43 North Frederick Street, Dublin 1

Fuggin' typical... you wait for ages for a blog post and then two arrive at almost the same time... There's something I find incredibly inauthentic about squats run in the anarchist or "autonomen" tradition in Europe and the UK. You get the impression most of the people living there are doing so by choice rather than by necessity; a lifestyle decision primarily taken by kids of parents with comfortable existences rather than doing it through the urgent and very real need of a roof over the head. And this decision is taken as part of a greater all-encompassing plan to destroy authority, end all wars, free mankind, and whatever other utopian unachievables you're having yourself.. This building, about two minutes walk from O'Connell Street, although it has the recognised squatter logo subtly scrawled on the door, doesnt feel the need to plaster itself with circle-A slogans and have black-clad politicos tramping in and out of the entrance all day, dedicated to "smashing the state". Instead its just been taken over by people (AFAIK at present its controlled by mostly newly arrived Eastern European immigrants who splash down with little money and need a place to kip while they secure work) who recognise the immediacy of the situation requiring some form of action. In this respect, IMHO, places like this building and others like it dotted around the city (more of which will be documented here soon) are much more valid and interesting than the overtly polticised squats as mentioned above, who constantly feel the need to bark about their horizontal internal structures and supposed importance in the world. This four-storey over basement used to be a Bed & Breakfast called "An Stad" (the Stop) but has only very recently started to fall into disrepair, with several of the windows broken and not replaced.

70 Blessington Street, Dublin 7

I met someone recently enough who said that they lived in Blessington Street during the 80's, when it was dilapidated and grim, populated by smackheads and the Special Branch looking for republicans. There's a good few buildings on the verge of collapse around here which makes you wonder if the street's been stuck in a bit of a timewarp. Perhaps its the location that gives it that misery -further down the road everyone knows O'Connell Street is rapidly approaching, and nothing sags the heart more than a plethora of fast food joints and sportswear shops... This building is a par for the course post-Georgian three storey over basement house, currently boarded up at ground floor and basement level. Was probably subdivided into flats (like the rest of the others on the street) and if ever renovated would probably stay that way, I cant see it being attractive to D4 types who would buy the whole thing for a family residence. Shame. Could be very nice, the constant stream of traffic at your front door would inevitably grind anyone down though...