We need your help now
Support from readers like you keeps The Journal open.
You are visiting us because we have something you value. Independent, unbiased news that tells the truth. Advertising revenue goes some way to support our mission, but this year it has not been enough.
If you've seen value in our reporting, please contribute what you can, so we can continue to produce accurate and meaningful journalism. For everyone who needs it.
Sign in. It’s quick, free and it’s up to you.
An account is an optional way to support the work we do. Find out more.
By continuing, you are indicating that you accept our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.
IT HAS OFFICIALLY been 100 days since Dublin’s portal to New York opened.
Despite some rocky moments, the technological instalment on Dublin’s North Earl Street continues to prove popular with locals and tourists alike.
In its short history, the portal has seen the many sides of society.
One ambassador who has been working there for the last two months says the job is “chill” for the most part, but “it depends on the day”.
Ambassadors are tasked with minding the portal to deter troublemakers and manage over-enthusiastic onlookers.
“We sometimes have a lot of problems here,” she said, noting the many flashing incidents.
It’s been a lot of ass.
The portal began as a 24-hour livestream between Dublin and New York’s Flatiron South Public Plaza at Broadway, Fifth Avenue, and 23rd Street.
But upon its opening in May, the more wholesome moments were eclipsed by some visitors engaging in “inappropriate” behaviour, as described by Dublin City Council.
The Journal sent a New York-based reporter to the other side, where similar problems arose.
After a short pause, the portal reopened with limited hours and a new feature that blurs the screen if people get too close.
Created by Lithuanian artist Benediktas Gylys, similar portals are already installed in a number of other major cities.
Dublin City Council delivered the sculpture as part of its designation as the European Capital of Smart Tourism 2024.
Ambassadors used to have to call the gardaí when there was trouble, but now a new feature they can access from their phones allows them to turn the portal on and off whenever they need.
Another ambassador said that those demonstrating anti-social behaviour usually get bored quite quickly once the screen turns off.
The portal is currently open between 1pm and 8pm. Rain or shine, the ambassadors keep guard. The weather is the worst part, according to the ambassador we spoke to yesterday.
There are nice moments too, she added. “It’s really amazing sometimes.”
Sisters Maureen and Trisha are from New York. They’re in Ireland to trace their Irish roots. They have a jam-packed multi-county itinerary, but they couldn’t miss the portal.
They think it’s “pretty neat,” said Trisha.
“We’re so glad we got to see this,” said Maureen.
Jenny and Colin, also visiting from New York, were excited to say hi to their friend Kathleen today. Kathleen made a sign especially for them. Jenny has now been on both sides of the portal now.
In a 30 minute time frame, there were about five heartwarming reunions – and no flashing.
Dubliners and New Yorkers can use the signs provided to communicate with those on the other side.
“Hey New York, you’re looking well,” one reads.
Another says: “Welcome to Dublin.”
When the portal is switched off, people still gather to take a look – and take a “mirror selfie” in the blank screen.
Perhaps one of the most practical features of the portal is the accidental seating it provides on the pedestrianised street.
Directly across from the busy Henry Street, shoppers rested on the concrete slab on which the portal sits.
Others perched on the planters surrounding it.
Perhaps they too had stepped through a portal – to a version of Dublin City that has outdoor public seating.
To embed this post, copy the code below on your site
Like our lot here they’ll do anything to stay in power.
@Dave O Neill: “Our lot” have maintained a successful economy
@Argus Romsworth: They have. But where they have failed is they have now adopted the UK’s policy of mass immigration to try and chase the value of money that continues to drop year on year. House prices will go up indefinitely, because software engineers and Deliveroo drivers won’t be building houses. Our young tradees are hitting for Australia and NZ. The Irish, Romanians, Georgians and Moldovans who currently dominate the construction workforce can’t keep up with 100,000 + coming here every year. How much has people’s wages gone up in the past 10 years? Maybe 10-15%. Housing has gone up almost 80%. But let’s keep supply low and the demand high, that will surely fix the problem.
@Joe Willis: housing a big issue. No doubt about that. it’s the same in Australia. When Irish go over there as they rarely buy a property.
@Argus Romsworth: Yes because mass immigration doesn’t benefit the economy. Just ask the Australian government why they have had mass immigration for over two decades, yet they skill shortage is at the highest it has ever been right now.
@Joe Willis: the highest value skills are not in construction atm. ICT and financial sectors where all the big money is. Make hay while the sun shines. Just a part of the cycle we are in.
@Joe Willis: Garbage. We follow the EU policy according to our commitments, no relation whatsoever to UK situation. The majority of our immigrants in areas such as health care and construction are badly needed and add hugely to our economy and our culture. Next time one of your family members is ill thank your lucky stars we have very well qualified immigrants looking after them.l because there is not enough Irish to fulfill our needs.
@M Fahy: Just keep bringing them in. Last year we had 100,000 immigrants. This year let’s make it 200,000. The solution to our housing crisis is surely to just keep bringing in 100s of thousands of people who all need to be housed. Just keep em coming. All people are anyways are interchangeable economic units. As long as our GDP rises by 0.2%, that’s all that matters. As for culture, I don’t care about that. Values is more important to me. I don’t agree with how a lot of these people value certain members of our society.
@Argus Romsworth: they’ve also maintained the homeless crisis
@Argus Romsworth: successful for who?
@Joe Willis: 90,000 people came here from Ukraine which obviously skews the figures.
For anyone who thinks Ireland should leave the EU, take a look at what is happening in the UK right now. This is our future if we were to leave the EU
@Ger Whelan: Switzerland, Norway and Iceland are all doing grand
They are lucky like us that they don’t have SF in power either.
@Trump24: How could SF be ‘in power’ in Britain?
@Trump24: not this munt again. Go to bed mate nobody wants to hear what you have to say about anything.
@Brendan O’Brien: The Trump supporter political I.Q. level.
@Robert: So mute him and all the other trolls
Great to see the empire falling apart.
@Jb Walshe: The empire is long gone.
@Jb Walshe: the British Empire fell directly after WW2, just like the rest of Europe. The real winners were the USA and Israel.
@Joe Willis: unfortunately they are still heavily involved in many countries
@Jb Walshe: US giant Meta has 3.3 Billion users worldwide everyday on their platforms. That’s at least half of the worlds adult population. They have mastered data collection of all these users. If Chinese company ByteDance doesn’t sell TikTok to an American company by January 19th 2025, TikTok will be banned the the US. The likelihood is that ByteDance will sell TikTok for a huge sum of money to the US. Just shows that if the US doesn’t control what people use/see on their phones, they will throw toys out of their pram until they get their own way.
Britain have billions for bombing innocent Palestinians but no money for pensioners fuel allowance
@Kevin O Brien: Keir Starmer is the Prime Minster of the UK. His wife, Victoria, is a jew with UK-Israeli citizenships. Do things start to make a bit more sense now?
Incredible how ministers hedge their bets and rely on the global economy to come right and sound bites to appeal to voters. UK needs higher taxes on the rich, and a good dose of re-privatisation. Then suck it up for a few years.
Great Britain is now little Britain and looks like it’s getting littler,
@Ned: Yeah, Luke Littler.
Labour and the Tories are just as bad as each other. Both repeatedly lied to the British public about not raising taxes and then they proceeded to do so. The Tories were responsible for hiking taxes up to the highest amount in nearly 50 years and then Labour continued the pile on once they entered office despite running on the promise not to raise a single tax and using the National Insurance, corporate tax and income tax increases as a stick to beat the Tories with. The elephant in the room that neither Labour nor the Tories want to talk about is the NHS and how it’s the biggest drain on government finances. Funding has nearly doubled since 2015 yet 40% of people waited longer than 12 hours in A&E and the surgery waiting list stands at 7.8 million people. It needs to be privatised.
@William Jennings: do you work for Boris?
Lived in London in the 90s . Seemed like we’d never have it as good here as they had it then . The place was ransacked by city bank speculators , war mongers, and anti eu sentiment . A good honest people brought to their knees by that collective shower. Hope for better times for them again soon
have your say