TheCity

Tag: hobby

  • ‘We finally have an international-level card show’: a Dublin Card Show photo essay 

    ‘We finally have an international-level card show’: a Dublin Card Show photo essay 

    The Dublin Card Show has established itself as the largest card convention held in Ireland to date with a headcount of nearly 5,000 people. 

    By Alex Cloud 

    The Dublin Card Show held on February 28th is quickly becoming a staple in the card collecting and hobbyist community. The show is amongst the first of its kind to host two floors in the Convention Centre Dublin to accommodate international sponsors and attendees.  

    “My background is in sports cards, and I would always have to tell vendors at international conventions that we didn’t believe the Irish scene was ready for a show on this large a scale. Through their support, we took a leap of faith,” said Jason Flynn, co-organiser of the Dublin Card Show. 

    The Convention Centre in Dublin has been used by the Dublin Card Show for the last two consecutive years in a row.

    Early entry attendees queued around the convention centre at 9:30am, eager to enter. 

    “Our first year, we had about 1,200 in attendance, and last year it was 2,800. This year, we had nearly 5,000. The tickets sold out, and we had to add afternoon tickets too,” said Flynn. 

    A representative of the convention centre confirmed these figures. 

    Topps, a leading trading card and collectible manufacturer, has sponsored the event and brought the genuine Premier League golden boot trophy to showcase. 

    “They have been fantastic to work with and continue to support us as we have grown,” said Flynn. 

    Richie Elliot and his daughter Lacey donating a binder of cards to Titan TCG, a vendor at the event, so he may give them to other children who come to the stall. 

    “We don’t have a lot of space for collecting in Dublin, so seeing the community come together and giving back really makes you feel good,” said Thomas Cahill, vendor and owner of Titan TCG. 

    “It’s wild to think that we finally have an international level card show after all this time.” 

    Items from various collecting hobbies such as sports, Pokémon, Yu-Gi-Oh, Magic: The Gathering and more were showcased and available for purchase. 

    “We just brought our international sports card community here and were met with this really enthusiastic and indigenous trading card community,” said Flynn. 

    “Once we pulled off the first year, and word got out. It’s just taken on a life of its own.” 

    Young Alex Larkin ecstatic to show off his Pokémon collection and share with the community of like-minded individuals.  

    “This is by far the biggest event in Ireland to date for the collectors and it’s something adult collectors can share with their kids for sure,” said Cahill. 

    Although there was a designated trading area, attendees chose to sit in the heart of the action on the first floor, where the majority of vendors were based. 

    On the second floor of the convention, another partner who flew in internationally for the event, GTS Distribution, sponsored a live selling stage. 

    “People watching on the live stream can be at the Dublin Card Show without being physically there on the day,” Flynn said. 

    There were mini-games, raffles, spin-the-wheels and more activities available on the second floor of the venue next to the live selling stage. 

    The creative scene has also been given a spotlight, as various vendors who produce their own products were in attendance.  

    “We plan on making it even bigger and better in 2027, hopefully in a way that hasn’t been done before,” said Flynn. 

  • Community gardening: a perfect pandemic pastime

    Community gardening: a perfect pandemic pastime

    Many of us are stuck at home with extra time on our hands. Nathan Davies discusses a safe and fulfilling pastime that many have turned to in recent months: community gardening.

    Photo taken by Nathan Davies

    The past decade has seen a steady rise in the number of community-run gardens being planted in Ireland. In the last year, however, this hobby has grown even further as a wholesome pastime during trying times.

    Whether you have a spacious back garden or even just a south-facing window, there is plenty of room to plant some greenery.

    For those with more ambition though, renting a plot in a local community garden is a perfect way to exercise your green fingers.

    Unlike personal gardens or public gardens, community gardens are allotments given to a local community to do with as they please. Locals rent out spaces to grow whatever they desire – some people tend to flowers and rare plants to make the garden prettier, while others grow fruits and vegetables for harvest.

    A volunteer-run organisation, Community Gardens Ireland, was set up in 2012 to oversee community gardens in both Ireland and Northern Ireland. The organisation promotes the building of new gardens and supports them financially. The CG Ireland Facebook page boasts almost 4,000 followers and is updated daily with photos from gardeners nationwide who are proud of their work.

    Importantly, CG Ireland have put in place rules to ensure that participation in community gardens is as safe as possible during the Covid-19 pandemic. All activities are held outdoors, and many gardens have been reorganised to allow people to work on their plots while remaining socially distanced. Despite this, many gardens were temporarily closed off over the summer, but have since been reopened and remain open during the second lockdown.

    Social Democrats Councillor Joan Hopkins oversees the Baldoyle Racecourse Community Garden. She explained: “The garden was started in 2013 with some help from the council.”

    “It doesn’t look like much now in December, but it comes up lovely in the warmer months. There are people in the area working on it throughout the year.”

    The garden is growing bigger every year according to Hopkins; however, the community is making sure that it stays as eco-friendly as possible.

    “Everything in the garden is either upcycled or recycled out of plastic and old wood,” said Hopkins.

    The effort that locals have gone to maintain the garden is striking – they recently strung together an entire shed out of upcycled water bottles. They put soil on the top of a second shed to allow for a roof-garden.

    The work that the volunteers in Baldoyle put into their garden saw them win the Community Spirit Award in 2018 along with a €2,000 prize from Dublin Bus.

    The rise in interest in gardening has many causes. In 2020, it is a safe and fulfilling hobby – one that you can reap the rewards of in several months’ time.

    However, it also comes from the rise in demand for organic foods as well as food that has been produced with a low carbon footprint. Those who plant, grow, and harvest their own food can rest assured that they are eating the most natural food possible and enjoy themselves along the way.