Dublin, Ireland

Dublin

After the overnight flight from Atlanta, we arrived in Dublin on Tuesday morning. The group included Richard, Sandi, Peg, Barb, Mike, and Susan. 

 We took the Airlink 747 bus into the city, and walked a short distance to our pleasant and modern hotel, the Maldron in Smithfield. Smithfield is an area that has been in the process of gentrification, with a “Fresh” grocery store, and a Third Space cafe, where we had breakfast. The square is relatively large.

Third Space Cafe - note the books

Bicycle commuters

There were and continue to be demonstrators with bullhorns in front of a government office, the children's court, with chants of “labor, labor, labor”, and “drop the charges.” There was a demonstration against water charges; water has been free in Dublin, but the previous government was going to charge for water. The original demonstration included a sit down protest, blocking the car of Joan Burtin, the former Tanaiste, (a government official), for two hours. This resulted in charges of false imprisonment, among other charges.

Bridge over the River Liffey

We had lunch at Third Space cafe, and then we got on the city tour bus. Most people got off in the Temple Bar area, and went to the Brazen Head Pub, looking for live music, but the music started too late, so they left after eating. Richard and Sandi stayed on the bus, and got off at the Collins Barracks, now the National Museum of Decorative Arts and History. This is a huge museum; we only scratched the surface. We visited briefly an exhibit on the 1916 Easter Uprising; it failed, but generated many heroes and martyrs. The Irish negotiated with the British after the war, and obtained their independence in 1922. Richard and Sandi had dinner at Oscar's restaurant, near the hotel.

On Wednesday we had breakfast at Third Space, and agreed to split up. Richard, Sandi, and Peg headed for Trinity College, where we took a tour of the college from a nice young man, a senior from Donegal.

We saw the Book of Kells and the Long Room of the library. 

Peg with Brian Boru's harp

Library Long Room

 We had a snack at the student cafe at the college, and then headed for St. Stephen's Green. We stopped on the way to visit a couple of mobile phone shops, only to find out that there were difficulties in getting a prepay phone that would work in both the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland. At St. Stephen's Green, we split up, and Richard went to the National Archaeological Museum, where he very interested in the metalwork. 

 Sandi and Peg headed to the replica of the coffin ship, which took the famine refugees to America. Unfortunately, there were no tickets left, so they went to the nearby Epic Ireland museum, which was focused on the Irish emigration story. Richard, Sandi, and Peg met at the hotel, and walked in the rain to Darkey Kelly's pub, where we ate comfort food and listened to a singer. 

 Mike, Susan, and Barb walked around during the day, and had dinner at a pub near the hotel. We all met up in the lobby around 9 PM, and made plans for Thursday.

Smithfield Square at night