There is another world out there in our country, and it’s one that I salute
I’M ON the 11 o’clock train, from Galway back to Dublin, on Sunday morning. I was there in September too. I hadn’t been there since we were all sent to the Gaeltacht, bean an tí, etc, to come back with the Gaeilge.
It’s not another part of the country. It IS another country.
No one blasts you out of it if you cross the road in Eyre Square at the wrong place. I did it accidentally, and then tested the theory, not once but twice. I kind of walked out slowly to see what would happen. Twice, the motorists stopped and waved me across. I’m not a meek little individual, by any means, they didn’t seem to be charitable, just, well, sort of decent.
On the four train journeys, I didn’t hear the F-word once.
I overheard some conversations, very normal young people, chatting, and I heard two guys, in suits, about 40, talking about saving for their kids’ college.
No cider flagons, no one saying did you hear the f...ing latest, no intimidation of any kind.
On the return train, young people pushed bikes onto the train, studentlooking people in their 20s, not one of them aggressive, or drinking, etc.
In the Galway shops, the young workers are relaxed. They smile and say thank you. When I bought the papers, one young guy in his 20s actually said “Thank you, God bless”, and, no, I wasn’t hearing things.
I stared at him, just to check reality, and he definitely wasn’t, as is said up here, taking the p***.
I’ll be in Heuston shortly. Thank you, God bless.
Margaret Docherty
Terenure, Dublin 6w