More wandering around Dublin

Before I tell all about another beautiful day, don't forget to CLICK on the pictures which will enlarge them for better viewing.

 

On our way walking to downtown, we stopped St. Stephen's Green, the largest park in downtown Dublin (they're ALL so GREEN). 

St. Stephen's Green

Like many European cities, there are new buildings in the downtown area that cover up old historic ones.   You have to look up and down every street to find "treasures".

 Church down an alley

We then walked through the grounds of Trinity College.

Trinity College campanile

Trinity College building

Next, a stroll along the Liffey River and viewed many sights.

 View of Liffey River

Samuel Beckett Bridge

The gaunt statues below represent the starving and dying population of The Potato Famine or The Big Hunger.  There is a plaque thanking those who emigrated to Canada and contributed to Canadian society.    

The worst years of the famine were between 1845-49, and it is estimated that around one million people (or an eighth of the population) died from starvation or disease.  Meanwhile, another million emigrated, with huge numbers making the perilous journey to North America, Canada, England, Australia, etc.

 

This year is the centennial of the Easter Rebellion or Rising which was an armed insurrection in Ireland during Easter Week April 1916. The Rising was launched by Irish Republicans to end British rule in Ireland and establish an independent Irish Republic while the United Kingdom was heavily engaged in World War I.  We've seen many notices around town for museum exhibits/lectures regarding this historic event.

≈

Huge public notice about the Easter Rebellion

And now for the latest in hurling news.  Huh?  What's hurling, you ask?  It looks to us like a combination of lacrosse, field hockey and soccer. 

This is how Wikipedia explains it:  The game has prehistoric origins, and has been played for over 3,000 years.The objective of the game is for players to use a wooden stick called a hurley to hit a small ball called a sliotar between the opponents' goalposts either over the crossbar for one point, or under the crossbar into a net guarded by a goalkeeper for one goal, which is equivalent to three points. The sliotar can be caught in the hand and carried for not more than four steps, struck in the air, or struck on the ground with the hurley. It can be kicked or slapped with an open hand (the hand pass) for short-range passing. A player who wants to carry the ball for more than four steps has to bounce or balance the sliotar on the end of the stick and the ball can only be handled twice while in his possession.

Sept. 4 was the final championship game between  Kilkenny and Tipperary.  Croke Park stadium was packed with over 82,000 spectators.  We watched at home on TV and it was very fast and exciting.  In case you missed it, Tipperary won for the first time since 2010 2-29 to 2-20.

A hurling player from the televised final