Ireland...

[Perry94 0]

What's there? I was thinkin about going over there for schooling; however I don't know about the place at all! Is rollerhockey big there? What's there to do? And if any of you have been to both Dublin and Vancouver, BC, what are the differences?

[Chadd 916]

Very few Asians in Dublin

[pantherfan 0]

As much as I like Ireland a long weekend and 2 trips to the Guinness Storehouse was about all we really found we could do, and as far as I know hockey isn't that big in the South either.

[Allsmokenopancake 0]

What's there? I was thinkin about going over there for schooling; however I don't know about the place at all! Is rollerhockey big there? What's there to do? And if any of you have been to both Dublin and Vancouver, BC, what are the differences?

I'm from Ireland, my sister works in dublin, but we are from the north.

There is one place to play hockey there, and its the Oddessy where the belfast giants play, so would be a couple of hours drive.

There are some roller places there.

dublintornados@yahoo.com

Drop them a line, say when you are arriving and whatnot. I think they play out of finglas, so you may need to supply your own bareback horse for transport. I'm sure mack will help you find one.

If you are going to live there, before renting somewhere, stay the hell away from Crumlin, Finglas, anywhere on Sherriff street and try to find a place on the south side of the liffey.

Half my fathers family live down there, and have for over 30 years, so I used to spend every summer down there with cousins in finglas and Ashbourne (just outside dublin).

You can also contact the IIHA directly (although their website sucks) by e-mail

info@iiha.org

or by phone

Tel: (01) 455-0222

or in person

13 Raleigh Square

Crumlin

Dublin 12

Ireland

One word of warning, bring whatever you need to play, there is nothing to be picked up cheap over there because hockey is such a non existant sport.

Seriously, bring tape and everything.

Hope that helps, and the best way to fit in with the dublin knackers is remind them of the glorious victory donegal had over them in 1992. They are sure to take to you after that

[Allsmokenopancake 0]

Also, what school are you going to.

If it's trinity, I think you have to bring your own poker, but they will help shove it up your ass, as thats how you have to walk round campus and the streets of dublin, with a fake posh accent and say "I study at trinity, don't you know"

Given the choice of Dublin or Vancouver I would go with Vancouver for the following reasons

1. Dublin/Ireland = Rain, all the effin' time

2. Taxes (although if you are a student, won't matter as much)

3. Refugees, Ireland is being swamped by refugees from Romania, Croatia and various other eastern european blocs. The result is, jobs that traditionally were easier for students to get to supplement their study/social life are now going to these refugees because of favorable tax breaks for hiring them

4. Did I mention the weather?

5. It's dublin, seriously, anywhere else and I'm with you. (although I have a bias, all my time in dublin as a kid and growing up were in the dodgy dodgy areas, my sister loves it there, but when you were mugged as a 12 year old for your runners, and various other altercations, you tend not to have as rosy an image of the place)

If you can stay on the south side, you will be fine, otherwise, go to Vancouver

[mack 44]

Life-wise I'd definitely go with Dublin. As much as Allsmoke may hate it, I love it but I'm a bit biased. Even if it's not the best place around you've got the ability to travel around on your breaks. Plus you're near Castleknock, birthplace of evil.

Hockey-wise? There's absolutely nothing there and I'd stick with Vancouver.

[tokes 0]

You know what the best part about living in Dublin would be? You're about 75 Canadian dollars for a train ticket away of seeing anything in Europe. You can leave friday night, go check out Amsterdam for a weekend, crash in a youth hostel for 15 euros a night, head back Sunday night to be back for class again. I spent 6 weeks in Europe this summer, and if you can go there to study by all means go and do it.

[Perry94 0]

I actually live in Vancouver; that's why I wanted a comparison. The thing is, I was thinking of going there for SCHOOL, so hockey isn't a huge factor. Another thing, how much is rent? I refuse to pay 14,000 euros for room and board if I can help it. Was planning to rent a place with a roomate. Preferably near St Stephen Green (I think that's where it is).

I checked some website for places, but I have absolutely no clue what the difference between a "flat" and an "apartment" is?

[Allsmokenopancake 0]

St. Stephens green is nice for about 20 minutes a day, before the knackers take over.

Rent is high, my sister pays 2,000 euro a month, but she is in a good area.

A flat and an apartment are the same thing

As far as Europe, its accessible, with Ryan Air you can get flights to pretty much anywhere in Europe for about 30 euros. It was cheaper for my sister and her friends to fly to croatia for a weekend for her 21st 5 years ago than it was to have a weekend in dublin.

Dublin has some great spots, and probably one of the best pub/club scene, well, I would put it up against anywhere in the world. I don't hate dublin, I hate parts of dublin, but I am in DC now and I hate parts of it too.

If you want to go for the student life, then you will not find a better city than dublin.

You need to check out rent fully before you go, and you need to check out what areas you are going to live in. If you are going for school, you are probably talking Sept through May, so 9 months. 14000 over 9 months is about 1550 euro.

Thats about standard fare for renting there, if you share, its more if you are getting your own place.

What school are you going to. I used to be entertainments officer in the student Union in Letterkenny IT, so still have contacts around colleges, so maybe I can get info on student accomodation for you, so you can at least have an idea of price before you go.

But there are several colleges there (trinity, UCD, DIT etc) so would need and idea of the area you are thinking of studying.

Like I say, for student life, dublin will get my vote, particularly if you like good beer, and good music (red box, whelans etc)

[Perry94 0]

What exactly are "knackers"? Oh yah, why do you like Dublin so much, mack?

I was thinkin of either RSCI, UCD or Trinity. As for the area, I figure anywhere close to campus would be good. Also, how shitty are the "bad areas" of Dublin? I live in a "decent" area in Vancouver but I also work at the worst area in Vancouver (Hastings and Main), and to be honest as long as you don't borrow money or start shit you'll be fine there in that hellhole.

[JR Boucicaut 3802]

Because he's from there.

[Allsmokenopancake 0]

What exactly are "knackers"? Oh yah, why do you like Dublin so much, mack?

I was thinkin of either RSCI, UCD or Trinity. As for the area, I figure anywhere close to campus would be good. Also, how shitty are the "bad areas" of Dublin? I live in a "decent" area in Vancouver but I also work at the worst area in Vancouver (Hastings and Main), and to be honest as long as you don't borrow money or start shit you'll be fine there in that hellhole.

"Knackers" are scumbags. They hail from Finglas, Ballymun areas and Crumlin.

Then you have the wannabe knackers, from Ashbourne. They are on the dole (welfare) and will rob you for your shoes (as I illustrated above). Not everyone from these areas are knackers, but you don't want to live there.

You say you are thinking of these places, have you inquired about the cost. Education is free in Ireland to Irish citizens, because they tax the hell out of us once we get a job, so they can afford it to be. However, for non-eu students, it can cost quite a bit. Especially places like Trinity.

As far as the bad areas are, they are very bad. They are the same as any major city, dublin is a gateway city to the rest of europe, so is well developed, which means that the inner city is not as developed, because government money went to attract big businesses.

My sister works with underprivliged kids in Ballymun, and she says it's fine, but she wouldn not walk alone their after dark. Drugs are a problem, and the fact that we have an unarmed police force means the guys in the bad areas (who have guns) are not intimidated by the police.

You will be fine if you get in round the campus, and like all colleges, run the risk of being mugged on your way home from somewhere, but like I say, petty crime happens in all areas.

If you get set up in student body approved housing, you will really have a blast. It may seem like I am painting dublin in a bad light, but I am only trying to point out where not to go. If you stay to the good areas, you will have a blast, and I would put it up against anywhere else in the world for social life.

Mack is from Castleknock, which is in dublin, near pheonix park, so he was probably the one who mugged me for my shoes when I was 12!!!!

Dublin is a cool area, just stay away from the places my family is from and you will be fine

[mack 44]

Yup, I'm from there but if I were to pick anywhere back over there I'd probably go further South, maybe Tralee.

Allsmoke-

I guarantee you it was a Pikey that stole your bike. Never has the word "craic" been more used, especially when they'd hit you for no reason. They always had this camp (anyone from N.A. can just imagine the most cretin-like mobile trailer park community) set up next to this pub, then moved when the building got torn down. I went back after a while to visit family and they'd moved to the other part of town, all of them. I remember how all the brothers and sisters names began with the same letter. The 'Lovells' - all their kids names began with a K - Kerry, Kenny, Keiron, Kyle, Keith. Redonkulous.

And the other Pikey family had even funnier names, all double-barreled, like Jon-Jon, Jim-Jim and Jo-Jo. Not sure if it was intentional or if they all had really bad stutters.

[JR Boucicaut 3802]

Haha 'THAT'S MY BIKE, PUNK!'

[Allsmokenopancake 0]

Yup, I'm from there but if I were to pick anywhere back over there I'd probably go further South, maybe Tralee.

Allsmoke-

I guarantee you it was a Pikey that stole your bike. Never has the word "craic" been more used, especially when they'd hit you for no reason. They always had this camp (anyone from N.A. can just imagine the most cretin-like mobile trailer park community) set up next to this pub, then moved when the building got torn down. I went back after a while to visit family and they'd moved to the other part of town, all of them. I remember how all the brothers and sisters names began with the same letter. The 'Lovells' - all their kids names began with a K - Kerry, Kenny, Keiron, Kyle, Keith. Redonkulous.

And the other Pikey family had even funnier names, all double-barreled, like Jon-Jon, Jim-Jim and Jo-Jo. Not sure if it was intentional or if they all had really bad stutters.

My family down there were from dodgy enough areas. We used to play footy down ballymun (called the towers in the background the San Siro), and there were some dodgy dodgy whores down there.

Pikeys with their horses tied to a traffic light outside the pubs

We used to get the waterford pikeys coming up to donegal to fleece you out of your cash, trying to sell you stolen carpet for the stairs or re-tarmac your drive.

Dodgy dodgy folks.

[Eazy_b97 1]

"Du ya like Dags?"

I had fun in Dublin when I was there. I was younger and with the fam so I didn't get to see as much of it as I wanted to. Looking to go back for reading week or for a bit in summer.

[Perry94 0]

What exactly are "knackers"?  Oh yah, why do you like Dublin so much, mack?

I was thinkin of either RSCI, UCD or Trinity.  As for the area, I figure anywhere close to campus would be good.  Also, how shitty are the "bad areas" of Dublin?  I live in a "decent" area in Vancouver but I also work at the worst area in Vancouver (Hastings and Main), and to be honest as long as you don't borrow money or start shit you'll be fine there in that hellhole.

"Knackers" are scumbags. They hail from Finglas, Ballymun areas and Crumlin.

Then you have the wannabe knackers, from Ashbourne. They are on the dole (welfare) and will rob you for your shoes (as I illustrated above). Not everyone from these areas are knackers, but you don't want to live there.

You say you are thinking of these places, have you inquired about the cost. Education is free in Ireland to Irish citizens, because they tax the hell out of us once we get a job, so they can afford it to be. However, for non-eu students, it can cost quite a bit. Especially places like Trinity.

As far as the bad areas are, they are very bad. They are the same as any major city, dublin is a gateway city to the rest of europe, so is well developed, which means that the inner city is not as developed, because government money went to attract big businesses.

My sister works with underprivliged kids in Ballymun, and she says it's fine, but she wouldn not walk alone their after dark. Drugs are a problem, and the fact that we have an unarmed police force means the guys in the bad areas (who have guns) are not intimidated by the police.

You will be fine if you get in round the campus, and like all colleges, run the risk of being mugged on your way home from somewhere, but like I say, petty crime happens in all areas.

If you get set up in student body approved housing, you will really have a blast. It may seem like I am painting dublin in a bad light, but I am only trying to point out where not to go. If you stay to the good areas, you will have a blast, and I would put it up against anywhere else in the world for social life.

Mack is from Castleknock, which is in dublin, near pheonix park, so he was probably the one who mugged me for my shoes when I was 12!!!!

Dublin is a cool area, just stay away from the places my family is from and you will be fine

yah I know how much tuition's gonna be. that's not hte major problem. i just dont' want to spend money needlessly

are you serious about the mugging man? It seems that it happens pretty frequently over there...

[Allsmokenopancake 0]

are you serious about the mugging man? It seems that it happens pretty frequently over there...

In the wrong part of town, yep, its a very common occurance. You have to realise that about 1/3 the population of Ireland lived in Dublin City, and there is a lot of poverty, so kids, groups of them as young as 9 or 10 will mug you in gangs.

You may laugh and think that there is no way a 10 year old will take your shoes, but 15 of them with knives/chains will

[mack 44]

It's the chavs.