As the Republic continues to gallop after every technology company and project with baits, lures and promises of great craic, it is perhaps time to point out a very serious limiting factor that could soon lead to a stampede to other shores.

With regret, the Margin must note that there is no sufficiently large party venue. None of the hotels or nightclubs offer an adequate 1,000 person site for drinking and dancing in whatever geeky T-shirt you were given in your conference welcome bag.

Indeed, the lack of such a venue was one of the main reasons veteran party-givers Baltimore Technologies moved its second annual conference to Florida this year. The loss of any Baltimore party must be considered a national tragedy and this shameful situation should be addressed at once.