Dublin Town

The Liffey River, which runs through the heart of Dublin

Dublin, wonderful Dublin. It’s very easy to fall in love with this city, and we’ll be sad to leave this morning. It’s hard for us from the antipodes to get our heads around a city with buildings that have been standing for well over a millennia, but in Dublin almost every building has an history to tell (I even found a McDonalds that King John of England apparently enjoyed the odd thick shake at). 

This is the seat of government for the Republic of Ireland

Our first stop was at the famous Trinity College, a beautiful university, which is home to the Book of Kells (the library which is home to the book is itself 300 years old). Trinity is regarded as one of Europe’s best, and the atmosphere was so scholarly I almost enrolled in a short course (I think they’d have them, yeah, I’m sure they would).

Trinity College, Dublin (their Certificate 3 in Hairdressing is very popular)

 

Another photo of Trinity College

 

Okay, I think I may have gotten a little carried away

We also visited Dublin Castle, which dates from about the 11^th century. Dublin Castle was the seat of English administration in Ireland until power was handed over to Michael Collins in 1922, creating the Irish Free State. This only came after a bitter civil war, which literally pitted family against family. Ireland certainly has had a very sad history.

Inside Dublin Castle - it was here Michael Collins was handed power by the British

Dublin Castle

Last night, we enjoyed a magnificent recital by Our Ladies Choral Society and the Dublin Handelian Orchestra, commemorating the anniversary of Handel’s death. It was held in one of Dublin’s most beautiful churches. It was a most memorable performance, and so easy to imagine you were listening to it in 1741, when Handel visited Dublin.

Our Handel recital - what an event.

Most people know when it comes to atheists, I make Richard Dawkins look positively pious, but sitting in many of the churches we have visited, I must say I do understand the positive attraction. There is a real sense of belonging to something which is omnipotent and universal; it’s a bit like being part of a winning football club, I suppose (sorry Neil, a feeling you’re not likely to experience for a few years yet).

Finally, after our concert we shared a pint at a local pub, and enjoyed an hour of great music, from U2 to Mumford and Sons. Almost every pub in the Temple Bar district has live music every night, and the atmosphere is enchanting. Dublin is certain on our list of ‘return to cities’, and we will think about it fondly for some time to come.

Both the music and the beer kept flowing

 

A typical Dublin pub