Smithfield, Dublin

[StephenC]

This London-style rank of pointless bollards unfortunately left in place. And that bloody fencing.

Came across a response by the City Manager to a councillor requesting the removal of this fencing:

Due to the design of the building with numerous nooks and crannies the harris fencing is preventing rough sleeping, loitering, dumping and anti-social behavior. It also allows Gardaí and security staff to see if anyone is in behind the fencing. Although its appearance is not aesthetically pleasing it is serving its function and it would be better to leave it in place until the building is occupied, than to have it removed or replaced with a hoarding.

[gunter]

Apparently this is the photograph that the New York Times used to depict Dublin in their 46 places to visit in 2013 travel guide.

The tag line was 'The emerald isle reaches out with an ancestral celebration', a reference to The Gathering, about which, more later.

Not a lot of 'ancestral celebration' evident in the streetscape presentation, as currently being discussed on Joe Duffy. Tourism heads might cringe at the picture choice, but this was an accident waiting to happen, they could have taken shots in Thomas Street or James Street, with the same streetscape horror show.

[StephenC]

I saw this too on Twitter a few days back. Shocking picture to use and really unfortunate for the powers that be who like to present that I need to go I need to get away from everything' view of the city. But you make a valid point of course.
What about that classic view of the Ha'penny Bridge...with that monstrous canopy over the door. Its been brought to the attention of so many city officials but none of them care to be frank.
Or think of The Dubline...Dublin's emerging high quality tourist trail. Look at Dame Street. A parade of takeaways and pubs at this stage. I see a Subway going into the Londis close to College Green...the handy way of getting a fastfood operator in without needing to fuss about with planning permission. Elsewhere on the street kebabs, chinese buffets, chipshops, dubious burger bars, etc abound. You would be hard pushed to find an actual shop. I imagine the next step is less and less daytimes uses as nighttime becomes more lucrative.
All this along what should be one of the city's premier streets.