Diagonally opposite our hotel there is a Remembrance Garden for those who lost their lives in the fight to achieve independence for Ireland from Britain. There have been several attempts to establish a Republic, a bitter Civil War, and ongoing fighting for many years involving the IRA. Many lives have been lost in the various conflicts
. The leaders of the 1916 Easter Uprising, which only lasted a week, were imprisoned in a building on this spot before they were transferred to Killmainham Prison. The sculpture at the end of the reflective pool is quite moving - there are swans of hope rising out of despair.

A 30 min bus trip and a short walk took us to Killmainham Prison where we had a 1hr tour and then time in the museum. It is a very sobering place. We were shocked by the old wing where the leaders of the Easter uprising were kept (and perhaps Merilyn's g,g,g,grand father, although we have yet to confirm this). The newer East wing is much more open and bright but conditions were still harsh - only 1 hour exercise per day when you must continually walk around a yard - no matter what the weather, and no communication with others. Those on 'hard labour' were driven to exhaustion. One task was to pass cannonballs from man to man whilst chained to each other by the feet. Once all the balls were in a pile on the side of the yard they were then passed back to form a pile on the other side. It was in this yard where executions occurred, including those of the leaders of the Easter Rising. I found it very moving to stand next to the place where they had knelt in front of the 12 man firing squad. Several of them were school teachers, one was married the day before his execution and another was dying from wounds he had received in the fighting and had to be carried in on a chair.

 

The afternoon was spent at the very new EPIC exhibition centre.. A series of galleries with high tech interactive displays dedicated to the Irish who have migrated, and their descendants - why they left and what they have achieved. Ned Kelly, Paul Keating and Jim Stynes all featured. It was fun and interesting. The day ended with the almost compulsory visit to sweet Molly Malone. Some of the Irish call her the 'Dish with the fish'