Dublin II – Monday, August 6

Got up at 10:30 – jet lag!

Breakfast at hotel - copious!

Merrion Square. 15 minute walk from hotel: a great patch of green. Surrounded by Georgian red brick houses – all 3 or 4 storey high. Colored doors and peacock fanlights (picture above). Developed in mid-18^th century. Became the focal point where moneyed people gathered (and I suspect it is still the case today!)…There is a recent statue of Oscar Wilde (he was born across the street) in the park (or the square). Along with a bust of Michael Collins somewhere else in the square/park...

Spent the afternoon at the National Gallery, across the street from Merrion Sq. Lunch on turkey! A look at their European painting collection: Caravaggio, Rembrandt, Vermeer, Peter Brueghel the Younger; one or two of each! Attended a lecture on Jack Yeats, referred to as the most celebrated Irish painter – the Gallery has several of his paintings (only a few exposed – probably because of the renovation), notably Grief (1951), The Bachelor Walk, in Memory (19??); especially The Liffey Swim (1923) which won a silver medal at the Paris Olympic Exhibition in 1924, we are explained, the first Olympics Ireland as a country participated. Watched an hour-long documentary (BBC) on offer a little bit later: “the Kiss” of Klimt (nothing to do with the National Gallery of Ireland!)

History is everywhere. Hard not to hear or read about the antagonism towards the English – recently or centuries ago! Cromwell, the Plantation, the Raising in 1916, the Free Irish State, Partition, Ulster (that is the 6 counties!), “the Troubles”, the “Good Friday Agreement”, the Celtic Tiger, the Financial Crisis, (“these cowboys in Leinster House”- the parliament, also located nearby!) etc…

A late afternoon promenade in the other green patch in the area: the Stephen’s Green – beautiful and busier that the Merrion Square (maybe because it’s the end of the day – a Bank holiday - and there is a little bit of sun, who knows!)

Dinner at the nearby Chinese restaurant (chow mien).