Dublin and More-Part 3

      This blog will finish our trip to Dublin. I have to admit that it has been so fun to relive these moments like they were yesterday. So thanks for letting me share them with you. Once again, I am so very grateful for your support. You not only make me feel so loved and needed, but your support encourages me to keep doing what I love, mainly sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ and taking pictures.

     In this part 3, we will visit 2 last places of interest, the Dublin Castle and St. Patrick's Cathedral. Let's start at the castle. Do any of you know where the name Dublin comes from? From the internet it reads, "the name Dublin comes from Dubh Linn or the "black pool". The black pool in question is the junction where the River Liffey and its tributary the Poddle meet. Because that area of the junction always swirls around, the water appeared black because of the river sediment. The Poddle now runs beneath Dublin as it has been covered by development and can no longer be seen in the city centre." Interesting, huh?

     Dublin was originally founded by the Gaels in the 7th century and then the Viking took over. It is said that Dublin served as one of the best Viking settlements in that part of the world. The castle itself was built under the orders of King John, the same king whose smaller castle resides right here in Limerick just down the street from me. In the late 17th-early 18th century, the castle was changed from a battlement into a palace fit for kings and queens.

If you enter through the right gate, this might be the first looks that you would get of the castle. There is only the one castle tower still standing today. The original castle was destroyed by time and by fire. The elongated building attached to the castle tower is the Royal Chapel

Here is a close up. I love the antiquity of the older historic buildings of Ireland

This is where the original courtyard of the castle laid once upon a time. The castle tower and Royal Chapel would be behind you at this point. Seen in this courtyard is the state apartments, administration buildings and buildings for legal courtrooms and such

 

This clocktower still works and, in this picture, is accompanied by a statue depicting justice

     The castle today is still considered one of the most important buildings in Ireland. For more than 700  years, the castle was the seat of British rule, which ended in 1922. Today, it is used for mostly administration, but can also serve in other capacities as required. Our tour started in the underground of the castle where it all started over 1,000 years ago. Here we go!

This is Viking stone foundation. So amazing!! It took my breath away when I saw it in person. It still is amazing to me to think that I have even been to places like this in my life

Ok! This is cool. This is part of the original mote! It was filled during the Vikings and early castle days with the black pool of water. Today it is fed by an underground spring

I loved this. It is one of the original sections of the castle and these stone stairs would have been used to allow soldiers to move quickly from one part of the castle when under siege to another part. I could almost see them in my mind's eye dashing up and down in full battle garb 

     After completing the underground portion of the tour, we walked over to the castle's chapel. The first chapel built for the castle proper was in 1242. The chapel today was finished in 1814 at a great expense. The chapel is known as the Royal Chapel and was the official chapel for the Church of Ireland. The chapel today has not been used for worship since 1983.

The chapel proper

A stained glass window

The organ up overhead

These are name plaques for the many Viscounts who have served their congregations over the years until the chapel closed. You can see the date they started their service above their family crest and their last name under the crest

Such a gorgeous ceiling!!

I mean really!!!! What a labor of love! Pretty nice photograph, too, if I don't say!

     The last part of our tour took us into what's known as the state apartments. Many kings, queens and other famous people have also walked the same halls that we walked that day, including Benjamin Franklin, Queen Victoria, Charles Dickens, Nelson Mandela, John F Kennedy and Pope Francis to name a few. 

The battle-ax staircase entry into the state apartments

The state corridor

The Apollo room

The Apollo ceiling

The drawing room. This room was used to match young beautiful single women to a handsome, rich young male counterpart

A close-up of the drawing room

Marble statues and amazing paintings were everywhere

The throne of Ireland!

Looking across the throne room from the throne

The banquet hall and its ceiling

I think this is the BEST way to get around historic Dublin, right??

     After visiting the Dublin Castle, we stopped to get a lunch at a restaurant that served homemade pizzas. We also had some fantastic minestrone soup with some brown Irish soda bread. After lunch, we walked down to our last place to visit, namely St. Patrick's Cathedral. Like Christ's Church, this cathedral was just as incredible. So if you liked Christ's Church, you will also love St. Patrick's. I had so much fun finding National Geographic like photographs in every corner and down every aisle of this cathedral. I was very happy....very happy!

     This cathedral gets its name because it is said that St Patrick (the main saint of Ireland) used a nearby well to baptize converts into Christianity in the 4th century. This cathedral dates back to 1220 and has survived wars, revolutions, and reformations. This cathedral acts as the National Cathedral of the Church of Ireland. This cathedral has also been one of the most important sites of development and changes in Christianity in Ireland. Many treasures of Ireland can be found within its sacred walls.

The outside front of St Patrick's Cathedral

The crest of St Patrick's Cathedral

The flying buttresses of St Patrick's Cathedral

One more photo of this magnificent building

This is the cathedral's garden area. Many singles and families come here for relaxation and peace.

This monument lies near the real well where St Patrick baptized many and sits outside in the cathedral's garden

This heavy stone monument originally marked a spot thought to be near St Patrick's well in the outside garden. Its sheer weight made this monument begin to sink into the always moist ground and was replaced with the marker seen above. This stone marker now lies inside the cathedral on its medieval tiles

The main aisle of the cathedral

Medieval flags related to the knights of St Patrick can still be seen today. These knights were founded by King George III in 1783

The cathedral had so many entrances and exits that lead you to more and more

I love this picture of the vaulted doorways and its many angles

I could have stayed here forever taking pictures just like this one!

The beautiful altar behind the main altar, Believe me, this picture does not do this justice!!! 

A Christian symbol posed to draw the eye to chapel beauty

I think these flags are so cool. Notice the knight's helmets under the flags

This is an original copy of Handel's Messiah as sang by a choir member for the oratorio's debut. St Patrick's still has the oldest and most famous choir school in Ireland

This is Jonathan Swift's (author of Gulliver's Travels) grave marker. He was one of the dean's of this very cathedral and loved by all. He is buried under the floor where is marker lies

This spiral staircase leads one up the the cathedral's organ used today

The Door of Reconciliation

     The Door of reconciliation has an interesting story. In 1492, two Irish families, the Butlers of Ormonde and the FitzGeralds of Kildare, were involved in a bitter feud. This disagreement centred around the position of Lord Deputy. Both families wanted one of their own to hold the position. In 1492 this tension broke into outright warfare. The Butlers, realising that the fighting was getting out of control, took refuge in the Chapter House of Saint Patrick’s Cathedral. The FitzGeralds followed them into the Cathedral and asked them to come out and make peace. The Butlers, afraid that if they did so they would be slaughtered, refused. 

     As a gesture of good faith the head of the Kildare family, Gerald FitzGerald, ordered that a hole be cut in the door. He then thrust his arm through the door and offered his hand in peace to those on the other side.  Upon seeing that FitzGerald was willing to risk his arm by putting it through the door, the Butlers reasoned that he was serious in his intention. They shook hands through the door, the Butlers emerged from the Chapter House and the two families made peace.
     Well that's the end of our wonderful memorable time in Dublin. Before I end this week's post,  I'd like to share just a few more photos and bring you all up to date with our activities for this past week. Our wonderful grandson, Daniel, gave a sacrament talk last Sunday. He did so well as he discussed the subjects love and charity. After church, he awarded himself with this amazing treat!

Way to go, Daniel boy!!!! I still wonder how he got that thing into his mouth!

     We also attended all our meetings this past week and participated as asked. We even had a self-reliance fireside on Tuesday. We learned on Wednesday that every car in our whole mission will be getting a new driver safety device that will help alert us when needed. That device will be a great help to us.

     This area of the vineyard has some of the finest members on the earth. I love meeting with them and supporting and loving them. They make my job very easy. Today at church I was asked to be on this year's branch Halloween party committee. Bring it on!!!! So I'll be a little more busy for the next couple of weeks. Last night, I even joined with the Relief Society for an activity and made a wreath for our flat. It was so fun to just be a branch member and enjoy talking and laughing with them.

          I also would love to have you continue to pray for the Limerick branch. They are one branch away from becoming a ward and a stake. We just need a few more members and then we can split. The excellent young elders have been harvesting up a storm here. They recently met a young woman who was a golden friend for them. She was on date to be baptized yesterday, October 15th. Last minute she has chose otherwise. Though we were all saddened, believe it or not, a miracle occurred.

     Last night in the middle of the morning, the elders got a call from a young man who has been desperately looking for the truth. The elders called him again this morning and he stated that he was already on his way to the church. He stayed both hours and loved what he heard and saw. When one door closes, another one opens!!! Pray that he will accept the truth and desire to join the Kingdom of God!

     I am so grateful for all my many blessings, including each of you! I am so grateful for my Savior, Jesus Christ. What a honor to wear His name over my heart each and every day. I'm grateful for my loving and supportive family. We are the luckiest parents in the world. Our children help us in so many ways that we will never be able to properly thank them. I have also been blessed to continue to strengthen my testimony of Joseph Smith and the Book of Mormon. I don't know where I would be today without the church. I really don't. I am truly blessed. Again, may God bless you. May you find peace and happiness as you stay on the covenant path. 

Until next week. I love you!!!