This week, we had to do endure of the most unpleasant errands undergone by world travelers: the long wait at the immigration office. Just like our first visit back in 2013 and our big day out last year, the office was jam-packed with tired, bored, and scared people waiting...waiting...waiting.
On our first visit, I'm sure our faces would have been on the scared list, hoping we had all the correct paperwork – a marriage license from the State of Iowa and the Catholic Church, in case Ireland wasn't yet recognizing non-Catholic marriages – and that our newly-issued debit card could handle the hefty fee for the privilege of living and paying taxes in Ireland.
This time around, one of the newbies would have seen us as the bored, groggy queue-shufflers that we had seen on our first day. The experienced expats; the longtime legal aliens.
Thankfully, this last visit was our shortest yet, we seemed to have had good luck with the size of the line. During peak immigration times, the office has to start turning people away by ten o'clock, having already issued service tickets to their daily limit of lost souls. As an added bonus, this being our third year in the country, we were issued two-year passes for the hassle – and high price – of one!
It won't really change my schedule or status, but it's nice to know that, come next summer, we won't have the specter of a long wait in line and a big bank bust hanging overhead, blocking out the sometimes-rare Irish sunshine.
This bureaucratic chore out of the way, it's time to enjoy the rest of our summer travel plans! By the way, did you read about our hike in Cashel over the June bank holiday? Much more like that to come!
Showing posts with label Garda. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Garda. Show all posts
Friday, June 19, 2015
Friday, January 16, 2015
Follow the Irish Cops on Twitter!
Ireland's national police force, An Garda Siochana, have a very active and sometimes entertaining Twitter account.
Most of their notifications are mundane public safety and traffic announcements.
Important, but not very exciting.
It's also nice to see the creative use of social media to return lost property.
The preference, of course, would be to help curb the scourge that is bike theft in Dublin. But hey, they've started watching the bike rack outside their own police station more closely recently! Isn't that enough for you people?
No word yet on whether or not bike theft numbers are down outside the Pearse Street Garda Station, though. And the known stolen bike merchants continue to operate in broad daylight all over the...
Yes! More tweets from the friendly local police force. Thinkin' about doin' a bit o' drinkin' and drivin' home? Better think twice! The Guards'll nab you and put you on Twitter for your trouble!
Seriously, drinking and driving is dangerous and stupid. The force has been publicly cracking down on this menace recently with a blitz of TV and radio commercials and "safety checkpoints" on busy roads throughout the day. They have been pushing particularly hard to educate the public about the length of time alcohol stays in the system and impairs driving. A few hours of sleep and a cup of coffee after an all-nighter just isn't enough.
At these safety checks, the guards also make sure vehicles are properly registered and all safety functions are working correctly. If they aren't...
It's healthy for a public police force to engage with the people they are sworn to protect and serve. This punishment by social media shaming might have a real future as a law enforcement tactic in the future. Can you imagine a judge one day ordering you to put "caught drinking and driving" on the top of your Facebook profile? How about mandatory mugshot selfies permanently pinned to your Twitter account?
Oh, and in case you were thinking about sharing that tweet while driving...
Don't! Remember, if you mess with the Garda, you might get a swift kick of polite social media justice!
Most of their notifications are mundane public safety and traffic announcements.
Dublin: Port Tunnel has re-opened.
— An Garda Síochána (@GardaTraffic) January 16, 2015
Important, but not very exciting.
It's also nice to see the creative use of social media to return lost property.
Do you own this Raleigh bike recovered by Finglas Gardaí. To arrange to view please contact Finglas @ 01-6667500 pic.twitter.com/JUaN7yqURF
— An Garda Síochána (@GardaTraffic) January 15, 2015
The preference, of course, would be to help curb the scourge that is bike theft in Dublin. But hey, they've started watching the bike rack outside their own police station more closely recently! Isn't that enough for you people?
No word yet on whether or not bike theft numbers are down outside the Pearse Street Garda Station, though. And the known stolen bike merchants continue to operate in broad daylight all over the...
Yes! More tweets from the friendly local police force. Thinkin' about doin' a bit o' drinkin' and drivin' home? Better think twice! The Guards'll nab you and put you on Twitter for your trouble!
Pearse St Traffic conducting Mat Checkpoint on Pembroke St. 44 tested/passed. Don't ever drink and drive! pic.twitter.com/ylUD26hzSw
— An Garda Síochána (@GardaTraffic) January 13, 2015
Seriously, drinking and driving is dangerous and stupid. The force has been publicly cracking down on this menace recently with a blitz of TV and radio commercials and "safety checkpoints" on busy roads throughout the day. They have been pushing particularly hard to educate the public about the length of time alcohol stays in the system and impairs driving. A few hours of sleep and a cup of coffee after an all-nighter just isn't enough.
At these safety checks, the guards also make sure vehicles are properly registered and all safety functions are working correctly. If they aren't...
Car seized Lwr Rathmines Rd. No tax (08/14) no insurance. Obstructed cycle track attracting attention DMR Sth Traffic pic.twitter.com/is12EEoO5K
— An Garda Síochána (@GardaTraffic) January 13, 2015
This pickup has bed held down with rope,a lamp,a banjaxed clutch,a trolley,no tax(since May 13),no DOE.Seized(again). pic.twitter.com/z0bq6lxgnH
— An Garda Síochána (@GardaTraffic) January 13, 2015
Both cars on left seized in Waterford for no tax,insurance or NCT.Opel had none since 2012 & was doing school run pic.twitter.com/LdPzxIsfZK
— An Garda Síochána (@GardaTraffic) January 12, 2015
It's healthy for a public police force to engage with the people they are sworn to protect and serve. This punishment by social media shaming might have a real future as a law enforcement tactic in the future. Can you imagine a judge one day ordering you to put "caught drinking and driving" on the top of your Facebook profile? How about mandatory mugshot selfies permanently pinned to your Twitter account?
Oh, and in case you were thinking about sharing that tweet while driving...
Roscommon Town - driver on mobile phone. FCPN issued pic.twitter.com/EvyLjrsBFM
— An Garda Síochána (@GardaTraffic) January 12, 2015
Don't! Remember, if you mess with the Garda, you might get a swift kick of polite social media justice!
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| Actual Garda Bustin' Perps in Dublin Last Week |
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