Who wants to read a fan news story with no controversy to report? We’re going to find out today, because here it is.

Irish fan and 2010 GUFF winner James Shields’ e-mail of September 8 titled “Dublin 2014” caused a momentary spell of vertigo among fans who know that’s the same year London is bidding for the Worldcon.

The dizziness passed once fans realized Shields really wants a London Worldcon. It will draw well-known authors to the U.K. who might be persuaded to attend the convention he wants Irish fans to run in Dublin the weekend afterwards. That’s what he means by Dublin 2014.

Shields is taking inspiration from Au Contraire, the New Zealand national convention he attended on the way to Aussiecon 4. “It’s interesting to note that the New Zealand NatCon the weekend before got about 150 extra attendees. (normal attendance 100 – was 250)…. Dublin is much closer to London than New Zealand is to Melbourne, so I think we could get even more visitors as a result – 300-400 attendence would seem credible.”

He emphasized, “I don’t wish to run against London, rather complement it.”

James Bacon mentioned the development to the London in 2014 Worldcon bid committee and they concluded, “No issue our end.”

See? No reason for controversy. Try not to be disappointed.

[Thanks to James Bacon for the story.]