Week 1 Thursday

Today was another full day but frankly I don’t think anything happened that would be of interest to anybody but me. With that disclaimer firmly in place anybody who decides to continue reading is not permitted to bitch that I wasted their time!

Our class met for 3 hours from 10 – 1 and learned about Henry the 8th and his efforts, as well as those of his heirs, to take control of the Irish people and their country. Our professor started out by telling everyone he wasn’t sure how long he would be able to go today because he had cobwebs in his head because of the pints he had consumed the evening before while watching Ireland defeat Italy. You’ve just got to love the Irish and their candor! Following the class we went on a tour of the Viking city that was once Dublin. The Vikings were fascinating people, but that can be a topic for another day. After a sensational dinner in a tiny little Italian restaurant (price per person before 6 PM for salad or appetizer + entre + wine = 12.50 euro!), 8 of us went on a Ghost Tour of Dublin. The actors were great and it was very funny.

Biggest  topic in Ireland today is the Brexit vote. There is great concern about how Ireland might be impacted if Britain leaves the Euro zone. For starters there are economic consequences because Britain is Ireland’s largest trading partner, but there is also a belief the a hard border will be reestablished between the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland.

Picture story:

• The organ pictured is in place in St. Audoen’s Church. This church is Dublin’s only remaining medieval parish church
• The wall behind our professor is one of the remaining parts of the original wall of the City of Dublin dating back to 1240 A.D.
• The picture of the city bus from inside is to prove to my friend and former co-worker, Scott Cruchfield,  that I have changed. He stated in one of this blog comments that I have just taken the actions he has witnessed working beside me for a decade – drinking, people confrontation, late nights, etc., and moved them to Ireland in retirement! Well, it was always Uber black when I was working, but now I have ‘leapcard’ and ride the Dublin City bus! That’s change for you, and it does not come easy…but I am committed!