Áras Mhic Dhiarmada, Busáras (Dublin Bus Station)

The bus station in City Center, home of Bus Eireann and other national bus companies, seemed especially crowded leading up to the holiday weekend.

Many of the travelers seemed young and like students, reminding me of the rush to Grand Central/ Port Authority/ Penn Station/ Newark Airport whenever my university goes on break for holidays at home. However, I have learned from living on campus this semester that for many UCD students, it seems unreasonable to travel home only once or twice a semester. Perhaps it is worth noting that students living away from home in the city of Dublin seem to use public transportation to go home more frequently than most of my fellow students in New York, even though for East Coast students like me, getting home by train would only take about three hours.

However, there were also many families waiting in the station, potentially off to visit family in other parts of the country. The ease with which good roads and transportation systems allow individuals to reconnect with family in the place where they grew up seems to be a huge factor in motivating individuals to move into the city or into a different area where opportunities for work or school are more appealing. That is to say, it is important for most people to know that there is an efficient way to get home when that is needed.