Thursday 2 September 2010

From Our Cork Correspondent

Back in Cork as planned: and the view out of my quayside bedroom window is of the tallest (sic) building in the Republic, the loftily-named and loftily-conceived Elysian, Japanese garden and all. It was built, as these edifices often are, just as the property boom had peaked. And as my taxi-driver said:

"will yer look at dat, sorr - it's ballaxed ! ... yer not in foinance, are yer ? - dere's a fierce anger here against bankers"

But of course I am not in finance, no no no, and so we sailed on.
It's more than half empty, naturally. The locals call it the Idle Tower, which probably has nothing to do with our blogger-friend: some attribute it to a pun on a nearby pub, the Idle Hour - but I'd say that a certain Parisian landmark may equally have suggested the moniker.

Everyone here is nursing Big negative equity. And a pint of stout. Murphy's, of course, in these parts.

ND


photo (c) Nick Drew 2010

3 comments:

idle said...

It is neither castellated, nor with policies around it, populated by park trees and rhododendra.

So it can't be one of mine.

"I hear you have a ruined castle in Scotland", a houseguest once said to Lord Lauderdale; "All my castles are in ruins" he growled in reply.

Looking forward to lunch.

Steven_L said...

What they think of the Euro then?

Get a few pints of Murphy's down you and spill the beans Nick!

I hope you're not there thinking of renting that tower thing and deserting us for lower corp tax!

Tim Worstall said...

Beamish is also made in town......