I have seen Dublin’s Temple Bar district described in various ways: historic, touristy, not a place to go at night, nightlife hub. From what I could gather on our brief visit this past May, any or all of those might be correct, though I saw no real evidence of it being dangerous. Mostly it felt like one of those typical big city tourist areas, center in an older district with “character,” and gradually being invaded by chain restaurants and shops. But there are still some fun rough edges.

I did not go inside this business, but its exterior certainly caught my eye. Somewhat over-the-top and gaudy decorations are not uncommon here, most likely in an attempt to get attention in an environment that is already visually complex and teeming with visitors. I noticed the disjunction between the wild, intense flame visuals and the “ho hum” demeanor of the person walking past.

---

COMMENT OR QUESTION? Scroll down to the comment form.

G Dan Mitchell is a California photographer and visual opportunist. His book, “California’s Fall Color: A Photographer’s Guide to Autumn in the Sierra” (Heyday Books) is available directly from him. Blog | Bluesky | Mastodon | Substack Notes | Flickr | Email

All media © Copyright G Dan Mitchell and others.