JAN 2007

Went into Dublin City on Friday to meet my friend, Orla for a Birthday meal and drink. The most popular area for tourists in Dublin is the Temple Bar area. Most of the tourists go there to see all the old Cafes, Restaurants, Pubs, clubs and Art Houses. As we looked for somewhere to eat I wondered how may tourists actually know the whole area aside from a couple of places is about as old as Disneyland Paris. In the early 70's the whole area was bought up by the national bus company and they hoped to build another bus terminus and garage. The whole area became more or less derelict, as the properties were bought up. The only new large building was the new Central bank built in the late 70's. Purely to make money while more properties became available some of the run down properties were rented out on short term leases and a number of small shops opened, mainly selling records, jewellery etc., and the area became a kind of alternative area where younger people came to enjoy the bomemian athmosphere. The plans for a new bus station never materialised and instead the area was allowed develop, I suppose organically and more little shops opened up. The streets were dug up and cobblestones were put back down to make the area look more 'Authentic'. In fact most of the cobbles were 'robbed' from other areas and in one area of Dublin the cobbles had to be returned back to their rightful place. What has happened since is the influx odd dozens of pubs and clubs. The area has been successfully developed, although I feel its still a bit of a con job and looking at the prices in the restaurants and pubs. it certainly looks that way. Infact Dublin has become one of the most expensive tourist destinations, and Having travelled around Europe I would agree.
Its actually the same with a lot of 'old Dublin', Most of Dublin Castle has been rebuilt in recent years, but much of it now looks older now than it ever did. The same thing probably happens all around the world. Last year I was in Carcassione and the castle there looks and is very old but you can easily see that many old looking towers were added about 100 years ago to make it look more 'oldy worldy'
Back to the meal finally gound a small restaurant off Grafton Street, probaly no bettter or worse than one in Temple Bar. Probably find next time I go past this restaurant it will have been changed into a 15th century cafe. And I don't think they had cafes in 'dem' days either!