Episode 8 : Dublin Ireland
Well, someone had to be last. Adrianne, last but by no means least, fills the role admirably by wrapping up the
second season of Road Scholars with a dramatic finish on the Emerald Isle, land
of the Blarney Stone, leprechauns and world famous pubs.
Considering many believe that Ireland was founded over a thousand years before
Christ was born, it's easy to see why some of the world's greatest architecture
and myths are grounded in this fair land.
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Highlights:
You haven't lived until you do a pub crawl in Dublin, where 200 year old taverns
are very common. "A good puzzle", Leopold Bloom surmised in James Joyce's famous
novel Ulysses, "would be to cross Dublin without passing a pub".The
city is over a thousand years old, and many of the towns and settlements that
surround it are equally ancient. Dancing an Irish jig in an historic pub, wandering the
city eyeballing the winding cobblestone streets and smiling faces
are just a few of the sweet spots for Adrianne.
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Magically delicious
According to legend, if a leprechaun is caught by a mortal, he will promise great
riches if you set him free. He carries two leather pouches. In one there is a silver
shilling, a magical coin that returns to the purse each time it is spent. In the other
he carries a gold coin which he uses to try and bribe his way out of difficult
situations. One minor problem. Once he's gone the coin turns to stone, and gone he'll
be if you take your eye off of him for a split second.
Notice something wierd about that last paragraph? The word "he" and "him"
was used an awful lot. That's because there's no such thing as a female leprechaun.
The leprechaun race is split into two distinct groups - leprechaun and cluricaun.
Cluricauns steal or borrow almost anything, even if it's nailed down, creating mayhem
in houses at night. They steal from wine cellars and food closets, and ride sheep, goats, dogs
and even domestic fowl right out of town.
The myth we know today as the leprechaun was descended from a Euro-Celtic god named
Lugh (pronounced "Luck"). Lugh was an important god to the ancient Euro-Celtic
religion, the great Sun God of the Irish, patron of the Arts and Crafts.
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Other facts:
- Christchurch Cathedral
The Cathedral is one of Dublin's oldest and most recognised buildings, drawing visitors from all over the world.
It was founded in the year 1030 by Sitrvic, King of the Dublin Norsemen.
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Dublin Castle is the heart of historic Dublin. The city gets its name from the
Black Pool - 'Dubh Linn' which was on the site of the present Castle garden.
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The Blarney Stone
A block of limestone known as the Blarney Stone is Ireland's lucky charm. Set in a
tower of Blarney Castle in County Cork in 1446, the stone is reputed to have magical
powers. Legend has it that an old woman cast a spell on the king as a reward for
saving her life. Under this spell, if he kissed the stone he'd gain great powers of
eloquence.
Today people travel from all over the world to kiss the stone and gain the gift of
gab.
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