Of special note in Dublin

are two places where the sorrow and weight of loss 

are a tangible presence: 

The Famine Walk 

(located on the docks where starving Irish 

in the 1850's and 1860's

boarded what would become known as 'ghost ships' 

but which they hoped would carry them to a new and better life 

in another country.)

 and Killmainham Gaol.

Killmainham operated originally as a 'normal' jail at the beginning of its use,

but for the last 4 decades of its existence,

it was strictly a prison for political dissenters;

anyone who was thought to be a sympathizer with the cause of Irish independence

stood a chance of being imprisoned in these walls.

 Very sobering -

and, given the political mess of our own country -

a timely reminder that the fight for freedom comes at a cost.

An antidote for some of those thoughts 

was a visit to the Long Library at Trinity College -

where I instantly felt like Belle in Beauty and the Beast!

What an enchanted place;

 it seems to contain all the wonders of minds at work

and reflections worthy of consideration and debate.

It's amazing to me that the human mind is capable of creating

 volumes of brilliant, insightful, intelligent tomes

as well as hell on earth 

for themselves and 'the others'
with whom they share the same planet. 

An inconvenience?
I came across an ocean to see it!
Apology NOT accepted!

The nearby Dublinia exhibit however helped me regain my sense of humor.

Owned by the Medieval Trust,

 it is an exhibit devoted to examining the Viking influence on Ireland.

Remember my DNA results?

and how I couldn't figure out how/where 'Scandinavian' figured in?

Sadly, that reflected both my lousy sense of geography 

 and my poor historical understanding of Irish history.

Apparently Vikings came to Ireland (from Scandinavia, duh!) 

quite frequently to raid wealthy monasteries.

(Churches and monasteries contained the riches of the church 

and their inhabitants were unarmed 

so they were identified as easy targets).

In 841, Vikings established a permanent settlement in Dublin

to prevent having to go back and forth during the harsh winters.

 (Here's hoping that along with the raping and pillaging that no doubt went on, 

there was also some consensual co-mingling!) 

The first thing you see as you enter the exhibit is this:

and it literally took my breath away.

It is the spitting image of my oldest son.

I fully expected him to spring to life with a laugh and a "Surprise, Mom!"

I now know where he gets his fashion sense and his love of facial hair!

Epigenetics is a fascinating thing!

Substitute a helmet for the KC hat and you've got a modern day Viking!

I texted him a picture of that statute -

and both of us are still chuckling about the resemblance!

The trip to Ireland was worth it for that knowledge and understanding alone!