The weather was perfect today in Dublin, mild with a light breeze and scattered clouds, with nary a raindrop to be seen. We slept in a little, so had to hustle to catch a bus and get downtown for our first activity of the day: the 1916 Rebellion walking tour.
The anti-tourist in me had a little trepidation about going on a two-hour tour like that, but in the end I was very glad we did…
What made the difference was the fact that it was led by an irascible character named Lorcan Collins. He was a wonderful storyteller, with a booming voice and a quick wit. He was so obviously full of passion for his subject that he really drew you in.
We walked all over City Centre, visiting historic sites and hearing lots of stories, many inspired by statues of the men who led the uprising for Irish independence on Easter of 1916. While the rebellion succumbed a week later, it did eventually lead to independence (in 1922, I believe).
One of the statues, of James Larkin, right across from the General Post Office (which the rebels took over) had a quote on it that really spoke to me: “The great only appear great because we are on our knees; let us rise”.
The tour ended right near Trinity College, where the famous Book of Kells resides. It’s a little disappointing, as there are only two actual pages on display. The exhibition is well put-together, however, with all you could want to know about the background of the manuscript. No photos were allowed anywhere in the Library, so I can’t show you anything here…
What I can show you is a few highlights from Merrion Square, where we went next. It’s a neighborhood not far from City Centre that is known for it’s Georgian architecture, particularly the ornate and colorful doors:
On the way to the square, we had spotted the Porterhouse Pub, which the guidebooks describe as having the best selection of beer in town. So it was there that we found ourselves for dinner, bellied up to the bar in a crowded pub full of World Cup soccer fans. It was really quite fun, and we each had a pint and some decent bar food before heading off to catch another movie…
Tonight’s film was “Please Give”, a quirky comedy with Katherine Keener and Oliver Platt.
Tired but satisfied, we arrived back at the hotel an hour or so ago. Time to rest up for our last day in Dublin tomorrow. We haven’t even been to a museum yet, so I think we’ve got another full day ahead of us!
