St Patrick's Cathedral, Dublin Ireland

St. Patrick's Cathedral

It felt like the second day but it was only still morning.  Morning can be very long when it starts at midnight your time.

After Trinity College we toured the Dublin Museum of art.  Got to see some Vermeers (yay!).  I hope to see all 34 paintings attributed to Vermeer before I die so now I'm a little closer.

After that we walked to St. Patrick's Cathedral.  On the way there we stopped at a store where I bought a hoodie (it's cold in Ireland in July!) and then walked over to a Thai restaurant run by a friendly Irishman who knew the double art of engaging his patrons with delightful conversation while serving them scrumptious Thai food.  Very, very, nice experience.

From there we walked several blocks to St. Patrick's Cathedral.  I must admit that after seeing the Italian duomos, Notre Dame in Paris and Gaudi's Art Deco Cathedral in Barcelona last summer, St. Patrick's isn't the most impressive church in the world.  But it was nice as far as big stone structures go and I was glad to see the grave of Johnathon Swift.

And I do love Celtic Art.  I think it would be an awesome experience to go to church in a Cathedral each week.  Those were the days when every minute detail of design was calculated to bring the worshiper closer to a sense of the presence of God and to instill a respect for their  worship environment.

So much intricate detail surrounded by so much space.  It gives one a sense of intimacy and spaciousness at the same time.

Johnathon Swift's grave.  Yes, he's buried in the wall.  And he wrote his own epitaph in Latin.  Here it is below in English

Jonathan Swift

1667-1745

'Here is laid the body of
Jonathan Swift, Doctor of Divinity,
Dean of this cathedral Church,
Where fierce indignation can no longer
Rend his heart.
Go, traveller, and imitate if you can
This earnest and dedicated
Champion of Liberty'