Another exciting week has wrapped up here in Dublin. Our weekend was full of castles, including the famous Blarney Castle. And while I didn’t wait in line for a chance to kiss the famous stone, I did have a great time roaming the gardens and exploring the little town of Cork.
Something that has been a fun part of the past week has been watching the Euros in local pubs around Dublin. I went in knowing nothing about soccer but after just a few games, I’ve become hooked on the tournament. I think part of this is due to the culture around soccer and pubs in Ireland. Just today I was comparing Irish pubs to American bars with a coworker and we both agreed that there was an extreme difference in each’s culture. In Ireland, pubs are more than a place for people to go get drinks, they are places for people to hang out and converse with each other. Some are packed with soccer fans chanting their favorite teams or people sitting and listen to a group of locals playing traditional Irish songs. The one common ground all these pubs have had so far is a welcoming atmosphere.
On Monday we had the chance to visit Kilmainham Gaol, Dublin’s most famous prison. I have been looking forward to this trip ever since my dad jokingly told me we probably had family serve time there a hundred years ago. So after doing some digging we found the name of a relative who took part in the Easter Rising and was sentenced to time in Kilmainham Gaol. Sean McDermott, or Sean MacDiarmada as he went by before changing the spelling, was one of 14 Irishman to sign a proclamation saying they believed in the independent Republic of Ireland. When he was arrested, he spent time in the general prison until he was spotted as one of the 14 to sign. After this, he was sentenced to execution and was murdered by firing squad at Kilmainham Gaol.
Going into this visit, I knew of this story but didn’t know if it would be brought up in the museum. I was very surprised when we were taken out to the courtyard where he was executed and there was a plaque there in his honor and the tour guide mentioned him by name. It was very interesting to be in a place where someone related to me spent their final moments. It made me feel more connected to the site and the history of that prison. All in all its been a great week and I can’t wait to see what this week holds.
