DUBLIN Planning Thread

May 6, 2009 7:04 AM

We need to pick a date and time between July 17 and July 19, decide the type of event we want, get some broad numbers, and choose a venue.

It would be helpful to have an idea of the number of people provisionally interested in attending a Dublin MeFi Birthday Party.

And if you're interested in coming, it would be doubly helpful to know which date you prefer (Fri 17, Sat 18, Sun 19) and if you have any ideas about a particular type of event you'd like to see.

posted by DarlingBri to Dublin, Ireland at 7:04 AM (37 comments total)

I'm up for any of those dates. My first inclination is to throw MeFi an actual birthday party, complete with cake (or cupcakes!), loot bags, food, drink and silly hats. Something like that could work well in the private room of a pub.

But I'm open to anything. Assuming we have enough people to pull this off, I'm happy to organise the will of the people.
posted by DarlingBri at 7:08 AM on May 6, 2009

Or, ooh, bowling birthday party!
posted by DarlingBri at 7:11 AM on May 6, 2009

I'm living in the Warwickshire at the minute, and therefore likely to go to London if I go to anything, but it's not beyond the realm of possibility that I'll be in Ireland in July. I'm planning on going back in June or July for a bit, so if it works out, I might be up for a Dublin meet.
posted by knapah at 2:02 PM on May 6, 2009

Rats. I'm flying to Paris on the 17th, so am out for all three, but I'll keep an eye in case anything changes.
posted by carbide at 6:17 AM on May 8, 2009

It's my girlfriend's birthday on the 18th so I'm very, very, unfortunately out as well.
posted by minifigs at 2:52 PM on May 11, 2009

Is this still going ahead?
posted by tomcosgrave at 12:31 AM on May 13, 2009

I should be up for it, all going well.
posted by nfg at 2:39 AM on May 14, 2009

Yes, it's still on, and I'll contact the Dublin and Cork MeFites this weekend :)
posted by DarlingBri at 9:26 AM on May 15, 2009

I'm interested. Any day suits...
posted by Boobus Tuber at 2:06 PM on May 16, 2009

Hi, I would be interested too. I can help with cooking and stuff :)
posted by ReiToei at 2:54 AM on May 25, 2009

Sat works best for me, but can do Fri too.
posted by Fence at 12:55 PM on May 25, 2009

Count me in. Also, count me in on complaining about whatever day is selected but turning up early anyway and then complaining because I was waiting around for the rest of ye.
posted by Elmore at 2:29 PM on May 26, 2009

I'm in too.
posted by conch soup at 8:40 PM on June 19, 2009

I'm really sorry; my work life has been kicking my ass. (Which, contrarily, explains why I've been posting so much but never mind.) I really want to do this, and I'm happy to organise it but I need some help and consensus.

1/ I suggest Saturday, the 18th, as the best date for the majority of people who have posted and/or MeMailed me.

2/ I still need to know what we want to do. I was thinking perhaps a late lunch or dinner on the 18th, followed by beers. Maybe Bobo's? That would probably run about €15 per head.

3/ We'd need a nearby venue for the beer bit.

Any thoughts?
posted by DarlingBri at 12:37 AM on June 22, 2009

Sorry: other venue idea is Il Vignardo. We can do pizza or pasta for a tenner before 7:30, or they do a set menu of four courses for €20, which is as reasonable as you're going to get in Dublin, I think.

Alternatively, we could probably get a private room in a pub somewhere like Doheny & Nesbitt, have a meal and sing Happy Birthday and then adjourn to the bar and garden for birthday drinking :) This might be both cheapest and easiest as we don't need to move around between places.

Basically I just need to know if people want to include dinner (even optionally) and what preferences are for drinking. Then I can call around and make a booking.
posted by DarlingBri at 1:10 AM on June 22, 2009

I'm usually based in the US, but going to be in Dublin for an internship this summer. How does one join this shindig? Saturday will, I think, work for me, although I don't have a completely firm schedule yet.
posted by Alterscape at 7:46 PM on June 22, 2009

Alterscape, I'm in Dublin on Wednesday so I'll pop by some venues and firm up a proposal, at which point people will have the opportunity to RSVP via the magical MeFi Birthday interface :)
posted by DarlingBri at 9:52 PM on June 22, 2009

Hey- Thanks to DarlingBri for taking the initiative.

Saturday works for me, and I'd prefer somewhere like Bobo's or even Vingardo rather than Doheny & Nesbitt... (too close to work!) but anywhere of a similar vein I think will be copacetic.

If we do a late lunch/ early dinner, then we can choose to stay or ramble for beers.

Darling, it's your call, but I'm in.
posted by conch soup at 9:00 AM on June 23, 2009

Righty-o, unless anyone has any serious objections, I've booked a table at GBK on South Anne Street for Saturday, 18 July at 7 PM. They do vegetarian options, I'm 90% confident there's wifi, and it's pretty cheap and centrally located. It's also very yummy! Cost per person should be €15 - 20.

We need to pick a pub to adjourn to afterwards so people who can't/don't want to do dinner can still meet up later in the evening. Suggestions? (I'd love a beer garden...)
posted by DarlingBri at 10:55 PM on June 25, 2009

OK, this is the plan. I'm in the process of MeMailing this to people MeFi tells me are in or around Cork, Dublin, Belfast and Galway.

You are cordially invited to attend the Dublin Meetup in honour of MeFi's 10th birthday!

FAQ:

1/ What is this?

We're doing this evening in two parts. The first part is dinner at 7 PM, followed by drinks nearby at 8:30 or 9. You can come for dinner, come for drinks, or come for both. It's entirely up to you.

Dinner: 7 PM
Gourmet Burger Kitchen, South Anne Street, D2
Approximately €15 - 20 per person

Drinks: 8:30 PM (ish)
Kehoe's, South Anne Street, D2
Normal city-centre pint prices

2/ Who will be there?

A bunch of friendly people who probably don't know each other but like bugers, beer and MetaFilter. You'll fit right in - don't be scared!

3/ How will I recognise you people?

There will be a big bunch of birthday balloons. There will probably also be cupcakes and silly hats. We're likely to be upstairs at Gourmet Burger, and in the pub at the pub.

4/ How does this work?

Please check in on the Dublin planning thread to RSVP yes or no:

http://ten.metafilter.com/go/ireland/dublin

Because the evening is in two parts, I also need you to RSVP *again* so I have accurate numbers for both bits:

http://short.ie/mefi10

I need this info to make sure our dinner table is big enough and there are enough cupcakes, etc. (You DO want a cupcake, right?)

5/ What if I said I was coming and now I can't? Or couldn't come but now can?

Go back to the RSVP form and re-submit it, changing your RSVP(s) from Yes to No (or whatever.) This will update the list of attendees.

6/ What do I do if I'm lost, late nervous or need to be bailed out of jail?

Call the organiser, Sabrina Dent, on 085 702 8212
posted by DarlingBri at 4:45 PM on June 30, 2009

Okay folks, I am in for dinner and drinks!
posted by tomcosgrave at 2:06 AM on July 1, 2009

Yay!
posted by DarlingBri at 3:59 AM on July 1, 2009

I'm in too. Plus one, most likely, I'll email if he decides against it
posted by Fence at 11:13 AM on July 1, 2009

Cool. I booked for 10 but I can always add or subtract seats.
posted by DarlingBri at 6:11 AM on July 2, 2009

I'm there, with one other, all going well!
posted by houlihan at 11:54 AM on July 2, 2009

Cool, will be there for dinner and drinks.
posted by Boobus Tuber at 10:27 AM on July 5, 2009

Righty-o, MeFi cupcakes are a go and balloons are also a go. I bailed on the badges because I didn't leave myself enough time to get them back from the badge people, sorry about that! I'm on 085 702 8212 if anyone needs anything before the meetup.
posted by DarlingBri at 4:35 AM on July 15, 2009

An unexpected personal financial crisis leaves me with no choice but to pull out, very sorry, was so looking forward to this. Oh well, I hope the meet is successfull enough to warrant a second meetup that I can attend. Best of luck lads, have a great night.
posted by houlihan at 4:43 PM on July 15, 2009

With regrets I'm not going to be able to make Kehoe's tonight. I'd hoped to pop in for a few, but sure that's the way. Hope you guys have a great night and that the meet-up is a success because I'd love to make it to the next one. Happy 10th!

If there are any twits/flicks or anything else will someone post links here so I can check them tomorrow? Cheers.

Oh, and fair play to DarlingBri for doing all the organising. Sorry I'm missing the cupcakes and balloons.
posted by Elmore at 8:57 AM on July 17, 2009

Well, I have no idea how many we're going to be, but genghis and I are getting on the train to Dublin to come see you people now, and we'll be there for dinner at 7 PM. We're really looking forward to meeting all of you, and with our reduced numbers, everyone should get a balloon and two cupcakes! :)
posted by DarlingBri at 5:30 AM on July 18, 2009

That was fun, yay. Thanks to genghis, boobus tuber, conch soup, fence, and mr fence for coming. (Our meetup was super-special because we had a representative of the MeFi Librarian Cabal.) so glad to have met you all; we need to do that again.

We forgot our camera connector dongle thingie, but as soon as we're back in Cork tonight, we'll upload photos and post a link.
posted by DarlingBri at 2:59 AM on July 19, 2009

Was a really good night, great to meet some of the Irish Mefi contingent. Should arrange a meetup again. Thanks to Darling Bri for arranging. Those exemplary organisational abilities should be utilised again....:)
posted by Boobus Tuber at 6:13 AM on July 19, 2009

Thanks to DarlingBri for all the organising, and the cupcakes :) was great to meet some metafilter bodies. We had to cut the night short, but I hope the rest of you moved pubs and enjoyed the rest of the night.
posted by Fence at 10:42 AM on July 19, 2009

I'm sorry folks, I wasn't able to make it after all :-(
Sorry for not notifying the thread before the actual event either.
posted by tomcosgrave at 7:17 AM on July 20, 2009

At last! We came back from Dublin to find the worst of all outcomes (aside from a burglery or the house burning down, I suppose) - NO INTERNET. But we triumphed over the cable company and now have interpipes and flickr photos.
posted by DarlingBri at 9:27 AM on July 20, 2009

Damn, those cupcakes look good. Sorry I missed the meet up, I really would have loved to make it, hopefully there'll be another soon. Well done DarlingBri on actually managing to organise a successful Irish meet up.
posted by Elmore at 3:57 PM on July 20, 2009

I have the acest of ace sources for cupcakes - a local woman for whom I am doing a website so that more of the world may enjoy cupcake bounty. I promise to bring cupcakes to all future MeFi meetups :)
posted by DarlingBri at 7:56 PM on July 20, 2009