Today I experienced another very Irish day. We walked to the Merrion Square and hopped on the green hop on/hop off bus to visit Kilmainham Goal, the stop we passed yesterday due to the long lines and pouring rain. The weather cooperated as it was about 65 degrees and only rained off and on, mostly while we were indoors. Kilmainham Gaol (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kilmainham_Gaol) is a massive restored gray block prison that was called the "New Gaol" when built in 1793 because it was considered a modern method of incarceration. Prisoners were kept in small individual stone cells instead of in large holding rooms together. It was basically solitary confinement for 23 hours a day in a 6 x 8 ft. block room. The real significance of the Gaol in Irish history is that the leaders of the 1916 Easter rebellion were kept here and executed in the gaol yard. This was Ireland's fight for independence from the United Kingdom. So, the gaol is a significant landmark in Ireland's history and the guided tours share that history with the public.

When we arrived at the gaol, we purchased our tickets and had to wait an hour and a half for our tour to begin . No problem as there is a pub just down the street and we hadn't had lunch yet. We had a pint of Guinness, and Irish coffee, and an Irish lunch of baked potato, ham and cheese for Cory and smoked salmon on cream cheese and brown bread for me. The best part of our lunch, though, was meeting an elderly gentleman who lived in the neighborhood. Frank sat next to us and with just a smile and a hiya, we began to talk. Irish pubs are very friendly like that. Frank was born 80 years ago just down the street from the Kilmainham Gaol and now, since his wife died, he lives in an apartment a few blocks away. I gathered he has pint or two at the pub every other day or so and is a regular. Since I was drinking Irish coffee with my lunch, he wanted me to try the "lady's drink" of Guinness with a bit of Black Current syrup in it. He said that's how the ladies like to drink it as it sweetens the Guinness a bit. I agreed; it was a tasty drink. We enjoyed Frank's company and time flew by.

Between visiting the gaol that was witness to Irish independence and visiting with Frank who was born a stone's throw from the gaol, we really felt we touched a bit of Ireland's history today. Even the weather cooperated, and Cory tells me the forecast is good for the rest of the week. Tomorrow we're walking away from the city center towards the coast to visit a village on Dublin Bay. I'll tell you all about it later.