Madam, – With no end in sight to our tough economic state, I’m happy to report that, among all the doom and gloom, we still haven’t lost our famous hospitality.
On a recent return trip from Paris (prior to the recent disruptions), I had the misfortune of having to wait for a bus at Dublin airport. Approaching midnight, weighed down with bags and surrounded by rain, I thought of nothing but returning home.
On purchasing my ticket, I was told by the bus driver, that as soon as the bus was full, we would be on our way. As the bus filled with passengers (many of whom were from the US), the bus driver went to the effort of getting to know his passengers by walking from the front to the end of the bus and back, asking where his passengers were from and what they were doing in Ireland.
Once the bus took off, so did our bus driver: “Ladies and Gentlemen, you’re very welcome on board this coach from Dublin airport terminating at Trinity College. To our US visitors, I would like to offer a Céad Míle Fáilte or one hundred thousand welcomes.” On approaching Quinn’s Pub in Drumcondra, our friend piped up once again. “Folks I believe we have two flight attendants travelling with us tonight. Ladies it’s Thursday night. Will I let ye off at Quinn’s or are yiz too tired to party?” Finally, upon on approaching my destination our friend announced: “Folks we are now approaching Ireland’s premier street, that is O’Connell Street, if you are getting off, I would like to thank you for travelling with us and I hope to see you soon.”
Although only a 15-minute bus trip, it was entertaining. I never got his name, but it’s a shame there are not more people like my bus driver. His words cost nothing, however it is the small things that made the impact. – Yours, etc,