Fulbright farewells

It is hard to believe, but the time here is growing short.  That was brought home this week with a "Fulbright farewell" day . . .

Good to see our friends from the Galway trip - - February seems like yesterday in some ways, and like another lifetime in others.  While we are here until the end of May, some of the Fulbrighters are heading home in just a few short days, so we gathered for a day of Dublin highlights. . .

Breakfast was served in a sky box in Croke Park, home of the GAA games . . . followed by a tour of the stadium. . .

Absolutely perfect field - - looks artificial, but isn't

Mark getting a closer look - - don't step on the grass!!

Fun fact here - - all of the GAA athletes are amateurs - - they play for the love of the game!  And tickets are only ten to twenty-five euro . . . interesting note on the day after the NFL draft!

Next stop was Glasnevin Cemetery - - founded in 1832 by Daniel O'Connell "to establish a place where those of all religions and none could bury their dead with dignity".  There are more souls buried here than there are alive in Dublin  -  - and there's still room for more! 

Densely "populated"

O'Connell Tower - outside . . .

and in

Lunch was followed by a stop at Sweny's Pharmacy for a James Joyce reading - - everyone taking turns reading a page from "The Dubliners" - - and I don't care what the host said, if you're going to read Joyce out loud, you should have an Irish accent!!

"Sweny" himself

The Fulbright Commission must be doing something right, because the weather for the rest of the week was just awful!  Heavier rain than we've seen here to date, and gale force winds rattling the windows.  For the first time I did NOT go out to walk each day. 

Spent my indoor time painting, finding activities for the rest of our stay, and planning a side trip for May - - more on that later.

Hoping for some dry minutes this weekend, but looks like good weather for a museum or two. . . see you Monday!