Dublin Castle

Record tower in center

On Saturday I toured the famed Dublin Castle.  All that remains of the old medival castle, c. 1204 is a single tower. A large explotion and fire at parliment and part of the palace  in the 17th century destroying the castle.  Some of the buildings were destroyed intentionally in an effort to prevent the spread of the fire to the gun powder storage.   Later a Neo-Gothic Chapel Royal was added to the left and a Neo-Classical building was added to the right side of the castle, and Georgian building compose the rest of the courtyard exterior. 

While waiting for my tour to start I had a lovely cup of tea in the Castle Cafe

The Book of Kells on display at the Old Library, Trinity College

John 1.1, Portrait of St. John, Book of Kells

Here is one book you cannot check out, though many would like to get closer to this extraordinary illuminated manuscript.  Since Trinity College does not allow you to take photos within the exhibit I have used an image off of Google images.


The book of Kells was stored in a special shrine, a fine jeweled case which was lost in the 10th century.  The book was discovered by a farmer tilling his field.  When the printing press was invented in the 15th century scribes stopped copying manuscripts.

Sometimes hair follicles are found on manuscripts as animal skin was used to create the velum the treasured manuscripts.  It is estimated that it took 185 calves to create the full sized Book of Kells, which was trimmed down which cropped off portions of many of the illuminated designs. Many times monks wrote notes to one another in the margins while they painstakingly worked in cold rooms, these were later removed.

Current Book of Kells Display

There are two of the four volumes on display at any given time.  The pages that were on display when I visisted the library were the following:

Decorated opening: John 1.1 Portrait of St John. P/rinci/pio erat uer/bum {et} uer{b}um - In the beginning was the Word, and the Word ... Opening words of the Gospel according to St John (folios 291v-292r)

Text opening: Luke 16.10-22. Et qui in modico ... ut / moriretur mendicus lazarus The parable of the unjust steward (continued); Jesus rebukes the Pharisees; the story of the rich man and Lazarus (folios 253v-254r). Luke 16.10-22

A bit of Irish Dancing, River dance here I come

Me with Jimmy, the Irishman who helped me practice my dance steps

On Friday night new friend Brona invited me to learn Traditional Irish dancing at the  Aras Chronain, located on the outskirts of Dublin.  There were Irish people of all ages that came to the dance, many of which were excellent dancers and people who have had little experience with the steps.  Another gentleman named Jim taught the steps prior to the live bands arrival later in the evening. 

Dublina and the Vilking World

Statue of Olaf the White, a Viking King in Dublin c. 842

After I visited the two religious buildings on Friday I walked over the Dublina, which is connected to Christ Chruch with an archway.   Dublina and the Viking World is a well done exhibit that is interesting for children and adults alike.  The Vikings arrived in Dublin in 841, Not all Vikings were farmers, most of them were farmers, and some were traders  Contrary to popular belief the vikings did not wear horned hats into battle, but may have worn the hats for cerimoncial purposes.  The horned hat would have put them at a great disadvantage to their enemies by providing a hand hold to readily slit thier viking throats.   They wore simple, padded tunics and did not wear armor until later.

Their boats where the same on both sides to making it easier to raid places like monasteries.  They attacked the monasteries because they were undefended and they were able to readily get grain and cattle for nourishment. 



In 1348 the Black Plauge reached Dublin, killing thousands of people.  Since people did not know about germs they thought that the sickness was a punishment sent from god.  The diaese is believed to have been spread through the fleas found on rats, which spread rapidly due to the large shipping industry operating throughout Europe.

In 1961, when construction on the current City Council building began, one of the largest Viking compounds containing the ruins of around 200 Viking houses was unearthed in Dublin.  Despite the protests from many of the local people, the city proceeded to construct the building on the chosen site. The city gave only three years to excavate as many artifacts as possible, many of which are now on display in the National Museum of Archaeology of Dublin.

Saint Audoen's Church

Portlester Chapel at Saint Audoen's

I also went to St. Audoen’s on Friday, which is located close to Christ Church and was once the wealthiest parish within the city of Dublin.  It is the only remaining medieval parish church in Dublin, erected in 1190 and named after Saint Audoen of Normandy.  While less impressive than St. Patrick’s and Christ Church it was worth looking at.  I found the Portlester Chapel interesting because George Petrie composed drawings of the unroofed structure in 1829, copies of which are on display in the Chapel.

Christ Church Cathedral

Close-up of Christ Church Cathedral 

On Friday I walked across the way to Christ Church Cathedral, constructed in the 12^th century.    It stands within the grounds of old medieval quarter and was built inside the formally walled city providing protection from invaders.   Saint Patrick’s Cathedral in contrast was constructed outside the wall, because the common person attended mass there and they would not have been able to pay the high tax required to live inside the wall to cover the cost of the guards and the continual maintenance.

 

Detail of the "Foxy friars" floor tiles

When the church became a priory the monks became very wealthy because it was a place of pilgrimage and they developed the nickname “The Foxy Friars”.  The photos of the floor to the left show just one of  tile arrangements depicting the foxy friars.  The fox’s carry water holders made from calf skin and staffs, just as pilgrims in the Middle Ages would have.  The floor tiles are copies made in the 18^th century and are based on the original 12^th century tiles.

                                        

Empty relic casket

The church had several relics in its possession including a crow’s ear given to Saint Patrick by Jesus, one thorn from the crown of thorns, a rock from the mountain where the tablet was given, and a speaking cross.  Pilgrims were typically charged high entrance fees to view theses relics, which were believed to have heavenly powers.  Despite the reformation the church was able to retain one relic, the heart of its founder Laurence O’Toole.  On the 3^rd of March 2012 the relic was stolen from the church during the hours of operation.  The casket that house the relic heart remains on the wall and they are hopeful that it will be returned.  Unfortunately four sacred relics have been stolen from Ireland this year.

When Henry the XIII broke from Rome during the English reformation Christ Cathedral became an Anglican church.  He suppressed all the monasteries and took all the money for himself.  In 1562 the church fell down, the left wall is still lean’s but is structurally sound and is the only original portion of the ground level church.  The church is known as the “Whisky Church” because in the 19^th century a wealthy distiller named Henry Roe spent 20 million Euros to completely restore the church, rendering him bankrupt.  He hired an English architect George Edmund Street to complete the project.  You can compare the difference in the left and right walls where the restoration took place.

Left side, the "leaning wall"

Right side, completely restored wall

The crypt

The crypt was in the center of the old medieval city and all of the old building were joined together underground.   There were also three taverns below the church as there was not enough space in the medieval town.  The names of the three taverns were Paradise, Hell, and Purgatory with “instant forgiveness” upstairs.  Today you can grab a bite to eat in the crypt at the Foxy Friars Coffee Shop.

Saint Patrick's Cathedral in Dublin, Ireland

St. Patrick's Cathedral in Dublin, Ireland

I am standing directly to the left of the green man

This afternoon I visited the St. Patrick’s Cathedral.  I took photos around the perimeter of the building prior to the tour lead by a lively docent named Rose. The height of the cathedral ceiling and walls was most impressive, as was the information provided by the tour guide.  I have noted a few interesting tidbits on the cathedral below.

St. Patrick was brought here to Ireland in 432 from Whales and sold into slavery North of Ireland where he tended sheep for seven years.  He escaped and returned to Whales and then became a priest in France.  Legend says that he heard the Irish people calling and he returned and baptized many people in Ireland.  Today you can see the well cover that St. Patrick used to baptize the people in Dublin.

Due to the moisture problems, caused by a river that runs directly below the cathedral, renderings had to be removed from the walls to allow the stone to dry out.  They expect to replace them six months from their removal date.  The stained glass that allows light to spill onto the interior of the cathedral is not original to the 12^th century building, and was replaced later in the.

St. Patrick’s in Dublin is the only Cathedral in Ireland to have a “green man” adorning it pillars.  The “green man” motif can be found on the pillars of both secular and ecclesiastical medieval buildings.  This type of decoration is either surrounded by or created from leaves, from which branches or other vegetation may sprout.  These ornamentations related to natural vegetation deities and were associated with rebirth, representing the cycle of growth each spring. I was the only one in the tour group who was familiar with the “green man” motifs thanks to my college education in Wisconsin!

Detail of the green man, on center pillar