Walking the streets of Dublin - a little Irish magic

Some may be wondering "why the trip". Well, YC was awarded a grant to do some research in Dublin (Her research involves Thomas MacDonagh,* poet and teacher, and one of the leaders of the Easter Uprising who was executed for same).  DH and I asked permission to join her and got on a plane.

I located a hotel within an easy walk of the National Archives (AND shopping, St. Stephen's Green, and Dublin Castle, among other things). It also happened to be one block from the airport bus stop, and the National Museum and National Library.

IRISH MAGIC:

1. The documents sought were at the National Library, not the National Archives. YC merely walked out the door of our hotel and across the street to do her research.

2. The International Academy of Ceramics was holding its biennial meeting (46th General Assembly) in Dublin the week we were to arrive. [It was also Irish Fringe so Dublin was buzzing with activity.]

3. MC was able to get a four day pass to join us for the weekend.**


WALKS:

1. Dublin streets scenes/signs

The view our our window (on the 4th floor, mind you) was Trinity University.
 

Some mornings in Ireland dawned with a low mist covering everything. This is the same view of Trinity U.

The ice cream man was parked outside of St. Patrick's Cathedral. I loved seeing all the children with their parents.

This plaque is on the grounds of St. Patrick's.

There is all kinds of art on the streets of Dublin. These "points" are later echoed and expanded in The Spire*** we saw for the first time.

Yeah, I am always interested in messages and hundetoilettes.

We read this sign and looked around for the "Green Man."

Then we found him. While he looks more yellow than green, there is a greenish tinge to his outfit.

Pillars at the General Post Office**** still show the bullet holes from the Uprising. It is one of the few spots in Dublin I must see when I go there. I need to go by the GPO. I still remember standing there in 1977 and writing my parents that I was safe in Dublin. Remember - we had no cell phones or computers and had to write letters.

Another view of the GPO

Side door at the GPO with Irish sign over.

Post Office

The Spire***

Art on the utility box

Another decorated utility box.

Boat sculpture along the Liffey.

Colorful display in sewing shop

Sidewalk basement skylight patched with different glass and wood. I love these.

We raided one of these stacks in 2007 to construct a box for a "souvenir." Don't ask. These satisfy my recycler/artist/hoarder eye.

2. Ceramics at Dublin Castle and elsewhere

I took many photos of ceramics on display at the assembly, in galleries, and in museums. I hesitate to post them here for fear of erroneous attribution. Most of the photos were taken as inspiration for me and fellow students back home.

I do think it is appropriate to share one installation. It is by Lillian Torlen, from Oslo. Entitled Resonance, the work is installed on and around one of the gates of Dublin Castle.***** The work appears as if someone dropped a file and the papers scattered in the wind. The work is made of porcelain. These porcelain sheets are "caught by the wind, scattered and held momentarily on the walls...."

My initial response to the work was surprise. There was an instinct to try and help the person whose papers were blowing.

The work fascinated most who passed by. I would have loved to see the installation.

Business men walk by.

The work had such movement. You feel like you can see the "sheets" blowing.

I wonder how these were installed high on the building.

Closeup view of one "page."

OK. I cannot help myself.

Of the other works I saw I must write about these clay spheres called Whisper 1-10 by Deirdre Hawthorne.****** They were compelling. Somehow my judgment is often based on how much I want to "touch" a piece. I was dying to examine these more closely.

There were 10 of these fist sized Whispers, all beautifully fired.

I was also fascinated by the ceramic balls and ceramic burial containers found in the National Museum.

The incised designs here drew my eye.

Differing shapes of containers.

3. St. Stephen's Green:

Now this place is a park. And people were wandering through, feeding birds, sunning, reading the paper and taking photos. At one point I found someone taking photos of me taking photos.

It would be a dream to live near a city park like this.

Man feeding the swans.

One of the ponds. [I heard somewhere the Guinness family paid for the ponds to be built]

Flowers and walkers.

Pigeon man

He shows others how to feed the birds out of their hands.

One of the park gates.

Boy and swan

Not sure why this guy was taking my picture.

In addition to swans and pigeons, sea birds were swimming in the ponds.

More swans.

I spent a good deal of time in St. Stephen's - taking short cuts, taking photos, watching the people and the birds, and just strolling in the shade. It is an amazing place.


NOTES:

*http://www.nli.ie/1916/pdf/4.3.pdf
 http://www.cloughjordan.ie/history/macdonagh.htm
**No, OC was not able to come on this trip. She stayed home to work AND took care of things around the house, so we shopped for her - hard.
*** http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spire_of_Dublin
****http://www.anpost.ie/AnPost/History+and+Heritage/History/1916+Rising/
*****http://www.norwegiancrafts.no/whats-on/in-the-margins-of-our-minds/629
****** http://www.deirdrehawthorne.com/

Photos from visit 9-8-14 through 9-19-14.