I've never liked Dublin

[nud1e]

Dublin and I had our first meaningful encounter during the 1960's, I found her shabby, full of self pride, a faded beauty living on its past glories, a sad post-colonial capital, with the small "c", self important and arrogant, all lace curtains and no knickers.
During the 70's, when I became self mobile, we became passing acquaintances who accommodated each other as she haphazardly urban sprawled and like some enormous tick suckled on the life blood of the country.
It is an unplanned, uncaring, shambolic shitty unable to reconcile its mediaeval core with the needs of 20th century city.
It is a city of self interest, a ignorant corrupting glutton that has outlived its function that has self deluded itself to the belief that what is good for Dublin is good for Ireland. Endless commuting is considered preferable to jobs dispersion and decentralisation - there is no life, culture, schools or entertainment beyond Naas. All roads and rails, goods and services must lead to Dublin, Dublin Airport is the only airport that matters regardless of near impossible access or user comfort.
Dublin was a kip in the '60s, now it is an enormous kip.
I would much prefer Belfast over Dublin.

 

[Aidan1150]

Very well put there Michael, I agree with you completely. However you failed to mention her people, real Dubs who are friendly, funny warm folk.

 

[P.J.]

CREDIT . .

. . good on ya, Aidan, real Dublin wit is akin to that of London's East End ( that was, one time) or the Geordie style. You've got to be fast, to keep up with it.

 

[Nailer]

So he doesn't like Dublin then.....

 

[MikeP]

Only visited Dublin once, with a good mate who's a native but has lived over here for many years.

Loved the place (a bit grubbier than I'd expected) and really had a great time with the locals.

Only time I felt a bit uncomfortable was wandering in to a pub called 'The Widow Hanlan's' (if I remember the name correctly). It reminded me of the atmosphere in parts of West Belfast in the early 70's.

 

[Decster]

the people who live in a city make it what it is and there are fcuk all Dubliners living in Dublin now.....

i liked it in the late 80's and 90/91, then after that it really went the way of London and yuppiedom.

Now Naples is a city i like

 

[Decster]

Only time I felt a bit uncomfortable was wandering in to a pub called 'The Widow Hanlan's' (if I remember the name correctly). It reminded me of the atmosphere in parts of West Belfast in the early 70's.

Aye that would have been an establishment for very local boyos.. s

 

[MikeP]

Aye that would have been an establishment for very local boyos.. s

This was back in the mid-nineties, I recognised the "vibe" instantly. Swift pint, my Dubliner mate (ex-Royal Marine and serving UK copper) did the drink order, we glopped them and were on our toes PDQ!

 

[ChasMill]

This was back in the mid-nineties, I recognised the "vibe" instantly. Swift pint, my Dubliner mate (ex-Royal Marine and serving UK copper) did the drink order, we glopped them and were on our toes PDQ!

Similar experience in "The Dockers" with Mrs ChasMill (Dublin born and bred) - told to keep my gob shut in case the locals heard my accent.

 

[demosuzki]

'The Widow Hanlan's' (if I remember the name correctly).

That would be the The Widow Scanlan's down Pearse st.
Dodgy enough area at the best of times.

it was a 'ra pub back in the day.

one of the few times the Loyalists paramilitaries struck in the South was when they a shot a Sinn Fein party worker in the The Widow Scanlan's.
If I rememebr rightly he was shot in a door scuffle as they tried to get in to some function.
Seemingly they were aided by a Dublin gangster who was himself subsequently shot by the Provos.

This was back in the early 90s.
I lived a few doors down at the time.

I'd agree with the original post about Dublin.
I lived there on and off over 15 years.

I have fond memories but it is of people not the city itself.

when asked for advice I always recommend a trip out the coast to malahide, howth or dakley.

the temple bar area is just terrible.

 

[Nailer]

Dublin is no better or worse than other cities. it has its good and bad.
but guess what ... nobody gives a f**K what anybody else thinks.
Dublin is one of the best places in the world for a night out if you know where to go .