Through the night into the dawn.

Well this would be something to see if it was the Clampers towing away 2 police cars which park on double yellow lines on Townsend St.
This often causes mayhem as only one lane of traffic can get through.
Theres no law for them and the full force of the law for taxi drivers.

In Buckingham St.,(no there is no palace there)there stands a monument to remember all who died in the great war which swept through this area taking a whole generation with it.
Every year at Christmas a tree was erected on this spot and a bulb was placed in memory of a loved one lost, there was many hundreds of bulbs on the tree.
Then it was decided to erect a more permanent monument and this is it.
The metal for the torch contains the metal of the first communion,dancing medals and other sporting medals of the victims.

For many years grandparents reared their grandchildren, now I see the old drugs coming back big time.I won't tell you where to look, you might be killed and it would be stupid to go looking at the street carnival that drug dealing has become.

The drug dealing and addiction continues at a hell of a pace even though you her of 50,110,20 million seasures of drugs every month, God knows whats getting through.

When tourists see the Spire they all say "Whats that for?"

I have to say with hand on heart that when the city fathers calculated that there was 16,000 heroin addicts in the city they decided it was time to do something about it.

So they erected a 125 meter steel(spike)needle in the center of the street.

Still it was better than doing nothing.

These all nights are tough,I hate to say it but its like bringing up kids.
It's the work for the younger person.

You start off bringing them into town, this pub, that pub. Then all the last minute changes,picking up ones and twos on the way, changes in destination 4 times are common.
Then a lull, off to the airport where the holiday makers are coming back all bronzed and in shorts and sandals.
Then back home for a take away and 1/2 hour of "night of the living dead" or something similar on the telly.
Transfers from pub to club follows.
Next task is the married folk home, babysitters home.
Then Clubs to different apartments around the city, all kiss and cuddle then " Well maybie just one cup of coffie".

Next up is from the suburbs
Taking the weary lovers home.
"Where am I? What do you mean its Tuesday?"

You start off getting e50 notes, then e20s then e5s and copper coins at the end.
The other day a guy paid for a taxi with a block of cheese cause he had no money.
I wonder did the driver ask if he had no bread and butter as well?

Last of all is the trip to the airport for the New York and Chicago flights.
If you are late for them there is a 2 hour delay until it gets busy again.

It can become the old joke "Last night I dreamt I was awake, then I woke up to find that I was asleep.It was luck I dindn't hit anything"
or
"Did you ever fall asleep when you were driving"? No but once or twice I woke up driving".
For a joke to ring true it must have a ring of truth running through it.

I drive with the roof sign off, so that you can choose who gets into the car.
Married couples are the best bet.She will keep him in line or sometimes you hear "Never mind that stupid cow" and all hell breaks loose. There was a bit of a barney going on when they got in and this was just interrupted to tell me my destination, when we got there he said to hold on till I get the baby sitters then off 2 miles.
"I will just be a few minutes hold on to my keys and this bit of cash for security."
I was sitting outside the flats when I noticed a piece of white plastic stuck in the middle of my security. A 'Wrap" of crack cocaine. When he came back I handed him the coke and told him to be more careful in future.
Thanks bud.
Back at the house. Paid and a good e8 tip.
Next a lift to Crumlin where the girl showed me where Phil Lynott used to live with his granny, 10 minutes later its back again to Crumlin and as the girl was getting out I spotted the mobile phone, "No its not mine" So back again to Rialto to knock up my good coke head who was not asleep. The baby sitters phone!
Thanks bud you're a real gent.
For myself I will make all effort to return a mobile,I will never forget the day an unfortunate girl who had sold herself for a dose of heroin, she was being chased by a gang of youths down a laneway in Raheny. I was coming up Grange Park Rd when I saw her so I Took the corner wide and opened the sliding door and drove off.
She was saved in the wink of an eye.
"How the fuck did you spot me?"
"Luck"
The next 45 mins were spent looking for tinfoil to cook it.
None of the late night shops sell tin foil and all the chocolate bars now have plastic wrappers.
In the end she was forced to bring her and the gear back to her own house.
"I don't like the kids to see me shooting up"
Her phone was left on the seat and a well dressed bloke from Lucan village picked it up before I had a chance to grab it and say. "Right if its your phone give me the number and I'll ring it"
I won't go into it but her customers numbers and her suppliers numbers were lost.
She was a good looking girl too. I guess the devil doesen't care who he kills.

I hope that guy who picked up the phone inherits her hell.
Sometimes I wish I could educate a few of our judges and lawmakers about the mayhem on the streets.
Still everyone knows taxi drivers are robbing scumbags who deserve everything they get.(Whoops, must be the time of month)

Italy came to Ireland tonight I think I had 6 loads of Italians beautiful girls from Sicilia, Roma ,Pizza, Milano and other fantastic places.
Must go there on a gourmet tour some day.
One group were looking about B&B and I brought them around the usual places coming back on to O'Connell St. at Sackville place something happened so fast that I barley saw it myself.
4 Indian or Pakistani people were crossing when one of them fell to the ground screaming the side of his face had been slashed open with a blade.
He fell to the ground screaming while 5 burley bouncers looked on from the door of the nearby Centra shop they watched doing nothing.

I saw loads of violence through the night but around 3 am the "Guardians of the peace vanish" You would not get away with such an attack in New York for sure.
One other guy I picked up at 4 in Baggott St. and he told me that he was hemmed in by 2 men and a woman. The asked him if he wanted to have sex with the woman, when he said no they told him he would have to pay them anyhow because he had been looking at her. Just then 2 unmarked cars pulled up and a van came and took the 3 of them away.
They were delighted with his statement.

Guess some of them were working.

Bring back FLOGGING.
That is one thing that would be an inexpensive cure to a lot of crime.
I am sure they could find a "Christian Brother"to do the job.

Don't forget the metior shower on Monday.
Try to get out of town away from the city lights.

In the middle of this you pick up the Sunday papers the headline read that Topshop line of clothes modeled by Kate Moss,which are sold by (5) billionare Sir Philip Green (who pays no income tax) are in fact made in Mauritius by workers who earn 4 quid a day.Who would have ever thought it. A 12 hour day 6 days a week.For 24

Employed by a man worth more than 5 billion, who pays no tax using a loophole.

They should stick his loophole around his neck!.
I hope there is a hell for him and his kind.

Now for something completely different.
Next time I will give you a 10 pub guide to Dublin.

The 7th annual Festival of World Cultures, on August 25 and 26, celebrates Ireland’s multicultural diversity and features concerts, club nights, fairs, markets, dance, street events and workshops.
Up to 250,000 people are expected to attend this year as 70% of events are free to the public.
More than 800 artists from 80 countries such as Uzbekistan, Mali and Mexico will perform at 40 venues throughout Dun Laoghaire town,which is only 20 minutes away on the Dart.
The festival will feature Dun Laoghaire Mela – Ireland’s first ever festival celebrating the culture of the South East Asia.