The West Wing
At Corrymeela, I live in a building called Coventry along with several other volunteers. Prior to arriving here in early January, the year-long volunteers had named the four housing wings in the building. I am pleased to say that I live in room # 1 in The West Wing. One of my favourite TV programs!
Dublin
On March 18, I made the journey by bus to Dublin, a place I have wanted to visit for some time. Arriving there around 11:30 am, it seemed that at least some of the St. Patrick's Day celebrations were about to break out at any time again; or maybe that's how people dress everyday.
Trinity College
After a short walk from the bus station to the city centre, the first stop was Trinity College. Created in 1592, the university has since established itself as a highly respected academic centre. In its development, Trinity was influenced by Oxford, Cambridge and some universities in Europe. From the outset, the college's library has been a priority and today it contains an incredible collection of original texts, including the Book of Kells.
I enjoyed the guided tour of the campus, but the main reason for visiting Trinity was to see the Books of Kells and the library. The Book of Kells is an illuminated manuscript containing the four Gospels of the New Testament along with various other texts and tables. It was created by Celtic monks around 800 and is a master piece of calligraphy. It is widely considered as Ireland's finest national treasure. The decoration on the texts combine traditional Christian iconography with ornate patterns. There are figures of humans, animals and mythical beasts as well as Celtic knots.
Photos were not allowed in the library or of the Book of Kells, which is understandable but also disappointing as there is no way words can come close to describing these things.
Bewley's Coffee
A long standing landmark on Grafton St. is Bewley's Cafe, where one can reputedly get the best coffee in Ireland hand roasted on site. The bakery and restaurant offer a great selection of sweets, breads, sandwiches, salads, pizzas, pastas. While I did not have a reservation, I managed to find a seat which seemed to be a significant accomplishment after observing how busy it was.
Neary's Pub
A short distance from Bewley's is Neary's Pub - a small, welcoming establishment recommended by a friend who used to live/work in Dublin. It was not a long stay at Neary's, but I did enjoy a Connemara Whiskey which is the closest I have come to a Scottish single malt in Ireland.The atmosphere was great and it was not overrun with customers. I'd like to return to Neary's the next time I'm in Dublin.
Temple Bar
Before heading to Dublin, several people suggested that I visit the Temple Bar area of the city. It's close to the city centre, so is easy to walk there. Temple Bar is known for its medieval street pattern with many narrow, cobblestone streets. It is promoted as the cultural centre of Dublin and has a lively nightlife popular with tourists. There are many arts and cultural organizations in Temple Bar along with an incredible array of cafes, restaurants and pubs. I strolled around this area for a while without any specific destination in mind (just to be clear - it was morning and I wasn't looking for a beer or whiskey) and very much enjoyed the sights. Some things were totally unexpected such as The Mongolian Barbeque restaurant. Walking through Temple Bar certainly leaves one with the impression that Ireland's reputation as a party place is well earned.
Stay tuned for another post on Dublin and one on Glendalough.
At Corrymeela, I live in a building called Coventry along with several other volunteers. Prior to arriving here in early January, the year-long volunteers had named the four housing wings in the building. I am pleased to say that I live in room # 1 in The West Wing. One of my favourite TV programs!
Dublin
On March 18, I made the journey by bus to Dublin, a place I have wanted to visit for some time. Arriving there around 11:30 am, it seemed that at least some of the St. Patrick's Day celebrations were about to break out at any time again; or maybe that's how people dress everyday.
Trinity College
After a short walk from the bus station to the city centre, the first stop was Trinity College. Created in 1592, the university has since established itself as a highly respected academic centre. In its development, Trinity was influenced by Oxford, Cambridge and some universities in Europe. From the outset, the college's library has been a priority and today it contains an incredible collection of original texts, including the Book of Kells.
I enjoyed the guided tour of the campus, but the main reason for visiting Trinity was to see the Books of Kells and the library. The Book of Kells is an illuminated manuscript containing the four Gospels of the New Testament along with various other texts and tables. It was created by Celtic monks around 800 and is a master piece of calligraphy. It is widely considered as Ireland's finest national treasure. The decoration on the texts combine traditional Christian iconography with ornate patterns. There are figures of humans, animals and mythical beasts as well as Celtic knots.
Photos were not allowed in the library or of the Book of Kells, which is understandable but also disappointing as there is no way words can come close to describing these things.
Bewley's Coffee
A long standing landmark on Grafton St. is Bewley's Cafe, where one can reputedly get the best coffee in Ireland hand roasted on site. The bakery and restaurant offer a great selection of sweets, breads, sandwiches, salads, pizzas, pastas. While I did not have a reservation, I managed to find a seat which seemed to be a significant accomplishment after observing how busy it was.
Neary's Pub
A short distance from Bewley's is Neary's Pub - a small, welcoming establishment recommended by a friend who used to live/work in Dublin. It was not a long stay at Neary's, but I did enjoy a Connemara Whiskey which is the closest I have come to a Scottish single malt in Ireland.The atmosphere was great and it was not overrun with customers. I'd like to return to Neary's the next time I'm in Dublin.
Temple Bar
Before heading to Dublin, several people suggested that I visit the Temple Bar area of the city. It's close to the city centre, so is easy to walk there. Temple Bar is known for its medieval street pattern with many narrow, cobblestone streets. It is promoted as the cultural centre of Dublin and has a lively nightlife popular with tourists. There are many arts and cultural organizations in Temple Bar along with an incredible array of cafes, restaurants and pubs. I strolled around this area for a while without any specific destination in mind (just to be clear - it was morning and I wasn't looking for a beer or whiskey) and very much enjoyed the sights. Some things were totally unexpected such as The Mongolian Barbeque restaurant. Walking through Temple Bar certainly leaves one with the impression that Ireland's reputation as a party place is well earned.
Stay tuned for another post on Dublin and one on Glendalough.
This looks like a place I'll have to put on my bucket list. I love the old cobble-stone and pubs on every street corner (it seems). The Temple bar looks wonderful. And the Book of Kels.... now that's something I would LOVE to see. Great to get to follow along with you Ernie. Big hugs!
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