Digging More Deeply in Dublin

I was able to go back to Dublin again this weekend. Of the major European cities I have visited in my life, I am certain I have been to Dublin the most times. It is a fine city, a “fair city,” and a very walkable city. This time I was able to be there with my wife for a few days. She and I have been there together two times before, so this was a return for both of us. Yet, our time in Dublin this time was leisurely and self-directed. We did what we wanted without any timelines or schedules to follow. For me, I was able to see things I had never really seen before, or things I wanted to see in more depth. We looked at Christchurch Cathedral and took time to follow along with the self-guided tour to see the burial site of Strongbow, a rare copy of the Magna Carta, and some amazing architectural features like stained glass windows and ornately tiled floors. We were in no rush. The original building dates to 1080, so there are many layers to explore. It was wonderful to have the time to take it in fully.

    We also went to Dublin Castle, which I have seen many times before, but I have never toured the state rooms. It is a place full of grandeur and history. It was here that Ireland was handed over to the Irish, ceremonially to Michael Collins, and it is also here where James Connolly spent his last days before he was executed for his involvement in the Easter Rising. In other places, like the Throne Room, the Irish government decided to leave the building, with all its English details and decorations to remind itself about its past. Above the throne there is a lion (representing England) and a unicorn (representing Scotland). Each animal has a harp in its clutches.

    The symbolism is strikingly clear. But other elements are there to represent the Irish as an independent nation, including many artworks that have been added to the collections by Irish artists, and many portraits of modern Irish leaders. The last room of the tour is Saint Patrick’s Hall, a place where many banquets, state dinners, inaugurations, balls, and ceremonies have been held. A display provides details of the visit of Queen Elizabeth II in 2011 where she laid a wreath at the Garden of Remembrance and talked about the complexity of English / Irish relations over their long history. She stated that now “we can all see the things that we wish had been done differently, or not at all.” In the video of her speech, I was delighted to see Seamus Heaney sitting at her table. The poet is given pride of place. Then we also saw the Chester Beatty Library, which is chocked full of very early manuscripts and illuminated texts. It is a marvelous collection. There is much more to explore in Dublin if we ever return. Like Christchurch Cathedral, it has a long history, and many complex layers to explore.