|
|
THERE IS PLENTY TO SEE AND DO IN DUBLIN |
||||||
|
Christ Church Cathedral, incorporating Dvblinia, is located at the western end of Lord Edward Street. The original church was wooden and built by Sitric Silkenbeard, King of Norse Dublin, in 1038. However, in 1169 the church was rebuilt in stone by Richard De Clare, Earl of Pembroke, better known as Strongbow and the church serves as his final resting place. St. Patrick’s Cathedral, where Jonathan Swift, author of Gulliver’s Travels, was Dean from 1713 – 1745. St. Michan’s Church, whose walls tend to mummify corpses buried there due to the magnesium limestone walls which absorb moisture resulting in this macabre attraction. St. Audoen’s Church in High Street, home of the three oldest bells in Ireland and where a fragment of the medieval town walls of Dublin and St Audoen’s Arch, sole survivor of the town gates, can still be found. Other buildings of note and open to the public are: The Bank of Ireland ,located at College Green which was originally built to house the Irish Parliament. Trinity College situated at the east side of College Green and whose library, by an Act in 1801, has the right to one copy of every book printed in Ireland and Britain. Some of its oldest treasures are Egyptian papyri and some Greek and Latin manuscripts. However its greatest treasure is the beautifully illuminated Book of kells, which dates from the late 8 th or early 9 th Century depicting the four gospels. The Customs House, which sits majestically on the north bank of the River Liffey. The building was designed by James Gandon, and was built between 1781 and 1791. In 1921 it was virtually burned to the ground and many valuable documents and records were destroyed. The building was partly restored in 1926, however was not completely restored until 1991. Dublin Castle, located in the west end of Dame Street ( to the rear of City Hall ), was the center of English power in Ireland. Today, it is open to the public and is frequently used for important international meetings. Intending visitors should check for opening times prior to visiting. Telephone: (01) 677 7580 or (01) 677 7129. The Four Courts, at Inns Quay, is dominated by the great domed central mass. The excellent statues on the pediment are by Edward Smyth Moses flanked by Justice and Mercy, with Wisdom and Authority sitting in the corners. Kilmainham Jail, has been restored as a memorial to Irish patriots and is now and historical museum. The General Post Office, O’Connell Street, was the Headquarters for the Irish Volunteers during the 1916 Rising and from here the Republic was proclaimed. However, all that remains today of Francis Johnson’s work is the Classical facade. Mansion House, Dawson Street, is the official residence of the Lord Mayor and has been since 1715. The first Dail Eireann (Irish Parliament) met here on 21 st January 1919 to adopt Ireland’s Declaration of Independence and ratify the proclamation of the Irish Republic. Leinster House, Kildare Street, serves today as Ireland’s Parliament House. The public can attend debates in both The Senate and Dail Eireann and admission tickets can be obtained from deputies, senators or the Superintendent of the Dail. Powerscourt Town House, South William Street, was built for the Viscount of Powerscourt by Robert Mack in 1774. These buildings are now part of one of Dublin’s most elegant shopping arcades. |
||||||
