(Rochon) Dublin Lay Before Us

Dublin lay before us, a city of commerce. Emergency sirens and the voices of seagulls sound frequently throughout Dublin.  The city is brightly colored and flooded with people.  Large crowds move from one place to another and are transported by buses, taxis, or bicycles.  The people who ride on bikes ride in the streets with the cars, much like they do in New Orleans.  All the buildings are tightly packed with no space in between the different businesses, so the buildings are separated by different colors.  People move about at a rushed pace, determined to get to their destinations without any interruptions. A group of street performers painted like grey and black statues posed for pictures and bowed in gratitude when they received money.  The streets are mostly cobble stone with smooth cement strips running between the cobble stone area; which give tired feet a brief reprise.  Emergency sirens go off roughly every fifteen to twenty minutes; making Dublin just as noisy as New Orleans.  Getting hit by a car in Dublin is fifty percent more likely than getting hit in New Orleans due to alcohol and people driving faster than necessary down the small streets; so says a very reliable source.  All-in-all, Dublin is a very nice big city.



The way James Joyce describes Dublin in “Two Gallants,” it seems like the city has not changed much.  Joyce’s description of an evening in city is just like an evening in the city is today; “lamps shone from the summits of their tall poles upon the living texture below which, changing shape and hue unceasingly.”  Dublin still has lampposts and large crowds moving along continuously entering or exiting its boundaries.  He also mentions a harpist playing in the roadway of Kildare Street, where a group of people gathered around to listen.  This shows that Dublin still has artists that entertain the passing crowds with their unique abilities; much like the French Quarter.  Joyce also eludes to the trams that still transport people to their destinations. There are no huge differences in how Dublin is portrayed in “Two Gallants” as to how it is today.