As Ireland’s number one city and the heart of the Emerald Isle, Dublin is the perfect introduction to Ireland and its charms.
On our first day in Ireland, we thought we’d take a walk thru the historic center of Dublin.
We started our walking wander thru Dublin by taking a short stroll through St. Stephen’s Green. It’s a true oasis in the busy city, and always seems to be populated with cheery locals out for a stroll. There is a nice lake in the park – we took a walk around the lake clockwise.
As we walk through all this greenery, it’s hard to imagine we’re in the middle of a city of half-a-million people. And Dublin is the capital and largest city of a nation of five million Irish. With reminders of Ireland’s heritage everywhere, Dublin is also the de facto capital of Irish culture. This park – lust, flat, and watery, with 50 shades of green – looks much like the rest of the Emerald Isle, with its green, pastoral landscape. In fact this park was once a marshy bog for grazing animals – just as so much of Ireland still is today.
Dublin has always been at the heart of Ireland’s 5,000-year history. The island’s first prehistoric inhabitants built their burial mounds at Newgrange, just a couple dozen miles north of here. Also north of Dublin at the the Hill of Tara is where, in Dark Age times, the Celtic “high kings” first introduced the idea of an Irish nation. And when Ireland became a Christian land, monks of the 9th century settled at a monastery near Dublin with their famed Book of Kells.
On sunny days, this is a popular place for office workers enjoying their lunch break.
Dublin was Ireland’s very first city – namely, the island’s first permanent settlement with a wall. It was founded as a Viking trading settlement in the 9th century. When the English arrived in the 12th century, Dublin became their foothold on the isle. And, later, it was just north of Dublin where English rule was solidified, at the landmark Battle of the Boyne. Dublin grew to be Ireland’s center of wealth and commerce. By the 1700s, it was second only to London in the British Empire. It was dotted with grand classical-style buildings. In fact, that Golden Age was when this park was laid out. It was founded as a private park, surrounded by mansions of Ireland’s elites.
This terrace has become a popular place for outdoor plays and weddings. The statue honors the great 20th-century Irish W. B. Yeats. And the statue was made by the great 20th-century sculptor Henry Moore.
In the early 1900s, Yeats fought to keep Ireland’s rich history alive in modern times. He and his circle revived old poems, songs, and folk tales, and championed the Gaelic language. They helped forge a distinct Irish national identity. They were part of a larger movement that was standing up boldly against the dominant English culture. Yup – you can almost smell a bit of conflict brewing.
If there’s anything that defines Irish history it’s exactly that; conflict.
When the park got its start is was a commons for a rich-housing development. It was closed to working-class riff-raff. It was surrounded with fine classical-looking buildings. Each of the tenants was obligated to plant six trees, and viola, a park was soon created. As Dublin grew into the number-two city in Britain, this was one of its most pleasant escapes. In 1880, the private park was opened to the public, and today it provides a wonderful refuge from the city. With its romantic gazebos and carousels, duck-filled ponds, and relaxed people, the park seems to celebrate Irish freedom.
Dublin has always been right in the thick of the nation’s many conflicts: Conflicts between Celtic culture and English influence. Between Protestant and Catholic. Between traditional and modern. Between the Irish government and their colonial masters in London. And it was in Dublin, on Easter of 1916, that those divisions came to a violent head, changing Ireland forever.
Or as Yeats put it: everything was “changed, changed utterly… a terrible beauty is born.”
One battle of that so-called Easter Rising actually happened right here in St. Stephen’s Green.
This big arch marks the point that we entered the Green. See what I see on the left side of the arch?
Bullet holes.
This happened during that Easter 1916 uprising. A group of passionate Irish rebels had taken up arms against the British right here in the park. They were a romantic mismash of poets, teachers, aristocratic ladies, and slum dwellers. They dug trenches in the park, thinking they were creating fortified positions. What they hadn’t figured on what that veteran British snipers had taken the high ground just up the street in the Shelbourne Hotel. The bullets rained down, and the rebels were quickly overwhelmed. Within a week, the quixotic Easter Rising was brutally crushed. But that moment was the final turning point in Ireland’s long march to freedom.
Let’s take a wander to Grafton Street. Almost any time of day, Grafton is busy with strolling locals and tourists.
Dublin really took off back in 1973. That’s when Ireland joined the European Community – the precursor to the EU. Dublin became the engine driving the so-called “Celtic Tiger” boom years around the turn of the Millennium. That’s when many American corporations located here for tax purposes. Today, Dublin is Ireland’s Silicon Valley – or “Silicon Bog” as the Irish call it.
It’s the European base for big tech companies like Apple, Facebook, Microsoft, and Google.
I think it’s time for our first stop at pub. Or at least we wanted to. On Dawson Street, you get a sense of how nicely modern Dublin dovetails with traditional Irish ways. At #25 we find a pub – a very skinny pub, sometimes called the “tiniest pub in Dublin.” This is one of the many pubs in Dublin that offer a slice of traditional intimacy in an increasingly urban landscape. But alas it was closed… so we were unable to get our first pint. 🙁
The Mansion House: It was built in 1710 and even today – two centuries later – it’s still the official residence of Dublin’s mayor. These days, the position of Lord Mayor is mostly ceremonial. It’s another reminder of how gracefully older traditions continue in this modern city.
Mansion House is a classic example of what’s called the Georgian style. It has a triangular pediment over the entrance, giving it a classic Greek temple look. There’s a balustrade across the roof and another at the base. The windows and doors give the facade a perfectly symmetrical look. Georgian was the prevailing style during Dublin’s Golden Age in the 1700s.
Mansion House also played a key role in Ireland’s modern struggle for independence. After that 1916 Easter Rising, this was where a rogue Irish Parliament met in defiance of British rule. Kind of like when America’s Continental Congress signed the Declaration of Independence at Independence Hall in Philadelphia.
The act of defiance was what kicked off the Irish War of Independence in 1919 that eventually made Ireland free of British rule.
Church of St. Anne: Dublin has always been a breeding ground for new ideas. It’s produced some of the greatest writers and thinkers in the English language. There’s Oscar Wilde, the great playwright, and Bram Stoker, who wrote Dracula. It was here at the church of St. Anne’s that Oscar Wilde was baptized here, and it’s where Bram Stoker got married.
And one more random fact: Bram and Oscar were good friends, and Bram married the same woman that Oscar had once dated.
Anne Street has a pleasant row of small shops, boutiques, and restaurants. This kind of small-scale, energetic commerce is typical of Ireland. Shop-owners are helpful, and service comes wrapped in a small-town smile. Ireland’s workforce is young and well-educated. In fact, about 35% of the Irish population is under 25 years old. They fill jobs in high-tech, pharmaceuticals, and many opt for small enterprises like these.
And after work is done, where does everyone go? Yup.. the pub. I think we will as well. 🙂
John Kehoe’s: There’s nothing particularly special about this pub. But like so many other pubs in Dublin, it’s much older and more atmospheric than almost anything you’d find in teh states. This place has been serving the neighborhood at this location for more than a century.
Pubs are a basic part of the Irish social scene. And whether you’re a teetotaler or a beer-guzzler, they should be a part of your travel here. And Jackie and I are certainly not teetotalers… 🙂 The word “pub” is short for “public house” – it’s like an extended lving room. Smart travelers use pubs to eat, drink, watch the latest sporting events, and make new friends. And as a wise Irishman once said, “it never rains in a pub.”
Since 2003, all pubs in Ireland are non-smoking. Here at Kehoes, you may see customers spilling into the street with their cigarettes and beloved pints in hand. Technically, it’s illegal to drink on the street, but because it’s so common, it’s rarely enforced.
The Irish take great pride in their beer. The average Irishman spends about $5 a day on alcohol. If you ask for a “pint” in Dublin, you’ll get a Guiness. That’s the dark-brown stout-style beer that was born right here in Dublin. It’s still brewed here – about a mile to the west. You know we’ll be visiting there this trip. 🙂 While loyal Dubliners like Guinness, Ireland’s other stout – Murphy’s – is the local favorite in the south. We’ll have Jackie try them both and her favorite. I’ve already got mine. 🙂
Neighborhood pubs are like landmarks in the Dublin landscape. Instead of telling someone “Hey, meet me on Anne Street,” you’re more likely to hear “Meet me at Kehoes.”
Just stand here in this pleasant pedestrianized street and appreciate where you are. Graton Street is a constant parade – of shoppers, tourists, businessmen, moms with strollers – all enjoying a walk down this row of shops. Grafton Street is Dublin’s most desirable retail address. It’s home to both glitzy international stores and trendy one-of-a-kind Irish boutiques. The bustling atmosphere here is a testament to how once-quaint Dublin has now gone global.
Thin Lizzy Statue: The statue is of a hairy guy with a bass guitar. This is Phil Lynott, Ireland’s first hard rock star. Phil Lynott was raised in Dublin. He went on to fame with the band Thin Lizzy. Who was Thin Lizzy? Remember their one big hit back in the 1970s…
The Boys are Back in Town.
Even though that was their only hit abroad, Thin Lizzy was big in Europe. Lynott became the classic rock idol – living hard and fast, and dying young. He inspired countless other aspiring musicians from little old Ireland to dream of hitting the big time. Phil Lynott’s legacy clearly lives on: fans still come to the statue and leave guitar picks wedged in the strings as a tribute.
One could do an entire Dublin walk around the many Irish musicians who got their star here, from U2, to Sinead O’Connor… to Enya and the Corrs… to Hozier to Imelda May.
Bewley’s Oriental Cafe’ – This cafe is a Dublin tradition. Grandmas and grandpas know it for its long tradition of well-priced comfort food. I wish I would have gotten a picture of the Facade. It’s the ornate Art Deco style with an Egyptian flair – a look popular in the 1920s after the recent discovery of King Tut’s tomb.
This cafe is more like a art gallery – once inside head to the very back. The back wall was decorated by the famed Dublin artist Harry Clarke.
Rick Steves describes this as the Church of the Holy Cappuccino. 🙂
Harry Clarke was most famous for decorating churches. This was a rare secular commission. Each of the windows depicts a different classical column. It celebrates the four classical orders: Doric, Ionic, Corinthian and Tuscan.
Like so many Irish artists, Clarke first learned his trade from his father, a maker of stained-glass. There’s a balcony above the restaurant where I got my quick pictures.
Church of St. Teresa’s – Back down a narrow lane called Johnson’s court about 50 feet is a ornate archway. Stepping through the archway you find this very peaceful little oasis called the Church of St. Teresa’s.
Because of its location next to Grafton Street, St. Teresa’s has become a convenient place to pray for busy shoppers. It’s been called the most visited church in Dublin. An no wonder – St. Teresa’s is a kind of oasis amid the commercial hubbub of Graton Street.
Maybe it’s hiding because it’s a Catholic Church. 🙂 With Ireland being 80% Catholic, why would it need to “hide”?
The city of Dublin has a long Protestant tradition. Dublin was for centuries an outpost of English culture in Gealic Ireland. And when England became Protestant in the 1500s, so did Dublin’s ruling elite. That’s why this Catholic church is so significant.
In the 1600’s, the Protestant-dominated parliament passed restrictive laws on Ireland’s Catholics. They were called the Penal Laws. For a century, Catholics were not allowed to worship openly, Couldn’t vote, buy land, join the army, or even own a horse worth more than $5 pounds.
Catholic education was banned and priests were outlawed. Catholics were forced to practice their religion secretly. Some resorted to celebrating Mass way out in the countryside at hidden altars called “Mass rocks.” Finally, in the 1770s, the Penal Laws were relaxed. St. Teresa’s was built in 1792. It was one of the first new Catholic churches allowed in Ireland. It meant that Catholics were allowed to worship in actual churches… but only if they kept a low profile. We got lucky to walk in just as mass had started, and were blessed to be able to attend and receive communion.
More on Graton Street – Think of how revolutionary this was when Grafton Street was first pedestrianized back in 1983. At first, local retailers grumbled. They were sure banning cars would keep shoppers away. Instead, business boomed. The downside was that, as business shot up, so did the rents, driving many small local shops away. The result is that Grafton Street today is mostly dominated by big international chain stores and ever-bigger crowds.
James Joyce Plaque – This particular plaque, rubbed shiny by foot traffic, remembers a scene from James Joyce’s groundbreaking novel, Ulysses. The plaque depicts a man walking – which is appropriate, because the novel is mainly about a man just walking around Dublin, from pubs to shops to homes of friends. The stream-of-consciousness tale unfolds over a single day in the life of Leopold Bloom – June 16, 1904. That date is still celebrated every year in Dublin as “Bloomsday.” Passionate Joyce enthusiasts dress up in period garb, quote passages from the book, and follow Bloom’s route from place to place… generally with lots of drinking involved. 🙂
Trinity College – Trinity College is Ireland’s elite school, the equivalent of England’s Oxford and Cambridge. Trinity was founded in 1592 by Queen Elizabeth. Her purpose? To set the uncivilized Irish on the straight and righteous path to Protestant learning. By the 1700s, the college had expanded greatly. Remember, that was Dublin’s Golden Age. While the rest of Ireland was poor, Catholic, and Gaelic… Dublin was rich, Protestant, and English. And this college with its grand buildings, celebrated that.
Parliament Square is the heart of Trinity College’s vast 50-acre campus. The buildings, from the 1700s, are classic Georgian style. They sport Greek-style columns and triangular pediments. Windows have grid-shaped panes and an occasional balustrade for decoration. This was the style of Dublin with it was Britain’s second city – a rich, sophisticated, English-centric… and mostly Protestant… city.
“Georgian” is the British name for what others called “Neoclassical.” It revived the classical columns and pediments of ancient buildings. The name comes from the English kings of the time, George I, II, III, and IV. They ruled for more than a century, from 1714 to 1830.
Think of it: These cobblestones have been walked on by such esteemed Trinity graduates as Oscar Wilde and Bram Stoker, Jonathan Swift (Gulliver’s Travels) and the modern playwright Samuel Beckett (Waiting for Godot).
The graceful tower is the Campanile, or bell tower. It’s probably the most recognizable building on campus. To the left and right stand two identically majestic buildings. Each has four tall Corinthian columns. The building on the left is the college chapel, and on the right – the examination hall. They’re nicknamed “heaven” (the chapel) and “hell” (the examination hall).
The red-brick buildings are called the Rubrics. Built around 1712, these are the oldest remaining buildings on campus. They were done in the style popularized by the Dutch-born King of England, William of Orange.
The long, gray, three-story building is the college’s Old Library. Inside the Library, we’ll find a venerable world of some 200,000 books plus a precious collection of artifacts dear to the Irish soul. There’s a 600-year-old Irish harp. This harp’s likeness has become the national symbol, appearing on euro coins, on government documents… and on every pint of Guinness. Be sure to see our separate post on the Book of Kells and the Old Library.
The Library also has an original copy of the proclamation from that 1916 Easter Rising, which announced Ireland’s dramatic split with Britain.
But the highlight of the collection by far is what all the tourists line up for – The Book of Kells. This is a 1,200-year-old manuscript of the four gospels from the Bible. It was meticulously hand-written and gloriously illustrated by faithful monks. With its intricate patterns, artistic pictures, and fantastic beasts tucked into the margins, the Book of Kells has been called the finest piece of art from Europe’s Dark Ages.
Trinity College is still Ireland’s most prestigious university, and one of the best in the world. It’s home to some 12,000 students. The buildings around us hold administration offices and student dorms. Like so many universities, Trinity faces financial challenges in attracting top professors. They raise money through ticket sales for the Book of Kells. And they attract wealthy students from China, who pay full tuition, which subsidizes less wealthy Irish students.
Nowadays, Trinity accepts students from across the globe. but there was a time when the student body was limited to only rich Protestant men. After the Penal Laws were relaxed, Catholics were allowed entrance, but the Catholic Church considered it a mortal sin to get a Protestant education. It wasn’t until the 1970s that Catholics were allowed in guilt-free. Today, 70% of the student body is Catholic.
The college tries hard to be inclusive. Notice that the official blue-and-white signs are bilingual – both Irish and English – and the Irish always comes first.
This white-marble statue depicts one of Trinity’s provosts in the last 1890s. He famously announced that women would only be allowed to enter Trinity over his dead body. Coincidentally, just days after he died in 1904, the first women were admitted. Today half the students are female.
The Bank of Ireland – the former Parliament House – though today it’s a bank, this building stands as a symbol of the long fight for Irish self-rule. It was here, in the 1700s, that Irish politicians – men like Henry Grattan – bravely spoke out against their British overlords. Appropriately, at the top of the building sits a statue of Lady Ireland extending the olive branch of peace.
The fight for Irish independence took many, many generations. As far back as the 12th century, Ireland was dominated by the English. English nobles ruled vast plantations, with the poor Irish farmers as their virtual serfs. Ireland was split between the natives – mostly Catholic and Gaelic-speaking – and their Protestant. English-speaking landowners. Occasionally, the feisty Irish would rise up in rebellion, but time and time and again, the revolts were brutally crushed.
Dublin was always right in the thick of Ireland’s fight for independence. On the one hand, Dublin was the center of the English, Protestant presence. On the other, as Ireland’s biggest and most educated city, this was where a common Irish identity was born. And it was here at Parliament House that the struggle for independence switched from the battlefield to the political arena.
We were not able to visit the House of Lords, as it was closed. 🙁
The Grand Boulevard, Molly Malone, and the Bank Bar – This boulevard – though it’s jammed with car traffic these days. This was Dublin’s grand showpiece back in its Golden Age of the 1700s. With a population of 50,000 people, Dublin was Britain’s second city, and this was its version of a “Royal Mile.” It was lined with Georgian-style buildings linking the city’s powerful institutions: Parliament, the university, the nation’s banks… Further up was Dublin Castle. And way at the far end, a half-mile from here, was the city’s most venerable church.
Molly Malone – “In Dublin’s fair city… where the girls are so pretty…I first set my eyes on… sweet Molly Malone.”
That old song has become Dublin’s unofficial theme song.
“She wheeled her wheelbarrow, through streets broad and narrow… Crying ‘cockles and mussels alive, alive, oh.”
You’ve likely heard the song – now let’s meet the woman who inspired it. The song, from the 18th century, celebrated one of the cheery street vendors of this bustling city.
In Molly’s case, she was selling seafood that was so fresh it was still… “alive, alive, oh”. The statue captures Molly right as she stops for a customer, to show off her plump bivalves… you know… cockles and mussels… bivalves. The statue is a bit tacky… but Dubliners have embraced it. The area is a popular hangout for street musicians, and for tourists wanting a photo with the coy cockle-vendor. Tour guides have created some bogus legends about how if you touch her breasts supposedly it bring you good luck or good sex…or maybe just a good seafood lunch.
O’Neill’s is quite the scene. It’s a sloppy and noisy wonderland of cozy alcoves scattered over three floors. For over 300 years, the O’Neill family has been serving food and drink here to rich and poor alike. It’s served both parliamentary powerbrokers and the Molly Malones of the world. And today, this traditional pub still preserves a slice of that vibrant place known as “Dublin’s fair city.” We enjoyed a nice lunch there – our first Guinness Stew of our adventure!
There is another pub that serves this area – the Bank Bar. It’s a pretty classy place.
Built in 1894, the Bank Bar still staggers visitors with its Victorian opulence. Back then, this was a bank, like so many other banks lining the boulevard. Bankers dazzled their elite clients with interiors like this to assure them the bank was financially solid. When this particular bank moved to more modern offices, the building became a pub… and it still dazzles.
The stained-glass ceiling sparkles. The room’s many mirrors make the space seem larger than it is. And the ornate floor tiles and crow’s nest balcony catch the eye.
By the door, you’ll find a faithful replica of that 1200-year-old manuscript, the Book of Kells.
On the wall on the left, chek out the paintings. That stately painting depicts one of Dublin’s grand old buildings, the cCustom House, surrounded by the ships that were so vital to Dublin’s economy. On the right is a painting of th eParliament House.
The paintings face each other as twin pillars of society: commerce and governance. You’ll all see sever busts lining the wall. Seven in fact. These are the seven signers of that 1916 Easter Rising Proclamation of Irish Independence. They became martyrs for freedom, as all of them were arrested and then executed at Dublin’s Kilmainham Gaol.
Dublin Castle – There’s a round castle-like tower in the corner of the courtyard. This is one of the few original remnants of the complex. Dublin Castle is where Ireland was governed by the British for 700 years – from roughly the year 1200 all the way up to 1922.
The castle was begun in 1204. This was just a few decades after the English invaded Ireland and made Dublin their capital. It was built on this particular spot because there was a large pool. That body of water served as a natural defense. It was called the “Black Pool”.. or in Gaelic, the “Dubh Linn”… which gave the city its name… Dublin.
Dublin became teh center of English rule. It was the capital of a small region of the Irish isle known as “the Pale.” The Pale was English-speaking and civilized. The rest of the island spoke Gaelic and was considered barbaric. That part was literally… “beyond the Pale…”which is where we get that phrase for something outside the bounds of acceptable behavior – a phrase we still use today.
The castle was built by England’s King John. He was the slimy king who upstaged Richard the Lionheart, and who provoked the nobles so much that they made him sign the Magna Carta in 1215. And, legends say, he battled brave Robin Hood.
And it was John who made Ireland an English colony, and built this castle to consolidate his conquest.
Little of the castle’s medieval architecture remains. There was a big fire in the 1600s, and the castle was rebuilt in the style of the day… Georgian.
But it’s still impressive. Imagine how, for 700 years, this was the home of the Viceroy of Ireland. He was the man appointed by the King of England to rule the land. These buildings housed the viceroy’s lavish home, his entourage, the courts, and the offices of all those bureaucrats who administered Ireland. Parliament also met here until they got their own home down the street as Parliament House.
For those Irish who longed to be free of Britain, this castle must have been a symbol of oppression.
A perfect example of this is the statue on the right side of the coutryard. It stands atop a stone gateway. This statue is Lady Justice. But it’s justice from a British point of view. Notice that she has no blindfold That means she’s not impartial, but she leans towards the British. And she stands admiring her sword – a sword to keep the Irish in line.
For 700 years, Britain ruled Ireland from here. And in 1922 – when the Irish finally won their freedom – Dublin Castle was also the place Britain ceremonially handed the reins of power back to the people of Ireland.
Today the Castle is no longer the seat of government. But it still hosts many important Irish ceremonies. it’s used for fancy state dinners, visits from foreign dignitaries, and it’s where each new President of Ireland is sworn in .
Dublin City Hall – This impressive building, built in 1779, is a splendid example of that architectural style so popular during Dublin’s Golden Age, the Georgian Style.
The building started life not as a government building but as a center of business. This was the Royal Exchange, where businessmen from across Ireland and the British Empire met to strike deals. It’s where the Irish and British currencies were exchanged. Its location made it perfect for Ireland’s movers and shakers; the seat of government was just next door at the Castle, and the nation’s biggest banks lined the boulevard outside.
We we’re not allowed to visit the inside of the building due to a wedding that was scheduled to start 90 minutes from our visit… 🙁
In 1852, the building became home to Dublin’s City Hall. Dublin is governed by a city council. The Lord Mayor – who resides across town in Mansion House – is more a ceremonial figure. These days, City Hall is also mostly ceremonial, with official offices moved to modern buildings nearby.
Remember, Dublin was always central to Ireland’s struggle for self-rule. In the 1916 Easter Rising, City Hall played an important role. Irish rebels occupied this strategic building to control the main gate to Dublin Castle. When that rebellion was crushed, it was here that the first Irish heroes died. And after Ireland finally won its independence in 1921, it was here, under the rotunda, that a state funeral was held to honor the great rebel leader Michael Collins.
This is the official standard that establishes the British Imperial system of inches, feet, and yards. thanks to our colonial heritage, the United States also uses these. But then note the Paris Metre. That’s what Ireland uses today – the metric system.
Christ Church – This is the oldest house of worship in all of Dublin. At Christ Church there are elements from every layer of Dublin’s thousand-year history: from Viking to Norman to Protestant to Victorian. And it’s still a working church today.
As the Irish like to say: “When God made time… he made a lot of it.”
While most of what we see today is from an 1870s renovation, the church itself goes back to Dublin’s very origins. It was here in the year 1030 that the Viking chief Sitric Silkenbeard – a devout Christian built a church of wood. Then came those Normans. They were led by a warrior named Strongbow. In 1172, he turned this into a church of stone – we’ll see some of those old stones in a moment.
“Normans” – that’s really just another name for those early English rulers like evil King John. Their ancestors had come from France.
You might recall that Robin Hood and his merry men were thnic Saxons – the indigenous English people. They chafed against those Norman overlords. After conquering the Saxons in England, the Normans next turned their sights on Ireland.
These are the foundation of a church annex from way back in the 12th century. Turning our attention the the church itself – the part right next to the excavation site. Some of the blocks at the base of this part of the church were also from the 12th century: the age of Strongbow and his fellow Normans. Note the door here. it has a round arch, typical of that 12th-century style called Romanesque . The rest of the church was built later. It has Gothic elements, like pointed arches, cone-shaped turrets, and flying buttresses.
During the Reformation in the 1500s, this old and venerable church made the dramatic switch – from Catholic to Protestant. That helped establish Dublin as a Protestant stronghold in Catholic Ireland. In the 1800s, the old church was renovated in the Neo-Gothic style to preserve its medieval legacy. Most of what you see today is Neo-Gothic.
After nearly a thousand years, this church still carries on today. A testament to that is the modern bronze statue you may have noticed here in the churchyard.
It shows someone sleeping on a bench, it must be someone down on their luck. But wait… are those nail holes in his feet? In fact, the statue is called Homeless Jesus. it’s by the Canadian artist Timothy Schmalz. It shows how today’s congregation keeps the Christian message of charity alive in modern Dublin.
Viking Dublin – This historical marker highlights that we are standing on the site of Dublin’s first Viking settlement, established right here over 1,200 years ago. Fishamble Street was its fish market. The Vikings initially came as marauders, but they stayed to intermarry and settle. Bu the 11th century… when Christ Church was first built out of wood… Dublin was a thriving town with about 4,000 Norsemen, plus the indigenous Celtic people, the Gales. Vikings were accomplished seafaring merchants, and Dublin provided them with a safe harbor on the River Liffey.
Unfortunately, most of that Viking settlement still sits beneath the huge modern Dublin City Council building. When the building’s foundation were dug in 1978, they discovered this settlement virtually intact. Over a million artifacts were carefully excavated and catalogued by eager archaeologists. But unfortunately the construction project carried on, despite angry public protests. The result is that a virtual treasure trove of Viking artifacts have been left in the ground beneath this ugly building.
George Frederic Handel – The hotel is named for the famous classical composer with an important Dublin connection. If you look thru the gate to the left of the hotel, you can see a statue. A naked and very fit Handel stands like a pillar saint atop organ pipes.
The first pubic performance of Handel’s well-known oratorio, the Messiah, took place in 1742 in Dublin. In fact, right where we’re standing. The bit of surviving wall you see was part of that old theater.
That premiere of Handel’s Messiah, with its rousing Hallelujah Chorus, propelling it to becoming one of the most often performed classical works ever. And now, every April 13th, on the anniversary of that premiere, this humble street fills with a full orchestra and over a hundred singers to perform the Messiah.
The River Liffey – Of all Dublin’s layers of history, we’ve reached the source – the river where Dublin was born, the river that gave it life.
Across the river in the distance is a grand building with a green domed roof. This is Ireland’s Supreme Court, housed in a gorgeous Georgian building, called the Four Courts.
The River Liffey cuts through the heart of Dublin, flowing from west-to-east. In all, the Liffey runs about 80 miles, through County Kildare until it reaches Dublin. Here it spills out into the Irish Sea – that’s about 3 miles away.
Dublin was born here on the banks of the Liffey. The Vikings – who were great sea traders – settled here because it was an excellent inland port. Back then, the geography looked a bit different. There was another river that flowed into the Liffey. That confluence was just ahead, beyond the bridge…
the place where the two rivers met made a natural harbor. The currents slowed, forming a pool – a “Black Pool”… which, was called in Gaelic “dubh linn,” or Dublin.
Dublin grew into a major seafaring city. Even tall-masted ships could sail up the Liffey as far as here. They’d dock at the wooden piers, where they loaded and unloaded their goods. But as Dublin expanded onto the north bank, several bridges were added to connect the city’s two halves.
Dublin remained a major seaport, but everything had to be moved further and further downstream. With more bridges and ever-bigger ships, the port eventually ended up right at the mouth of the river. Even today that modern harbor at the edge of town is a bustling port. And because we’re only three miles from the sea, the LIffey here is a salty river, with high tides and low tides.
Millennium Bridge – The river today is bordered by concrete quays – that’s the old English word for “wharf.” But in times past, this area was once full of ships docked at wooden piers. This was the bustling heart of Dublin’s commerce.
The Liffey divides Dublin into two halves – South Dublin, which we’ve been exploring, and the north side. North and South Dublin have always had their own unique cultural identity. As the stereotypes go, Southsiders are considered rich and spoiled, while Northerners are poor and a bit rough around the edges. It’s created lots of friendly rivalry, and plenty of ribbing and jokes.
The next bridge down is called the Ha’Penny Bridge. The Ha’ Penny Bridge has been a Dublin landmark since 1816. Its graceful cast-iron arch is a prime example of the emerging bridge engineering of the Industrial Revolution. It’s officially called the “Wellington Bridge,” named for the Duke of Wellington. Wellington was the man who famously defeated Napoleon at Waterloo in 1815, and went on to become Britain’s prime minister. And he was a Dubliner.
The bridge got its nickname because it was a toll bridge. Before it was built, most people had to take the ferry across. The bridge was cheaper – only half a penny. . a “Ha’penny.”
Temple Bar – With its shops, theaters, galleries, and pubs with live music, Temple Bar feels like the heart of the old city. This is Dubin’s bohemian “Left Bank” or Greenwich Village. It’s a center of the arts and nightlife, though it’s also extremely touristy and party-oriented.
Here on Essex Street, consider that – 300 years ago – this street marked the river’s edge. Back then, this whole area was a muddy tidal flat. Tall ships docked at the end of long piers. The area further inland was marshy and barely inhabited. But during Dublin’s boom time, the land was reclaimed and built up. They called it Temple Bar because there was a dock, the “bar,” here, and it was owned by the Temple family. The neighborhood began as a bustling center of commerce. But later, as the shipping business began moving downstream, Temple Bar went downhill.
By the 1980s, the neighborhood was a den of drugs, prostitution, and crime. The city planned to demolish it completely to build a huge bus terminal. But by then the area had also become home to students and struggling artists, drawn by the cheap rents, giving it a bohemian flair. So in 1991, the decision was made to just clean things up. They kept some quaint old buildings, imported charming cobbles, and gave tax breaks to entertainment businesses. The result? The artsy and touristy neighborhood we see today.
Temple Bar Pub – it look venerable… but it’s only a couple decades old. Typical of so many pubs in the neighborhood, it was built to cash in on the district’s rising popularity. At night, this pub is raucous and rowdy, with crowds of drunken tourists and inflated beer prices that drove away the locals long ago.
There’s more to Temple Bar than just rowdy pubs. It’s also home to a number of cultural institutions: art galleries, film institutes, acting schools, and photography centers. And, it’s a cradle of Irish music, both traditional and modern.
Wall of Fame Murals – This building with pictures of various rock and pop musician with Irish ties is called the Wall of Fame. Little Ireland has produced greats like U2 and Sinead O’Connor… Damien Rice and Van Morrison… Enya, Glen Hansard, Imelda May… the Cranberries and the Corrs. There’s even a member of One Direction, Gallagher.. and Hozier. And let’s not forget Phil Lynott – who played with Thin LIzzy.
This wall is part of the Irish Rock ‘n’ Roll Museum. It’s worth seeing for rock fans interested in seeing studio space and vintage mixing boards used by famous acts.
And we can’t forget traditional Irish music, or “trad.” A few steps up the street is Claddagh Records. This hole-in-the-wall shop is staffed by knowledgeable music buffs who love turning visitors on to Irish tunes. Besides Ireland’s rock acts, many traditional Irish bands have gone on to worldwide fame. There’s the … Chieftains, the Dubliners, Irish Rovers, there’s Clannad and Planxty…
If you look up high, you’ll see rooms that were once low-budget recording studios. It’s where the rock bank U2 did some of their earliest recording. U2’s members all grew up in Dublin, where they formed the band of teenagers in the 1970s. They played some of their very first shows at a warehouse right next to the entrance to St. Stephen’s Green.
The Ha’ Penny Bridge – This is one of Dublin’s most photogenic spots. There’s the river, the ironwork bridge, the buildings along the quays… and the fascinating parade of people here on this bridge that unites the city.
This is the very heart of Dublin’s long history. Remember , Dublin was born right here on the river. It was home to the seafaring Vikings and the Normans who built Dublin Castle. Later, Dublin boomed as the center of the Protestant English culture in Ireland. The city was slathered with a rich layer of grand Georgian buildings.
Think City Hall, Parliament House, and the Lord Mayor’s residence.
It had Trinity College, the elite school that produced writers and intellectuals from Jonathan Swift to Oscar Wilde. And as the capital of Ireland, Dublin played a key role in the nation’s struggle for independence from Britain. Its Parliament tried to win freedom peacefully. But unfortunately… the final push to freedom was often bloody. But it was also stirring and heroic, with many brave souls giving their all for their homeland.