Books I am reading.
The Destruction of Dublin by Frank McDonald gives a detailed account of the destruction of Dublin's historical building stock at the hands of gombeen politicians and developers.
Written in 1985, then Irish Times journalist Frank McDo…
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Alright, folks, buckle up for the ride of your life because we're diving into the comedic tragedy that is the saga of Dublin's architectural misadventures!
So, imagine this: Fianna Fail, the wild west gang of Irish politics, treating addresses and locations like they're playing a high-stakes game of Monopoly, except instead of houses and hotels, they're bulldozing through beautiful architecture like it's a demolition derby. And the best part? The bankers, who probably couldn't tell a loan from a loaf of bread, are in on the action too! They're scratching their heads, claiming they're as clueless as a goldfish in a chess tournament while sipping cocktails at Druid's Glen. Meanwhile, the politicians are giggling like schoolkids, giving each other nudges and winks like they're picking teams for dodgeball.
Then we've got our heroes, Geraldine-whatever-her-name-was and Nell McCafferty, staging a protest straight out of a slapstick comedy! They hole up in a building on St Stephen's Green, thinking they're negotiating, but surprise! The wrecking balls crash the party like a bull in a china shop, and suddenly it's game over, Dublin! The developers pop champagne like it's New Year's Eve, while the rest of us are left scratching our heads wondering what just happened.
And don't even get me started on the architectural abominations that now litter our city center! We're talking buildings that look like they were designed by a toddler with a box of crayons, covered in more "To Let" signs than a discount store going out of business. They're so out of place, they make a penguin at a pool party look like it belongs! And the interiors? Well, let's just say they're more dysfunctional than a family reunion after too much eggnog. Bathrooms that are more like DIY disasters, kitchens that barely qualify as a microwave and a prayer, and toilets that have more issues than a celebrity magazine.
And in the midst of all this chaos, where do we turn for solace? To a dead forum owned by DS86DS, the moderator who couldn't moderate a game of rock-paper-scissors if his life depended on it! I mean, seriously, this guy's about as useful as a screen door on a submarine, but hey, at least he gives us something to laugh about in this circus of calamities!
But hey, it's not all doom and gloom! We've still got gems like Pasta Fresca, where carbs are king and marinara is the holy grail. Murder Ink, the bookstore that's a haven for crime junkies. And Neary's Pub, where the lock-in for the Gaiety staff is more legendary than a unicorn riding a rainbow!
So, cheers to Google Maps for the trip down memory lane... or should I say, the rollercoaster of hilarity and heartbreak? Either way, grab your popcorn, folks, because this show's just getting started!
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