“If I can get to the heart of Dublin, I can get the heart of all the cities of the world.”
—James Joyce
This site describes the highlights of our visit to Dublin from October 1 to October 25, 2019. The idea was to go to Dublin in the off season, when the city would not be crowded with tourists and we would have an easier time getting around and seeing what we wanted to see. With no fixed agenda and lots of time, we got a good feel for Dublin in its transition from fall to winter.
Of the 4.8 million people in the Republic of Ireland, 1.8 million reside in the Dublin area. Dublin’s population is 565,000. As major cities go, Dublin is small, but that makes it easier to get around, especially when walking. However, Stephanie sprained her ankle early in our stay, so we relied more heavily on the excellent public transportation than on walking.
Weather
The October weather in Dublin was similar to Seattle, with daytime temperatures ranging from 50° to 60° F. At this time of year the weather changes quickly. We often had periods of rain and sun, cold and warm, all in the same day. It’s a maritime climate, ranging from sunny fall days to bone-chilling, damp cold and bitter winds. Winters are mild and summers cool. It rarely snows in Dublin.
Laurence Court, Harold’s Cross, Dublin
We stayed at an AirBnb apartment in a section of town called Harold’s Cross. In medieval times, it was a village outside of Dublin. No one is sure where the name of Harold’s Cross came from. There was a nice little park nearby called Harold’s Cross Park.
We had a one-bedroom apartment at Laurence Court.
At the north end of the park, a cross commemorates the Fourth Battalion, Dublin Brigade of the I.R.A. (1954). It is an example of a Celtic cross, a style that combines the pagan symbol of the circle with the Christian cross. Celtic crosses are a frequent sight in Ireland.
Irish History
Visiting Dublin, an understanding of the broad outlines of Irish history is helpful in understanding the experience. Archeological evidence shows prehistoric societies in Ireland as far back as 10,000 BC. The Romans never conquered Ireland, but over several centuries beginning around 700 BC Celtic tribes established a dominant language, culture, and pagan religion. The Celts were tribes from Great Britain and Europe. We saw some ancient prehistoric monuments at Tara and Newgrange. The National Museum of Archeology has lots of artifacts from this period.
In the 5th century AD Saint Patrick famously brought Christianity to Ireland. The Catholic Church wielded considerable influence in Ireland until threatened by Viking invasions in the 8th century. But within 100 years the Vikings had settled in Ireland and adopted Christianity. We visited two sites from this period: Baltinglass and Glendalough. The early 12th century Anglo-Normans from France conquered Ireland with their legendary leader Strongbow, King of Leinster.
Modern Irish history is largely a chronicle of British conquest and Irish resistance to British rule, which began in 1653. One big problem was that the British were Anglicans (thanks to Henry VIII), and they tried to convert the Irish away from Catholicism. There were several Irish resistance movements, including one in 1798 that was inspired by the American revolution. The National Museum of Decorative Arts and History gives you a good sense of what it was like to live during this period. 1916 was a pivotal year for Irish independence as it was the year of the Easter Rising, or simply called “the Rising.” Although the British brutally suppressed the Rising and executed its leaders, the independence movement grew and conflict escalated leading the establishment of the Irish Free State in 1924. At the Trinity College Library we saw an original printing of the Proclamation of the Republic, their declaration of independence from 1916.
Today, of the 32 counties of Ireland, 26 comprise the Republic of Ireland, with Dublin as its capital. Six counties of Ulster comprise Northern Ireland, with Belfast as its capital. Northern Ireland is part of the United Kingdom. The conflict over the partitioning of Northern Ireland caused a lot of tragic violence in the twentieth century. The Irish refer to this violent conflict as “the Troubles.” The Good Friday Agreement of 1998 brought a political resolution and the end of armed conflict. If Britain withdraws from the European Union, then Northern Ireland would be out of the union, while the Republic of Ireland would remain in. That new distinction is creating a lot of policy issues that have to be resolved. There is a great deal of uncertainty in Ireland about Brexit right now.
Welcome | Getting Around | Museums | Music | Architecture | Other Sights | Beyond Dublin
Dublin 2019 