Last Christmas (and no I’m not about to break into song) was magical. A lot of people complained about the absolute freezing temperatures but there was fun to be had if you looked for it. I did, along with my friend Jacky, despite the snow, slush, ice and freezing weather we still went out. Firstly, we parked Jacky’s car outside mine as it was dead handy to jump on the Luas, the only decent kind of public transport that could actually go in that mad weather. Our 1st stop was the Jervis shopping centre area, there was a mini carnival, a big wheel, and two separate rides. It was so cold that there wasn’t anyone around queuing up to go on any of the rides, and the very few people who were on them got a longer shot, neither myself or Jacky felt so brave but we took a few snaps and carried on very slowly down on to Mary street.
Despite all the lovely decorations, the snow and the freezing temperatures kept people well away and at home snuggled up or starting their 10 days or so drinking bonanza. Christmas Eve can be a great time to pick up a bargain, as the shops want to remove the unsold stock before the start of the New Year. Myself and Jacky grabbed a few last minute gifts, I got a decent set of crackers for under €4.00. but if we had of waited they started to sell them off for 3 boxes for €8.00. Watches and bracelets in gift boxes for a mere €5.00 it would probably cost that for the fancy box , remote control cars and jeeps going for as little as €10.00 they normally retail at €30.00 each, it was cheap and cheerful shopping.
After slipping and sliding away, we crawled over to busker’s street (Grafton St) and we were entertained by various buskers, there was a better mood felt on this street, although there wasn’t any street dealers except for the street sellers selling those lovely fresh cut flowers and Christmas plants. We were about to head back towards the Luas line either to Abbey Street or Jervis street, when out of nowhere, Glenn Hansard, the front man from the Irish Group “The Frames” appeared and started to busk in aid of the Mc Ferry trust, a charity that helps males over 18 who have issues with homelessness.
In no time at all a large crowd surrounded him, I first stood on a bike that was locked to a pole to try and get a decent photograph, I just couldn’t get the angle. As funny as it seems, me standing on a cycle frame as this is how the band got their name when they started back in 1990! Glenn grew up in Ballymun and as a child and into his teenagers years he used to mend and fix up cycles, and its reported that if anyone found an old frame they would just throw it into Glenn’s garden and he would find a use for whatever part he required.
Trying to get a decent photograph was almost impossible till I noticed a bar restraunt directly across from him that had an upstairs with huge big windows, I told Jacky where I would be. I got a decent spot once inside and it wasn’t long before Jacky followed me, then a crowd followed her, but at this stage I got a few decent aerial snaps of Glenn, Liam from the Hot House flowers, and Mary Black. There was a rumour circulating that Bono was on his way, after I got pushed out of the restraunt because it was shutting, we decided to go, it was just too cold to hang around for Bono, in any way I was delighted with what I got. This Christmas Eve I plan to do it all again, I am hoping it doesn’t snow, rain or have any major flooding. I will start again at the Jervis street area, then down to Mary Street and then to Moore Street, and Henry Street, hopefully there will be more people milling about, its lovely just to walk around the city on Christmas Eve. You don’t need to have a large amount of cash as I said earlier on, everything goes half price or under and all the streets come alive. All the stress that you collected over the past 6 weeks will just melt away, and you will see Christmas the way you should see it minus the € signs. I hope you will come out on Christmas Eve, I will be out and I hope to see you out to. If I don’t have a good Christmas and don’t forget we will be back out on the web after the festival period, from all at the Fountain have a safe one.
IMAGE: Christmas at the GPO, O’Connell Street, Dublin, Ireland – image credit: Sebastian Dooris/Flickr
This article was originally published in:
Fountain News Digital – December 2011 (Issue 7)
We are re-publishing all articles from our past newsletter, Fountain News Digital, and you can view all completed newsletters here. There were nine issues published in total between 2010 and 2012.
Timeline of our local news services (1994-2013)
Hashtags: #Christmas 
