The DUBLIN Directory 2022

COME HERE TO ME DUBLIN The COVID-19 pandemic focused our attention on cities, their identity and what purpose they serve to locals, workers, and tourists alike. With the absence of overseas tourists and a reduced number of locals making trips into Dublin city, there was certainly a different atmosphere around our capital after the onset of the pandemic. Some commentators and journalists suggested, rather pessimistically, that ‘Dublin was dead’ and that our capital had lost its sense of identity and purpose. As a proud Dubliner (Dub), I thought it was unfair to evaluate our capital city through the lens of an unprecedented pandemic. Looking to the future and appreciating what we had on our doorstep, and how far we had come as a destination, I believed, was our best source of hope as Dubs endured such tough times. I reflected on what Dublin meant to me and realised that although my home was sick with COVID-19, it was certainly not dead! I concluded that the complexity of Dublin’s true appeal could not be fully captured or fairly represented by journalists or simplistic newspaper headlines. I wanted to start a conversation with my friends and colleagues from the city around ‘What Dublin means to you?’ The best way for me to do that was to put pen to paper to tell my story of what Dublin meant to me. Through writing down my favourite things about Dublin, its charms, its history, and my favourite places to visit, the beauty and uniqueness of my own Dublin really became apparent. It was clear that everyone had their own version of Dublin, and the city meant different things to everyone! This is truly what makes Dublin a brilliant place to both live and visit, and I knew this would endure long after the COVID-19 crisis had passed. 8 COME HERE TO ME DUBLIN