Dublin Sunday 29th May & Monday 30 May 2011

O'Connell St,  Dublin

Straight into town Sunday am for breakfast at a place like Myers cafe (modern day version would be Ikea cafe) Place chockas of customers doing the full Irish breakfast, same as full English, on the way home from mass perhaps?

Purchased a ticket for the big green bus, valid for 2 days,  & did the first round, 1.5 hours, good live commentary, political of course. Pointed out GPO building in O'Connell St, which was used by the rebels in the 1916 uprising & you can still see the bullet holes; next - big statue of Daniel O'Connell, known as the liberator, he achieved emancipation for catholics in 1829 which gave them the right to preach & practice their own religion, speak their native tongue, gaelic, & sit in Parliament; Oscar Wilde's childhood house; ditto Duke of Wellington - who apparently was not proud of his birthplace, his quote "Just because one is born in a stable, it doesn't make one a horse" to which Daniel O'Connell replied that it did not preclude him from being an ass.

Statue of Daniel O'Connell, Dublin

Ha' penny Bridge over the Liffey, toll was halfpenny for 100 years

Lots of other stuff also, but on the next run we got off at  Trinity College & did a walking tour. Trinity College has 15,000 students, was built on land on order of QE1 in 1592, land had been a monastery which had been taken by daddy Henry 8th. Lots of anecdotes and stories, ie fellows (special professors) of the college have the right to walk on the lawn & graze a goat & bigest scandal in 1700's when 4 students threw stones at the window of an unpopular professor, he fired on them, but missed, so they went home & returned with guns & shot him dead.  They were expelled but not convicted as the judge ruled it was a student prank gone awry! Tour terminated at library for Book of Kells viewing, which was a big thrill also.

Fellow apartments building Trinity College

Next stop Dublin Castle & did the tour. This was begun in 1204 on order of King John, & was seat of English rule in Ireland, not much remains of original, just one tower, was burnt down & rebuilt in 1600's, interesting was the view of the English, as the civilising influence of the romans never reached Ireland they felt it their duty to do the necessary. (hence all the fun for the last few centuries) Apparently the Romans came & had a look, called it Hibernia - the land of eternal winter, & decided it wasn't for them.

State room in Dublin Castle

The Record Tower, only remaining tower of original mediaeval castle from 1200's

Another interesting anecdote was the statue of Justice on the gate, Not blindfolded - so justice not blind in Ireland, also facing into the castle, also rain drips onto one side of the scale causing them to be uneven. A ditty around town was "Statue of Justice, note well her stance, her face to the rulers, her arse to the people" or something like.

Statue of justice facing into Dublin castle grounds

SO cold had to warm up with Irish coffee

Very warming Irish coffee, .... it kept me awake, but worth it!

 It was quite late by this time, so headed to O'Neills for tea again, place was chockas again, chose lamb shanks & once again a meal for a giant

O'Neills Pub Dublin, operating over 300  years

Interior of O'Neills pub

Lamb shanks for tea

But big tea Ok as we walked it off on the walk home, past the Rotunda Hospital which had been pointed out on the bus tour & was, wait for it.... the maternity hospital!