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CULTURE NORTHERN IRELAND shared this photograph taken on a bus yesterday, a little snapshot of a laid-back, friendly Derry.
The photographer, shown with his feet up and holding an icecream, claimed the bus driver stopped briefly in a shop to do the Lotto during his journey between Derry and Strabane.
On returning to the bus, the driver provided the only two passengers – including 33-year-old Ruairi Connolly – with an icecream each.
To the surprise of the Ruairí and The Owls’ musician, the photo received over 32,000 ‘likes’ and 1,326 ‘shares’ on Facebook within hours of his posting.
“Well hasn’t this gone a little out of control!” he said on Culture Northern Ireland’s page.
According to the Derry Journal, there may be even more to the story.
As Ruairi and his fellow passenger disembarked after chatting through the journey (the icecream was quite the icebreaker), the bus driver joked that he could take credit for a possible romance.
He might repay the driver by taking his feet down off the seats.
Dirty hipsters
Cool socks though
Hear hear for bus drivers!
When I first moved to Dublin I kept getting on the world buses as I assumed that all buses went through town.
One time I ended up out in Skerries after a long day at work and then started crying. The bus driver went and got me a bar of chocolate and had a chat with me then drove me back to town.
What an absolute gent.
He probably thought you would be cranky.
He was probably trying to get stuck in
Abbi, “a long day at work and then started crying”, bless your cotton socks. I want to buy you a bar of chocolate after reading your comment.
Makes you proud to be Irish.
No, I think it makes you proud to be human.
He bought strangers an ice cream. You are easily impressed. I don’t know what you’d do if someone bought you a drink in a pub.
The bus driver has probably been dismissed now as he was doing personal errands on company time and bribing his clients to stay quiet! If Shell can bribe the Gardai with alcohol NI Bus drivers can bribe their passengers with Mr Freeze ice creams!
Hanging the bus driver out to dry lol I wonder if his employers will be pleased he stopped to do the lotto, :/ hopefully they’ll be grand about it, seems like a nice lad :-D
A city bus driver here in Waterford has habit of parking the bus in the middle of the street while he goes to the chipper on the way home.
Traffic builds up behind him.
No one gets upset though, everyone knows it’s ‘Elvis’ (calm down, that’s his nickname)
‘What’s the problem up ahead? Bad accident?’
‘No. Elvis is getting his chips’
‘OH,,grand….any news?’
It’s part of Waterford culture and we’re proud of it.
OMG you’re so cool down in Waterford.
How can you be proud of someone blocking a road? It sounds awfully like a simpleton response. It’s right up their with travellers “culture”.
That’s not culture, just ignorance on the bus driver’s part.
Ah that’s so sweet. What a lovely person.
these days , companies and bosses being the way they are im half expecting to hear The bus driver has been sacked for leaving his post . fair play to him though . nice gesture and offers good press for ireland
Few weeks ago a very nice dublin bus driver brought me and 3 kids on a route out of his way, (bus was empty) he said he knew what it was like to struggle with young kids and buses, didn’t charge me either. What a gent. Won’t say which route as don’t want to get the lovely man in trouble. True story and I’m not related to anyone from Dub bus
They’re a mad lot in the UK
That’s a weak attempt. Come on try again.
What did I say that is factually incorrect?
Nope, go again. You’re getting there. Try again and this time mention how about it being in Londonderry. Good lad
Stop trolling me
Oh Rod, are you having a boring day lol
My kingdom for a shinnerfriendly article
At least your first two attempts made sense.
Are you my editor now BOB?
Pssst, my real name’s not Bob but keep it between the two of us.
Hi not Bob I’m not Rod either, pleasure to meet you.
Settle down now lads . You are starting to give people ire.
Brilliant
Seats are not for feet.
while it was a lovely gesture I wouldn’t have gone public with it . I would say he got a slap on his wrist for it .
When i first got a summer job when i was 15, my mother would give me all her small change to get the bus into Town.and every morning i would give it to the same bus driver who i could see was bothered having to count it. The following week after getting my first wage i handed him proudly a crisp ten pound note. He looked at me gave me my ticket and my money all in small change. Had to laugh
hope he wins the lotto know and it will all be worth it!
Where’s the “As soon as I saw the headline I knew this was a story about the north” comment?
Ah Jaysus! I’m not buying everyone in the funeral cortege an ice cream every time I stop the hearse to do the lotto. I’d go broke! I’ll just do what I usually do – say we’re paying our respects outside their favourite newsagents for 2 minutes.
Irish bus drivers take note!
I was wondering how long it would take the other half of the chuckle brothers. Is this really the best you can come up with?
SEATS ARE NOT FOR FEET!
With our benefactors tightening the purse strings the driver is lucky to have a job,58 redundancies announced yesterday for the public sector transport company with more to follow.
Votes need to be bought in Scotland so we could be going back to the pony and trap soon in the part province.
Did their mammies ever tell not to accept sweets from strangers?
ah yes Bertie but this was different. it was an ice- cream .
have your say