Malahide

Every year The Salvation Army does a stint of collecting funds from the public to help run its social service work. Here in Dublin the money is raised for our four excellent homeless centers. We work together as a group to do collections in some shopping areas around greater Dublin. One of those areas is a lovely little town called Malahide just to the north of the city, an hour or so from were we live. Every year I go to Malahide I think to myself that I should come back again one day just to visit and enjoy one of their cafes.

Arriving in the town today I parked the car then made my way to the post where we usually stand. No other collectors were around so I searched a few streets, but to no avail. A quick phone call to one of the people organising the collecting revealed that I wasn't supposed to be there until next week!

Eejit!

I figured there was no point in jumping straight back in the car for another hour long drive across heavy traffic so I went in search of coffee. I soon noticed a new addition to the outlets of caffeine. Can you guess who it is?

Part of me thinks it is particularly sad to want to boast the claim of visiting all the Starbucks in Ireland - and yet I'm drawn in. (10 of 13 so far. Cork airport is going to prove a little tricky)

While I sat and enjoyed a latte and flick through the paper one of the staff was doing the rounds of the tables with a handful of umbrellas. It would seem that a number of people had left their brollys and hadn't returned to claim them so he was giving them away to whoever wanted them. Everyone said no. (Out of embarrassment? Afraid of where it's been? I'm sure some interesting sociological study could be done to explain people's reaction). Anyway, the guy finally got to me and I said I'd take them for our homeless centres thereby justifying my premature trip to Malahide.


Another opportunity to try a different cafe next week!