As Bagatelle would say, I remember that summer in Dublin…
My Dad has told me about the summers he had growing up in Dublin in the 80s and 90s: seeing Public Enemy on the steps of the Pav in 1988, having a pint with a few of the members of Metallica and, of course, the summer of 1990, when the whole island cheered on Ireland in the World Cup.
My Nana has told me about her summers growing up in Dublin in the 40s and 50s. Raised on Foley Street, close to Connolly Station, she retells the buzz on the streets and the characters in the city at the time. You had the infamous “Man on the Bridge” who stood on O’Connell Bridge all day taking candid photos of avid Dubs going about their day. She’s told me about how Fairview Park on the northside of Dublin wasn’t always there and that when she was in her late teens and early twenties, she would go on long walks up the coast and on the way back, she might buy a bag of chips as a little treat.
“Dublin in the summer is wholly unique in that I have never seen a greater infatuation with a city than I have with the people of Dublin.”
Stories like these are not exclusive to my family at all. If anything, they are shared events that have been experienced by people all over Dublin. Dublin in the summer is wholly unique in that I have never seen a greater infatuation with a city than I have with the people of Dublin. Throughout generations, Dublin has never been a perfect city or even a town that we should necessarily be proud of; however, despite all the injustices and irregularities, we always seem to take pride in it.
Experiencing Dublin in the summer months is a unique ordeal. Some years there are weeks of blistering sun that causes the grass to turn a crusty yellow; other years (like this one), it could rain straight for a month. The city itself comes alive. Tourists flood into the city, exploring every nook and cranny. Buskers line the shop fronts, and beer gardens litter the pavements. There is a clear excitement amongst the masses. The biggest music acts flock into the capital, and the greatest sports events coincide with the basking sun. Just a few weeks ago, Dublin hosted numerous musical acts in four of its biggest public parks. You once had ‘Blur’ in Malahide Castle, ‘The 1975’ in St. Annes Park, ‘The Prodigy’ in Fairview Park, and then ‘The Weeknd’ in Marlay Park!
“Irish youth have to manage an appalling economic situation and so much more; without the comfort of their closest friends who may not live in Dublin, or even Ireland, during the summer“
When I think of summer in Dublin, I think of these things. Of course, anyone would. Why wouldn’t you want to think about memories that last a lifetime? But summer in Dublin isn’t all fun and games. The Irish youth have to manage an appalling economic situation and so much more; without the comfort of their closest friends who may not live in Dublin, or even Ireland, during the summer. College life may be absolutely unbearable at points, but anyone you speak to prefers the quick pace of uni, as opposed to the sometimes almost snail-like pace of summer.
Speaking from my own experience, my thirty-eight and a half hours in a petrol station are no comparison to the enjoyment I experience while in college. The hours are awkward. If I’m working in the morning, I’m up at 5:30am to be in for 6am, and if I’m working the late shift, I won’t be finished until 11pm that night. That being said, working full-time is necessary for many to get through the upcoming college year.
I’m going into my third year of uni, which means my friends and I have been given the opportunity to go on Erasmus. Although there are financial aids provided by the European Union that go towards funding Erasmus, the majority of students will spend their summer back at home working and saving so they can maximise their experience abroad. Thinking of the loss of summer and that some of my friends won’t be in Dublin during the start of Michaelmas Term creates an isolated feeling when I think about it for more than 30 seconds. Dublin is a small city compared to other cities, but it can feel massive if one is left alone.
As I mentioned before, Dublin is a unique experience in the summer. It most certainly has a different vibe during the summer compared to how it feels during the winter. To add more dimension to an “Irish Summer”, the vibe during the summer changes from day to day, week to week. If we get too much sun, the majority will start complaining, reciting phrases such as “Jaysus, we’re not built for this weather, sure we’re not!” And if it’s raining, you may hear the occasional “Two weeks of summer, and that’s all we’ve been given?!”
“Summers during your university years are what they are”
That’s what summer in Dublin is all about, though, isn’t it? Never entirely satisfied but always proud and grateful for what is given and what is had. That is what I’ve grown to learn, especially this summer. Summers during your university years are what they are. They do not have to be a blueprint of two weeks in Koh Samui, Thailand, and then three weeks of Interrailing around Europe. They can be as plain and simple as working weeks on end in order to make the college months that little bit easier.
