9 June 2008

As one of Gotham’s point-men in our Dublin outing, I have been on the look-out for anything to make our visit more memorable, interesting (as if that were a worry) and adventurous. The tournament will stand on its own merits, but the opportunity to experience Dublin is secondary and will require some fore-thought to get the most out of it. I do not want to disparage our hosts, but running this beast of an event is a full-time job, and they can hardly be expected to play tour guide as well.
I arrived (physically) moments before 10AM GMT on Sunday after a red-eye flight from JFK. My choice of air couriers was Aer Lingus, who, in their infinite wisdom, turned the cabin lights on and off every twenty minutes or so to deliver a new round of drinks, meals or duty-free fags (that’s cigarettes, not hustlers.) The attentive service coupled with my squirming seat-mate left me wide-awake and free to imagine what Ireland held for me.

Well, it held Customs and Immigration for starters. I figured if I arrive on such an early flight, I may get a short line. No such luck. It was tremendously slow, with us non-EU scum queued all over the main room and then down several corridors to the next terminal. Still, it was a damn-sight better than my experience at Da Vinci Airport one summer.

Leaving the terminal, the weather was bright, sunny and very warm – perfect weather for scoping out the locals and the locals. My taxi driver gave me a run-down on the new construction and the up-coming vote on the Lisbon Treaty, which is being hotly debated all around town. The conversation centers on division of powers and duties between the European Union and its member nations. The Naysayers point out the treaty’s language on military interdependence and tax reforms, often citing a lack of reform geared to health, education and social services. They are worried about introducing competition in the job market and about preserving trade justice, while the Yaysayers point to a more efficient umbrella government with consolidated services and a “safety-in-numbers” philosophy. Ireland is one of the few nations that send such a decision to a referendum and I am told that, as one of the last countries to consider ratification, its vote could make or break the treaty.

DCU – finally. I have been up and running around for 23 hours and it was time to take a load off, grab a shower and a nap. I walked in to the Accommodations Building, dropped my bags at the main desk and inquired about my room. As I took my jacket off and searched for my wallet, I was informed my room would be ready by 3pm, and would I care to store my bags while I took the bus to City Center (CC) until that time.

So, off I went to the CC which is conveniently landmarked for out-of-towners by the Spire. O’Connell Street is teeming with Dubliners of all stripes. This massive parkway is a great introduction to city life here in Dublin. The tourists are gathering their bearings and the city-dwellers are busy shoe-shopping, having a drink at the pubs or heading to Parnell Park to watch their boys in blue play Gaelic Football, as was the case when I stepped off the bus. I was quickly distracted by activity on the side streets and began to wander around.