We will head for home on Sunday, so I thought I’d share a few last Dublin moments. That would be Molly Malone there with her cockles and mussels. People rub her bosoms for good luck, that’s why they are all shiny.
I keep telling you these folks love their beer. Not sure if these kegs are coming or going.
The Irish also love their flowers. For every French woman in Paris with a baguette in her tote bag, I swear we saw an Irish woman carrying a bouquet home with her.
My husband and I love cemeteries and had to make a visit to Dublin’s famous Glasnevin. It was so beautiful. We were on an organized tour, which was so informative. We wandered along wide shaded paths and thoroughly enjoyed learning about Ireland’s troubled history and all the souls who found Glasnevin their final resting place.
Some of Ireland’s most prominent national figures are buried here, including Michael Collins, the nationalist leader who died in the Irish Civil War for Independence in 1922. He is much beloved and it is said that 500,000 people attended his burial.
That’s our cute tour guide telling us about the life and untimely death of hero Michael Collins. Just prior to us arriving at his grave something rather extraordinary happened.
See the the man standing second on the right next to the lady in the red jacket? We were at the memorial of “the forgotten ten”, a group of ten young members of the Irish Republican Army who were executed by the British in 1920. There was one young man named Kevin Barry who has become a huge hero, largely based on a popular song that was composed about him. This song is close to the hearts of many Irish, particularly the older generation. Kevin was a medical student who was conducting a mission that ended unsuccessfully. He was captured by the British and hung at Mountjoy Prison in Dublin with nine other rebels. That is the backstory.
What happened on our tour was, the gentleman in blue stepped up to the graveside and began to sing the entire Kevin Barry ballad in the most exquisite tenor voice. He sang all the verses and by the end we were all in tears. So moving.
In Mountjoy jail one Monday morning
High upon the gallows tree,
Kevin Barry gave his young life
For the cause of liberty.
Just a lad of eighteen summers,
Still there's no one can deny,
As he walked to death that morning,
He proudly held his head on high.
Chorus
Shoot me like an Irish soldier.
Do not hang me like a dog,
For I fought to free old Ireland
On that still September morn.
These are just some of the lyrics. Go ahead and Google "Kevin Barry Ballad" and read the entire thing. It is very full of feeling. And just imagine that man's perfect tenor voice ringing out in that quiet sacred place. Chills.
We have found the Irish to be passionate, sentimental, and fiercely proud of their hard worn independence. I feel we have in this visit, managed to get a real feeling for the Irish and what matters to them.
Hope you enjoyed my little travelogues!
42 responses to “A Few Last Scenes of Dublin”
Thank you for sharing!! Have very much enjoyed your travels along the way with you. I have Irish blood, but have never visited Ireland.
Thank you for sharing!! Have very much enjoyed your travels along the way with you. I have Irish blood, but have never visited Ireland.
Thank you for sharing!! Have very much enjoyed your travels along the way with you. I have Irish blood, but have never visited Ireland.
Thank you so much for blogging while you’ve traveled. I’ve enjoyed reading about what you’re seeing & experiencing! Wishing you both a safe journey home.
Thank you so much for blogging while you’ve traveled. I’ve enjoyed reading about what you’re seeing & experiencing! Wishing you both a safe journey home.
Thank you so much for blogging while you’ve traveled. I’ve enjoyed reading about what you’re seeing & experiencing! Wishing you both a safe journey home.
I loved your little travelogues! Thanks so much for sharing some of your experiences of this trip.
I loved your little travelogues! Thanks so much for sharing some of your experiences of this trip.
I loved your little travelogues! Thanks so much for sharing some of your experiences of this trip.
Love your travelogues! That special song at the graveyard is an amazing story. I’d love to see Ireland someday. My great-great grandparents on my Dad’s side immigrated from County Cork in the the 1800s so I’ve got Irish blood 🙂
Love your travelogues! That special song at the graveyard is an amazing story. I’d love to see Ireland someday. My great-great grandparents on my Dad’s side immigrated from County Cork in the the 1800s so I’ve got Irish blood 🙂
Love your travelogues! That special song at the graveyard is an amazing story. I’d love to see Ireland someday. My great-great grandparents on my Dad’s side immigrated from County Cork in the the 1800s so I’ve got Irish blood 🙂
What a wonderful moment and memory to treasure of your visit to this beautiful cemetery. Love unexpected moments like this when traveling. Safe travels home.
What a wonderful moment and memory to treasure of your visit to this beautiful cemetery. Love unexpected moments like this when traveling. Safe travels home.
What a wonderful moment and memory to treasure of your visit to this beautiful cemetery. Love unexpected moments like this when traveling. Safe travels home.
Thank you so much for sharing your photos and stories of your trip! It looks like a beautiful country.
Thank you so much for sharing your photos and stories of your trip! It looks like a beautiful country.
Thank you so much for sharing your photos and stories of your trip! It looks like a beautiful country.
How very interesting! I appreciate the time you’ve taken to write a about your delightful trip !
Have a wonderful time as you bid Ireland good-bye. Big hugs to Ahren, too!
Hugs!
How very interesting! I appreciate the time you’ve taken to write a about your delightful trip !
Have a wonderful time as you bid Ireland good-bye. Big hugs to Ahren, too!
Hugs!
How very interesting! I appreciate the time you’ve taken to write a about your delightful trip !
Have a wonderful time as you bid Ireland good-bye. Big hugs to Ahren, too!
Hugs!
THank you for sharing this part of your trip. How moving for you. Sounds like you had a terrific time and enjoyed your trip a lot. Safe trip home!
Mary
THank you for sharing this part of your trip. How moving for you. Sounds like you had a terrific time and enjoyed your trip a lot. Safe trip home!
Mary
THank you for sharing this part of your trip. How moving for you. Sounds like you had a terrific time and enjoyed your trip a lot. Safe trip home!
Mary
Thanks for sharing your story with us!
Thanks for sharing your story with us!
Thanks for sharing your story with us!
I’ve really enjoyed hearing about your travels. Thanks for sharing!
I’ve really enjoyed hearing about your travels. Thanks for sharing!
I’ve really enjoyed hearing about your travels. Thanks for sharing!
Thank you for taking time and effort to share this trip with us. So interesting.
Thank you for taking time and effort to share this trip with us. So interesting.
Thank you for taking time and effort to share this trip with us. So interesting.
After your story in the cemetery you will understand why my Irish grandparents would rather I never marry than marry an Englishman! It sounds funny but they meant every word of it! They accepted the wonderful German man I married!
After your story in the cemetery you will understand why my Irish grandparents would rather I never marry than marry an Englishman! It sounds funny but they meant every word of it! They accepted the wonderful German man I married!
After your story in the cemetery you will understand why my Irish grandparents would rather I never marry than marry an Englishman! It sounds funny but they meant every word of it! They accepted the wonderful German man I married!
What an incredible story and how wonderful you got to hear his beautiful voice! A treasured memory for sure.
What an incredible story and how wonderful you got to hear his beautiful voice! A treasured memory for sure.
What an incredible story and how wonderful you got to hear his beautiful voice! A treasured memory for sure.
Thank you so much for sharing your travels with us. I will never be able to go to Ireland, but this has been an awesome alternative!
Thank you so much for sharing your travels with us. I will never be able to go to Ireland, but this has been an awesome alternative!
Thank you so much for sharing your travels with us. I will never be able to go to Ireland, but this has been an awesome alternative!