You may not have heard of Maynooth about 25 km out of Dublin, but now have in a big way. I arrived in this little town on Wednesday (two days ago) to give a seminar at the branch of the National University of Ireland there. To my surprise, my accommodation was in university accommodation housing what I presume is a Catholic Seminary ... at least in part. There was a huge chapel, about the size of some cathedrals and enclosed cloisters adorned with the pictures of various bishops, cardinals, and other senior clerics My room was apparently reserved for the Bishop of Cashel, who visits periodically, and therefore suitably grand. I was told, but this unconfirmed, that John Paul II stayed in that same room when he opened facilities at the university early in his Papacy!
I took the opportunity to have a day off and travelled into Dublin on a commuter train. 'Day off' might not be the right term, because I walked for almost 8 hours during the day and must have been doing some penance because it wasn't till I got to Connolly Street station for the return trip that I realised I hadn't drunk anything or eaten since breakfast. Perhaps that's because the journey of discovery was riveting.
I 'did' the regeneration of Dublin's docklands, the banks of the Liffey, the length of O'Connell St and perused its role in Irish history, the shopping district (Abbey, Henry, Mary, and other streets), Parnell Square, Jameson's Distillery, and a host of grand public buildings. Oh, I also spent some time in the Hugh Lane Gallery of Modern Art and viewed sundry statues including a marvellous one of James Joyce. Dublin is an evocative city and I learned much about Irish history in the process.
For once, the Irish weather was kind and I actually saw the sun!!
AS
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