Vancouver may have invited the world to a two-week party, but some downtown residents say they’ve already had enough of the Irish.
Ireland’s hospitality house opened on Monday with a bang, a very loud bang. Music that went on until 3 a.m. could be heard by residents all around the Irish House at Seymour and Nelson streets.
“Even with earplugs and pillows over my head I still wasn’t able to fall asleep,” said Kyla Knowles, a resident at Metropolitan Towers, which is kitty-corner from the venue. “I cannot imagine having to drag myself to work every morning for the next month on three hours sleep per night.”
Another resident, Maxim Volf, said the TV could barely be heard over the sound of the music.
“I understand that is a special event as the Olympics are in town, but the volume coming from this tent is ridiculous. I have to get up for work at 6 a.m. and this music is keeping me up.”
Irish House general manager Julie Connolly said yesterday that the first night was only a taste of what’s to come.
“We had about 700 people through the doors (Monday) and that’ll be on the low side,” Connolly said yesterday. “We want that through the House four times a day.”
“I would call this the most fun pavilion for the Olympics.”
Connolly said she hopes Vancouverites will eventually embrace the party culture in the spirit of the Games.
“Like any good Irish person in the room, this is natural for us, it is what we do,” Connolly said.
Requests to speak to a City of Vancouver bylaw officer were not answered by press time.
