Just before I published these photographs I noticed that the title in included Presbyterian instead of Pedestrian.
When I lived in California one question that I was frequently asked was ‘do you have halloween in Ireland’ the second was ‘what a cute accent, where are you from’.
Today’s Halloween customs are thought to have been influenced by folk customs and beliefs from the Celtic-speaking countries, some of which are believed to have pagan roots. Jack Santino, a folklorist, writes that ‘there was throughout Ireland an uneasy truce existing between customs and beliefs associated with Christianity and those associated with religions that were Irish before Christianity arrived’. The origins of Halloween customs are typically linked to the Gaelic festival Samhain.
Here in Dublin city centre one of the most popular Halloween events, Bram Stoker Festival, returns from October 28 until 30.
As many as 40,000, if not more, people are expected to enjoy the first live edition of the event since 2019, which will feature Borealis, a free, mesmerising installation of light and sound which will create the illusion of an aurora borealis in Dublin Castle’s Upper Courtyard every night of the festival.
There will be Stokerland, the annual pop-up Victorian fun park in St Patrick’s Park as well as Spooky Stories at Marsh’s Library and other themed events.
Abraham Stoker (8 November 1847 – 20 April 1912) was an Irish author who is celebrated for his 1897 Gothic horror novel Dracula. During his lifetime, he was better known as the personal assistant of actor Sir Henry Irving and business manager of the Lyceum Theatre, which Irving owned. In his early years, Stoker worked as a theatre critic for an Irish newspaper, and wrote stories as well as commentaries. He also enjoyed travelling, particularly to Cruden Bay where he set two of his novels. During another visit to the English coastal town of Whitby, Stoker drew inspiration for writing Dracula. He died on 20 April 1912 due to locomotor ataxia and was cremated in north London. Since his death, his magnum opus Dracula has become one of the most well-known works in English literature, and the novel has been adapted for numerous films, short stories, and plays.
CAPEL STREET AFTER THE DUBLIN PRIDE 2022 PARADE AND BEFORE THE REAL PARTY BEGINS
According to local media Dublin came a standstill this afternoon as thousands lined the city streets to celebrate Dublin Pride. Based on my experience I can agree that it really did come to a standstill as I had great difficult travelling from Bolton Street to Roebuck and back again. The buses were diverted away from the city centre and the trams did not operate between Dominick Street and St Stephen’s Green and as a result it took me more than two house to get to Roebuck – walk, tram, bus.
As mentioned in my posts yesterday the manager at Eatokyo on Capel Street had promised to keep a table for me but when I arrived at four in the afternoon I could not even make it to the door of the restaurant because of the crowd gathered outside the famous Pantibar.
EVERYONE ON CAPEL STREET IS GETTING READY FOR DUBLIN PRIDE 2022
My mother is 102 years old and she needs me to visit on Saturday (she has a list of things to do) so this will be my first year not to photograph the Dublin Pride Festival. As a matter of interest we both attended the first parade in June 1974 [by accident].
The restaurants and pubs expect to be very busy tomorrow [25 June 2022] especially as the street has recently been pedestrianised. The owner of Eatokyo has promised to keep a table for me.
The annual Dublin Pride Parade and Festival will take place on Saturday June 25th. The parade will start on O’Connell Street at 12.00pm and go to Merrion Square where the Pride Festival Village will operate until 7.30pm. The following road closures, including suspension of on street parking will be in place. Diversions will be in place. Pedestrian access will be maintained throughout.
Road Closures: Cavendish Row, Parnell Square East, Parnell Square North, North Frederick Street, North Great Georges Street 07:00 to 16:00 on 25th June 2022
O’Connell Street Upper and Lower will have a rolling road closure from 08:00 until the parade has cleared O’Connell Street and it is safe to re-open.
Suspension of Parking: Gardiner Row and Great Denmark All Day on 25th June 2022.
This means that if you have a permit to park on any of these roads you may park on an adjacent road outside the cordon. This has been agreed with Dublin Street Parking Services.
Note: Starting May 28 2022 cars will no longer be permitted to drive down Capel Street which is now the longest pedestrianised street in the capital. Parking spaces have been removed and vehicles are now be banned from Parnell Street as far as the junction with Strand Street, however, deliveries will be allowed between 6am and 11am each morning. There is now a cycle-only zone from Parnell Street and Ryder’s Row at the northern end to Strand Street in the South.
MULTI COLOURED POST BOX – SUPPORTING IRELAND’S PRIDE MOVEMENT
An Post, Irish Postal Service, have released two new stamp designs to celebrate Pride month, which is marked each year in June.
The stamps feature the English and Irish words, ‘Bród’ and ‘Pride’, designed by Dublin company Unthink.
The postal service said it worked with representatives of the LGBT+ community in planning the stamps, with some of the money from the sale of the stamps going to LGBT+ support groups.
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