The DART is 30…
Dublin Area Rapid Transport is celebrating its birthday today, 30 years after it made its first journey on the Howth to Bray line.
Far from being just the punchline in so many Ross O’Carroll Kelly gags, it’s become as much a part of the capital as Old Mister Brennan, pints in the Gravediggers and the brothers Brogan.
Here are, in no fixed order, some reasons we love the DART…
When we get the DART we instinctively think of The Commitments
Roddy Doyle regularly features the DART in his work, from The Snapper to Family, and The Van, but we defy anyone not to start humming ‘Destination Anywhere’ from The Commitments when they hop on at Tara Street and cross the Liffey.
http://youtu.be/9MN02oTCOT8
They’ve been known to provide in-carriage entertainment
Ah, look at him there, clean shaven and without a care in the world.
This is JOE’s own Eric Lalor performing his comedy routine on the DART’s 25th anniversary back in 2009, long before he joined the good ship JOE…
The match day buzz
For a young JOE, the first hint of big match excitement came on the short trip from Connolly Station to Lansdowne Road for Ireland internationals under Jack Charlton, back in the 80s and 90s (showing our age here).
The atmosphere and tension before a big rugby or football international is most palpable before the doors open and the crowds spill on to the platform, sweeping towards the stadium. Those were the days…
DORSH-speak
Spend long enough on the DART (we’re looking at you, Malahide) and you will have come across a brand of Dublin vernacular known as DORSH-speak.
We have Ross O’Carroll Kelly to thank (and/or blame) for this one, with soft ‘t’s and the obligatory ohmygod-ohmygod-ohmygods everywhere you may look. Not to mention things that were ‘like, totes SO funny.’
Thankfully, the particular species that typically engaged in DORSH-speak has now migrated to the LUAS Green Line, changing its name to the ‘Yummy Drummy’ and leaving us all scratching our heads in wonder.
It’s great for drying clothes
A few months ago, we found out that as well as being one of the best ways to get around Dublin, the DART is also a pretty novel way to dry your clothes.
One Dublin woman thought it would be a great idea to hang her damp garments out of the window of a DART coming back from Howth and while it made for one pretty funny picture, we do have to point out that it’s not exactly the safest method of doing your washing.
It’s one of the cheapest and best ways to see Dublin at its best.
All joking aside, spending a couple of hours on the DART will show you Dublin at its absolute best.
You can take in Howth, the coastline at Malahide, Croker, the Aviva Stadium, Dún Laoghaire, Killiney, Dalkey Village and the promenade in Bray.
All of this as well as easy access to Trinity College and the best that Dublin city has to offer, and we wouldn’t change it for the world.
Happy Birthday to the #DART – 30 today! Nice way to see Dublin & visit #Howth :o) pic.twitter.com/U3q3V5OTKs
— Hurdy Gurdy Museum (@HurdyGurdyRadio) July 23, 2014
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