“The redevelopment of St Stephen’s Green Shopping Centre is the latest symptom of the beige-ification of Ireland.” The plans approved by Dublin City Council for St Stephen’s Green Shopping Centre.
As an Australian living in Ireland for six years, I was asked the same question again and again. “And why would you leave there and come here?” I was quizzed by taxi drivers, TDs, TV presenters, strangers at the bus stop, neighbours and one gynecologist trying to make the situation less awkward with friendly chat. People were mad to know. They’d ask me why I gave up Sydney for Dublin in a polite but “Are you OK?” way. As if I hadn’t made a very conscious choice to settle on the literal other side of the world instead of just ending up here after hopping on the wrong bus.
Sure you can’t tap on public transport with your bank card, but Ireland and Dublin have managed to retain a sense of soul in a way newer, flasher places have lost. It’s in the way you thank the bus driver, talk to strangers and let cars in front of you merge. It’s the way you can pass money over a crowd to the bar and get the correct change coming back.