|
July 29: We met our group and our adventure began. Our tour guide was Declan Field, a long-time Rick Steves guide. He's a Cork Man, a sculptor, a painter and a musician. Not only did he sing for us throughout the tour, he shared his love of Ireland in a way that made us feel like welcome family. There was another Jane in our group, so we become buddies because Janes just have to stick together. Our first group meal was at Hugo's, named for the Huguenot cemetery next door. Hugo's is where I first tasted hake, a delicious, local white fish. Following dinner we walked through the city, crossing the River Liffey via the Ha'penny Bridge to the Spire. When the sun shines, the Spire becomes a sundial casting its shadow in a circle around Dublin as the sun moves through the sky. Declan stopped us at the General Post Office and introduced us to the Easter Rising of 1916. The General Post Office was the site of the reading of the Proclamation of Irish Independence, which really irritated the British. They laid siege to it, setting off days of fighting across the city, the story of which we saw when we wandered through St. Stephen's Green. The British won this battle, capturing the ringleaders and sending them to be executed at Kilmainham Gaol. You can still see the bullet pockmarks in the post office pillars. But even though they won the battle, the British would eventually lose the war and Ireland would become independent.
|
City Walk with Declan
Trinity College
Our second day started with a walking tour of Dublin, including a much anticipated visit to Trinity College. It was pouring rain, because that's what rain does in Ireland, but we were ready for it. The Long Room of the Trinity College Library is a graceful space, housing some of Ireland's, and the world's, most treasured items, including the Book of Kells and the original Proclamation of Irish Independence.
Kavenaghs (Cavanaghs, Kavanaghs) Everywhere!
We had a free afternoon so we set out to find some of the branches on Jane's Kavenagh family tree. A cousin and the family genealogist told us that the poet Patrick Kavanagh is a leaf on our tree. We are on the lookout for the statue of him along the Grand Canal, where others on the family tree lived and operated the canal locks. We easily found Patrick and sat down for a chat. Our route back to the hotel took us to a festival in Merrion Square and a meeting with Oscar Wilde.
Kilmainham Gaol and the Rock of Cashel
We reached the end of our time in Dublin so we met Paul, our bus driver, and headed for Kilmainham Gaol. Originally built as a debtor's prison, the British used it to hold political prisoners, including those involved in the 1916 Easter Rising. To much groaning and sighing, Declan circled us up, and we played the name game - each person said their name and repeated all the previous names until we got around the whole circle. Much to our relief, no one had to repeat the names alone, the whole group chimed in on each round. It was fun, and it worked!
On our way to Kinsale we stopped at the Rock of Cashel, another place that was high on our list of places to see. It was the seat of the ancient kings of Ireland, where St. Patrick baptized King Aengus and where Brian Boru spent some time. Rising above the Plain of Tipperary, the ruins are spectacular. Had it not been for the Brian Boru Harp, this would have been the Wow Moment.
On our way to Kinsale we stopped at the Rock of Cashel, another place that was high on our list of places to see. It was the seat of the ancient kings of Ireland, where St. Patrick baptized King Aengus and where Brian Boru spent some time. Rising above the Plain of Tipperary, the ruins are spectacular. Had it not been for the Brian Boru Harp, this would have been the Wow Moment.
Wow Moment: The Brian Boru Harp
Jane was eagerly anticipating the visit to the Trinity College Library to see the Book of Kells, the oldest known book of the gospels of the Bible, and the Long Room. Both are places of pilgrimage for librarians and they didn't disappoint. But Declan sort of burst her bubble when he told her the Book of Kells was fine, but there's something more impressive to see. It turned out he was right. The Brian Boru Harp is the oldest surviving Irish harp and it was truly breathtaking. Created in the 15th Century, it is now the symbol of Ireland and it became a theme of our trip as we encountered harps throughout Ireland and Scotland. |
|
Kaleidoscope: Dublin |
Cover photo: Ha'penny Bridge
|