August 8-10 The end of a wonderfully odyssey

Our last few days in Ireland have been easy touring on the Big Red hop-on hop-off Bus. Galleries and museums, Trinity College, etc - we were a bit toured out! The best of the tours was the Discover Dublin boat tour - our guide Ronan was fantastic. He gave us a running commentary on the history of not only Dublin but also the River Liffey and Port of Dublin. Along the banks of the Liffey is a replica of the Jeannie Johnston one of the many famine boats which took people from starving Ireland to the ‘new world’. She never lost a passenger but so many poor starving people died on most ships that they were called ‘coffin’ ships.

So much I didn’t know. If we studied it at school I wasn’t paying attention. The Vikings! They were a busy lot back in their heyday. Among a lot of historic tidbits, we learnt that it was the Vikings who established Dublin back in C8. Viking (Danish) rule in Ireland (795–1014 AD) began with raids of coastal regions and while they never controlled the entire island, Vikings exercised heavy authority, collecting taxes and dominating trade until their power was largely broken in 1014 after long periods of bloody fighting. But here we are today firmly on Irish soil ruled by the Irish! What with the Vikings then the Normans then the English, what a history the Irish have! No wonder they are a rebellious lot. 

Here there is a rich history of rebels and freedom fighters and they are honoured with street and building names. Daniel O’Connell, the Liberator, is still revered. In the early 1800s he campaigned vigorously for Catholic emancipation and generally to improve the lot of Irish Catholics in what was essentially a Protestant country ruled by England. Among many social changes he was instrumental in bringing about changes so that Catholics could be buried in cemeteries with protestants. Ireland has a dark history. Today the large statue of Daniel O’Connell at the end of O’Connell St sports a few bullet holes from the 1916 Easter uprising, but the city wears them proudly. 

We walked a lot in Dublin - fascinating city. In Temple Bar for instance there are a number of lanes dedicated to a range of the arts. My favourite was that dedicated to Irish women writers including the wonderful but rather tragic Iris Murdoch.

Such a place! What a journey! Tomorrow we board a plane for home. 

Daniel O’Connell himself

Great little footbridge over the river running beside Bachelor's Walk. No not Lindsay!

A replica of the Jeannie Johnston one of the many transorting syarving Irish to the 'new world'

The Samuel Beckett Bridge can swing open 90 degrees from its one pylon. Beautiful shape

The Ha’Penny bridge built in the early 1800s charged people a Ha’penny to cross 

Gorgeous front to the Merchants Archway through to Temple Bar

Temple Bar is a colourful place. It has a bit of everything and is a popular place to eat or take in the nightlife

The Dawson Lounge is the smallest pub in Ireland- it seats 12 people

St Patrick’s Cathedral is not Roman catholic but the National Cathedral of the Church of Ireland (Anglican). 

The house where Mr Guinness lived with his family - wife and 21 children! 

In Temple Bar an intriguing place to wander.

Library Square at Trinity.

Fascinating sculpture beside one of the libraries -‘Sfera con Sfera’ locally called ‘Pomodoro Sphere’ (Pomodoro was the artist) 

Magnificent Irish marble pillars in the museum

Intricate filigree work outside the Museum at Trinity

Glasnevin Cemetery where many notable historical figures are buried - this tower stands over the tomb of Daniel O'Connell.