Dublin stores set for teenage influx

Dublin city centre stores are this morning bracing themselves for the biggest shopping day of the year - for teenagers.

This December 8th, the day upon which, traditionally, the country goes shopping - and heads for Dublin to do it - is unlikely to see O'Connell Street thronged with rural dwellers. But it remains the day the Christmas shopping season begins in earnest, according to Mr Declan Martin, economic director of Dublin Chamber of Commerce.

The spenders who will stand out this year, however, are the new generation of affluent teenagers, he says.

"I think the busiest shops in town (today) will be the McDonald's and the trendy clothing shops."

Clery's department store on O'Connell Street, while not expecting an enormous out-of-town influx, is still anticipating a "very busy" day, says Mr Shaun Rippington, the store manager.

"The country shoppers do not come in as big numbers as they used to, on the 8th of December in particular.

"For one thing a lot of the big retailers have opened in the regional cities and there isn't the same need to come up to Dublin. People do come up to Dublin, but they are coming every day right up to Christmas."

A spokesman for Iarnrod Eireann confirmed there was no need to lay on extra transport today, though he did expect that the regular Tuesday services would "be very full".

The young and the hungry, however, still make their way to O'Connell Street for sustenance on heavy shopping days. According to Mr Niall McCann, manager of McDonald's in Lower O'Connell St, "going by today we'd be expecting a huge rush on Happy Meals tomorrow."