BUSÁRAS

Statue of James Connolly opposite Liberty Hall in Beresford Place.

I had to get up early to get into town for my bus to Donegal. I woke up early and got myself ready all the while hoping someone else would get up to give me a ride into town. Nobody did. Never mind. I had my bags packed and went out the door at 9 to be into town for a 10 o’clock bus from Busáras in Store Street.
I just missed the bus and had to wait about twenty minutes for another. There wasn’t much traffic so when another bus finally came it didn’t take long to get into the city center. I made a run for the bus station. I was carrying my belongings in a big Leclerc shopping bag (Protegeons l’eau; protegeons la terre) which was a little awkward and I had my computer on my back in a backpack. Despite all that I made it to the bus station with about ten minutes to spare.
There was a long line at the ticket counter so I decided to check with information about buying a ticket on the bus. The guy there told me that there was no bus to Donegal until 11:30. I was deflated. Next time I should check the actual bus schedule rather than relying on Oideas Gael’s outdated information.
I went for a walk about Dublin center. I had a coffee and croissant at a café then went to the Meteor store to buy some credits for the phone. I went to Eason’s to get LeMonde and also bought the latest issue of Le Nouvel Observateur. My, how things have changed in Dublin - last year I couldn’t find anywhere to buy LeMonde.
I found two interesting commemorative plaques. The first was on a building in O’Connell Street commemorating the founding meeting of Conradh na Gaeilge. The second plaque was on a building in Abbey Street. This was where Thomas Meaghar unveiled the national flag for the first time at a “soirée” of 2000 citizens on April 15, 1848 – the year of revolution in Europe.
Busárus, the central bus station, has to be one of Dublin’s ugliest buildings. It was built in the early 60’s and reflected the first attempts at modernization of the capital. A glass and steel structure that looks very similar Liberty Hall, it’s cousin of the same period. There are plans to tear down Liberty Hall but as yet no plans to tear down Busárus.