TheCity

Author: The City’s Newshound

  • The National Leprechaun Museum

    The National Leprechaun Museum

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    By Jenny McGovern & Caroline Ewins

    2013 will be the year of The Gathering Ireland.  Hundreds of thousands of people with Irish heritage are expected to descend on the Emerald Isle for this year long event celebrating Irish Culture, Heritage and Craic. There is no doubt that businesses in Ireland will soon begin to pump up their Irish-ness in order to capitilise on the influx of tourists.

    TheCity.ie decided to visit one such place that is already primed for the tourist market.

    Nestled on the corner of Jervis Street by the tracks of the Luas Red Line is Ireland’s Official Leprechaun Museum. As you step into the veranda and onto the synthetic grass you are invited to leave the human world behind and enter into a land of myth and legend….the land of Leprechaun.

    Be warned do not enter this museum with the notion that Leprechauns, Fairies and Giants do not exist…for you shall be reprimanded. Once inside you are greeted by various pictures and illustrations of the Leprechaun.  A tour guide will then give you a brief history of the legends of Ireland, before whisking you through the secret door to the magical tunnel which will in turn transport you to a different world.

    The magical tunnel by way of clever trickery appears to make the tourist shrink in size, thereby enhancing the museum experience. If you’ve ever wondered what it would be like to walk underneath the Giant’s Causeway or sneak inside a Fairy Fort then wonder no more. On this tour you will be taken through twelve chapters of Irish Mythology each with their own story to tell.

    In essence the museum sounds like a wonderful place, a haven from the bustling world of Dublin city. The tales are interesting and educational and have the potential to be entertaining. Yet there are a couple of things that soured this reviewer’s experience. Perhaps it was the fact that it was the last tour of the day but this reviewer found the tour guide to be un-enthused – recounting tales in a monotone manner.

    The Giant’s Room should be the highlight of the tour. The guide invited us all to linger and take photographs on the oversized novelty furniture; alas many members of the tour group appeared frustrated as they were unable to climb said furniture without some difficulty, and unless you are an experienced photographer the dim lighting hampers any attempts to take a decent photograph.

    The idea of a National Leprechaun Museum is simple yet ingenious. It is a gem for tourists a veritable treasure trove for the operators and looks likely to benefit greatly from the upcoming Gathering 2013.

    opening times and ticket prices available from www.leprechaunmuseum.ie

    Photographs: Jenny McGovern 

  • Dublin’s streets packed for march against austerity

    Dublin’s streets packed for march against austerity

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    Saturday’s anti-austerity march brought thousands out on the streets of Dublin City.

    The march, organised by the Dublin Council of Trade Unions, saw people from all corners of the country come to capital to demonstrate against austerity measures and taxes.

    Gathering at Parnell Square, live traditional Irish music – well known songs like the ‘Rare Old Times’ and ‘Dirty Old Town’ –  kept participants entertained while waiting patiently in the cold for the demonstration to take off.

    When the time came, approximately 10,000 strong left from the Garden Remembrance, with chants and banners at the ready.

    Despite the colds, spirits were high and all aspects of society marched side by side – the young, old, students, unemployed and employed alike.

    [youtube.com=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=akQJwaG6OLc]

    Accompanying the marchers was a wide range of lively music and dramatics – including marching bands, singers, costumed performers and creative floats.

    Led by a deathly cloaked figure on a horse – demonstrators left from Parnell Square, making their way down O’ Connell Street and across College Green, before proceeding back across the O’ Connell Street bridge for a special assembly in front of the GPO.

    So many turned out for the event that tail end of the march had barely left Parnell Square while those way ahead in the lead were almost at the end point.

    This made for a parallel meeting of marchers travelling across both directions of the O’ Connell Street bridge. Here, the sound of uilleann pipes mixed with enthusiastic shouts and a lively sing along of Bob Marley’s ‘Stand Up For Your Rights’.

    Meanwhile, unified chants of “You cut, we bleed” bellowed across the Liffey. These chants echoed the general theme and feeling of the march – many hurt and worried by budget cuts and taxes to come.

    But whether marcher’s cries were heard all the way over in the offices of Kildare Street remains to be seen.

    By Liam Keegan & Aidan Knowles

  • “Feeding the 5000” in Dublin city centre

    “Feeding the 5000” in Dublin city centre

    By Fionnuala Holohan.

    [youtube.com=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6PoX2IbvRCo&feature=g-upl]

    While elsewhere in the city, anti-austerity demonstrators were preparing to march on Dáil Éireann, here in Wolfe Tone Square austerity and thrift were the watchwords of the day.

    Army tents, mobile kitchens and fridges lined the square, in preparation for Dublin’s first “Feeding the 5000” event – where “ugly” fruit and vegetables would be recycled to make free meals for everyone for the day.

    “Shops and shoppers often reject perfectly good fruit,” said Clíona, a volunteer, observing that in the UK, people were more pragmatic and happy to take leftovers at the end of the day, whereas in Ireland, there was a reluctance to do so. “It would be a good thing if that changed,” she added.

    Tristram Stuart, author of Waste, Uncovering the Global Food Scandal, and organizer of the first such events in Bristol and London, was on hand to help the Dublin organizers. He stood at the end of Mary Street, encouraging shoppers to come sample the free food.

    The pace was slower than expected, but steady throughout the day.

    The Dublin “Feeding the 5000” event was held as part of the European Week for Waste Reduction which ran from November 17th-25th.

    For more information about the European Week of Waste Reduction, you can go to http://www.ewwr.eu/pre-home, and for more on the “Feeding the 5000”  initiative, please go to www.feeding5kdublin.org

  • Grafton Street Christmas Lights

    Grafton Street Christmas Lights

    By Gill Stedman, Aidan Knowles and Blaithin Henehan

    The City crew hit Grafton Street to capture the atmosphere at the Christmas Lights ceremony. Singer Brian Kennedy, along with the ugly sisters from the Gaiety Panto ‘Cinderella’ switched on the lights, marking the start of the Christmas season for the hundreds of spectators.

    The Hallelujah Gospel Choir kept the crowds entertained with some Christmas classics that had the whole of Grafton Street singing and dancing along. While spirits were high we thought it was the perfect opportunity to find out what people are most looking forward to this Christmas.

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  • The “Hugging Saint” Amma’s recent visit to Dublin

    The “Hugging Saint” Amma’s recent visit to Dublin

    First Person Opinion
    By: Sarah Reilly

    The ‘Hugging Saint’, Amma, recently ran a two-day “Embracing the World” programme in Dublin.

    The event was held in the National Show Centre, Swords from 17th – 18th November 2012.

    It was last month that I first caught sight of the promotional-posters, advertising Amma’s planned visit to Dublin and despite my initial skepticism, I decided to attend the event.

    Intrigued by what her visit might entail, I wasted no time in contacting Amma’s press-team to get permission to take photographs and carry out interviews at the event. Many of the images I captured at the event can be seen in the slide-show below.

    To kick-start my visit, I took a few minutes just observing the National Show Centre turned Buddhist-haven.

    I soon got chatting to volunteers working on the many different stalls. Some appeared suspicious, and questioned my intentions. This is something I was taken aback by, considering that the event was very much a public one.

    After a while, the volunteers warmed to me and opened up in relation to their various tasks.

    Karma Thubten, a strict Buddhist and musician with the Dublin Satsang group, was one of those volunteers. “The Satsang group gathers regularly and we focus on Amma’s message of love, through music and meditation. I have been involved with Amma-Ireland the past few years. My life is governed by being compassionate,” he said.

    The event was marketed as ‘free’, yet one could not help but notice the countless huge donations boxes which were scattered around the hall. Food was far from free or cheap for that matter, and everywhere I looked money was exchanging hands for one thing or another.

    The event was also marketed as being all about “giving”, in which case I couldn’t help but question why so many items were on sale. Atulita Walkden Browne, who was volunteering on a traditional Indian clothes stand said, “All these beautiful pieces were brought over from India. They were given as gifts to Amma from Indian women and are being sold on today to raise money for her various charities”.

    Other gifts that Amma had decided to sell on at the event were items of jewellery. Praveena Pichini, who was volunteering on one of the jewellery stands said, “The pieces featured here were worn by the statues in Amma’s temple in Kerala, South India. They are very valuable to Amma devotees”.

    Namitha Schaefer was selling Indian Yantra cards. Each card cost 12 euro. Ms. Schaefer described the images on the Yantra cards as “traditional symbols” which are thousands of years old. “They are as they are and cannot be changed. All the symbols each hold different meanings. The Lakshmi Yantra for example, symbolises prosperity, love and beauty”, she said.

    Volunteering on the handcraft stand, was Swaminc Krishna. “These handicrafts were made by Indian-natives whilst they said the Mantra, so the vibration they put in whilst making them adds positive energy. The people who buy these items are happy because their money is going to charity. All in all it is a beautiful cycle of giving”.

    Also on-sale at Ms. Krishna’s stall, were items marketed as having been previously worn by Amma herself. But when asked no-one could tell me the price at which one of the key pieces, a heavy silver bracelet, was being sold for.

    Sugandhi Brown was in charge of the Tulasi-tea stall. “Tulasi-tea is highly medicinal. It is considered a sacred plant in India and Amma recommends it for its healing properties”, she said.

    Volunteer usher, Hillary Bodell explained, “I love Amma. Through following her, I have met a lot of people who are very loving and very kind and I’m really happy to be helping out this weekend.” Ms. Bodell first heard of Amma a few years ago. “I was very ill with a Multiple Sclerosis type condition and was wheelchair bound. Some friends of mine knew about Amma and told me about her healing power. I really believe Amma helped to cure me”.

    It wouldn’t be far off the mark to describe Amma’s volunteers and followers as ‘disciples’, though they are obviously sincere in their beliefs. The highlight of the event for many Amma followers was the free hug or ‘Darshan’ as Amma refers to it.

    Niamh Gallagher explained how she had received her first hug from Amma in 1994 and has been a keen follower ever since. “Volunteering at this event doesn’t feel like work. The weekend is going great,” she said.

    There were alternative therapy and massage booths set up, with volunteer specialists carrying out the treatments. This acted as yet another fundraising method and the therapy booths were consistently booked out over the duration of the two days. Her supporters will point to the money that Amma donates to charitable causes. Her detractors will point to the ‘impressive portofolio of property’ amassed by her organisation as American magazine Rolling Stone pointed out in an article earlier this year.

    As for me, while I have no qualms in supporting worthy causes, I remain more sceptical than ever in relation to such ‘spiritual’ organisations. Amma, whose real name is Mātā Amṛtānandamayī Devī, has ingeniously become a highly marketable and very powerful product.

  • The New York City Marathon hits Dublin

    The New York City Marathon hits Dublin

    [youtube.com=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l7dJ4XYxVxw]

    Hurricane Sandy led to the New York City Marathon being cancelled, after many athletes travelled to New York to participate in this year’s race.

    The organizers behind Dublin City Marathon got together with the sponsors to hold a Dublin re-run on November 18th. The actual NY medals and t-shirts were shipped over and awarded to the runners when they completed.

    Here are a few images and sounds from the day.

    Images and interviews by Fionnuala Holohan.

    Route courtesy of Dublin Marathon.

  • Hollaback launches new chapter in Dublin

    Hollaback launches new chapter in Dublin

    [youtube.com=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4EM1T-zp6OM]

    Hollaback, an international organization dedicated to ending street harassment, launched in Dublin on Monday 19th November.

    Individuals who experience street harassment in Dublin are invited to share their stories at dublin.ihollaback.org. Street harassment is a pervasive problem in Dublin.

    Hollaback Dublin is run by a team of local community leaders who are deeply committed to working online and offline to end street harassment in their community.

    TheCity.ie spoke to Jenny Dunne one of the organisers of the Dublin branch.

    Image courtesy of Hollaback.org.

  • National Library Day

    National Library Day

    National Library Day took place last week.The City crew (Jenny and Blaithin) took to the oldest library in Ireland – Marsh’s library to ask passersby if they have a library card?

    [youtube.com=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OBE2WnQY-1M]

    by Blaithin Henehan and Jenny McGovern

  • Pro-Choice march

    Pro-Choice march

    Thousands turned out for the Pro-Choice rally and Savita vigil on Saturday, November 17th. The case of Savita Halappanavar first came to light on Wednesday November 14th and has resulted in a huge outcry from many Irish people with demand now growing for legislation on the X case.

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  • Dublin as a film set

    Dublin as a film set

    For many years Ireland has set the scene for many of Hollywood’s great movies. Ireland has a wonderful history with the silver screen, let’s not forget John Waynes ‘The Quiet Man’ or what about the opening twenty minutes of ‘Saving Private Ryan’, which was shot in Wexford.

    The beautiful green fields of the Curragh, Kildare famously set the scene for Mel Gibson’s ‘Braveheart’. Of course these big budget productions need plenty of land to film so Dublin isn’t always first choice, however lately Dublin is slowly but surely becoming a filming hub for Hollywood and beyond.

    Only recently Trinity College Dublin became the movie set for Ireland’s first ever Bollywood movie. It’s hard to imagine Dublin as the location for the latest Bollywood blockbuster. Even harder still to picture actors dressed to look like Gardai strutting about in those elaborate dance sequences.  The ‘Ek The Tiger’ preview shows dance scenes taking place in Trinity College, Grafton Street and Temple Bar.

    In  September  Harry Potter’s Daniel Radcliffe came to Dublin for the filming of his latest movie ‘The F Word’,  a romantic chic flick.

    Maybe one day Dublin will have its very own Hollywood style andmark city tour? This might allow cinema goers the chance to retrace scenes from their favourite movies. Possible tour stops for  The Commitments’, frequently cited as the best Irish film of all time might include The Guide Hall Synge St where the band are shown playing, or Sheriff St where Jimmy Rabbitte is shown selling cassettes. Include  ‘Adam and Paul’ on the tour and your trip will include Ballymun and St Stephens Green. And  of course let’s not forget the Academy Award winning ‘Once’ The film takes us on a trip around modern Dublin from Howth Head to Mountjoy Square to Grafton Street all accompanied by a lilting soundtrack.

    Another movie associated with Dublin is of course,  Neil Jordan’s ‘Michael Collins’. Dublin (including Dame Street; Grafton Street; Fitzwilliam Square; the Dining Room of Mansion House. and the Members’ Room of City Hall) forms a backdrop to most of the film. Collins meetsup with the subversive double agent Ned Broy (Stephen Rea) in the Marshes Library, St Patrick’s Crescent, the oldest public library in Ireland, and is given clandestine access to the centre of British rule, Dublin Castle (www.dublincastle.ie), where he realises the full extent of British intelligence. In the morning, he cycles back across the famous Ha’penny Bridge over the Liffey (the first iron bridge in Ireland, there was, as the name suggests, once a toll to cross it).

    So step outside of your cinema and walk the streets of Hollywood, right at your Dublin doorstep!

    By Caroline Ewins