MORE ABOUT IRELAND

    Daniel O’Connell, 1775, is considered the liberator of Ireland. After securing the passage of the Catholic Emancipation Act in 1829 the lawyer was elected Lord Mayor of Dublin. As a young boy he watched the British shoot his uncle because he owned a horse worth more than the allowed five pounds which he refused to give up. This event was no doubt a big factor in his drive for Catholic emancipation. There are several memorials and statues around Dublin of O’Connell who died in 1847. His heart is buried in Rome and his body is buried in Glasnevin.

 

  The 305 foot-long St Patrick’s Cathedral, founded in 450 A.D. and built in 1192, is the largest church in the country and is the National Cathedral of Ireland. The church was restored in 1860 with Guinness monies. The organ dates to 1902. The present structure dates from 1254. Inside the floors are done in geometric designs using 4-inch tiles. The lectern is of ornate brass involving an eagle perched on top of a large world globe representing the word of God around the world. Jonathan Swift was Dean of the church 1713-1745 and is buried there. He was responsible for building an alms house for women who could no longer take care of themselves.

 

   From City Hall it is a short block to Christ Church. Standing in the heart of Viking Dublin and on the site of a wooden church built by a Danish king in 1038, it is one of two protestant churches in the city. It is one of the oldest and most recognized landmarks in Dublin. By 1152 it was incorporated into the Irish church. King James was protestant and King William catholic so the church switched religions a couple of times.

     In 1562 the nave roof collapsed and emergency rebuilding lasted until the 1870s. The church declined in the 19^th century so Henry Roe, a wealthy distiller hired a gothic expert to restore the building. After the 1895 renovation the church appeared Victorian. A two-year restoration of the cathedral roof and stonework was undertaken in 1982. A new organ was installed in 1984. Christ Church was the first church in Ireland to have English spoken.

    The crypt, under the church is the actually the oldest building in Dublin, and the largest crypt in Europe. During the 16^th and 17^th centuries the crypt was used as a market, a meeting place for business and at one point a pub. Reconstruction between 1870-1878 was accomplished with monies from the Guinness brewery. Today the 900 year old crypt is open to the public. New lighting recently has been installed in the crypt floor. Several display cases hold outstanding rare church silver including the stunning royal plate given by King William III in 1697 as a thanksgiving for his victory at the battle of the Boyne. Also on display are candlesticks used in 1689.

  Just before we were about to descend down into the large crypt I looked up and saw a sign on the wall that said in bold letters “CAT and RAT”. Moving my eyes upward I saw a shadow box with a mummified cat and rat. The written explanation stated that the animals were trapped in one of the organ pipes in 1860. I guess that cat really wanted that rat!

                       

St. Patrick's Day is time for the wearing o' the green and dodging leprechauns.     So, tip your tam o'shanter jauntily to the side, take a wee step forward into the land where Irish eyes are smilin’ for some St. Patrick's Day History.

St. Patrick is the patron saint of Ireland, and many miracles have been attributed to the bishop, including the driving of the snakes from Ireland. His sainthood derives from his conversion of the Irish Celtic pagans to Christianity. He used the native shamrock as a symbol of the holy trinity when preaching and brought the Latin alphabet to Ireland. March 17 is the feast day of St. Patrick.

The custom of imbibing alcohol on St. Patrick's Day comes from an old Irish legend. As the story goes, St. Patrick was served a measure of whiskey that was considerably less than full. St. Patrick took this as an opportunity to teach a lesson of generosity to the innkeeper. He told the innkeeper that in his cellar resided a monstrous devil that fed on the dishonesty of the innkeeper. In order to banish the devil, the man must change his ways. When St. Patrick returned to the hostelry some time later, he found the owner generously filling the patrons' glasses to overflowing. He returned to the cellar with the innkeeper and found the devil emaciated from the landlord's generosity, and promptly banished the demon, proclaiming thereafter everyone should have a drop of the "hard stuff" on his feast day. This custom is known as Pota Phadraig or Patrick's Pot. The custom is known as "drowning the shamrock" because it is customary to float a leaf of the plant in the whiskey before downing the shot.

St. Patrick's Day was first celebrated in America in Boston, Massachusetts in 1737, and is now celebrated nationwide with parades and as an opportunity to wear green and consume green libations. One reason St. Patrick’s Day might have become so popular is the fact that it takes place just a few days before the end of winter; one might say it has become the first green of spring. The celebration in Ireland is more of a religious matter. The wearing o' the green is a symbol of Ireland's lush green farmlands.

also.see posts 9-22-13,  6-9-14,  8-12-12

SOME IRISH TOWNS

                                  Irish Towns Vary

          To stay awake on arrival day in Ennis we made our way to the River Fergus and walked along the river. A river walk is called a bar in this part of the world.  The ruins from the 13^th century Franciscan Friary are visible from most all parts of the city where the main attractions are the rich carvings and decorated tombs. The 17^th century house next door is now the Cruise Restaurant. Its low beam ceiling is well preserved. We intended to eat there one day, but with so many other places to eat we never made it.

     We spent the afternoon wandering around Ennis, a vibrant medieval town that is the capital of County Clare. The quaint shops line winding cobblestone walkways so typical of medieval towns. The market town is a major crossroads and stop between the west and southwest. In the 13^th century the O’Brien’s, Kings of Thomonds, were the feudal landlords. We found the inner city somewhat littered, but there were lots of lovely flower boxes, hanging baskets and gardens. The outskirts of the city were clean and tidy. In 2003, 04, and 05 Ennis won the Tidy City award.

      The pedestrian center has been attractively renovated. In 1990 in observance of the city’s 750^th anniversary many modern sculptures were placed around town. The sculptures were generally large, but I’m not a modern art fan. The town has always fostered traditional arts especially fiddle playing and step dancing. Singing pubs abound and the city is known for its music festivals.

      A tall limestone statue of Daniel O’Connell (1775-1847), who was instrumental in bringing about Catholic Emancipation, stands in the town center. The statue is okay but stands on a very tall ugly pedestal. A statue of the politician De Valera also has a prominent place in town.

Glengariff means rugged glen. Wooded and sheltered picturesque Glengariff, tucked between the Caha Mountains and Bantry Bay, reveals a variety of landscapes. The Gulf Stream moderates the weather so sub-tropical plants thrive. Rhododendrons line the shore paths that reveal beautiful views of inlets and lounging seals.  Being on the tourist agenda, craft shops abound as well as boatmen soliciting business. Its mild climate has turned this city into a winter resort town. In Glengarriff we boarded the Harbour Queen for a ten minute ride to Garnish Island. Harbor seals were sunning and resting all over the rocks in the harbor.

     The Burren, from a Gaelic word meaning stony place, is a unique habitat for a rich variety of flora and fauna in spite of its barrenness. Three-quarters of the country’s native plants are found here. This giant rock garden, occupies 1% of Irelands’ land mass.  The 116 square miles of limestone formations stretch endlessly in all directions resembling a basalt moonscape. As far as the eye can see are vast irregular slabs of limestone, known as karst, with deep cracks between. Rivers have all disappeared underground. In spring this area looks like a well-planted rock garden including 23 species of orchids. Spring also sees the appearance of seasonal lakes on the plateau surfaces. The area supports a large variety of small wildlife including frogs and lizards as well as birds.

       Beside the Burren are the ruins of the 12^th century Cathedral of St. Fachan, which has been restored to a parish church. There is a large concentration of burial sites in the area including Poulnabrone Dolman---some 6000 years old.

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