Day 15 Dublin Ireland Saturday 14th July  2012

What can I say about our day yesterday other than AWESOME! After breakfast, Adrian and I went to meet Sr Marie and the Poor Clare sisters while Mary visited the records office for some further research. We had a lovely visit with the Sisters and they had prepared a beautiful morning tea on our arrival. Then it was onto the Four Courts - OMG what a stunning building! After going through scanners and leaving my camera as no photos are allowed we entered the rotunda or dome area which was fabulous! When inside I tried to look up into the ceiling dome and it hurt my neck as you have to tilt your head right back to actually see the top. I wasn't sure why it was called The Four Courts until I was inside the dome sanctum and I could see clearly Court 1, Court 2, Court 3 and Court 4 all coming off the rotunda. The lawyers and barristers all congregate, negotiating and communicating in the middle of the rotunda then disperse into what ever court they are assigned to. The rotunda area is amazing and is unchanged since the late 1700's. I loved sitting on the outside and watching this ritual that has been unchanged for hundreds of years. This would have been Lord O'Hagan's place of work from the 1840's through to the 1860's and where his memorial statue stood until the 1922 Civil War when it was destroyed by a bomb. Adrian and I went exploring upstairs to the various other courts on three different levels and I was thrilled to be able to wander around this outstanding piece of architecture.

This photo was taken outside the Four Courts but doesn't do it any justice as it was too big to fit in the photo but I suppose it gives you some idea of the scale of the building.

We met up with Mary at the prestigious Kings Inn and entered the library for our private tour. Carmella met us and presented us all with a lovely book on the history of the Kings Inn and proceeded to take us through to the dining hall. It was amazing to be inside this historic building and my eyes were having a hard time keeping up with all that we saw on the way to the dining hall. Finally we entered a reception area which was mostly marble and then up a fabulous staircase and into the dining hall filled with portraits of former students. I scanned the walls looking for our man as Carmella wasn't sure where the portrait hung. But as we turned around right in the middle there he was above the mantle piece in prime position. Carmella told us that the portrait is scheduled for some restoration work which I was thrilled to hear.

Entry to the Kings Inn Dublin Dining Hall.

Dining Hall Kings Inn Dublin

Portrait of Lord O'Hagan in the Dining Hall Kings Inn Dublin

Portrait of Lord Thomas O'Hagan Kings Inn Dublin. The portrait hangs on the right side above the stunning mantle in the middle of the room.

From the Kings Inn Adrian took us to where Lord O,Hagan lived to No 34 Rutland Square, now Parnell Square. The house is a fabulous Georgian four storey home and it is enormous. Chance would have it that it is now the office of the Teachers Guild and Mary being a teacher, the receptionist  took us on a tour of the house. We couldn't believe our luck that we were able to walk the same stairs and experience what it would have been like to live in this house all those years ago as most of the features are unchanged. I will load up the photos and they can speak for themselves.

The street view of Number 34 Rutland Parade, Lord Thomas O'Hagan's house.

The Stair case and entry

The Chandelier and cornices

The Gardens

The Stables

As if our overwheleming day wasn't enough, the first of the Australian continguent has arrrived in Dublin so we arranged to meet my first cousins, Frank and Leonie McGuigan at The Town Bar and Grill for dinner. I was really looking forward to seeing them and we had a fantastic night together. After a lovely dinner we walked the streets soaking up the atmosphere and ended up in a great pub called the Oliver St John Gogarty Pub for some traditional Irish Music and Dancing. I even tasted a Guiness! Frank and Leonie are leaving Dublin today to see the countryside and we are meeing up with them again on Wednesday in Galway.

The Aussies are in town!

My first taste of Guiness and probably my last!

Frank and Leonie getting into the spirit of Dublin!

We are going to the historic Glasnevin Cemetery this morning to visit the O'Hagan Crypt and then to the airport to pick up my sister Leonie who is the next of the Aussie's to arrive. Can't wait to see Lone as we haven't seen each other since last October - bring it on!

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