Exciting!

I know, it's a cliche to talk about Dublin as a city of literature, but like so many cliches, it's true. Whether it's all the pubs celebrating the fact that James Joyce or Brendan Behan used to drink there, or the former Taoiseach's daugher writing best-selling chick-lit (not necessarily my sort of thing, but if you like that stuff, I've heard its good), or the arts student scribbing on his ipod, it's all there. Basically, everyone in Dublin is a writer or wants to be a writer or at least goes to the pub with a writer.

Which is a long-winded way of introducing the Dublin Writer's Festival. I might have mentioned it before, but it's coming up next week so I thought I'd say it again. Writers in English from around the world will be presenting talks and it's all very exciting! Even though I won't be a student for much longer (just a week now) I do like the thought of being able to sit at the feet of all those great, famous people and listen to their words of wisdom, not to mention the prospect of maybe, just maybe, splitting a round of drinks with Ian McEwan!! Or Yann Martel.

The weather has been amazing in Dublin over the last few days, turning it from an attractive city to the MOST BEAUTIFUL CITY IN THE WORLD!!!

I'm sure it's bad for the buildings, but there's a sort of a tree in Dublin that likes to grow on chimney tops and out of walls. It looks like a lilac, but it seems to favour very improbable spots and to be able to grow just about anywhere. The flowers are starting to come out now. You won't see this on the big, fancy squares, but turn down a side street and there it is; living, beautiful proof that if you give a plant and the process of evolution long enough it will come up with a smart way to grow in an invisible crack in the most inhospitable wall.

And I'll leave you with that thought. If you're coming to Dublin soon, keep your eye open for 'em.