The Lord Mayor and the Business Community closed O’Connell Street for 7 hours today and caused traffic (including major public transport) chaos in an exercise to promote ‘Civic Patriotism’ amongst Christmas shoppers. Gardiner Street became the main street for buses to cross the city – but someone forgot to tell anyone on Gardiner Street this or to organise it so that traffic would move smoothly. The Gardai were too busy flapping their arms on O’Connell Street Bridge.

Usually the tree in O’Connell Street looks like this

Photo owned by jaqian (cc)

But this evening the Lord Mayor lit this yoke – which came from France (not very patriotic) and is not a tree in the Christmas sense of the word. They have lit the allegedly eco-friendly piece of metal aka tree so early that a real tree probably wouldn’t have lasted.

I’d be far more patriotic with my Christmas shopping this year if the many mainly British owned stores littered throughout the city weren’t fleecing us (and being permitted to do so). Next weekend I’ll happen to be in London where I’ll hope to be saving 33 percent off the price of a Christmas present compared to the price in the same shop in Dublin.

How unpatriotic of me – Bah Humbug. And many apologies for mentioning the C word far too early this year. I promise to shut up for at least the next 4 weeks on the subject.