Task 7 - Exchange

In both towns, the exchange that occurred happened by chance. I didn’t really know it was an exchange until it was actually happening, so I scrambled to record the conversations that were taking place and edit the contents to present.

In Longford, I went for lunch in the Aubergine restaurant on Main Street with Rob, Bláthmhac and two other architecture students who are from the town. Our discussion obviously turned to Longford and what it needed, what was liked about the town and how it was formed.

In Castlebar, I went to visit two old work colleagues in Murtagh Jewellers on Hopkins Road, and asked them a few quick questions about the town, and they came up with some good ideas which I wrote down. We talked about the best and worst thing about living there and what the area lacked.

Presented are the edited text versions of the conversation that took place, while still trying to capture the light heartedness and general lively discussion about the selected towns. Pride of place and some thoughtful responses were evident in the conversations.

Longford Chats

So what does Longford need do you think?

Population, people!!

Ya, it needs some more people living here.

Are you writing this down?

Ya this is my exchange I think for number 7

(laughing)

So no more shops then?

A shopping centre?

There’s a nice big empty one up there.

Ha, we saw it earlier all right, we hopped the wall and got in, and we were there taking photos and the alarm went off and told us to clear off cause we were trespassing!

(laughing)

We got a recording of it though haha, so eh, do you have any idea how the town was founded?

It was a market town, eh and then the military came.

The canal too, it’s been rejoined.

...

So do you like anything about Longford?

The food, definitely the food, we had a great lunch when we came and the second lunch was even better.

(laughing)

Castlebar Chats

So the first question is what does Castlebar need do you think?

A prison. No, no don’t write that haha...

It needs talent, definitely, there’s only loads of mingers

(laughing)

...

What’s the best thing about the town?

It’s only an hour from Galway, I’m only joking haha... don’t write that either...

It needs a pub here on Hopkins Road, a pub that does bar food or a restaurant or something, and toilets

It needs public toilets.

What do you think is the best thing?

The worst is that everything is pay and display

Ya there’s no free parking.

Knowing Brian Guthrie is the best.

Brian Guthrie?

The traffic warden.

Ya, him, or the woman they do have on a Saturday

So you can get off getting a ticket for it...

(laughing)