Last weekend I headed off to Dublin/Kildare to visit a friend of mine - Sinead - and have a little look around the Emerald Isle. It is really pretty, and has it's own distinct look and feel to it so you wouldn't confuse it with England... Well maybe if you were blind folded and being spoken to with an English accent. But anyway!
Sinead picked me up from the airport late on Friday night and whisked me away to her place, only stopping for a burger and some beer. She's got herself a lovely place in the countryside, away from neighbours with horses roaming around where they like on the property. Apparently it belongs to and Irish hard man - John Gilligan who was implicated in the murder of news reporter Veronica Gerring about 10 years ago. He's still serving time in jail for that and trafficking heroine. His wife and daughter live in Spain somewhere to avoid the constant hassle they were getting from the cops there - or the guard as Sinead calls them. So Sinead has ended up renting his house. Not sure if it was through an agent, which seems strangely mundane considering the history the property has or if it was some other way. I didn't ask and she didn't really go into it either. After all, she's seen my face and knows where I live - ha ha.
On Saturday we headed out and about after a lovely big fry up breakfast. First stop was Trim Castle, or the ruins of. Apparently it's where the Kings of Ireland, or the head honchos of the Celtic tribes lived. The place is massive and I wonder how the hell they built it considering that was way back in the 12th century. Was pretty cheap to go in - about £1.20 for a look see. No going into the keep, but hey I wasn't really interested in that anyway.
After having a plod around there we headed off to New Grange and Knowth. Now I had been told that these places were the oldest buildings in the world, which I somehow kinda doubt. Never the less they are fantastically ancient, New grange dating back about 3000 years and Knowth 3500. They're passage graves and have been built so that at certain times of the year the sun shines into the middle chamber and illuminates an alter and remains of people from Neolithic times that were 'buried' there. Here's some pictures:
At the entrance there is a huge stone, surprisingly called the entrance stone. They believe (they being the archaeologists) that this was to mark the exit from the living world and entry to the world of spirit, or the dead. Initially you would've had to climb over it - it's pretty big, about up to my waist/chest - and it has carvings of spirals and swirls all over it that no-one is sure what they mean.
Here's some pictures of Knowth:
In a way Knowth is more interesting as it doesn't feel nearly as touristy as Newgrange and there is a lot more going on - smaller satellitee graves around it and the site was inhabited for about 2500 years from Megalithic times all the way up to the Norman times. I've included some pictures below of the entrance stones and other interesting work they found there...
This is the Newgrange entrance stone
airial view of KnowthAnyway, enough of the history lesson hey. If you want to know any more, do a google search!
On Sunday we were planning to go walking in the forest near Sinead's, it was bloody beautiful and looked enchanted, faerie folk, sprites and other woodland spirits definitely would live there! Unfortunately I can't remember the name of it so can't link to a web picture here. Anyway we woke on Sunday morning to the constant sound of rain. It didn't let up the whole day so instead we headed out shopping, I probably spent a little more than I should've, but there you go. Saw a movie called 16 blocks with Bruce Willis - if you get the chance to see it don't bother it was pretty shit. And lazed about at Sinead's place for the evening. The time went really quickly, I really enjoyed myself and next time I go I reckon it'll be for at least a week so I can check out the giants causeway, the Blarney stone (although I'm told not to kiss it as young Irish lads in the area piss on it for fun...!?) and some of the quaint old B&B's I saw.
Guinness there doesn't taste any different to what it does here in England. But I tried it again all the same. Funnily enough I am quite partial to the occasional half of Guinness!
On the Monday I headed into Dublin with the intent of having a good look about. Unfortunately it was still raining and continued to do so until after I caught my plane back to the UK. So I got well acquaintedd with a pub in town and read for most of the mid morning to afternoon. Guess you can't always get what you want hey?
It was great to get home again and see Mark. We've made up and things are way, way better. Fingers crossed now and touching wood for the whole immigration question. I am still heading home at the end of June and really looking forward to seeing all my mates and family again - it's been too damn long!!
Anyway, that's it for me. Until I have something interesting to write again - adios!
