This morning, after dropping the car off at the airport, I made my way in by bus to Dublin to do some urban hiking.
I decided to walk up to the Glasnevin Cemetery and along the way came across an old lock which is no larger used.
Glasnevin Cemetery (a little history of the cemetery from Maps.me)
Prior to the establishment of Glasnevin Cemetery, Irish Catholics had no cemeteries of their own in which to bury their dead and, as the repressive Penal Laws of the eighteenth century placed heavy restrictions on the public performance of Catholic services, it had become normal practice for Catholics to conduct a limited version of their own funeral services in Protestant churchyards or graveyards. This situation continued until an incident at a funeral held at St. Kevin's Churchyard in 1823 provoked public outcry when a Protestant sexton reprimanded a Catholic priest for proceeding to perform a limited version of a funeral mass. The outcry prompted Daniel O'Connell (his remains are in the tower) champion of Catholic rights, to launch a campaign and prepare a legal opinion proving that there was actually no law passed forbidding praying for a dead Catholic in a graveyard. O'Connell pushed for the opening of a burial ground in which both Irish Catholics and Protestants could give their dead dignified burial.
Church of the Resurrection
The Catholic Mass is celebrated by members of the parish clergy every Sunday at 9.45 am. The annual blessing of the graves takes place each summer as it has done since the foundation of the cemetery in 1832.
Glasnevin Cemetery was consecrated and opened to the public for the first time on 21 February 1832. The first burial, that of eleven-year-old Michael Carey from Francis Street in Dublin, took place on the following day in a section of the cemetery known as Curran's Square.
There's quite a variety of headstones and many with the Celtic Symbol.
While I was taking pictures and looking at the different headstones, an older gentleman who was walking his dog through the graveyard stopped and started chatting with me about some of the history in this graveyard. Je asked me if I wanted to join him as he did a quick 20-minute walk around and he would share some of the stones and history with me. I gladly accepted.
The first headstone that we stopped at he shared the number of family buried on the same gravesite ...16 family members buried together. He explained that there's 1.4 million population in Dublin today and in this graveyard there are over 1.5 million people buried.
This stone was of a police constable who was assassinated in Dublin in 1866. His workers had a great deal of respect for him and they paid for this original grave stonework.
On this headstone, his wife indicated she would never cease to mourn as long as God almighty spares his life. He died in 1880, it's she still mourning him? She is not added to this headstone. Lol
Edward Hollywood was well know for the fact that he designed the colours of the flag for Ireland.
To commemorate this they placed a flag pole beside his headstone.
Beside the graveyard was the National Botanic Garden and I decided to have quickly explore this area.The gardens were founded in 1795.
Walking back I decided to walk along the canal. I passed by lock 5, 4 and 3.
Lots of birds along this path including this friendly swan.
After taking a couple of hours rest, I headed back out for the evening to explore the nightlife of Dublin.
Some of the building's were lit up nicely.
It is generally thought that the street known as Temple Bar got its name from the Temple family, whose progenitor Sir William Temple built a house and gardens there in the early 1600s. Temple had moved to Ireland in 1599 with the expeditionary force of the Earl of Essex, for whom he served as secretary. (He had previously been secretary of Sir Philip Sydney until the latter was killed in battle.) After Essex was beheaded for treason in 1601, Temple "retired into private life", but he was then solicited to become provost of Trinity College, serving from 1609 until his death in 1627 at age 72. William Temple's son John became the "Master of the Rolls in Ireland" and was the author of a famous pamphlet excoriating the native Irish population for an uprising in 1641. John's son William Temple became a famous English statesman.
In the 18th century Temple Bar was the centre of prostitution in Dublin. During the 19th century, the area slowly declined in popularity, and in the 20th century, it suffered from urban decay, with many derelict buildings.
Christ Church Cathedral , more formally The Cathedral of the Holy Trinity has quite the history.
Amazing architecture.
After the enjoyable day walking around Dublin, I decided I will follow the fiddle music. I made my way into the Temple Bar and had meself a cold brew and listen to some Celtic music.
Great music.
On my way back I came across this alley and that it was certainly picture worthy ... another wonderful day.
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