RAIN AND WIND, WIND AND RAIN

The Ugliest Building in Europe?

I took the bus up to Donegal from Dublin. Gemma’s Kevin was going to give me a ride to the Luas so I could get to Busaras for 11 but he decided instead to take me all the way in.
Since I didn’t have to take the Luas I had lots of time to wander around after I bought my ticket. I walked over to the ISAAC’s youth hostel for breakfast. The Caribbean man in charge was just setting up but he made me the best cappuccino of the trip.
I walked back to the bus station to take some pictures. Busaras (bus palace) competes with Liberty Hall for the title of “Ugliest Building in Europe”. What were they thinking? Inside the design is equally bad. The toilets are in the basement so if you have to go (and who doesn’t have to go before they get on a bus?) you have to lug all your baggage down a narrow flight of stairs.

The bus trip itself wasn’t too bad. It takes four hours to get from Dublin to Donegal Town with a very short stop in Cavan Town. In the old days there was a 15-minute stop so you could have a sandwich and stretch your legs before getting back on the bus. This time the driver warned that there was only time to go to the bathroom and that he would leave without anyone who took too long. The cuts are deep everywhere, it seems.

The bus schedules have completely changed. Before, there was an hour wait in Donegal for the bus to GleannCholmcille but now it is more like 3 hours. Donegal is an interesting place with lots to see if you have a couple of hours to spare. But when it is lashing down rain and the winds are howling you don’t feel like walking around with a heavy suitcase in tow being a tourist. I didn’t feel like going to a pub for the afternoon so I just hung out in doorways until it was time to get something to eat – two houses around the world but I was homeless in Donegal Town.

I had a very pleasant meal at the Blueberry Café off the Diamond. The towns that came into being during Plantation times always have a central plaza that is referred to as a diamond. Donegal does have a diamond but it is more like a triangle. I had a braised steak with vegetables and mashed potatoes. As always it was very good. The owner always greets me warmly and enquires about Rich and Nephew Vladimir who he met lo these many years. That’s why I like going there – it’s like family.

I finally reached GleannCholmcille at about 7:30 in the evening. We had one more change of buses in Killybegs but there wasn’t time to see much. Besides, the rain never let up so there was no lingering for pictures.


'Universal Links on Human Rights' (1995) by Tony O'Malley
Eternal Flame for prisoners of conscience.