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Daragh Brophy / TwitterAnd for the record Grafton Street is busy but damp. pic.twitter.com/LtvcVj32X0
— Daragh Brophy (@DaraghBroph) December 26, 2015
PERHAPS IT WAS the rain. Perhaps more of us are choosing to bargain-hunt online.
Or maybe the country’s getting so used to having a few quid again, we don’t feel the need to tear into town at the break of dawn to snatch up last-minutes gifts before the in-laws land for Stephen’s(s)* Day lunch.
Sure, there were queues outside the usual places before shutters went up this morning – and retailers, as you might expect, have been doing their level best to talk-up the annual winter sales.
Crowds gathered outside Brown Thomas from stupid o’clock as usual – and newsrooms around the country have been sent the traditional pictures of people streaming in the doors to snap up the discount handbags.
For the most part, though, shoppers pottering about the Grafton Street area of Dublin earlier today were unrelentingly well-behaved, as TheJournal.ie set out to get the low-down on the winter sales.
Not a great help for someone in search of an interesting headline (though, sure – it’s a positive sign that society in general isn’t going to hell in a handbasket).
Daragh Brophy / TwitterNow. Would you rather talk to me or hide from the non stop rain? pic.twitter.com/SPpN4MzpsG
— Daragh Brophy (@DaraghBroph) December 26, 2015
We talked to around 20 people between Wicklow Street and Stephen’s Green before lunch.
Around the same time last year, a woman regaled us with tales of people pulling handbags out of each-other’s hands. Another shopper said she had seen ‘shoe fights’ and ‘bag fights’ break out – not just in one store, but in a few.
Today?…
We’re just in for a cup of tea, we might have a quick look later.
- An elderly woman chatting with friends in Stephen’s Green Shopping Centre.
We took a look at a few shops. It’s fine.
- A US couple sheltering in the doorway of HMV.
We just popped-in for the half-price shoes. Now we’re off.
- Two middle-aged women, clutching sensible-looking brown paper shopping bags.
Brown Thomas / TwitterExcited customers waiting for the doors to open at 9AM for the #BrownThomasSale! Join us in store for up to 60% off! pic.twitter.com/38DLoaKOVB
— Brown Thomas (@brownthomas) December 26, 2015
Down at the Marks & Spencer café, we strike up a chat with a woman at a table by the window…
I’m actually working in Brown Thomas, so no – I’m not shopping myself.
TheJournal.ie: “And how is it? Is it mad?”
No, it’s grand. I’m at the Beauty counter anyway – but no, it’s fine.
Daragh Brophy / TwitterFor some reason people insist on buying ice cream pic.twitter.com/ccJE4Pfp6Q
— Daragh Brophy (@DaraghBroph) December 26, 2015
Pausing to put up their umbrellas in the doorway of BT2, woman from Artane tells us (again, much to our disappointment) that it’s “not too bad at all”.
I wouldn’t be in first thing or anything. I’m not that kind of bargain-hunter. We were in about an hour ago and now we’re heading.
“I’ve seen it a lot busier,” says Angela.
Around the corner, at the Phil Lynott statue, honeymooning US couple Will and Madigan agree it’s been “really negotiable”.
We haven’t been running into crowds or anything.
Won’t someone think of the headline-writers?
* Following several queries – yes, this is reference to the traditional Dublin pronunciation of the feast day.
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jaysus, can people not give it a rest for even a couple of days? Is that all there is to life -shopping and consuming? Very sad.
My other half said he was slipping down to the local to see if there is a sale on !
Should be called “Chinese Day”!!
Yeah they re-sell them in China for 50% more… Mainland Chinese people will buy anything with a label.
I just saw a man wearing Ugg boots. He was about 50. Is this what we have come too?
In skinny jeans, a beard and clutching a latte frappe crappe shatte too no doubt…
The orientals love the peace sign.
I suppose it beats the nazi salute?
Are they not implying they got two crappy handbags for the price of one?
Handbags which most likely were made in the orient.
Made in China, shipped 1/2 way around the world, retailed at 200% markup to Chinese tourists who then fly them back to the point of origin.
That dude with the 4 handbags is straight to a Chinese factory ready to make replicas
Why does he wani so many? Must be off to Dealz with the change…
theyre probably already made by now albeit in s*** quality. live in your ear., take the eye out of yer head. mind those things.
Sad sad people
There ain’t a bargain in these places you couldn’t get from the comfort of your own home by shopping online if you put a little time into it. I can understand people of a certain vintage running for the deals, but not the younger generation.
online is beating them. the cost of transport alone in to retail is more than the shipping. theyre trying to bring you from online now into retail and follow you through push notifications! haha. not work. people hate them more than the qr codes, they turn off locations for such crap. who wants an app for every retail store? and you really aint going to pay for the transport in there. Bring on the drones.
Pathetic creatures
” and for the record Grafton St is busy but damp” It doesn’t look busy @daraghbroph
And look over there! There’s 20 people outside brown thomas 20 minutes before the doors open.
Keep playing up the economy Journal
A yes festive cheer… A high stool comes to mind.
Festive chair
A big stool after all the Roses more like
Losers. Should stay at home.
No amount of discounts would induce me to go anywhere near the city centre, what with chuggers, LUAS, mayhem, spaced out druggies, marauding youths etc. .Got everything I need from Merrion down to Dun Laoghaire at a much more relaxed pace.
Not many Irish people there
If they live here they must be Irish !
Chinese just can’t stop buying shite…..thy can’t save….
PATHETIC
A free country is one in which people can do (legally) what they want. Unfortunately, we are not free yet – as so many seem to make a life out of criticising the activities beliefs of others. Whether its shopping, religion or politics – we appear to be incapable of accepting an alternative view on things.
Having an opinion or offending someone is not a crime, it’s victimless really. Being judgemental is part of the national psyche of every country. Now, see you later, I have a Stephen’s day swinger party to attend in Silversrpings and I hate to be late as I don’t like seconds.
The difference is Cod – I don’t care, am not interested and just wish you well, in whatever pursuits/activities you desire. Whether it be dating a priest or jumping off wardrobes – but some insist on making their disagreement with these legal uses of time known to us all. When the PMs of France were having extramarital affairs – the voters couldn’t see what the fuss was about! Here….
I’d have to agree with that. The French have it right.
Agreed
Not suggesting having an affair is right but no one else’s business except the people directly involved
Ger Comings, posing as the voice of compassion and reason!! This IS Waterford whispers
A lot of people in this generation having got such a stinging in the recession might never recover the Celtic tiger consumerism and save more.
Hi Daragh, please could you explain the “(s)” after the apostrophe s in Stephens Day?
Because if that S wasn`t in brackets it would be a typo?
I was wondering if it was an Irish thing where we infer it’s a plural Stephens. So you have the grammatical conundrum of apostrophe s denoting the possessive “day belonging to Stephen” followed by another s to denote plural Stephens. Or something like that?
There are no sales really.. nothing much to talk about. All I’ve seen is rubbish
Handbags at dawn !
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