Obama in Dublin

Crunchy Friends

Anyone know if his speech will be on the 22nd or 23rd in Croke Park? And ticketing details?

admiralofthefleet

the 23rd

i dont know about tickets

Crunchy Friends

Definitely the 23rd?

I know they were talking about moving it to the Sunday for a better turnout!

Hope i'm not working

Goodshape

Is he giving a speech in Croke Park? I thought that was called off.

Crunchy Friends

It's all a bit up in the air isn't it?
Considering it's so soon and all that

lalee17

Will it be free to get in, or will there be tickets with a handling charge, or something like that?

Crunchy Friends

I've read a few times in articles about him coming that it will be free but likely ticketed to control numbers etc and those will be allocated on a first come first served basis

lalee17

Seems fair enough.. Some people are worried about his visit as it'll be the first place he's to visit after ordering the killing of Bin Laden..

Some think there will be retaliations in Dublin :eek:

Crunchy Friends

Yeah I know some organisations like the Anti-War Movement, the ULA, SWP are all opposed to his visit and planning on demonstrating. There is even a talk tomorrow - Obama: Warlord of the US Empire.... :eek:

I just really want to hear him speak! Chap gives me tingles with some of his speeches

admiralofthefleet

yeah a quick google of 'obama dublin visit' brings up a link to the belfast telagraph that says the 23rd

lalee17

Crunchy Friends wrote: »

Yeah I know some organisations like the Anti-War Movement, the ULA, SWP are all opposed to his visit and planning on demonstrating. There is even a talk tomorrow - Obama: Warlord of the US Empire.... :eek:

I just really want to hear him speak! Chap gives me tingles with some of his speeches

Yeah! I'd like to go see him, for the craic. Hopefully nothing will happen, and the protests are peaceful.

Goodshape

admiralofthefleet wrote: »

yeah a quick google of 'obama dublin visit' brings up a link to the belfast telagraph that says the 23rd

Although this article from a month later (May 5th) says Croke Park is scrapped for security reasons, which is what I heard.

http://www.newstalk.ie/2011/news/obama-croke-park-visit-scrapped-for-security-reasons-reports/

Doesn't sound like they have the final word on the schedule though.

Crunchy Friends

Goodshape wrote: »

Although this article from a month later (May 5th) says Croke Park is scrapped for security reasons, which is what I heard.

http://www.newstalk.ie/2011/news/obama-croke-park-visit-scrapped-for-security-reasons-reports/

Doesn't sound like they have the final word on the schedule though.

Ah no way?! Total buzzkill! Was looking forward to that

The Maverick

I read in the Independent that they were looking into him giving a speech in front of the GPO and capping the number who could attend at 30,000. Tickets would be free and distributed on line. That sounds better then Croke Park as only allowing 30,000 there would look like a poor turnout. They are leaving it very late on deciding, though I say it's kept vague for security reasons.

timmywex

Speech is on Monday at roughly 5pm, in college green!

Dont know ticketing situation yet or if its just first come first served kinda job!

Ahoyhoy

Does anyone know what the story was when Clinton did it? Because he did it at the same location though in less security minded times...

lauraconn

Hope it won't be as jammered as when the Queen visited these past days. Ha sure keeps Dublin and our gardai busy

Goodshape

http://www.thejournal.ie/confirmed-obama-to-hold-public-event-at-dublins-college-green-140151-May2011/

Gal44

does anyone know what the traffic suituation will be like as in roads closed etc.. im asking really about how hard will it be to drive there and park? i was thinkin of driving to dublin for the day but iv never driven to Dublin before and dont have much experience yet with big city driving! will it be a no go area for a first timer to dublin!?? :)

or is there any shuttle buses or anything goin to the venue that you could park a little outside the area and get bus in....

John Mason

Rumours that U2 are playing

ixoy

Looks like I may be trapped again. I'm working on Georges Street so I can't go on to Dame Street (the only controlled entrance being from Parliament Street).
Will I have to walk all around Trinity to get across the city or even further?

John Mason

All the details are being released at 12pm

Looks like i am going to be the only in work on Monday, everyone else has booked the day off

broders3

Gal44 wrote: »

does anyone know what the traffic suituation will be like as in roads closed etc.. im asking really about how hard will it be to drive there and park? i was thinkin of driving to dublin for the day but iv never driven to Dublin before and dont have much experience yet with big city driving! will it be a no go area for a first timer to dublin!?? :)

or is there any shuttle buses or anything goin to the venue that you could park a little outside the area and get bus in....

Best call is to drive to the Red Cow on the M7. Use the park and ride and get the Luas into town! Easy

broders3

Gal44 wrote: »

does anyone know what the traffic suituation will be like as in roads closed etc.. im asking really about how hard will it be to drive there and park? i was thinkin of driving to dublin for the day but iv never driven to Dublin before and dont have much experience yet with big city driving! will it be a no go area for a first timer to dublin!?? :)

or is there any shuttle buses or anything goin to the venue that you could park a little outside the area and get bus in....

Best call is to drive to the Red Cow on the M7, use the park and ride Luas into town. Easy

Gal44

broders3 wrote: »

Best call is to drive to the Red Cow on the M7, use the park and ride Luas into town. Easy

Thanks.. im nearly thinking of busing it up now as theres a few more of us going now and might just get the bus and go hassle free.. city link goes to Burgh Quay and it doesnt seem too much of a walk to college green.... Does anyone know will all the streets be open to walk to college green from the city link bus stop? is it a long walk?

TurkeyBurger

Gal44 wrote: »

city link goes to Burgh Quay and it doesnt seem too much of a walk to college green.... Does anyone know will all the streets be open to walk to college green from the city link bus stop? is it a long walk?

2 or 3 minute walk from Quays to College Green. You'll be able to walk as far as the Garda checkpoints/entrance barriers to the speech... but they won't be releasing the locations of the barriers until Sunday morning by the sounds of things.

I wouldn't try to drive to it. If you manage to get into the City Centre in a car, you'll struggle to find somewhere to park. Stick to public transport as much as you can.

BeerNut

Ahoyhoy wrote: »

Does anyone know what the story was when Clinton did it?

Not much of a story. They just closed College Green to traffic and had a stage set up in the Bank of Ireland car park. I don't remember any security checks or barricades.

They used that venue for staged events a few times in subsequent years: Buddy Guy played a free gig there during the 1996 Dublin blues festival.

xebec

Pulling out lampposts in the island next to the taxi rank in the middle of college green this morning, I presume in preparation and with a view to having a stage in front of Trinity...

Dyr

xebec wrote: »

Pulling out lampposts in the island next to the taxi rank in the middle of college green this morning, I presume in preparation and with a view to having a stage in front of Trinity...

For other events they've used the dame street side of the bank..theres a natural recess there for a stage.

Degsy

irishbird wrote: »

Rumours that U2 are playing

It'd be just like multimillionaire anti-poverty campaigner Bono to pay grovelling homage to the leader of the world's largest empire alrite.

Actually they wont be playing i can tell youthat..they dont do anything for nothing.

MadsL

Apparantly Bono got Google here :eek:

I worked personally quite hard to get Google to choose Ireland as their headquarters outside of America and I'm very proud of it being here -- and Facebook now.

http://www.independent.ie/national-news/state-visits/bono-gives-his-full-backing-to-president-2651449.html