Rural Town Opens First ‘Little Dublin’ As Dubliners Priced Out Of Capital

THE burgeoning Dublin ex-pat communities scattered across rural Irish towns and villages have something to celebrate as the first ever ‘Little Dublin’ has opened in the rural-to-Dubliners town of Naas in Kildare.

“You can’t let your customs and culture die out especially if you’re living away from your birthplace,” explained one new business owner whose replica Molly Malone brass breast bust shop is one of many Dublin-centric units in the small side streets which make up Little Dublin.

Draped in blue flags with a number of Coddle Takeaways and homeless people lining the streets, Little Dublin is feeling like a home from home for the Dublin exiles.

“We’ve had a whip round among the Dublin community here and we’re close to getting enough money for a cultural hub; so, we have a space to do Dublin things like waiting for a taxi that never comes, provide Dublin language classes and alls and anyways,” said Dubliner Declan O’Neill.

Mock scale replicas of hotels where a music venue used to be, vacant properties and youths on e-scooters adorn the entrances to Little Dublin and means living in a foreign land unrecognisable to a Dubliner can feel a little less alien and daunting.

“I’m just glad I’ve somewhere to take the kids to get them in touch with their roots,” explained one exile, happily paying €4.50 Dublin prices for a coffee in Capital City Coffee Co in Little Dublin.