We had been in Dublin for a couple of days. Slowly but surely I was getting a bit tired, tired of museums, tired of shops, tired of walking along busy streets. I wanted to sit down - I urgently needed to, or the day would lose all its flavour. And actually, I could not think of a better place to take a break than St. Stephen's Green, the beautiful small park directly in the heart of Dublin.

Incidentally, it was the early afternoon hours of Sunday, and the long before announced concert of a Swedish choir had just begun. All around the music pavilion people were sitting or lying on the grass, some listening to the tunes in silent respect, others forming small groups and happily chatting, and in the very back sat an elderly, ragged man, a homeless person, separating himself from the rest and partaking of the melodies in isolation. I myself just leaned back and enjoyed half an hour of rest, the beams of the sun, the rustling of leaves, and the Swedish songs.

Maybe sitting around and listening to Swedish music is not an authentic Irish experience. Maybe it is.

Judith Bündgens