The first part of the day was clear, but we decided to go and check out Kilmainham Gaol (in Irish: Príosún Chill Mhaighnean), a prison-turned-museum where many Irish rebels were imprisoned and often executed. The front door (above) was the site of two gallows where many of the executions took place. The entwined serpents held in chains represent the "evil" that was contained within the jail.
The altar at Kilmainham Gaol, where 28-year-old Joseph Plunkett (Irish nationalist and rebel leader of the 1916 Easter Rising) married his sweetheart, Grace Gifford, just hours before his execution.
Peepholes used by Kilmainham Gaol guards to check on prisoners. A larger hole for shining a lamp through is situated just below.
Alas, I was a rebel, and they got me.
The panopticon at Kilmainham Gaol. This design emphasized surveillance at all times. The sunroof was designed to let in the "light of God" to help with the reformation of prisoners.
Left: Courtyard leading to the execution yard at Kilmainham Gaol.
Right: This cross marks the spot where James Connolly, a rebel leader of the 1916 Easter Rising, was executed by firing squad while tied to a chair because he could not stand. An identical cross on the opposite side of the courtyard marks the execution spot of 13 other 1916 Easter Rising men.
An intense, heartfelt moment between J and Paige after leaving the execution yard.
After the seriousness of Kilmainham Gaol, our Literary Pub Crawl was a perfect way to perk up. Two professional Dublin actors served as our tour guides, performing scenes from famous pieces of Dublin literature, like this tidbit from Samuel Beckett's Waiting for Godot in the Duke Pub.
The pub crawl included a stop at Trinity College, where one of the actors performed an excerpt from one of Oscar Wilde's letters about a visit to the Rocky Mountains.
Hallie gettin' her Irish coffee on!
As you can see, Dubliners are extremely philosophical.
Today (Friday) was a free day, and Paige's birthday (HAPPY BIRTHDAY PAIGE!!!). I was feeling a bit under the weather, so I stuck around at the hotel and rested up, but I did manage to run into a security guard from the Jameson distillery who was more than obliged to set up a free tour for me tomorrow evening. I always get ready for an onslaught of stereotypes when I tell Irish people I'm from Texas (one guy unceremoniously broke into a rendition of the Beverly Hillbillies theme song the other night), but this guy and a most others didn't seem to care (perhaps because I don't have an accent). Conversely, almost every Californian (who hasn't been to Austin) that I've met can't seem to hold back their unwarranted prejudice and ignorance when I tell them I'm from Texas ( typical questions/comments include: "So, where's your accent? You must feel strange not riding a horse to school. How is it living in the desert?").
Conclusion: Dubliners are inherently more respectful and unassuming than SoCal-ers (for the most part).
Interesting, n'est-ce pas?
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