardians of the Peace and courts of law have told a northside publican to remove his banner banning the Queen of the United Kingdom from the premises. Due to a fear of losing the venues late licence, the owner of The Players Lounge agreed to remove the banner.

Inspector Liam Dillon told the court that his objection, based on public safety concerns, would be withdrawn if the banner was removed by 1700 GMT.

BBC News NI have a good report over here.

City centre graffiti.

Posted in Uncategorized | 13 Comments »

Friday shenanigans

March 16, 2011 by Sam

click me please

Capel Street won’t know what hit it.

Local bass kings !Kaboogie, internet warriors SoundTracksForThem and raggamuffin ruffians Punky Reggae Party are teaming up Paddy’s Weekend shtyle to shake the very foundations of O’Byrnes boozer.

Get down early. Music kicks off at 8pm. None of this leaving your gaff at midnight rubbish. €5 in. Lots of nice drink deals.

1. No yeah no

It all started at the Asylum in Woolwich (South London), a small forgotten acid house party held in 88 with the likes of Darren Jay and Mickey Finn on the decks.

London DJ, Noyeahno, started her career during the massive rave expolsion in the early nineties. Over the years she has been involved with different musical genres, always searching out the beats that make her move. She currently co -runs Rag & Bone Records and has a regular show on Sub FM as well as playing regularly in UK & Europe.

I am playing a hybrid of breaks, 2-step, electro and techno, just bass driven music really, and at any time dropping one of the many styles that passed through my record bag over the last 16 years.

2. Redmonk

Redmonk is a Dublin-based DJ and self-taught visual artist.  As well as being a member of Dublin’s Secret Wars team, he also exhibits his work regularly with the Spoom Collective and A4 Sounds. He currently works as a community artist in Finglas.  Musicwise, he helps run the !Kaboogie crew (who have been throwing the heaviest parties in and around Dublin for over four years now) helps run !Kaboogie Records and has a weekly show on Raidió na Life.

Mixes available over at http://www.mixcloud.com/redmonk/

3. A-Force

Helping put on !Kaboogie parties and newer bass tantrum label Ghetto Quietly, A-Force transverses both the producer and DJ axis. With releases out on Takeover, Ghetto Quietly, !Kaboogie and more in the pipeline, on the night expect some dubby grimey mash-up bizness.

Mixes and more available over at http://aisteardub.blogspot.com/

4. Bluefood

Bluefood is a Solo Producer, Producing odds and endisms since 2002 with !Kaboogie and Ghettoquielty.

Mixes and tunes available at http://soundcloud.com/bluefood

5. Punky Reggae Party

DJ’s from the Punky Reggae party will be throwing it down with some true northern soul, ska and reggae vibrations in the front bar of O’Briens all night.

Lurk them at http://www.facebook.com/punkyreggaepartydublin

Posted in Events, Music | Leave a Comment »

Port worker case adjourned until April 1st.

March 16, 2011 by Donal

The case of Gerald McDonnell, the 63 year old Dublin Port worker up in court over the ‘floating picket’ that formed part of that 8 month dispute in 2009, has been adjourned until April 1st.

Supporters are appealing for people to show up at Parkgate Street at 10am on the day.

There was a great crowd there this morning and it was heartwarming to see the support for Gerald.

In 2009, a group of workers in Dublin Port fought an 8-month long strike against forced redundancies and pay cuts. The workers and their local community showed bravery and determination in what was a difficult struggle. Their employer, Marine Terminals Ltd. (MTL), was eventually forced to come to an agreement with the strikers.

On 27th August 2009, a number of the strikers participated in a peaceful ‘floating picket’ aimed at h…ighlighting their dispute. The image which appeared in several national newspapers and in many online publications of the picketers’ tiny boat dwarfed by the Stena Line Ferry showed clearly the bravery of the action, and was very effective in highlighting the dispute.

Now over 18 months later, one of the dockers involved in the dispute has been arrested and charged in relation to this ‘floating picket’. 63-year-old Gerald McDonnell is facing 3 charges under the Maritime Safety Act. If convicted he could face a fine of up to €250,000.

Posted in Events, Politics | Leave a Comment »

Draw with Don Conroy in The Bernard Shaw.

March 15, 2011 by Donal

Apparently, Don Conroy is doing a night in The Bernard Shaw soon, which is bloody bizarre. I met Don when I was a youngster and he was a really nice bloke, I’ve all the books somewhere but my artistic ability was always poor at best.

When Don arrives he will be drawing with us and telling us stories about his time on the Den with the gang.
Expect OWLS.

Afterwards you can meet the man himself, get your Draw with Don books signed if you’ve managed to hang onto them, and maybe if you’re lucky he’ll have some time for some photos.

I have no opinion on all this, I just think it’s mad. It’s akin to someone from The X-Factor playing in your local. Nostalgic to say the least, fair play to him.

It’s not Don’s first run-in with hipsterism. Here is a video about his ‘perfect day’ set to music from The Postal Service.

Posted in Events | 3 Comments »

“This is the dawning of a new era…”

March 15, 2011 by Sam

Dancehall faithful (c) Chris Daboygoldy

Last Sunday marked the very last Dancehall Styles club night in The Button Factory. Starting out in 2004, Worries Outernational, Ireland’s leading reggae sound system and crew, have been packing out the venue each and every Sunday to play the very best of reggae, ska, ragga, dancehall and bashment.

All is not lost! Dancehall Styles will be relocating to the Ormond Wine Bar as of this Sunday.

The Button Factory nights, which lasted for seven years, will be fondly remembered by a whole mix of people. Visiting tourists who were given a tip to head there for a guaranteed good Sunday night, by recovering junglists still out from the night before and by characters of all nationalities and creeds who united to make Dancehall Styles their weekly Sunday service.

(c) Chris Daboygoldy

Big shout out to Andy, Fadda, Mikey and the rest for the Worries brethren. Nuff respect. Keep on keepin’ on.

Worries crew. (c) Chris Daboygoldy

Posted in Music | Leave a Comment »

Coffee Booth on O’Connell Street

March 15, 2011 by Sam

date unknown.'Coffee Booth', O'Connell St. Credit to Valerie Kennedy for uploading onto Facebook

This is an unusual snap of a long demolished structure on O’Connell Street.

The photo was described, when uploaded onto Facebook, as showing a taxi shelter but I’m not so sure. If you look carefully, you can see the words ‘Coffee Booth’ on the window. Judging that it dates from the early half of the 20th century, I’m surprised that both coffee and coffee kiosks were in operation that far back.

Update: I think we were both right. The structure is a “coffee booth” used by the taximen whose rank was beside it. In his Dublin Diary, Stanisluas Joyce, James’ brother, describes on page 61 that he ‘like(s) the City at night, wide O’Connell Street (I have O’Connell blood in me and an O’Connell face. … nimbling quietly along, the horse walking, without noise but for an occasional shout of laughter from the cabman’s coffee booth”

If there was any doubt that this wasn’t Dublin, those bollards on the left can be seen as certain proof.

(c) GrahamH

Posted in Dublin History, Photography | 12 Comments »

No real change in the Crumlin offices of USI.

March 14, 2011 by Donal

Unlike some in this photo, Gary Redmond still has an elected job.

Some interesting news today, that the Union of Students in Ireland (USI) have re-elected Gary Redmond for a second term as President. Redmond of course was the USI President who moved quickly on November third last to condemn students engaging in “anti-social behaviour” before it was clear just what had happened at the Department of Finance on Merrion Row.

His union went on blame “left-wing’’ groups for the “destructive and anti-social violence”, and continued to hold this view even after the state broadcaster RTE broadcast incredible footage of the events at Merrion Row. It was surely unprecedented for the state broadcaster to raise such questions. A protest the following night was attended by well over 500 students, and not alone did Redmond not show: he issued another statement of condemnation.

The USI went on to call for the scrapping of the Croke Park Agreement, in a bizarre move out of touch with their historic links to education workers. Of course it was all unsurprising from the man who The Phoenix wrote “…can hardly be described as the Irish answer to Daniel Cohn-Bendit.” Of course Daniel Cohen-Bendit, for all his sins, was never a member of Fianna Fáil.

So, it’s another year in a Crumlin office for Redmond, and a bizarre chapter in the history of the Irish student movement continues. What are they like?

Posted in Politics, Uncategorized | 3 Comments »

A great find

March 14, 2011 by Ciarán

I always love venturing into the Secret Book and Record Store on Wicklow Street as it has produced some absolute gems for me down through the years. When Mero was running the record side of things, I’d make the trip up from beyond the Pale and shuffle nervously up to the counter with whatever zine or 7″ or god forbid TAPE that I liked the look of. But as I grew, Mero’s gave way to Freebird, and punk moved across to the late Red Ink at Central Bank, and my interest in this place moved to the books.

The Secret Book and Record Store

So, when I got a text from JayCarax last week saying there was a box of League of Ireland programmes going cheap, I jumped at the chance. I eventually got in on Sunday afternoon on nipped in and the result can be seen below- €20 for 27 programmes, mainly Bohs but a few Shels as well, spanning from 1992 – 2004. Twelve short years, but a lifetime in this League. Paul Osam to Peter Eccles, Gino Lawless to Avery John all feature. Owen Heary, Pat Fenlon and Stuart Byrne seem to appear ageless, bouncing back and forth between clubs and Tony Cousins appears, looking, well, pretty much exactly like he does now. Shels were a big club, and Bohs made a profit one season. Crazy times indeed.

27 programmes for a score? A steal.

I’ll scan some of the more interesting pages up over the weekend; I’ll most likely need a repetitive and non- strenuous chore to ease my Paddy’s Day hangover away so what better to kill two birds with the one stone.

Posted in Football Articles, Miscellaneous, Photography, Social History | Tagged , , , , | 2 Comments »

Things I intend to do this week.

March 14, 2011 by Donal

The grave of Vonolel, the famous horse of Field-Marshal Earl Roberts buried in the grounds of the Royal Hospital.

Yes, this is now a weekly thing.

Saint Patrick’s week. A good week for the soul, a bad week for the wallet.

My absolute failure to stay in over the weekend and save money (Saturday morning in The Chancery waiting for an 8:30am pint is the ultimate ‘quiet weekend’ failure surely?) gives way to a week I always love.

The highlight for me revolves around another Saint Patrick’s, in the form of the Dublin derby on Friday night between Shamrock Rovers and Saint Patrick’s Athletic at Tallaght Stadium. An 8pm kick off is a godsend, as the day after Patrick’s Day is always a bit 28 Days Later in terms of zombie people. Plenty of time to come back around.

I intend to continue to get as much as possible out of my IFI membership, and Between The Canals opens at the IFI on March 18th. I’ve seen the film, but really enjoyed it and I think I may take the chance to see it on a big screen. A second trip is likely, to catch Norwegian Wood. There was a time when I never went to the cinema, I now think it’s addictive.

At some stage, I’d love to pop up to Mitsuba, the new Japanese restaurant on Parnell Street. I’m in love with Parnell Street, a great mix of ethnic restaurants are to be found there including Come Here To Me favourite The Hop House. Mitsuba’s write-up in the Indo last week was promising:

It’s a long time since I’ve said I’m going to work my way through any menu, but I can’t wait to go back.

On Wednesday, I’ll be down at the Criminal Courts of Justice on Parkgate Street for a protest. Gerard Mc Donnell is a 63 year old family man facing 3 serious charges under the maritime safety act and a fine of up to €250,000 for his role in the ‘floating picket’ during the MTL dockers strike in 2009. There will be a protest outside the courts from 10am.

Paddys Day itself is a funny one. I always go along and catch the parade, and love the buzz of it. the further into adulthood I go, the more I think I enjoy the thing more now than I did as a child. The Bernard Shaw gets my shout for post parade pints.

I’m hoping to get up to the Phil Lynott exhibition at the top of the Stephen’s Green Shopping Centre at some point. On the subject of exhibitions, it really is the last chance to catch The Moderns at the IMMA. From Synge to Yeats (Jack B. that is….) and right the way up until the 1970s, the exhibition is a look at the history of the arts in Ireland from 1900 on. Any visit to the IMMA offers the chance to walk around the wonderful grounds, and I might even pay a visit to my friend Vonolel who is buried there.

I’m going to avail of my quiet week and get up to the Natural History Museum for a proper looksie, it’s been a while.

Posted in Events | 1 Comment »

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