One night in Dublin

We left the O'Connells on the Monday afternoon, to spend one night in the city center of Dublin, and to be closer to the airport for the next day when it was going-home-time. We had booked us into what ended up being a really lovely hotel on Harcourt Street. So Christmassy and nice, felt like something out of a movie!

We went for a bit of a walk in the evening, to get hold of some Ireland/Dublin Christmas baubles for the tree, and to look around at what we had missed on the Sunday. Temple Bar district for example. 

Glendalough

On the Monday Rory had taken a day off work, and he wanted to take us up to a place called Glendalough (meaning Valley of the Two Lakes), famous for its lakes, forest and hiking trails.

We parked up and went for a walk between the lakes, as they were linked by a wooded valley with streams, waterfalls and meandering pathways.

Ciara told me that in Irish and UK folklore, seeing a Red Robin is strongly associated with visits from deceased loved ones. They say "Robins appear when loved ones are near". How special it was to see this come flutter around us... 🤍

So so SO pretty!

We also explored the monastic settlement founded her in the 6th century. Starting by passing the St Kevin's Church, one of the few buildings at Glendalough that still has its original roof.

This 30m tall tower is an example of the freestanding bell towers that were typical of early medieval Irish monasteries. The original purpose likely combined both refuge, lookout and bell-tower functions.

The largest structure here is the St Peter & St Pauls Cathedral. It was originally built between the 10th and 13th centuries, and although the roof and most of the internal features are gone, much of the nave and some of the structural walls remain. Enough to give quite a good sense of what it once would have looked like.

Then we stopped for lunch on the way home, and had some of the best food I have had in a long time. This is the kind of food I am missing in Abu Dhabi, hearty, home-made and delicious.

What a great excursion! So happy we got to experience this area, somewhere we never would have been able to go if we just came on our own. Thank you O'Connells, for showing us around, for your hospitality - and your friendship!

Picasso From the Studio

I was so lucky that they had a Picasso exhibition on at the National Gallery. Well indeed, it was the very reason that we went! Picasso: From the Studio.

As we are having our own Picasso-exhibition at the Louvre Abu Dhabi opening in January, this of course was a welcome deep-dive for me.

Picasso lived surrounded by his art, his home and his studios were always linked very intimately to his art. This exhibition placed Picasso in the context of his many studios, highlighted different phases of his life, and explored the key locations that would end up defining his work.

The exhibition featured both paintings and sculptures, ceramics and works on paper as well as photographic and audio-visual works.

This is a major monographic exhibition, with works from the late 19th century to the 1970s, showcasing the amazing range of Picasso who was an artist who never stopped experimenting and always tried to find new forms and new ideas.

This exhibition certainly showed how endlessly committed to his art Picasso was, always pushing himself. 
I am so looking forward to seeing what will be brought to our exhibition, can't wait.

National Gallery of Ireland

On the Sunday we took the Luas (the tram) into the city in the afternoon. First we walked about, saw Trinity College...

... sat down next to a life-size bronze sculpture of Oscar Wilde...

... passed by the most Christmas decorated pub in Ireland, the Ginger Man... 

... and went to the National Gallery!

It's actually bonkers that these institutions are completely free to enter!

We only did a rather quick browse around, as I was pretty much the only one really interested. Well, Rory did enjoy his visit actually, as it was his first time; but the other two were there mostly for company...

This is the main public art museum in Ireland, and it opened in 1864. It has quite an extensive collection of European masterpieces, and also houses the national collection of Irish art.

I saw many 'old friends', always nice to see new works by some of my favourites, like Braque, Signac, Cézanne and Monet to name a few.

This was one of my favourites here, a painting called Grief (1951) by Jack B. Yeats. Jack was the younger brother of poet William Yeats. He often evoked feelings of nostalgia or euphoria in his works, and his images of Irish life and landscape is making many to see him as the archetypal national Irish painter. 

After our museum visit it was time to go find somewhere for a pint.

All cosied up in a pub, hiding from the chill outside.

Then Ciara had booked us in for a meal at the Hawksmoor Dublin. Unfortunately the service was so-so, but that didn't stop us from having a good time.

A great Sunday well spent!