TheCity

Author: Oscar Meagher

  • Iconic Blackrock landmark reopens as new ‘Mister Magpie’ café

    Iconic Blackrock landmark reopens as new ‘Mister Magpie’ café

    Image: The reinvigorated kiosk, alive with customers – Photo credit: Oscar Meagher

    The newly restored Blackrock Tearooms has become the site of a new Mister Magpie café. The restoration is part of a larger development plan by the Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council.

    By Oscar Meagher 

    A landmark of Blackrock Park has become the site of the new Mister Magpie Café.

    First built in the 1890’s, this historic kiosk has re-opened its doors following years of disuse.  

    The structure served as a residence for park staff until its closure in the 1970s. Reasons for its abandonment and the following decades of inactivity are unclear. 

    The restoration is part of a broader redevelopment plan focused on improving the park’s facilities and accessibility.

    Image: The Blackrock Tearooms, a month before its grand re-opening – Photo Credit: Oscar Meagher

    Plans to restore the landmark were first announced in June 2024 and is reported to have cost €1.1m.

    Damaged windows and timber elements have been replaced while the distinctive Tudor-style wraparound veranda has been fully refurbished.

    The structure is intended to become a new social hub for the renovated Blackrock Park.

    “Restoring a building of this age and character required significant conservation work, and we are proud to see it renewed in a way that respects its heritage while adapting it for modern use,”said Jim Gildea, Cathaoirleach of Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council.  

    Image: Mister Magpie Blackrock interior – Photo credit: Oscar Meagher

    The site is the latest branch of the Mister Magpie coffee chain.

    Since its establishment in 2019, the company has grown significantly with locations in Ballsbridge, Leeson Street and Killiney Hill. 

    Image: The Blackrock Tearooms, overlooking the bustling park – Photo credit: Oscar Meagher

    “I used to cycle out to Blackrock, and I couldn’t help but notice how beautiful the building was,” said Bernard O’Neill, Co-founder of Mister Magpie.

    “It was so striking and contrasted the surrounding area beautifully.”

    Image: Newly installed seating areas provide a wide view of the park and coast – Photo credit: Oscar Meagher

    “It had great potential. It’s close to the DART line and has an amazing view of the sea,” he added.

    “It’s an ideal summer location.”

    Image: The busy streets of Blackrock Village – Photo credit: Oscar Meagher

    The surrounding Blackrock Village is home to many alternative coffee companies, which could either create challenges or business opportunities.

    “There’s a strong coffee culture in Blackrock that seems to have only grown since the pandemic,” said O’Neill.

    “I don’t view them as competition. More coffee shops only draw more people to the area.”

    Image: A Mister Magpie coffee, served on its own pedestal – Photo credit: Oscar Meagher

    Image: Ice creams being handed out via the outdoor-service station – Photo credit: Oscar Meagher

    “We make the majority of our food,” said O’Neil. “Our brownies and ice creams are proving to be very popular.”

    An outdoor service station dispenses drinks and delicacies.

    “Many of our customers are dog walkers, so we provide free treats for the pups and jellybeans for smaller children,” he added.

    “We refer to every one of our customers as a GUEST, meaning Give Us Extra Special Treatment.”

    Image: St Patrick’s Day draws in a large crowd for the recently opened cafe – Photo credit: Oscar Meagher

    The historic kiosk officially reopened its doors on March 11th as the new Mister Magpie café.

    “The reopening marks an important milestone in delivering the Blackrock Park Masterplan,” said Frank Curran, Chief Executive of Dún Laoghaire Rathdown County Council.

    “Restoring the historic kiosk is a significant improvement for both the park and the wider Blackrock area.”

  • Legends of the Irish stage come back to life in ‘The Quiet Men’

    Legends of the Irish stage come back to life in ‘The Quiet Men’

    Image of The Quiet Men – courtesy of Bewley’s Theatre Café. Photo credit: Conrad Jones Creative

    A play depicting the lives of Irish actors Barry Fitzgerald and Arthur Shields is currently running at Bewley’s Theatre Café on Grafton Street.

    By Oscar Meagher

    Bewley’s Café Theatre is currently staging a play chronicling the lives of two Irish screen legends.  

    Titled ‘The Quiet Men,’ the show delves into the many successes and personal struggles of brothers Barry Fitzgerald and Arthur Shields.

    Both men were pillars of the Dublin theatre scene and important figures of Irish representation during Hollywood’s Golden Age.

    Despite their illustrious careers, the two are best remembered for their roles in director John Ford’s 1952 adaptation of The Quiet Man.

    The show highlights the pair’s hidden histories – from Shield’s multiple marriages to Fitzgerald’s Academy Award win, his 1945 manslaughter charge and closeted relationship with his stand-in. Further revelations include connections to James Bond, Alfred Hitchcock and James Connolly.

    Following performances at The Viking Theatre last October, the play is set to run at Bewley’s Café from February 23rd – March 14th. 

    The Quiet Men is directed by Conall Morrison and performed by writer and actor, Morgan C Jones, the great grandnephew of Shields and Fitzgerald.

    “It’s a story that’s very close to my heart,” said Jones. “I grew up hearing all these great stories about them and thought there was a fascinating thread to be explored.”

     “I’ve been thinking about it for around 20 years,” he added.

    Image of Morgan C Jones – courtesy of Bewley’s Theatre Café. Photo credit: Conrad Jones Creative

    The brothers’ journey to Hollywood was intertwined with a significant part of Irish history.

    “At 19 years old, Arthur Shields fought in the GPO during the Easter Rising of 1916,” said Jones. “After his internment, he left nationalism behind and properly pursued acting.

    “His older brother followed soon after.”

    Barry Fitzgerald holds the distinct honour of winning Ireland’s first Academy Award in acting for his supporting role opposite Bing Crosby in 1944’s Going My Way.

    This achievement has cemented itself in cinema history, marking the only time an actor has won after receiving a nomination for both best lead and supporting performances.  

    Rules were implemented the following year to prevent any similar occurrences. 

    Image of Morgan C Jones – courtesy of Bewley’s Theatre Café. Photo credit: Conrad Jones Creative

    Morgan C Jones takes the stage as both Shields and Fitzgerald.

    “I always wanted to be an actor, and I’ve been doing it for about 42 years now,” said Jones. “It’s tough to say whether my turn for the dramatic was directly inspired by my illustrious forbearers, but I think it certainly helped.” 

    Despite coming from a lineage of acting talent, he admitted that his own journey to the stage wasn’t always easy.

    “I became a stand-up comedian at one point because it was just so difficult to find work as an actor in Ireland,” he said. “I really broke into the stage around 1995, the same time when I came up with the idea for this play.”

    While being conceived decades ago, the story’s long journey to the stage has been fraught with numerous delays.

    “My daughter is a playwright herself, and she tried to get it up and running several times. After a few false starts and interruptions, I figured I should jump in.”  

    The Quiet Men will run at Bewley’s Theatre Café from February 23rd – March 14th. 

    Poster for The Quiet Men – courtesy of Bewley’s Café Theatre

  • Dublin swimmers at risk of sewage exposure from heavy rainfall

    Dublin swimmers at risk of sewage exposure from heavy rainfall

    Image of Forty Foot – Photo credit: Oscar Meagher

    Dublin swimmers are advised to take caution after periods of heavy rainfall as there is an increased risk of contaminated seawater.

    By Oscar Meagher 

    As Dublin continues to face poor weather conditions, swimmers have been warned to take precautions before returning to the sea.

    Ireland’s bathing season runs from June 1st to September 15th. During this period, local authorities monitor swimming areas for the presence of harmful bacteria.

    These conditions are largely unsupervised during the remaining months. 

    “Heavy rainfall is one of the key factors in water quality contamination,” said Wim Meijer, Professor of Microbiology in UCD School of Biomolecular and Biomedical Science.

    “Treatment plants and sewers can’t contain the increased volume of wastewater during periods of extreme weather. That excess ends up bypassing the complete treatment process,” he said.

    “When sewers overflow, that water will need somewhere to go. It may flow back through the toilet, or it will wash onto our beaches.”

    Swimming in this contaminated water can lead to infection, skin rashes, dysentery and may even result in diarrhoea and vomiting in extreme cases.

    “I would advise swimmers to wait at least 48 hours to swim after periods of heavy rainfall – particularly in areas where sewage may pose a risk,” added Professor Meijer. 

    Image of Blackrock Baths – Photo credit: Oscar Meagher

    Bathing areas are tested for the presence of two bacterial markers, E. coli and Intestinal Enterococci. They are often resident within the intestines of humans and animals.

    Waste from dogs and sea birds is one of the key factors in water pollution.

    “Dogs account for 30% of water contamination,” said Professor Meijer.

    “Even a small amount is enough to contaminate water in an area the size of a tennis court. This can result in temporary bathing prohibition notices being issued by local authorities.”

    Image of Sandycove beach – Photo credit: Oscar Meagher

    Frank Kelly is a member of The Gollymocky Whalers, a local swimming group that began as a result of the Covid pandemic.

    “I’ve been swimming at Sandycove ever since the plague started six years ago. I go swimming three or four times a week,” he said. 

    Kelly is one of many taking part in the ‘Freezbrury’ challenge – which involves submerging yourself in the icy cold water for one minute every day throughout February. Every day, another minute is added.

    “It was 17 minutes today, and we’re hoping to get up to almost half an hour by the end of the month,” he added. 

    “I know to steer clear of the sea after lots of heavy rain. Thankfully, Sandycove is well protected, but I’m worried about some of the other beaches,” said Kelly. 

    One young swimmer at Seapoint Beach, who did not wish to be named, also expressed uncertainty regarding water quality.

    “I only started swimming recently as a sort of New Year’s resolution. There’s still a lot of things I’m unfamiliar with,” she said.

    “I was advised not to swim after it’s been raining. I haven’t really gone much because of the terrible weather we’ve been having for the last month.”

    Image of Seapoint Beach – Photo Credit: Oscar Meagher

    While water quality is generally monitored exclusively from June to September, out-of-season sampling is voluntarily reported by local authorities.

    “I would advise swimmers to regularly check sites like Beaches.ie for information regarding water quality,” said Professor Meijer.

    Dublin City Council monitors bathing water quality at three designated locations: Dollymount Strand, Half Moon and Sandymount Strand. 

    The DLR website regularly publishes findings from water quality samples.

    Recent findings from February 4th in areas like Dún Laoghaire Baths and the Forty Foot were categorized as “excellent”, while labelling others like Blackrock Baths as “poor”. 

    The Bathing Season will continue on June 1st. 

  • ‘The reality is that you need money to work in this business’: an interview with actor and filmmaker Laoisa Sexton

    ‘The reality is that you need money to work in this business’: an interview with actor and filmmaker Laoisa Sexton

    The “I Can’t Go On” writer/director reveals her early inspirations and addresses the challenging realities of breaking into the film industry.

    By Oscar Meagher

    Laoisa Sexton never set out to be a filmmaker. In her own words, “I’m an actor, and then I started plays, and one thing just led to another.” 

    “I grew up in a rural area where there wasn’t much around, apart from community theatre. My mother always encouraged me to take part, especially when we moved to the city. I remember she’d always play showtune records for me and tell me about the stories behind them. Shows like West Side Story or Les Misérables.” 

    Sexton recently won the Best Director award at the Dublin International Comedy Film Festival for “I Can’t Go On,” a short film which follows a children’s entertainer trapped in a party from hell. She describes it as “an angst-ridden dark comedy panic attack”. 

    Image from “I Can’t Go On” – credit: Laoisa Sexton

    “I wanted the viewer to have a visceral experience; to be inside that costume with our lead and to feel her claustrophobia. It’s based on my own experience as a kid’s party entertainer, which can be hell on earth!”  

    The short creates such an overwhelming atmosphere of discomfort that it’s almost off-putting to the viewer. However, that seems to be the point.

    “As a filmmaker, I love to explore the tragedy of what it means to be human while making an audience laugh at the same time. Sometimes, you must go for the jugular by tapping into disturbing levels of discomfort and being unapologetic to get at the truth.” 

    “I Can’t Go On” was produced under the Screen Ireland Focus Shorts scheme and marks the first of Sexton’s films to receive industry funding. She emphasised how appreciative she is of the support, but doesn’t cower from addressing the difficulties faced elsewhere.  

    “Most people who are making films come from more privileged backgrounds than I have. I’ve had to rely on crowdfunding to raise money for much of my work. A short film can take the guts of a year to complete without proper funding. Some of my films have taken longer to create, as I’ve had to start and stop to raise more money for postproduction.”

    Her story is proof that no person can be considered entirely self-made. Both Laoisa Sexton, the person and filmmaker, were born from a passionate and supportive mother.

    “She’d plonk me down in front of the TV and make me watch these incredible films that I probably shouldn’t have been watching at that age. Films like The Red Shoes, Black Narcissus, Double Indemnity, Irma La Douce, and North by Northwest. My mother knew the names of all the actors, even the producers. She was always a wealth of film knowledge, and I think that planted the seed.”

    “I Can’t Go On” ends with a dedication to her late mother.   

    The short was recently awarded Best Irish Film at the horror festival, Imblog: Women Who Terrify, held in Griffith College Dublin as a celebration of St Brigid’s Day. The event spotlighted original works by women and LGBTQA+ creatives.

    While film festivals are often the best place for blossoming filmmakers, financial matters may tarnish a promising career before it can even begin.

    “The Irish film festivals are brilliant and passionately supported by the public. They can be wonderful opportunities to get your work out there, but it costs money to submit and to go to the festivals to represent your film. Some of them are very pricey, especially internationally. You really need a budget for this because they can cost upwards of €2K. More affluent filmmakers can afford to pay short film distributors to get their films included in more festivals and promote them. If you don’t already have the financial backing, you are clearly at a disadvantage.”

    Sexton embodies the romantic ideal of a filmmaker. She is honest, uncompromising in her vision, and she fights to get her work made and shown – a task generally more challenging for a female creative.

    “Statistically, we make up less than any other group making films, I think it’s about 8% for female directors. While there are opportunities for us to make short films, when it comes to funding our features, we aren’t being given the same opportunities as our male counterparts. This isn’t just in Ireland; it’s across the board. The subject matter of what we want to make is not given the same weight either.”

    The challenges faced by Sexton are sadly universal. She articulates the limitations imposed on anyone with the desire to push beyond the comfortable and recognisable.

    “I want to make the kind of films that I want to see, but that I don’t see being made. The truth is that unless something has been done before or proven as worthy of financing, it may not happen. Cinema is not like that; you never know what an audience will respond to.” 

    A filmmaker’s personality, interests, heritage and identity will naturally inform their work. For Laoisa Sexton, the diversity of new voices is a necessity for the future of filmmaking.

    “I think when people talk about diversity, they should also include class. It’s very important to include more voices, especially when it comes to funding. Hopefully, that will lead to more types of stories being made.”