Summer Travel
Welcome to Ireland. Let me be the first (or second) person to welcome all of our neighbours and friends who come to Ireland for a holiday and rent cars.
But the welcome is short-lived and contrived with terms. See, I’ve been driving in Ireland now for over 4 years as a fully licenced driver. In that time I’ve travelled the Island almost to its entirity. But the summer season brings with it the barrage of rented cars to our already cramped and under-funded road network.
Ireland is a small nation in terms of population, but we have an impressive string of roads. Well, at least we do when you look at a map! But the truth is, Ireland’s roads are appauling. Successive governments have under-funded the areas outside Dublin county when it comes to road networks. Basically, the rest of the country is paying road tax to fund the new M50s and the new M1s. But to be honest, we don’t complain!
See, out here (as in outside the blind capital) we get on with things. We don’t ring Joe Duffy and complain about everything that’s happening in Ballybrack. We don’t have a Bargaintown. We don’t have don’t have a motorway. We don’t even have FM104 for god’s sake!!! But we still live.
That’s why, I’m asking people who rent cars, to stay in Dublin. That or realise that it’s not your car and drive it like it was built to drive. Because “out here” (see above definition) we drive all over our country and we get there. So stop clogging up our road networks with slow driving and dangerous manoevures. I’ve known far to many people who’ve crashed into you or crashed because of you. So stop!
diarmy
read moreLondon – 07/07/05
I’d like to extend my deepest symapthies with those who died in the horrific acts of terror in the United Kingdom yesterday.
I was in Tralee, County Kerry at the time that I first heard of the incidents. Thanks to the marvels of technology, all of our radio channels here had coverage of the bombings and the instant feeling of deep shock and turmoil hit me.
My experience of life outside this lovely island is eclipsed by those of most people. I’ve only ever left this island’s demense twice, once to Paris last September, and the other to London in the year 2000.
As my memory served me correctly, I connected with the reports of the bombings in London as the bombing of the bus in Tavistock Square rang true. I had actually stayed in Tavistock Square when in London in 2000. It was a peaceful multi-cultural area full of life and movement. To see images of blood-stained white marble buildings brings the reality of how close these horrific acts are to us.
We in Ireland sometimes take for granted the violence in the Middle East, in China, North Korea or even in the US. Having lived through a time in Ireland where bombings by the Irish Republican Army in London were often seen, the harrowing events of yesterday bring back memories of a time when relations between our country suffered at the hands of tyrants such as the Thatcher Government. Today, the tyranny of the Bush Administration is a cause for great concern. If we look at the negative impacts of the fallout of the September 11th atrocities in America, we can trace back almost all of the corresponding terrorist attacks to the Bush Family’s involvement in world politics.
Therefore I have a message for the nation that gave us Apple computers… Help make the world a safer place. Stop watching the nightly scaremongering of the American news networks. Log onto the BBC or RTÉ and watch what’s actually happening in the world because of your blindness to elect a leader of incompetence and stupidity. Blame is not something I’m usually willing to impart to a whole nation of people, but to be honest, this time, it’s your fault!
diarmy
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