Anti-War Soap Box Speaking *Temple Bar *2.30-4pm

by The Cat Mon Jul 10, 2006 20:53

Well, tonight I know who Ciaron O'Reilly is, and who the Pit Stop Ploughshares are. Delighted for all of you. Free speech is such an important facet of civilisation, and one that is not encouraged in these parts (be that the ME or this website).

You also will have your day in court.

Imagine trying to pull a stunt like that out here. The only court you'd feature in would be a coroner's. Maybe.

by Ciaron Mon Jul 10, 2006 20:42 087 918 4552

Well in the spirit of act-reflect -act again (or as Beckett wrote to the imprisoned Havel "try-fail-try again-fail better")...I thought I better write a short report on the last two Sundays of public speaking in Temple Bar.

Sunday before last when I rocked up on my lonesome with my pink anti-war sign, some throaties, bottle of water & peace leaflets...there was some roadworks going at the regular Templ Bar corner. So I moved up the edge of the Square toward Dame, positioned myself in an alcove on a couple of steps, faced off with the seated customers of Hagen Daas and let er rip. After about 15 minutes the council drillers packed up and I moved down to the regular corner and the small crowd came with me and it built form there. Had my usual rhetorical tapeloops on freedom, consumerism, the war, our trial etc hoping and waiting for a heckle or intervention from the gorwing crowd, when they come it always makes it more interesting. Met a lot of gooovey folks (including a nice dread head couple from Mullingar) and packed up with a raw throat after 1 1/2 hours.

This past Sunday I rolled up on my lonesome at 2.30 (punctuality has always been a big thang in my family)...took shelter under the awning of the coffee shop opposite the corner and noticed the owners have installed an electroinic retractable awning that they roll up when it rains. (and roll up it did lucky I'm well used to rejection!) .....so folks who has Bobby once put it are "seeking shelter from the storm" piss off and don't hang around the outside of the shop. The lack of awnings in the shit weather of Dublin has always confused me.. In the sub-tropical paradise of my hometown Brisbane, the whole city centre has awnings and you can move around the city centre in tropical storms and blistering heat without gettng saturated or contributing to the highest skin cancer rates in the world.

Dublin+shit weather=no awnings. Brisbane+beautoful one day perfect the next weather=awnings. Go figure?

I digress, did two hours on the soapbox. Some great interactions lots of talk about the war, the trial, posing the question are you intown as a citizen or a consumer? Temple Bar Speakers Corner was a great regular phenomenon, I still get stopped in the street and slapped on the back by people who saw me speak there a year or two ago. It faded beacsue Rossa (who this past weekend scored his first goal as a sub for Leitrim huriing team this weekend) migrated along with JD. faded beacuse political parties & groups don't value interacting with ordinary folks in the street...would rather do a press conference or a press release or internet. You really need 4 or 5 groups to have a pool of speakers each and provide one from each group every week to establish it and we never had it in Dublin. Dublin folks are one of the most passive audiences I've encountered from Berkley to Brisbane to Hyde Park.

So for what it's worth that's the reflecftion. It's a simple medium,doesn't need alot of kit. Anyone can do it and get better at it with experience. etc etc

by Elaine Sun Jul 09, 2006 22:37

So only three photos for ya.

Gather Round

Ouch

G'day Mate

by memories Sun Jul 09, 2006 09:09

Cearnóg na gCainteoirí / The Speakers' Square
April 2004
http://indymedia.ie/newswire.php?story_id=64580
[even RBB was there]