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Transatlantic rosaries, first dates and family reunions – a day in the life of the Dublin and New York Portals

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6 months ago

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Transatlantic rosaries, first dates and family reunions – a day in the life of the Dublin and New York Portals

The innovative live art installation was intended to connect two cities culturally — but questionable behaviour led to its temporary closure. Kirsty Blake Knox in Dublin and Freya Drohan in New York visited the reopened Portal and find human connections thriving

Fr Conor McDonough, Br Michael Donohoe and Br Seán Blackwell at the Portal in Dublin. Photo: Steve Humphreys

Kirsty Blake Knox and Freya Drohan

11am Dublin: Like many people, I am a little sceptical of the Portal. I’ve read the headlines, about mooning, drug-taking and the New York-based OnlyFans star flashing — and I stress these are her own words — “Two New York, homegrown potatoes” to the people of Ireland. I’ve also read the noble intentions of its designer, who hopes it will connect people. So I arrive at the Portal at 11am full of curiosity, only to discover it is ‘asleep’. New rules see its opening hours reduced again from 1-8pm. Not off to a great start.

A large crowd has gathered by lunchtime. I was expecting some sort of countdown to the Portal waking up, but suddenly it flicks on. There is a much bigger head count on the Dublin side. In New York, a man unfurls a Palestinian flag as a FedEx man and a person walking their dog pass by.

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