Dublin: This Is Later, Here's The More

The other things I saw in Dublin, besides the Book of Kells, were, well... besides the Book of Kells, most things pale in comparison. But I did go to two cathedrals, the National Museum of Archaeology and History, the library across from it, and St. Stephen's Green.

St. Stephen's Green is a lovely park in the middle of the city, a calm green place full of flowers, statues, and people. I found it interesting to walk through after having read a first-person account of the Easter Rising (for class) in which a man tries to get to St. Stephen's Green. He describes the trains being stopped, the nervous Volunteers at the street corners and inside the park, with guns, conversing with the people walking by on the other side of the fences. It was a very odd way to start a war. I mean, they took over the Post Office, because they didn't have enough people to fight off soldiers.

The Three Fates statue, St. Stephen's Green

James Joyce, also at St. Stephen's Green

 Everything is interesting when you know the history... when you have different times, different people, in the back of your mind for every place you see and experience.

I can try and do an entry of a brief summary of recent Irish history, if this doesn't make sense. If you've seen the rather sensationalized history in the Michael Collins* movie, however, this should sound familiar.

You can still see the bullet holes in the walls of the Post Office.



St. Patrick's Cathedral is huge, ornate, filled with history (and memorials), beautiful. The churches here look like cathedrals to me, and the cathedrals... well.

Jonathan Swift's grave

I was especially cheered to see a little memorial for O'Carolan:

Turlough O'Carolan was a harper and composer from the 17th-18th centuries. He wrote many tunes well-known and loved today (at least, among those who listen to Irish music). These include "Eleanor Plunkett," "Hewlett," "Planxty George Brabazon," and "Sí Bheag, Sí Mhór" (whatever way you spell it). My father plays** some of these, on the harp, on the flute, and on the penny whistle. Here's a YouTube video of Brabazon: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=flFztcgO4zg This was one of my favourite pieces of music as a child, before I knew its name, before I knew what "Irish" music even was!

And we came in time to hear the choir group singing.

At the archaeology museum, we saw gold and bodies. Yes, I mean that. There was a beautifully well-done exhibit on Irish bog bodies, on how they got there, what their world was like, and what scientists can learn from them. Then, there were rooms of prehistoric artefacts, which, in Europe, mean lots and lots of gold things. It was a little overwhelming. I just may have to go back.

In fact, I'm going back to Dublin on Monday, to wander around a few more museums and poke my nose into a few bookshops. I refuse, however, to get a picture taken of myself with my arm around Molly Malone,*** or buy any articles of knitwear.


* You should see it. History: meh. Plot: lots of guns. Alan Rickman playing a slimy politician with an Irish accent: so totally worth it.

** I could play them on my flute if I had the music. My flute is named Eleanor after the first tune... though I've been ignoring her of late, which is a shame, but I just can't stand to try practicing again when there are people around to hear how bad I sound, and so, I never get to sounding better! It's a vicious cycle.

*** She's made of bronze, and stands on a major street somewhere. Dubliners call her "the Tart with the Cart." I'm going to assume you know what I'm talking about (if you don't, I envy you).