Pearse took shelter during it. Built in 1818, it still bears some of the scars
and bullet marks inflicted on it during the rising.
A Look at Dublin
By Declan Cumiskey.
When I learned that Steve was preparing a section of his web site for Goldwing motorcycle owners and visitors to his web pages traveling to Ireland, I immediately offered my assistance. I left Ireland in 1978 and went to Australia to find work, and as often happens - having married and reared a family, I have recently become homesick. I own two Goldwings, a '98 SE and an '83 GL1100 Aspencade, both of which I have had from new. While browsing the web last year, looking for information on jobs, houses etc. in Ireland, I came across Steve Saunders Goldwing Page and have watched it grow and get better month after month. Steve is not someone to let things get stale and when he undertakes a task he puts his best effort into it, so I was delighted when he accepted my offer of help with his Visiting Ireland section. This page is about Dublin and the text is mine. I also hope to assist with the pages on some of the other counties, as they are compiled.
Dublin. Capital of the Emerald Isle. The Egyptian astronomer Ptolemaeus recorded a settlement here as early as AD140, long before any of the Gaelic speaking ethnic groups arrived. When the Vikings arrived at the end of the eight century they founded a settlement on the site of today's Christ Church Cathedral. King Brian Boru defeated the Vikings in the battle of Clontarf in 1014 and in 1170 the Normans finally drove out the Norsemen. Henry the second started to develop Dublin as a City. During the sixteenth century the English quashed the Irish revolts from their Dublin headquarters, and after the battle of the Boyne in 1690 the English consolidated their power by erecting new buildings all around Dublin. Georgian style buildings multiplied during the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries and evidence of this work is still to be seen today. Many of these buildings have been restored to their former glory. Since the Dublin millennium in 1988, there have been several attempts to renovate the heart of the City, and during the 1990's EC funds have helped to revamp areas such as Temple bar.
General Post Office (GPO). Always identified with
the Easter Rising in 1916, and the place where Patrick
Pearse took shelter during it. Built in 1818, it still bears some of the scars
and bullet marks inflicted on it during the rising.
Dublin Castle was under British control for almost 700 years. It was built in the early thirteenth century and was the seat of the Viceroys and later the government. It was also used as a prison and finally became the property of the Irish state in 1922.
College Green, originally a park which was used as a market is today dominated by the Bank of Ireland. It was constructed in 1729 as a parliament building and was sold to the bank in 1800 when Parliament disbanded itself when the Act of Union went into effect.
Trinity College, the city's education centre. This university was founded in 1591, but Catholics were not allowed to earn academic degrees until 1873. The Colleges libraries house around 8 million books and the Long Room in the Old Library is the main attraction. The Treasury houses the Book of Kells (at least until further notice). Contrary to popular belief a page is not turned every day but only every month or so as the book is too fragile for daily exertions.
The National Museum in Kildare Street houses exhibits from seven hundred years and the collection is very extensive. You will need plenty of time to view the collection.
St Stephen's Green was landscaped in 1880 by Lord Ardilaun. During day the green is an oasis of peace in the midst of a busy City.
O'Connell Bridge is at the centre of the city and at the head of the bridge is the statue of Daniel O'Connell the Liberator, who pushed through the act of emancipation in 1829. The British sentenced him to death in 1843 but the sentence was repealed.
The Four Courts. An impressive an easily recognizable building on the North bank of the river Liffey.
Places to rest. There are many nice tea houses and hotels to rest your feet in Dublin. Bewley's coffee houses are an eternal favorite with visitors, the main ones are located in Henry Street, Westmoreland Street and Grafton Street. The Shelbourne Hotel, at the junction of Kildare Street and St. Stephen's Green, is always available for a coffee stop or something more substantial.
To be continued...
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