TD 1
My hope is that the creative communities in Dubli
n and Ireland are supported as much as they have been this year by Dublin City Council and all the amazing markets all around Dublin. It’s a great community that keeps on growing from strength to strength. Colm Durham - Aquarius Sea Jewels, The Revival Market We have a creative hope that we can support each other. Cheaper rent, more affordable living. We’re all about reusing and upcycling as well, not like fast-paced fashion or fast-paced life. Just being more appreciative of what we already have and our resources. That’s why we use sea glass, bringing more of nature into the city. Feeling more at one, with each other and not feeling that competitive nature. The markets are very friendly and we all want to support each other’s businesses. Rachel Bolger - Aquarius Sea Jewels, The Revival Market My hopes for 2025… Domestically I’d like to see the government get their act together and sort out our disastrous housing crisis. Where my son can afford a house that his grandfather bought on one salary 60 years ago, himself and his girlfriend (both in good jobs) can’t afford to buy that property, that’s outrageous. And I’d like to see Ireland qualify for the USA-Canada-Mexico World Cup 2026. On a personal note, I’m looking forward to a family holiday in January. We’re going to Florida this January. And then my wife’s hitting a big birthday and we’re going on a cruise… Things have never been this good! But I’ve worked hard so I’m enjoying the fruits of my labor. Tommy O’Brien - Bartender, D1 That the chaos will stop in the world and that loads of people will go to loads of gigs, especially in our brand-new, smaller venue at The Grand Social (200-capacity venue, The Ballroom.) where we will have probably some of the best shows that will ever happen in this country. Kieron Black - The Grand Social I would like more people to come into town. Alan Warner - The Last Bookshop I want to start working at a library. There’s one on Kevin Street that I need to look into, but I might have to go back to college for it which I’m not looking forward to. Kara McKenna - The Morning Bakery From Thursday to Sunday, we have to clean up the front after the parties that happen in the evenings. It’s not really fair on us and other local businesses. I’ve heard people say they have their shutters broken, things like that. I understand we have parties - I like to party as well - but I just feel we have to be more aware and not leave rubbish on the road. It will improve our surroundings as well. Smeha - Jane Jewelry I’m Paddy from Padison & Yule, and I run the shop with my wife Alison, we’re on 14 College Green. I don’t really do New Year’s resolutions or anything like that, but I implement it every day. Once you’re getting up in the morning… you keep going and you keep moving and you respect other people. Business-wise, we always try and find new product, funky product, quirky product. Always keep moving. [We look for] Unique items that not everyone would have, sometimes very specialised items. But yeah, it’s about a feeling in this shop as well so it’s to keep that feeling going and… try and increase on it every year. Because you can feel it in the shop, it’s quite special. Paddy Curran - Padison & Yule To get a more stable job. Because I’m not from Ireland, I’m from an Asian country, so if given a chance… I’m not sure to be honest… I’m a dietician by profession, so I hope I’ll be able to get a dietetics related job, maybe in Ireland, maybe in my country Malaysia. Wilson - Nana’s Tea Shop In 2025, I hope to keep furthering my education and if possible, study abroad another time. I’ve had a really lovely experience in Dublin and I feel like I’ve seen and learned a lot, and I definitely want to come back someday soon. People here have shown this foolish American intern a great deal of kindness in the few months I’ve been here, even total strangers such as the woman who helped me defend my slice of pizza from the seagulls at St Stephen’s Green to the men who escorted me to the Giant’s Causeway through frighteningly bad winds. So I also hope I can pay that kindness forward. Lex Doig - Totally Dublin intern In 2025, I want to continue my streak of traveling. I’ve had a few opportunities over the past couple years to see new places, but when I came to Dublin for my study abroad program, the floodgates really opened for me. During my time here, I’ve gotten to explore Ireland but other countries as well, notably Spain, Belgium and the Netherlands. I would love to continue exploring more places in the new year whenever I get the chance, whether it’s during school breaks or over the summer. There’s still so much of the world to see and take in, and my time here in Dublin really cemented that for me. Kat Michalak - Totally Dublin intern 27