Beyond that, we visited Captain America's, a pub on Grafton Street, to experience Trinity Ent's weekly live music and cheap pints. Despite the cheesy name, many claim that it boasts the best burger in the city, though our late arrival precluded any dinner. Still, the atmosphere, while loud by conversation and music, was comfortable in seating and American music-themed decorations.
On Wednesday, we attended the Student Economic Review's debate between the Hist and Yale. Hosted in the Graduate Memorial Building (GMB), the room with a near 3-story ceiling had the feel of a house of parliament. A table cut through the center with chairs on either side for the debaters and a chair at the head for the moderator. Behind his chair was an elevated platform and table for the four judges, with seating for the spectators arranged behind the participants.
The debate was titled "this House believes it's all America's fault." Expectations were high for Trinity as they looked to rebound following their defeat at the hands of Oxford. In a gesture towards judge impartiality, the economic advisor at the US Embassy was selected for the panel. Throughout the course of the debate, it was clear that the three members on Trinity's team were the superior humorists, while Yale's reliance on "greed" as the real culprit was tired before the end of the first address.
Trinity focused on America's role in blocking efforts to create international financial regulations and production of various toxic mortgage-backed securities. To which a Yale debater asked who was to blame if toys were purchased from China, and a child choked on them while his parents were not watching. The quick retort of "China, if the toys were poisonous" encouraged laughter throughout the hall. By the end the judges awarded Trinity the victory and the best speaker.
On Thursday, Brittany, Sean, and I went to MacTorcaills (after we found the Pav crowded). Despite an initial lack of seats, we were soon able to secure our favorite table by the front. Soon thereafter, we were given a plate of food containing chips, sausages, chicken nuggets, fried mushrooms, and other finger foods. As it turned out, several of the people around us were celebrating a colleague's retirement, and so decided to share their ordered food with everyone in the pub. Adding to the atmosphere, a few of them decided to sing various tunes from the Beatles to uniquely Irish ones. At one point, a guy wielded a broom as a rifle and marched around while singing of the unstoppable Dublin Trucileers. Each song received thunderous applause and once more solidified MacTorcaills as our favorite pub.
Read the next post for a recount of Surfing in Lahinch.
Things that are different: There are no folders
Stores that are not: TGI Friday's
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