Time travel

[zag]

I thought I was going to County Down over the weekend, but it seems that somewhere between Dundalk & Newry I encountered Eddy & The Space Time Continuums and traveled back in time a few years.

We stayed in a little village which had milk bottles on door-steps, bread from a local baker, everyone talking about going to 'the game' in the afternoon. Not only that, but after a while I realised the regular beeps from the car horns were in fact people beeping to friends they passed on the street and not aggravated drivers late to get to a very important place indeed.

In fairness they did have a Spar (or equivalent) with standard issue shop front in prime location in the centre of the village to take away from the atmosphere.

Even the milk was delivered to the shop on the back of an open truck (not entirely sure how that works on a hot day) rather than a 40 foot container.

Maybe I have been in Dublin too long. I need another holiday.

z

 

[Guest]

> but after a while I realised the regular beeps from the car horns were in fact people beeping to friends they passed on the street and not aggravated drivers late to get to a very important place indeed.

Myself and herself were strolling along the country roads around Mullagh town in Co. Cavan recently and almost without fail local motorists waved to us as they passed giving us a considerate wide berth. I don't think that it's that unusual even this day and age.

> Maybe I have been in Dublin too long.

When I go for a stroll around my own area near Dublin city centre I don't get very far without getting involved in a long chat with some of the other people who are out strolling or walking the dog or whatever.

In my experience most people will react positively if you make the effort to engage with them regardless of the location.

 

[zag]

Ah well we all know that Cavan folk are decent skins with the time of day for anyone.

I don't find that people in Dublin are particularly chatty when out walking. Presumably it varies by area, but I really do find that people are more inclined to keep the head down than to even acknowledge a passerby.

z

conflict of interest : I am descended from good Cavan stock

 

[Guest]

I guess I should divulge my conflict of interest being (at least) a third generation Dub on both parents' sides!

I don't think it's unusual that people might be a bit more reticent or even stand-offish in a larger urban area but the more I see of the world and really big cities the more I realise that Dublin and other Irish urban centres still retain much of a big town feel no matter how cosmopolitan we might like to think they are. This can be good or bad depending on your viewpoint.

 

[oilean]

Dublin?

I must admit I am also a Dub (also at least third generation)
I grew up thinking Drumcondra was the country-side and Fingals was a farm
And I am only 28

I left Dublin for the UK about 5 years ago and then spent a few years in the Caribbean
When I came back to Dublin I decided to live anywhere in the country but there
I live in Drogheda now (but commute daily) and probably would never go back to live in Dublin
Sorry to all the Dubs but after you get out, it's different

 

[daltonr]

Re: Dublin?

I've been bouncing around a lot to different places and believe it or not I found London and pretty much anywhere in the US to be the most friendly (people willing to chat to you for no other reason than you are there.)

In New York it can actually be difficult to eat in some places without getting talking to people at nearby tables. Though I must admit the Irish Accent probably plays a part in that. I've seen the same phenomenon with Americans visiting here.

I suspect the level of friendliness people encounter has more to do with how they approach an area than any inherent friendliness in the area itself.

As for waving to pedestrians in Rural Ireland. I always thought that was part of the Rules of the Road. Are you telling me I don't have to keep doing that?????

-Rd