New Beginnings

With the excitement of Italy behind us, we came home to the joys of accommodation hunting which was proving difficult separately and +Niamh starting her new college course in Healthcare Informatics. When we started to look for a place together, although still hard was more promising. We still had time to enjoy ourselves, with a reception at Harvey Nichols and cinema tickets to see Before I Go To Sleep in Dundrum. My weekend off, was a quiet affair, just spent watching Clare U21 hurlers winning 3 in a row All Ireland titles, followed by a day spent at the zoo, as Niamh put it baby hunting, which was more fun than I thought it was gonna be.

 

After a few weeks with no luck, it all came together on Wednesday the 17th, when despite Niamh ringing a particular estate agent that morning with no luck, I chanced my arm ringing after work at 3. I got a call back just before 4, for a viewing 30 mins later, which couldn't have suited us any better. We nearly fell in love with the apartment as soon as we entered it. I couldn't have ran any quicker to the ATM and back with the holding deposit. On Friday lunchtime, after spending the previous two days packing up my life, we signed our lease for our place and got the keys, which was a great relief after a stressful few weeks. As I had time to kill after unpacking, I decided to make most of culture night, and finally go see the Freemasons buildings on Moleworth Street, a building which has eluded me over the years as their open days never suited me until now. Despite getting totally soaked to the bone, once inside, from the onset it didn't disappoint. Over the 3 levels, the history of the Grand Masonic Lodge was everywhere to see and the Freemasons themselves were on hand to answer any questions. I ended up spending longer here, then I had initially planned. On the route home, as Niamh had ordered thai takeaway, I made a slight detour into the city hall exhibition. An exhibition I was not willing previously to pay into, once inside my reservations were correct, as this exhibition is not worth any price of admission. 

Our parents made the journey up that evening for the weekend, which was nice that the whole moving in was quite the family affair. Whilst I was working all day Saturday, which itself was an ordeal with no delivery and the never ending queues. At least the parents and Niamh had a more enjoyable day, spending it at the zoo at the request of our mother, who not been there in 20 years. However it was poor Niamh's second trip in less than a week. After their eventful trip to the zoo, they strolled from the Phoenix Park towards Collins Barracks museum, which neither of our parents had been to before. Just before exiting the park, Niamh attempted to give 2 strangers directions and somehow they ended up inside the new criminal courts. By Saturday night, both Niamh and myself had moved out of our old places and unpacked and moved into our new one.
                            

After a few technical issues with our UPC order, over the weekend, through social media on Monday and early Tuesday morning, I received the horizon box and got everything sorted, now the place really feels like home. On Friday, our mother decided to visit for the weekend again, which was starting to turn into a habit, arriving just after 11.30pm. The following day, we got up and took her by her request on a hop on hop off tour, which I managed to get on Living Social for 7 euro each for all 3 of us. My mother and myself meet Niamh outside the Little Museum on St Stephen Green, who came after college that morning. The ticket to the museum was included as part of the hop on hop off tour one. Our mother really enjoyed the guided tour of this particular museum, we followed this by continuing on the bus tour, followed by the Docklands one, which Niamh and me hadn't done previously and was a pleasant surprise. Disembarking at the Grand Canal, we strolled over to George's Dock, where Oktoberfest was on. The crowds and the atmosphere was electric and the first time I've drank a Stein glass of beer. This was a nice way to finish a week off work and settling into the new place.

 Things were definitely on the way up, as on October 4th, it was time finally to see +Ed Sheeran in the +3Arena Dublin. Im not sure who was more excited myself or Niamh, and this after we both saw him, the May Bank Holiday Monday in +Vicar Street. Ed really knew how to get the crowd going, which made the whole experience electric. Just like the intimate gig at Vicar street, we left the gig singing all the way home. 

Getting used to our surroundings, we noticed the historical structures, churches and buildings nearby on James and Thomas St, such as Guinness' St James' Gate of course, St Patrick's Smock Tower, St Catherine Church site of Robert Emmet execution and John's Lane Church where there a relic of St. Nicholas and the twelve statues in the niches on the tower are the work of James Pearse, father of Padraig Pearse.

After Croker

After my experience in Croke Park, I strolled back towards town, deciding to go towards IFSC. Walking along the quays, I stopped to admire the Samuel Beckett bridge and the Jeanie Johnston which is a replica of a three masted barque that was originally built in Canada. The original was famous, despite the number of passengers and the long voyage from Ireland to North America, no crew or passenger lives were ever lost on board. Which was unheard of, especially during those famine voyages. The replica performs number of functions such as an ocean going sail training vessel and in port coverts into living history museum on 19th century emigration. I made my way along the quays crossing at the Custom House towards College Green, when it started to pour, so I dashed in for coffee to stay dry.

 Where I decided what to do with the rest of my day around town. So once the rain had eased up slightly, decided to make a visit to the Chester Beatty library. On route I got distracted by the Revenue Museum, located in the crypt of the Chapel Royal in Dublin Castle. In all my years, I never knew this particular museum existed. Admission is free and open weekdays. Among the exhibits are the first set of Exchequer Returns for Saorstát Éireann, a poitin still, stamp duty machine, and examples of counterfeit goods seized at ports and airports. The library is literally a minute walk from this museum. The library is the only museum in Ireland to win European Museum of the Year in 2002. The library houses rich collection of artistic treasures and religions of the world. In the library's diversity, the collection captures much of human creative expression from about 2700 BC to the present day. The admission is free and has a nice roof garden with a view of Dublin Castle in the background.

After my visit here, I made the short walk to City Hall, which is a civic building of Georgian architecture, built between 1769 and 1779 by the Royal Exchange. The circular entrance hall, or Rotunda with its spacious dome, is supported by 12 columns. The Rotunda is open to the public, free of charge, and showcases the Georgian architecture for which Dublin is renowned. 

After my visit, decided to revisit nearby buildings, starting with Christ Church. After Niamh and I doing the Ghost Bus tour and our visit to the crypt at Christ Church, thought it was time, to go explore the cathedral and its grounds. It's the elder of Dublin's two Medieval cathedrals, the other being St Patrick's Cathedral, which was my next port of call. Last Saturday when we visited St Patrick's for Dracula in the Cathedral as part of the Bram Stoker Festival, the nearby St Patrick's park was closed. The park was originally developed by Lord Iveagh 1897, and completed by 1904. He continued to maintain the park for number of year under a join arrangement with Dublin Corporation who took full responsibility in the 1920's. In 1988 a Literary Parade highlighting Irish writers such as Swift, Wilde, Joyce and Yeats and the Liberty Bell Sculpture were added to the park. 

After my calm and tranquil break in the park, I strolled towards Marsh's Library, which is adjacent to the cathedral and is Ireland oldest public library, built in 1701 to the order of Archbishop Narcissus Marsh who is buried just behind the library, in the grounds of the cathedral. The library has a collection of over 25,000 books and 300 manuscripts. The library is on the last 18th century buildings in Ireland still used for its original purpose. It's open to the public with 3 euro admission. 

With the day's activities catching up with me, my last excursion of the day was to the Church of Our Lady of Mount Carmel, located on Whitefriar Street, to visit the relics of St. Valentine. Pope Gregory XVI in 1836 bestowed the relics as a token of esteem to an Irish Carmelite, John Spratt who was visiting Rome and was asked to preach at the famous Jesuit Church in the city, the Gesu. The shrine consists of a wooden casket, on top bears the papal coat of arms of Gregory XVI along with two large gold plates, between which is the inscription: This shrine contains the sacred body of Saint Valentinus the Martyr, together with a small vessel tinged with his blood. This shrine is located to the right side of the church and is visited throughout the year. 

 

Although after all the days excursions and activities, I was completely wrecked, it was still worth it.