What I saw on my Irish vacation ~ Part 2

Part 1

    Having made it back to Dublin and enjoyed a good night sleep; the next morning had us up and ready for the day's adventure. Starting at Trinity College we took some time to wander around the main Quad before queuing up (as the locals would say) to see The Book of Kells.  Two of the four gospels are displayed at a time; at this time the Gospels of Luke and John are on display.  In addition to the books the exhibit includes a very good history of the books and illuminated manuscripts in general. We then headed upstairs to tour the old library and learn more about Trinity College; Ireland's oldest and still largest university.
   Our tour guide then led us towards Dublin Castle pointing out landmarks along the way.  We began our tour of the castle grounds in Duhb Linn Gardens just outside the castle; duhb linn means dark pool from where the water would gather from the two local rivers and where the city takes its name.  The castle originally a wooden Viking structure was fortified with stone in the thirteenth century at the order of  King John (his father King Henry II being the original Norman invader of Ireland) was in continuous use until 1922 and is still the site of the inauguration of President of Ireland and other ceremonial events.

Dublin Castle; painted portion shows where the original castle was damaged and repaired.

    That afternoon we headed north of the city to the Castle Malahide; a castle held by the same family (Talbot) from the 13th century till the 1970's when the last owner turned it over to the Irish Trust.  An amazing place to explore with the different rooms furnished as they would be during different points in history. We began the tour in a sitting room with paneling from the 14th century before moving to another sitting room with the colorful paint color and elaborate moldings of the 18th,  The castle grounds also contain beautiful and extensive gardens which unfortunately there was not time to explore before again boarding the tour bus.  We then drove along the coast line looking across the Irish Sea where apparently on a good day you can see Wales.  I didn't but we did pass an island where one of the three families living there brought a couple of wallabies back from Australia years ago and there are now about 30 wallabies living on the island.  Stopped off for a bit in the fishing village of Howth before heading back to Dublin for a fish & chips dinner and a Guiness.

Banquet Hall circa 1690's