Dancing the Night Away In Dublin—Traditional vs. Modern

Posted on June 14, 2013 by Leann Erickson

Like every other naïve American tourist, I was completely unsure as to what nightlife would be like over here in Ireland. I immediately assumed that there would be Irish step dancing at every pub and it would be nothing like the nightlife and dancing in America. To my surprise, Ireland’s dancing and entertainment scene is more Americanized than I thought.

Similar to any other big city, the tourism is what keeps cities afloat. I discovered through my time here in Dublin that there are so many different places to go at night, but only recently I realized the big difference between a tourist spot and a local spot. Around the big “touristy” areas of the city like Temple Bar and Grafton Street there are signs everywhere that say “Traditional Irish Dancing & Music Here!” But then when I go to parts of the city like Wexford Street and Camden Street, it’s a completely different atmosphere.

A pub like Quay’s in the Temple bar area has the traditional Irish ambiance that tourists tend to crave. It’s a huge pub with live traditional Irish music, traditional Irish food, overpriced pints and Irish step dancing as the source of entertainment. The crowd is made up of mostly tourists and some locals who still enjoy the traditional Irish dancing and music. When I asked one of the local guys sitting in the pub why there is so much promotion for traditional Irish dancing around the Temple Bar area, he said, “that’s what tourists expect and since tourism is how we make our bread and butter, we make the visitors happy.”

The places outside of the Temple Bar and Grafton Street areas have completely different vibes to me. Now that I’ve been here for a few weeks, have talked to different local Dubliners, and have experienced many different pubs and nightlife, I have noticed something really surprising. All of the places that I’ve enjoyed going to have had no traditional Irish dancing at all and those are also the popular places for Dubliners to hang out.

It was ironic to me that the pubs where there is a lot of local Irish people, traditional Ireland is pretty much out the window and the dancing is a lot more Americanized. For example, Whelan’s is a spot that I really enjoy going to and a place where many locals go as well. The cover bands at Whelan’s play American music and the people practice the dance moves seen in the latest Nicki Minaj music video. I almost feel as though I’m at a pub in Philadelphia with the music and the dancing happening around me.

Although I came to Ireland expecting tradition and I’ve lived something completely different, I will say that I have enjoyed experiencing both sides of Ireland. While the traditional dancing is fun to watch and discover, I like that there’s a piece of home here in Dublin, through the dancing and the nightlife.
-Shannon Haugh

Quays vs. Whelan’s–Traditional vs. Modern in Dublin

“Romeo, Romeo, Wherefore Art Thou Romeo”

Posted on June 14, 2013 by Leann Erickson

As I watched my usual 140 bus blow past me on a lovely Wednesday afternoon, I took that as a sign to walk home and enjoy yet another beautiful day in Ireland. I stopped in a little “mom and pop” restaurant on George Street, grabbed some lunch and headed towards St. Stephens Green Park to enjoy a Shakespeare performance by Trinity College students. I was expecting a traditional Shakespeare performance but what I got was energetic college students, looking to have a fun and interactive time with Shakespeare.

I arrived at St. Stephens Green Park twenty minutes before the performance started. I decided to lay down and grab some color, and be named, “the only person to come home from Ireland with a sun tan.” Ten minutes behind schedule, the narrator took the stage and introduced the Shakespeare play, Romeo and Juliet. To my surprise a female played Romeo, and a Male played Juliet. That is when I knew they were turning traditional Shakespeare into a modern comedy.

This performance only included two actors and one narrator, costumes that looked like they were bought from a thrift store, and a few props. This “low budget” feel of the performance created a better frame to just focus on the acting. Although the actors were just young college students, their acting abilities were fantastic. They were able to keep the audience engaged, which made the show even more enjoyable.

The performance space for the show was a small area. The idea of the small space was to allow the two actors to be interactive with the audience. Multiple times throughout the performance the two actors would joke around with an audience member, or make an audience member a part of the show. Since my time in Dublin studying theater I have found the most interesting theater performances are the ones that are interactive with the audience.

I left the performance surprised by how much I enjoyed their “remix” to the traditional play Romeo and Juliet. I would have fallen asleep twenty minutes into a normal Shakespeare play. My favorite part was their interactions with the audience; to me this demonstrated their regard for the crowd. I also enjoyed watching how much fun the Trinity Students were having. So I must say, well-done, Trinity College!

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Anglican Churches of Ireland

Posted on June 14, 2013 by Leann Erickson

Walking through Ireland, one sees many different churches, which is most likely due to the emphasis that Irish society places on religion. When walking through Cork, a beautiful city in southern Ireland, last weekend, one in particular caught my eye. At first, I thought it was a castle of some sort. As I got closer, I realized that it was not a castle at all, but a church! A service was in session, but a pastor let me in the gate to the grounds. A sign outside told me that it was Saint Fin Barre’s Cathedral, an Anglican church. The church was built in 1863, and is done in the Early French style of architecture.

St. Fin Barre’s Cathedral, Cork, Ireland

While walking through the grounds, my breath was taken away. There were old graves scattered throughout the churchyard. Some gravestones were written in Gaelic, and others were so worn that you couldn’t even read what was written on them. The church had a gold angel on top, and is made of light gray stone. Even more magnificent than the churchyard is the front of the church. There are nine women carved into the door, and the doors themselves are made of dark wood, that is beautifully carved.

The roof & door of St. Fin Barre’s Cathedral

Seeing this church made me think of the churches in Dublin that are closer to my home. The most prominent one would be Saint Patrick’s Cathedral, which is also an Anglican church. I encountered it while walking through Dublin with my class one day during our first week in Dublin. While a beautiful church, I did not feel the same while I was walking through the grounds of Saint Patrick’s. Built in the twelfth century, it is done in the Gothic style of architecture. The church has gorgeous stained glass windows and is made from darker gray stone.

For some reason, Saint Patrick’s did not affect me the way that Saint Fin Barre’s did. For days now, I have been trying to figure out why. I believe that I personally connect more with the style of architecture that Saint Fin Barre’s is designed in. It is more airy and lighter than the style of Saint Patrick’s. I also feel that the graves in the churchyard make it more of a personal experience. While St. Patrick’s is beautiful, in my opinion, it is such an important monument in Ireland that it has become less personalized over the years.

St. Patrick’s Cathedral, Dublin, Ireland

Unfortunately I have not had the opportunity to enter either church yet. I was hoping to attend a service at Saint Fin Barre’s Cathedral, but had missed the last service. I am planning to attend a service at Saint Patrick’s Cathedral while in Dublin, and am hoping the inside will help me change my mind about the personality of the building. I am also planning to go back to Cork just to attend mass at St. Fin Barre’s Cathedral. While different in style, both are beautiful buildings. I personally prefer St. Fin Barre’s Cathedral, but ultimately it comes down to personal taste and style.

Blinded by the Light

Posted on June 11, 2013 by Leann Erickson

Finding the Book of Kells was a magnificent discovery, even though I had no intentions of discussing it for my travel writing blog in the first place. For all I knew, it was only the text within the book that mattered—the handwritten manuscript of the gospels that intrigued me more for its age than its content. Out of sheer whim, I followed two of my classmates to Trinity College where they kept the text behind glass, and I saw for myself what I was missing within the book’s ornate pages. It was not simply the grand composition of the words, but the meticulously colored pictures around them that were awe-inspiring. In fact, I came to realize that the whole book was, in fact, a piece of art—a collage of several Christian symbols visually and symmetrically converged into one. The art style is what historians have come to define as Insular art. To me, it was not the definition that mattered, but what the art style invoked within my mind.

Of course I am not going to start on some clichéd revelation, but I will admit that I got strangely excited when I saw the shapes and patterns enveloping the iconic Christian figures in the text. The artwork was almost hypnotizing. Moreover, it was oddly nostalgic. That was when I realized that my brain was associating the illustrations from the Book of Kells to the oriental paintings I saw when I lived in India. Although Insular art is an abstract form found commonly in ancient texts from the British isles, I could not deny that many of the designs in the Book of Kells resembled the ones found in Indian and Persian art forms. I remember the tapestries that outlined the walls of old forts in India, and how they used to belong to Islamic Mughal lords and Hindu kings, telling stories of great battles, extravagant marriages, and simple court life. Just like in the Book of Kells, the religious ideologies of Hinduism were depicted on several ancient paintings and sculptures in India. But it did not end there.

I think what is really interesting is that these South Asian designs are still recreated today, most commonly in henna art, a type of temporary tattoos for women. In one of the popular pages of the Book of Kells, I noticed that the patterns and hidden drawings of religious figures and animals all told the story of Christ. In the same way, new Indian brides get henna on their arms that intricately depict the age-old customs and rituals of marriage. If such ancient art forms still continue to mesmerize us, then I now know why the Book of Kells is still a source of fascination. It is a shame that it was behind a glass case—I could have used some new ideas for future henna designs.

— Julisa Basak

My Gram’s Teakettle

Posted on June 11, 2013 by Leann Erickson

Last week I got a phone call from my mom delivering some unfortunate news. She was calling to tell me that my grandmother had died earlier that day. I was so upset because I had such a close relationship with my Gram. This was the same grandmother featured in last week’s post, A Kettle and Two Reminders.

Let me refresh your memory: a few days into my stay here, I bought a teakettle for my grandmother as a gift from my travels. Colm De Ris, A friendly potter who creates beautiful artwork, sold it to me. I knew my grandmother would love it and I could not wait to give it to her when I returned home.

A few days after writing A Kettle and Two Reminders I received the news of her death. After hanging up the phone from my mom, my face covered in tears and smeared makeup, I grabbed the kettle, put it next to my bed and stared at it. At first, the only thing I could think was how she will never get to see it. That kettle suddenly changed its meaning to me completely.

Now, the kettle that I bought the other day at an art fair as a souvenir for my grandmother is going to stay with me forever. Part of the reason I wanted to buy this for her was because growing up, and even today, we always would share conversations over a cup of tea on Sunday mornings. Those mornings were some of the best moments with her, and now the teapot will not only be a symbol of my grandmother, but of those mornings

The Celtic symbol, The Triple Spiral, displayed on the kettle has earned a new meaning to me too. Some say each of the three spirals stand for life, death, and rebirth and how they are all connected. Or in other words, that the spirit never dies. This will remind me of my belief that my Gram is still with me in spirit and that she will always watch over me. Others say that each spiral stands for grandmother, mother, and daughter. How appropriate. The two most important women in my life, are my mom and my gram.

So, you might be wondering how this relates to crafts or even art in general, because I was too, until it came to me a little bit ago. My fingers are typing away and rambling about a kettle and my grandmother, and I realize: this teakettle, that a stranger designed and made with his own two hands, has such a strong meaning to me now. Artists design pieces usually for other purposes, but often artwork builds such a strong personal meaning to the owner. All over the world, people own craftwork, whether it be jewelry, quilts, crocheted blankets, wooden clocks, or pottery, and often these crafts have personal meaning and are passed down through generations. I hope my Gram’s teapot is too.

A Dark Inspiration to Move me Brightly: Drew Russin

Posted on June 10, 2013 by Leann Erickson

On a groggy Tuesday, “Lovers, Strangers, Friends”, slapped me awake with refreshing inspiration. The small, rectangular book sat on display in the LAB Gallery. The cover featured a black and white wedding photograph from the early 19th century. Each of the eleven figures in the photograph had sparkling dabs of black glitter covering their face; preluding the weird, often disturbing content within.

What struck me most about this book was the mysterious way the content of each story mirrored my emotions that morning. A disastrous Tuesday was foreshadowed by a horrible night sleep. I estimated four hours of sleep before an 8 AM alarm forced me out of my cozy nest.

I began the most mentally disengaged day of my trip with a walk to the LAB gallery; kept alert only by headphones blaring triumphantly dark guitar riffs. I sat down for a general discussion of art in Dublin. I heard little, I felt beat-down, sick of the city and sick of school. I remained asleep with eyes open until my writing professor, LeAnn, placed the charmingly handmade book in my hand.

“He stepped off the bus and hitched his bag over his shoulder, accidentally hitting the guy getting off behind him. He muttered an apology and moved away, not really thinking about what direction he went”. The opening line of Niahm Connaghan’s, “Anonymous”, captured the dark, cynical mood that had infected my morning.

I was so enthralled by these sick twisted tales; eagerly devouring each climax, inevitably ending in despair. “Lovers, Strangers, Friends, was the brainchild of visual artist, Martha, who recruited writers off the internet to write a poem or short story inspired by an image she had created, recycled, or distorted. Response was overwhelming, 60 writers wanted to partake. Martha cut down participants to be featured in the final piece. Two books, identical in content rested on a virgin white table in a corner of the gallery. Above in a horizontal line were each of the visual pieces that inspired the stories.

The theme of the book was clearly Dublin, more generally city living. It highlighted the sense of despair, of complete and total loneliness one can feel while surrounded by 1.5 million people. A country boy at heart, this feeling resonates with me, especially on a worn and depressed Tuesday morning.

“Anonymous”, was the only tale that ended remotely happily. The main character, who represents all of us city-livers, moved through a day with meaningless interactions, a ghost in living flesh, until he met a woman named Emma, in an empty pub. A gently and inspiring reminder brightened my day; all it takes to slap any person back into living like it matters is a warm smile, a firm handshake, and the gift of sharing your lonely evening with another soul, lost and suffocated in a hostile terrain of cold concrete. To find such beauty in unexpected art is an incredible reminder to live everyday with eyes wide open.

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Making Waves

Posted on June 10, 2013 by Leann Erickson

During the second week of my summer study away adventure in Dublin, Ireland, I trekked over to the LAB gallery to meet up with my classmates and professor and learn more about the arts in Dublin. I was feeling extremely confident in my navigation abilities, as I had found my way to the LAB solo without once taking a wrong turn in the labyrinthine streets of this nonsensical city. After our whole class had gathered, we stepped into one of the galleries of the LAB. This gallery contained several different art installations, had huge windows with a view of James Joyce Street, and had some kind of bizarre whale sound effects playing loudly in the background. Of all these sights and sounds that immediately overwhelmed my senses, I was struck by one particular piece: a line drawing of a wave, with thinner lines drawn parallel to the line of the initial waveform many times, curving and distorting to create a strange, almost three-dimensional effect that played tricks on my eyes. Although the drawing was very simplistic and looked like something I’d doodled in my physics notes in high school, there was something about the boldness of it and the stark contrast of the black lines on white wood that really caught my eye.

As a student studying media production and hoping to find a career on the technical side of the music industry, I really liked the use of a sound wave as the basis for this piece. I study and work with sound waves quite frequently, and I’ve always found them fascinating. I wondered about the intended meaning behind this drawing and I was curious to find out more about the artist and the inspiration for this piece.

I looked at the info card and found that this piece was called “The Fine Line,” drawn by Cian O’Sullivan with Maeve O’Neill. This piece was part of O’Sullivan’s work to explore the senses and attitudes towards disability. “The Fine Line” was intended as a visual representation of what it’s like to be deaf. I found this very interesting, as I have many deaf family members and I have always wished I could understand their world better. I looked at the drawing again with this new information, hoping some epiphany would strike me and I would suddenly understand what it was really like to live in a world without sound. However, after several more minutes of contemplation, I really had no idea how this cluster of parallel lines was supposed to represent what it’s like to be deaf. The lines looked cool, but still didn’t mean anything to me.

So maybe I didn’t completely “get” this piece. I don’t have to understand it exactly as the artist intended it in order for me to appreciate it to some degree. That’s what I love about art; art has the ability to cross cultural barriers, like different levels of ability or different nationalities, and bring people together in common pursuit of something awesome.

View photos of the piece here: Fine Line

A Part of the Show; Street Theater

Posted on June 10, 2013 by Leann Erickson

I left class around noon on a beautiful Wednesday with every intention of enjoying this day before the rain really began to take over Ireland. I hopped on the 140 bus from Rathmines Street to Mountjoy Street with my headphones on. As I sat on the bus waiting for my usual stop I decided to get off on Grafton Street and walk around for a bit. With all the commotion going on I knew I was in store for some major people watching, on top of shopping with money I knew I should not spend.

I made my way up Grafton Street dodging the quick walking Irish, and the slow moving tourists, when I noticed a statue I have never seen before. I continued to walk up Grafton Street, still staring at the statue, when suddenly I saw it move. I thought to myself, I really need to catch up on some sleep. Again, I saw some movement from the statue, and then it clicked, street theater!

When you take part in theater a major component is your costume. As I observed the actors, I noticed how well their costumes were able to make them look like an actual statue. What was even better was watching other people’s reactions when they saw the statue move, majority of them jumped about five feet. I continued to watch the performance, and I noticed how many people passed the actors, yet the actors were able to maintain focus, stay completely still, and keep the show going. The interesting part about street theater is breaking what is known as, “the fourth wall”

The fourth wall is that invisible wall that divides the actors and the audience. The interesting part about street theater is the ability to allow the audience to break the fourth wall. I watched as people would walk very close to the statue to see if it was real, breaking that wall. I decided to try this myself. I walked close to the actors, observed their stillness, and then decided to donate a couple euro, the actors made a thank you gesture, repositioned, and kept still for the next donation.

I noticed that when someone donates a euro or two, they become in control of the performance. It creates this atmosphere that makes most of the audience feel like they are apart of the show. This creates an interesting tension between the actors and the audience, which I found most fascinating about the entire performance. Since my interaction with the statue on Grafton Street, I find myself double checking other statues around Dublin to make sure I am not missing out on more performances!

Grafton Street, crowdedness of Grafton Street

Grafton Street, the statue on Grafton Street

Grafton Street, breaking the fourth wall

Grafton Street, breaking the fourth wall and being interactive with the actors

Silence At The Disco

Posted on June 10, 2013 by Leann Erickson

Out on a night with my Study Abroad friends, we found ourselves in a familiar place called Whelan’s. In our short time in Dublin we’ve quickly become regulars to the pub/venue. As usual, we were greeted by the same bouncer at the door. In being there 4 times in a matter of 2 weeks, we recognized him but because of the onslaught of people coming through we were treated like newcomers. He began to ask us our ages in his familiar tone and then continued to inform us about a free “Silent Disco” that would begin at 11pm. I’m sure our blank stares were quite obvious. He then politely asked “Do yas know about a Silent Disco?”

After his brief explanation we walked through the dark doors and ordered specials off the chalk board above the bar. In our time at Whelan’s my friends and I have explored all three venues within the pub. On this night we weren’t allowed passed closed off areas because of paid concerts. We were bummed out that we couldn’t get in anywhere besides the bars within the venue but remained hopeful that this mysterious “Silent Disco” would be the craic.

At 11 pm the door to one of the venues opened and concert goers poured out into the bar. Those previously in the bar moved into the venue, which soon turned into the dance floor. Upon entering the room there was no audible music but Two DJs were spinning on stage.

We soon found that the rules were simply to wear a set of cordless headphones, dance, and shout. Once we put on the headphones we realized that there was an option between an Indie and Top 40 playlist. Apparently Whitney Houston’s “I Wanna Dance with Somebody” gets the crowd going when the music is heard by all and even when it isn’t. When I removed my headphones I could hear people singing the dance ballad at the top of their lungs and dancing the night away.

The act of dancing to music through headphones might seem a little silly at first but when you’re surrounded by an enthusiastic group of people, it all somehow comes together effortlessly. Even though the room was filled by strangers and friends, at times it was quite personal. The experience made me feel like I was away in my room with music that only I could hear, dancing carelessly.

Whelan’s did more than simply provide a good time on this night. The “Silent Disco” allowed us to tune out our worries, hear the music, feel the rhythm, and dance.

Where I’m from in the United States, “Silent Discos” aren’t as popular. It’s quite common to hear music pumping from bars with a crowd just standing around. The idea of giving the people an option of choosing the music and the freedom to move however they please is certainly an idea worth adopting.

Faith Scheerbaum

A House of Light

Posted on June 10, 2013 by Leann Erickson

The Lighthouse Cinema in Smithfield, Dublin entertains all of your senses. While it has four screens, 600 seats and a plethora of Irish, independent, foreign-language, arthouse and classical films the theater in and of itself provides an entertaining experience simply not seen in modern movie theaters.

The theater is tucked away in a commercial courtyard with only a mirrored sign and glimmering, clean, glass doors to identify it. As patrons walk into the cinema they are instantly greeted with the smell of fresh coffee and espresso wafting down the hall from the full-sized café located just beyond the ticketing booth. That is just what the front room is: a long hallway with a simple ticket desk run by a young, well-groomed man in a black shirt. Just past the ticket booth the hallway opens into a full café offering what a coffee house on the corner would. People are sitting at tables enjoying their espressos as if they had all the time in the world.

Unlike many other movie theaters The Lighthouse Cinema isn’t spread across a large stretch of land with all of the theaters on the same floor. Instead, moviegoers must descend several flights of stairs to get to their theater. The maze of stairs and hallways is surprising easy to navigate despite the sharp turns and many levels. Some of these extra stairs aren’t only stairs, but seating in themselves. Cushions are placed on half of the stairs so a screen can be lowered from the ceiling creating an impromptu theater in the center of the building.

The uniqueness of the cinema doesn’t end there; The lower levels of the complex are dimly-lit with backlit walls and mild, warm red and orange hues emitting from columns and select walls. The lighting gives the feeling that you’re already in your own film. Strategic lighting accentuates the sharp lines of the architecture and attempts to teleport you into the world of a film. Accompanying these beautiful colors is a plethora of seating outside of theaters for moviegoers. Beanbags, couches, coffee tables and chairs are placed in every corner of the complex. This may seem a bit strange until you encounter a small bar on the first level. The bar almost blends into the background of oranges and reds with its lighting and black countertops. While the drink selection may be overpriced and a bit limited, it fits perfectly in with the rest of the cinema.

The actual theaters are just as clean cut, warm and welcoming as the rest of The Lighthouse Cinema. Unlike other theaters, the floors are clean and not sticky with candy and soda. Not only are the seats comfortable, they are placed sensibly in the theater. Instead of cramming as many seats as possible in the theater, the floor in front of the screen is empty, allowing the film to be projected onto a large screen that is refreshingly comfortable to watch. The entire theater is a refreshing take on “going to the movies.”