First Day in Dublin

Tom and I managed to see most of the major sites in 1/2 a day, Dublin is not that large. Being Sunday, we went to St. Kevin's Church, which dates from the 1200's, St. Patrick's Cathredral, and Christ Church, where Handel's Messiah was first performed in public. Dublin Castle was interesting, but certainly no Tower of London.

We had lunch at the Auld Dubliner, where there was a young woman, with her baby in a car seat, drinking Guinness, and playing the Violin. We also heard the following exchange between two gentlemen (wearing blue from head to toe and with flags and airhorns)

Man #1- "Get me a pint"
Man #2- "You already have a pint"
Man #1- "Never mind that, I'll have it gone in a minute, now get me a pint"

Very entertaining. Everyone is wearing blue today, the colors of the Dublin City Football Club, they have a big match this afternoon against Offley. Tom and I will be going over to The Hairy Lemon(bar next to our Hotel) to watch soon.

We also visited Trinity College and saw the Book of Kells, Gospel manuscripts written by Irish Clergy more than 1,000 years ago. Trinity College has a nice Quad, but as Tom pointed out- They don't have Joe Namath's Hand Prints!

At Trinity College, we also walked through the Long Hall, where more than 200,000 of the Universities oldest books are kept. Along each side of the Hall there are marble busts of famous Irishmen, Benefactors of the University, Philosphers, etc. and there with Milton, Plato, and Socrates was...Brett you better sit down...Dr. Robert Clayton.

We walked along the River Liffey and looked at the Shops on Grafton Street. After the soccer match we may go over to Phoenix Park, and tomorrow we will visit the Guinness Brewery.