The Dublin Community Blog

I CAN’T seem to pass O’Connell Bridge (incidentally which is as wide as it is long) or indeed the Quays at night without trying to snap something. Each time I do I resolve to get the tripod out and have some real fun. As it is I always forget and end up using a wall or something to steady the camera, this was steadied using the wall and my hat. It’s amazing just how resourceful you can be when you have to. I WILL get the tripod though as I’d love to do some really long exposure night time shots.

Saw this stuck to the inside of a florist’s window last Saturday in Ranelagh. Not going to say much more about it, but… what was the ‘red suede ladies shoe’ doing while ‘last seen’?

Answers on a postcard please!

An era is coming to an end. No more searching your pockets for 50c coins. No more worrying if the last person to hold this handset had a fatal disease or just one that causes large volumes of mucus to flow. No more wondering who is Jenny and why ringing her number is classed as a good time.

Half the remaining phone boxes run by Eircom will be removed over the next few months. It is sad in a nostalgia kind of a way. For many of course it is more serious since even in the age of the mobile phone some people still depend on the local payphone for communications.

As I am using Dublin Bus quite often, I noticed the growing number of kids wearing hoodies and sitting in the last rows of the top level, playing their mobiles at maximum volume. Without headphones. I am aware of the fact that this is a know phenomenon in most European cities, but there is seemingly a law of nature that prevents those kids from playing good music on their phones. I mean, I wouldn’t mind some Beethoven or Massive Attack when sitting in rush hour traffic and reading a book, but Dublin adolescents mostly listen to crappy Gangsta Rap or, even worse, to German Euro-Techno like Scooter and consorts. Dentist’s visit, anyone? And the fatal thing about this is that most of the time I just crank up the volume on my own mp3-player to blank out the noise pollution from the rows behind me. Maybe I should play Slayer at maximum volume too – to fire back and to annoy fellow commuters so much that finally everyone would agree to have all mobiles on buses switched off.  Rant ends here.

On that subject: Sccoter are visiting Ireland in February. Just to let you know.

What a clever idea – a new art concept:

Free Art Friday is a relatively new art movement that’s rapidly gaining in popularity around the World. Artists create a painting, sketch, sculpture or installation and leave it on the street. The piece can then be picked up by anyone and claim it as their own. Finders are encouraged to email the artist and tell them how and where they found it.

Further info and updates here.

expect to find FAF art in sheltered areas such as, a bus seat, door way or phone box. Basically, anywhere public. If the weather is good then, you’ll find them on; park benches, window ledges, railings and you can even expect to find one piece in a sitting on a cinema.

Last art drop is at 4pm. I think I’ll go for a wander! Let us know if you find any art.

I’m so sad to hear that Road Records is closing its shop on Fade St after 11 years. Well known as an outlet for independent musicians and local Irish releases, it also hosted many single launches and live performances. Many of which I attended. According to the statement on their website downloading (legal and illegal), online below cost sellers, decrease in footfall, increase in rent, insurance etc, are some of the reasons for the closure decision.

The reasons for the downturn are many and varied and if there was just one then we could try overcome that in some way but its no longer possible to pinpoint just one.

I will try list some of the reasons I see for the death of the small shop and I really do hope I am not right in thinking that many more will go the same way, I have always been optimistic that this city can sustain a couple of smaller indie shops but I no longer believe that to be true, again, I really hope I am wrong with this opinion but the way people go about buying their music these days does not instill me with too much confidence.

It really is the end of an era. I’m not even sure if there are any remaining Indie music stores open in Dublin.

THERE is a special deal involving a number of Dublin’s top restaurants and the Irish Times where on particular lunchtimes people can book a two-course meal with a glass of wine for €20. The restaurants included are: China Sichuan, Town Bar & Grill, The Cellar, L’Ecrivain, Chapter One and Bentley’s Oyster Bar & Grill. To qualify you need to quote the Irish Times offer when booking for the specified dates, and bring a copy of the Times to the meal. You will also be asked to make a contribution to Our Lady’s Hospice.

This offer won’t last long so get booking now, find out more on Cheapeats.ie.

The former James Bond will visit Easons on Saturday 17th at 2pm to meet fans and sign his autobiography My Word is Bond. For many of us Moore was the bond we grew up with and while now we may or may not prefer other Bond actors Moore will always be the Bond who drove the under water Lotus car, fought Jaws, went into space, and saved Silicon Valley allowing us to have blogs

Any Bond fans might want to pick up a signed autobiography, or even pick up one as a really early Christmas present for someone else.

Last year I posted about a Sunday Tribune article which reported that 100 buses could be cut from the Dublin Bus fleet. Today the Minister for Transport Noel Dempsey  confirmed that there will be cuts in Dublin Bus services. Dublin Bus is expected to withdraw 120 buses or 10% of the fleet and laying off 200 staff.

If this is any indication as to how the government will cut public service costs then we can expect to see many more front line services cut and I suspect we face a year of discontent with public transport in Dublin.

Update Friday 16th Jan: Dublin Bus has confirmed the cutbacks. 120 busses as expected but 290 (160 compulsory) staff to go as well. The changes will come into effect in March. The trade unions in Dublin Bus are saying they will oppose the 160 compulsory redundancies.

Though we have to wait until January 21st before the full programme is announced, the Jameson Dublin International Film Festival presented some early programme highlights yesterday.

Taking place from the 12th – 22nd February, the festival will feature over 130 film screenings from Ireland, Europe and across the world, many of which will be their first and only screening in Ireland. As well as the chance to catch some great movies, the festival holds many non screening events such as the Dublin City Libraries film quiz, which will see older people pit their film knowledge against each other, the Write Here Write Now screenwriting award in association with Walt Disney Motion Pictures, Q&A sessions and much, much, more.

The festival is also still looking for volunteers to support the three festival areas Administration & Production, Venues and Event Hospitality. You can download the application form here.