Alluring Dublin

Dublin's south-side (of River Liffey) shopping area is centered along Grafton Street while the north-side Henry's Street and O'Connell Street boast of Arnotts and Clery's department stores.

Oozing with pride and nationalism, this alluring city of trees, bronze statues and stately Georgian buildings has a story to tell on every street.

From angels . . .

. . . to demons the story is told from past to present.

Formerly the Royal Hospital Kilmainham, it now houses the Irish Museum of Modern Art. A daily tour of one of the exhibitions provides insight to museum pieces and the artists. Museum Negara hosts the Museum Volunteers, http://museumvolunteersmalaysia.org/about-mvm/ a non-profit group whose goals are to promote public interest in museums, history and culture. Initiated by a dedicated group of expatriate wives, they tirelessly conduct daily tours in English, French, German and Japanese.

Mention Ireland and by word association, Guinness instantly comes to mind. A state-of-the-art museum presents the science of brewing barley and hops in a unique style.

Dublin Castle is regularly used for state functions and recently hosted HRH Queen Elizabeth. In summer the courtyard is the site for the annual sand sculpture exhibition.

As part of the upgrading and redesigning works of O'Connell Street at the beginning of the millennium, the stainless steel Spire was designed to replace Nelson's Pillar which was destroyed in an IRA bombing. Poking fun (craic), usually at themselves, is a particularly Irish thing to do. Hence, Erection at the Intersection, the Stiffy at the Liffey, the Stiletto in the Ghetto - get it?

A doorway view of the Ha'penny Bridge. Built in 1816 to replace ferries plying the banks of the Liffey, pedestrians were charged a toll of half a penny.

Sweet Molly Malone in bronze outside Trinity. . . the tart with the cart, the trollop with the scollop's, the dish with the fish etc LOL