Grand Canal docks

Not so much a landmark as a functioning port, the Grand Canal docks were a pleasant little surprise just down the street from my apartment. Dublin is an interesting quilt of old brownstone homes, beautiful churches, gentrified apartment complexes, modern office buildings, and old industrial areas. The Grand Canal docks falls into the latter category. Here are couple more pics:



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Trinity College

William Lecky

My Sunday afternoon was spent peacefully, wandering the libraries and quads of Trinity College. I think having seen the Book of Kells and read Joyce in Trinity should qualify me for some honorary Irish Catholic standing.

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Bahay Kubo


Manila Rhythm - Brown Eyed Girl

Sunday's dinner plans brought us to a well-regarded Filipino restaurant, Bahay Kubo. A South African cabernet accompanied our seafood, chicken, duck, and vegetable dishes, but neither the wine nor the food had us nearly as excited as the atmosphere. No fault to the food, the satisfying meal was eclipsed by the Manila Rhythm, the Undisputed Titans of Filipino Cover Bands (it may be a small playing field, but they're the champions nonetheless).

These Heros on Nylon Strings showered us with wave after wave of classic Western rock, including the Rolling Stones, Prince, Dire Straits, and the Beatles. Check out the video of their cover of Van Morrison's Brown Eyed Girl.

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National Gallery of Ireland

On the walk back from St. Stephen's Green, I stopped by the National Gallery of Ireland. Its collection features, but is not limited to, Irish art from 17th-century onwards. I don't remember seeing any 21st century pieces; I think I'll get my fill when I visit the Irish Museum of Modern Art.

A featured exhibit in the Gallery is the Jack Yeats Museum. Starting as a commercial illustrator, Jack Yeats moved more and more to an Expressionist style in his later years. You can see the contrast in these examples of his earlier and later works.

In this recording, you'll faintly hear two American women discuss and read the description for "An Island Funeral."

St. Stephen's Green

Fusilier's arch, with a memorial to Jeramiah O'Donovan Rossa in the foreground.

At the end of Grafton Street sits Fusilier's arch, entrance to St. Stephen's Green. There's a very pleasant duck pond close to this corner of the Green with park benches alongside. Good for people-watching and duck-feeding. Click here for more pictures of the Green.

People-watching by the pond.
Listen to the birds and happy passers-by: