O'How I-Rish to Find the Pot of Gold: Touristy Stuff

Started off my weekend going to a "Beer Garden" starting at the Pav-the campus pub of Trinity College. There were posters up advertising it around Trinity College and so the only people I met at this event were people working in the labs. Some of them were in labs of some of the other SPUR ON students in my program. Caroline, Julia, and Alexa explained to me that a beer garden was similar to a pub crawl, but to pubs with outdoor areas (get it? garden?).

The next day (Saturday), I awoke to the sun shining through my window. The past week has been nothing but clouds, rain, and cold--I'm talking 50 degrees. So this sun, was a sure sign of a great day. I packed my backpack and left the apartment deciding I needed a day to myself (convenient because most of the others were out of town). I went first to the National Museum of Ireland-Archaeology.

The first section began with rocks from Ireland from the Paleolithic Era (~15,000 BC) in which they had not found any evidence of human inhabitants in Ireland.

However, preserved in bogs, they found these nets from about 5300 BC used to catch fish.

There were also axe heads- not very sharp and pretty crude from around 7,000 BC.

This is known as the Lurgan Canoe. It was found preserved in a bog in Co. Galway in 1902. Dates back to 2500 BC. (12.5 meters in length).

I know this is creepy, but I find burials from history interesting, so bear with me... This is called a cist burial and dates back to 2500 BC. The bowl next to the female was common during this era.. its known as a food bowl. Common also was the crouched position.

By 1400 BC swords and battle armor was surfacing in Ireland. And by 400 BC, someone decided the wheel was a good idea....

There was also a large gold exhibit dating from 2200 BC ..

to 200 BC..

After this prehistoric section.. I moved into a room known as "The Treasury" which held celtic art as well as relics. The relics began as early as AD 431, when the missionary bishop Paladius brought with him to Ireland relics of apostles Peter and Paul. Relics were believed to "have the power to cure illness and bring good fortune during battle"and were used also to swear oaths and seal contracts and treaties. Christian relics began with the veneration of the tombs of holy men and women and divided up and placed in protective containers (called relics).

St. Patrick's Shrine (6th-8th century AD)

St. Patricks Bell (1100 AD)

The Cross of Cong. This is really interesting because in the center where the "glass circle" is.. there used to be a piece of the "True Cross" (Jesus's cross I am assuming). The Cross of Cong was made to enshrine the piece of the cross which was acquired in AD 1122 by the High King of Ireland (Toirrdelbach Ua Conchobair). The relic (or the piece of the cross) is now missing...

This next part, is also really really cool.. There was a dark room where no flash was allowed because the objects in the room were incredibly light sensitive. In Ireland, many people use peat as a source of fuel for heating their homes. Peat can be harvested in bogs. A man happened to be collecting peat when a book fell out of his bucket. It is known as the book of Psalters or Psalms. It is a translated Latin version of the Book of Psalms that dates back to circa 800 AD.

This was on display as well as the cover...

http://www.museum.ie/en/exhibition/list/ten-major-pieces.aspx?article=220bc4b8-914b-4972-867f-47ca900ffea5

I continued making my way through the museum. I visited Viking and Medieval Ireland, as well as an Ancient Egyptian exhibit which had mummies on display.

I also saw some disturbing displays from the Kingship and Sacrifice exhibit. Again, bogs had preserved even people. There were 3 men on display who had been killed and thrown into the area where the bog was--men who died circa 300 BC. I couldn't find it in me to photograph these. It didn't feel right, but if you're interested, they are on google. These men still had skin, even facial hair. Incredibly weird... The scientists could explain how they were killed, what diet they had, and what their last meal was before they died...

After a light lunch in the museum cafe, I decided to head next door to the National Library of Dublin, but I didn't tour it or go through it, the sun had completely revealed itself and I decided to sit on the steps of the library and read.

Afterwards, I was on my way to Georgian Dublin area when I ran into a "zombie parade" which was raising money for cancer societies.

Pretty comical..

And finally, I went to tour Georgian Mansion Number 29. Its a house built in 1796 and restored with the same wall paper print and furniture. Unfortunately cameras were not allowed on this tour, but I found these online....

lady's drawing room, where she had breakfast and changed.

governess's room, floor is stenciled wood.

kitchen

dining room

family drawing room

main drawing room, where guests were to be entertained. http://www.virtualvisit-dublin.com/gallery.aspx?dataid=533498&title=Museums+and+Galleries

I thought this house was absolutely beautiful. I was sad there was no picture taking allowed.

And finally, I ended the day laying in the sun in Merrion Park listening to the end of a park concert choir.

Sunday, Melike, Matt and I took the LUAS (dublin train) to Dublin Zoo. Now, I thought this was a bit silly.. the Zoo is pretty close.. and Dublin has rental bikes everywhere (including right outside our apartment). and we knew we wanted to ride bikes through Phoenix Park (where the zoo is).. but instead we took a train to the zoo? Heh.. wasn't my idea... This zoo is pretty old (180 years), and I suppose you see one zoo, you see em all, but I still get really happy going to them..