GregF

I agree the shops could/should remain open longer….more revenue for the shops …..more employment for people…. and forget about that stupid Sunday religious anti-shopping lark.
The more choices for everyone the better = a cosmopolitan city full of life.

Tai Chi …..aka The Falun Gong crowd are there every morning and your right it does give a new age religious feeling…..almost mystical, esoteric, etc.,,,,, Michael O Nuallain aka ‘bonkers’ on the radio now on Morning Ireland complaining about it but even he has admitted, biting tongue and all that it looks good, sounds pissed as well; members of public too are asked what they think of it…the replies are all favourable.
Here’s to the Spire….
I heard some ejit too has suggested calling it the Brian Boru Spire……oh dear!

…..but what about the grandiose plans for this …with shopping malls, hotels etc …linking the one time cinema to the now ugly but redeveloped to be ILAC centre…..and with a glass canopy over Moore Street to keep all the ‘salt of the earth’ traders and hawkers dry.

The Spire is funded by the ‘Illuminati’….that great group of global conspiracists who have controlled world events since the dawn of time and who get their orders from the shapeshifting aliens. They were behind the construction of the Pyramids and other great structures that have been built from ancient times at the expense of hospital waiting lists and the poor.
See http://www.davidicke.com for the truth.

It is good to see that the council has thought of every possible assault on the Spire by disgruntled members of the public.

All this whinging too about it not being accessible to the public. Had it been it would have been alot bulkier to accomadate such….aka too bulky for the street.

Let’s hope the opening ceremony however will be a big event…..(it would really benefit the profile of the country and Bord Failte)… and that that great man of letters, art, sport and culture, aka our leader and Taoiseach B…B…Bertie will attend as well as the government,……and the First Lady herself will be there as well ….no not Cecelia …….but Our President Mary McAleese……and let’s ‘hope too they get those guys to polish up the buttons and get them out of those barracks for the day …….yep. the army, our protectors and defenders and their musical colleagues the army no 1 band to play an auld tune or two to liven up the occasion.
I could see it all now………as the army No 1 band play ‘Also Sprach Zarathustra’ by Strauss…..(the opening music in 2001 A Space Odyssey) the Spire is lit in time to the music as it climaxes with the crescendo and the Spire stands fully lit for all to see and wonder with awe…….and then the Chieftains start up with ‘Around the Table and Mind the Dresser’…………..Yahoo! ……..Heres to it all….it is a great occasion for the city of Dublin and Ireland…..let’s celebrate.

(It could be a focal point for the New Year celebrations too instead of it bieng like a ghost town)

Michael Ross sounds like he is seriously disgruntled about something ….hence his gripe….Is he a buddy of Michael O Nullain. He will have to eat his words and swallow his pride when it is all complete.

You have brought that ‘West Brit’ rhetoric juvenile banter up on several occasions Ciaran O ….I think that you have several hang ups and fail to accept Irish history. Get your head out of An Phoblacht and realise facts man.
Both Rory and Aierlan have valid points. Dublin thrived as Rory said as the second city of the Empire up until the act of Union…in this time we saw the building blocks of the city laid, thus we have all the reminents and jewels that remain today from the Georgian period.
What Aierlan implied was the social aspect and excitement of the 19th century and Victorian times which saw the birth of the Industrial Revolution. Although Ireland missed the full impact of this (we were the bread basket, aka remaining predominantly agricultural and providing the food for the Empire’s engine room, aka Britain; but sure did’nt even Victoria pay a visit to Dublin in the early 1900’s and all the Dubs were out to greet her waving their Union Jacks))…. Dublin maintained the hustle and bustle in a way of city life ……. professionals and trades people…..cafe life:Bewleys; coopers, seamstresses, tailors, etc……..all going about their day to day business ……….which all came somewhat to an end with changing times and the economic rut of the 1950’s and the ups and downs onwards.
I think Ciaran you should read a few more books on the social history as well as the architectural history of the city and country so as you can shake off such hang ups and accept who we are as an Irish society today and who are indeed made up of many facets.

Here’s a fews thing for you to read and look up that may help you…….

http://indigo.ie/~kfinlay/chronology/timelineindex.htm

http://indigo.ie/~kfinlay/

http://www.rte.ie/tv/dublin/prog1/1a.html

http://www.colin-smythe.com/authors/covers/gdublin.htm

The A to Z of Georgian Dublin, Harry Margary

The Genius of Robert Adam – his interiors

The Heart of Dublin, by Peter Pearson

Dublin Tenement Life: An Oral History
by Kevin Corrigan Kearns (Editor)

Dublin an Urban History by Niall McCullough

Dublin’s Little Jerusalem by Nick Harris.

and don’t forget the books from Frank McDonald regarding the city……..

The Destruction of Dublin
Saving the City
The Construction of Dublin

It’s all there man and more to be read and learned.

I agree Rory…….no doubt there will be some ‘lost soul’ trying to plough a stolen car into it’s base or some ‘Cro Magnon’ trying to scrawl their name ‘Ug’ or ‘Man U’ on it’s base.
The gardai although only up the road are normally asleep too that they miss those things.
Here’s to the Spire, urban living and civilization itself.

Despite the welding joints…..does’nt it look great however…very futuristic, almost alien, a monument for the Raelians too no doubt, an oblelisk like in 2001 A Space Odyssey ….we just need an Ape-man aka ‘Scanger’ touching it in wonder……pity they’re not going with the Mercury base however…..Does anyone know what precisely is to go there.
Jesus what a great addition to the city…well done to the council for backing this one…..may the repaving, replanting and rejuvenation of O’Connell Street go ahead. It will be one of the best streets in Europe.

This part of Dublin looks like LA…….low rise and sprawled out.