Filers at Dublin 2019 Worldcon – A Discussion

By Hampus Eckerman: We are getting closer to Dublin 2019 and questions have started to popup regarding filer meetups. As I did plan the meetups for MidAmerCon 2 and Helsinki 75, I thought I’d try to organize the meetups this time too. Unless someone who lives in Dublin with better knowledge of the best meetup places (and the possibility to go to the pubs to get the feel of them) feels that they are better suited. This post is to make sure that everyone knows that there *will* be meetups so they will remember to check out File 770 for a schedule when made available.

My idea is to have at least two meetups:

  • One at the convention start. A meet-and-greet for all Filers to get to meet each other and recognize faces. To make it easier to go together to panels or lunches. Maybe also decide on a good meeting place if someone find they have nothing to do, wants to sit down for a while and see if another filer got the same idea.
  • One pub meet. For food or for drinks, to waste away a few hours together.

 Other possible ideas would be to go to the Hugo Awards ceremony together or perhaps even to a pub after the ceremony to discuss the results.

I will not set a day or time yet, as the program hasn’t become public yet. As soon as the program is public, I will do the following:

  • Make a list for all days and times that filers are on panels, workshops and things like that. Then send it out to select people (any volunteers?) to see if I missed someone. Then send that schedule to Mike for publication here.
  • See what gaps there are on the schedule when as many filers as possible are free for a meetup. Then decide on what day and time would be best for a pub meet and after that try to make a booking on any of the nearby pubs.

If you do know that you are occupied at a time that will not show up in the program, you can mail me at [email protected], so I can try to account for it when scheduling the meet.

I have made a small list of the pubs that I saw close by. I will try to narrow it down to 3-4 or so (to keep some in reserve if one is too busy to take a booking). As I have no idea how many filers (with friends) that are coming to Dublin 2019, I would appreciate if you wrote in the comments if you – depending on energy, schedule and spoons – hope to come to one of the meetups. My guesstimate is that there will be around 20-30 people, but at MAC2 we most likely doubled that amount due to the closeness to the convention center and the name of the pub (“The Flying Saucer”). So I will try to make a booking for around 20-25 persons, but make sure that space will exist for at least 10 more.

The pubs that I have on my current short list are these:

1. JW Sweet Man

https://www.jwsweetman.ie/

2. Robert Reade/Ryan’s Bar

http://www.iolfree.ie/~novaki/reade.htm

3. The Brew Dock

http://galwaybaybrewery.com/brewdock/

4. Ely Bar & Grill

https://www.elywinebar.ie/menus/

5. Stack-A-Menu

https://www.urbanbrewing.ie/menus-stack-a

6. Madigan’s Pub Connolly Station

https://www.madigansconnollystation.com/

7. McGettigans Cookhouse & Bar

http://www.mcgettiganscookhouse.ie/dublin/

My next step is to categorize the places according to prices, ease of getting there (with as little need of walking as possible) and dining options. If someone knows they have special need regarding food or other things, please write in the comments or mail me on above address. I will at the least make sure that there is a good vegetarian option.

And if you have more ideas on meetups or other pubs/restaurants, please add them in the comments.

37 thoughts on “Filers at Dublin 2019 Worldcon – A Discussion

  1. There are a lot of folks around this site who I’d love to meet in person and shake their hands. I’ll be volunteering at the con, but will make an effort to attend any Filer gathering.

  2. One thing that may help: buttons! to help us identify each other.
    I’d gotten a bunch made up (either SmokeCon\\\\\\\Sasquan or Helsinki), complete with the Mos Eisley cantina “wretched hive of scum and villainy” tag. (I’ll post a pic later today). Perhaps somebody can make a bunch up?
    Or simply do up a rectangle with “File770” or “I’m a Filer” to be a badge-like thing. (I’ll tweak my template and post it, similarly soonish.)

    (And please wear them armpit-level or higher — e.g. collar level — so they can be seen easily, and without the looker being considered rude or inappropriate.

  3. I presume there will be a fan lounge for hanging out and drinking beer. Maybe we could meet there near the start of the con?

  4. Anyone knows what size the ribbons should be in (i.e the badge size)? I can order some.

  5. Fan lounge sounds good for first day of con or if there is a spare room. I’ll try to find out where will be best. The map over the hall hasn’t been made available yet, but the website says more info will be added.

  6. Thank you for organizing this, Hampus!

    My flight gets in at 1:50pm on Thursday so I’m down for anything after that (+intracity travel).

    Martin

  7. I presume the badges would be standard size–same as Helsinki. But you could ask Registration. Badge ribbons are the same size at all the cons I’ve been to, if you have any hanging around from Worldcon 75 or MACII.

  8. I’m not sure if I’m in the comments enough to count as a filer these days, but it would be nice to put some human faces to the gravatars around here!

  9. I’ll be there. Schedule unknown as of yet. (I’m listed as a program participant, but don’t know on what yet.) I’m planning to expand my stay on the before-the-con side of the calendar, so I’ll be around no matter when. I love getting a chance to see e-friends in person!

  10. I’ll be at Dublin; not sure what, if any, commitments I have yet.

    Hampus, thank you so much for doing all this work. I’m not in a position to take something like this on right now, so I really appreciate that you have done it.

  11. I’ll be there. Will definitely make an effort to get to the meet ups this time. I had a really good time at the meet up I was able to get to in San Jose.

  12. @Hampus Eckerman: Thanks very, very much! 😀 I hope to crawl out of my shell and make it to one or both meet-ups; it helps that I did that at W75.

    I usually try to get to the Hugo ceremony, so I’m up for meeting up for that, too.

    @Arifel: Once a Filer, always a Filer! 😉 The once and future Filer. The Filer who would be king (the person who would be a Filer?). Etc.

    The Kendall who really needs to stop rambling.

    @Mark (Kitteh): LOL re. Gravatar badges.

    @GiantPanda: Yay, congratulations and I hope you have a great time! 😀

  13. I don’t think anyone’s policing Filer posting regularity… are they? Is there a minimum? Am suddenly nervous.

    Also am horribly envious of everyFiler getting to hang out at Worldcon. Someone stick something dragony on the table for me, if you get the chance? 🙂

    I hope the meetup (and Worldcon) goes great! Hampus, you’re ace for getting it sorted out.

  14. I’m more a lurker than a commenter on here, but I’ll be in Dublin from Wednesday lunchtime and would be keen to get to one of the meetups and put some names to faces…

  15. Don’t know if I’ll make it to any meetups but I’ll be at Dublin, so feel free to say hello if you spot me. I’ll be using this name on my badge and although I’m sure I won’t be the only trans lady over 6′ tall, the set should be small enough to make me easy to spot.

  16. @Mark As both my gravatar and Twitter profile picture are of smol dog and not human face, I was genuinely planning to get a badge (/a button, for Americans: a metal and plastic circle with a pin on the back) made up in case anyone recognise me from that and want to say hi. Also, it means that after the con I’ll have a badge with Dog on, so that’s a win-win.

    @Meredith oh, I hope nobody’s actually keeping score with some “true filer” threshold. I’m sorry if my comment made you feel that way – it was a self-put down over notability that I should have recognised might misfire onto other people (and was unnecessary anyway). I’m sorry you won’t be there – we’ll definitely have to up the dragon quotient in your honour.

    @Kendall hmm now I’m singing “Filers forever” to the tune of the Spice Girls’ Viva Forever…

    @Jonathan I’ll be “visiting” London indefinitely both before and after the con, so in theory could do a meet up here too – in practice, I think I’m going to have a lot of work and other commitments to catch up on so it might depend on unpredictable life factors and scale of adventures planned 🙂

  17. Occasional commenter here. I will be at Worldcon! This is my first Worldcon, and is part of my Dublin-Worldcon-London vacation. Just about once a decade I get a big vacation, and this is it!

    I will start in Dublin on Sunday August 11th. I have some plans for museuming and a day trip pre-Worldon, but should be available for a Worldcon meetup. Looking forward to it!

  18. Eric and I will be there, although we’ll miss the last day (with the closing ceremony) because we have to fly to Iceland for my nephew’s wedding.

  19. I’m mostly a lurker, but I’d like to come to at least one of the meetups if it works with my schedule!

  20. @Arifel: And now I’m having other Spice Girls songs go through my head, thanks. 😉 I look forward to seeing your badge/button (I love that picture BTW).

    “Say you’ll be there!
    I’m giving you every book
    All that reading brings
    This I swear”

    @Beth in MA: Yay, congrats on your first Worldcon coming up and I hope it’s great for you!

    @Greg Hullender: We had a few days in Iceland before Worldcon 75 and I’m jealous you’re going there for a wedding – how cool! See ya in Dublin! 🙂

  21. I could have sworn I posted in this thread already. Huh. I’ll be there. I’m doing my vacation-extension on the early side of Worldcon this time, so I’m not worried about the scheduling of the introductory meetup.

  22. @Heather Rose Jones: You did comment earlier; I see your comment from June 26, 2019 at 4:41 pm as well as this one. 🙂

  23. I just rescued two of her comments from spam, where Askimet had sent them for no reason I can tell.

  24. @Arifel Re: London. Well if you or other Filers are up for a London visit before or after Dublin then do get in touch.

    There’s bags to do.

    A pleasant early evening is a walk up from Maze Hill through Greenwich park (its a short climb) to the observatory at zero degree longitude. The view is spectacular of the new financial area over the Thames (and when dark lit up).

    Then a 15 minute walk across a black death plague pit beneath the heath of Blackheath to Blackheath itself with loads of restaurants, pubs etc and a train link
    back to central London.

    Anyway, if anyone interested then perhaps sort out a rendez-vous time here.

    I can be reached through SF2 Concat (just put name somewhere in subject line and it’ll get forwarded. http://www.concatenation.org/contact.html

  25. Still compiling a list of all times filers are on panels or other events. Will get back later today or tomorrow on the existing gaps in the schedule.

Comments are closed.