CÚIG GHRIANGHRAF-Ireland Day 31

And we made it to Dublin Bonus Day 3. In theory, we will be home tomorrow at 5 pm PDT if the travel gods are aligned.

One of the many things that I appreciate about our relationship is the willingness to take separate adventures. Today Jim took the train to Howth, a picturesque coastal fishing village that draws tourists to the area. He remarked that the area reminded him of Cape Elizabeth,ME, the affluent coastal community that is home to the Portland Head Light. I chose to walk to Glasnevin Cemetery, the final resting place of many important historical figures ranging from key revolutionaries, labor leaders, Suffragettes, artists and sports heroes.

At the center of the cemetery is O'Connell Tower named for Daniel O'Connell was famous for helping Catholics to win the right to become members of Parliament in the UK. Irish person who lived during the late eighteenth and early nineteenth century. He also wanted Ireland to have its own parliament. He became known as the “Liberator” because he advicated for Irish people's rights.

I hesitated before considering going up the 198-step journey to the top of the tower. I was intrigued that the start of the journey began in O'Connell's crypt. His resting place was housed in an ornate sarcophagus. I was encouraged to touch his casket which is said to bring good luck. Guess what I wished for?

There were two aspects of the crypt that I found a bit amusing: O'Connell purportedly said, " My body in Dublin, my heart in Paris (where he died), my soul in Heaven." People weren't certain if O'Connor's reference to "...his heart in Paris" was literal or figurative. They went with the former. Also, O'Connell's family members are also interred in the crypt. This sounds more elegant than it is; it looked more like a Jenga pile of caskets in a storage closet.

I do consider it a moral victory that I made it to the tower. I'm deathly afraid of heights,an apt description given my launching point. The 360-degree view was spectacular.

After I left the tower I went see the gravesite of Michael Collins, an Irish revolutionary, soldier and politician who was a central figure in Ireland's fight for independence in the early 1900's. He was assassinated at the age of 31 in an ambush.

There are many other important leaders laid to rest in this cemetery. I was moved by a tribute to, Michael Carey, the first person buried here who died of tuberculosis at the age of 11.

I did make it a point to visit the site of James "Big Jim" Larkin who was a famous labor leader in Ireland's history. There is also a statue of him near our hotel with this inscription:

"The great appear great because we are on our knees. Let us rise!"

I made it back to the hotel in time to join a new acquaintance and his friend for coffee. I really enjoyed our conversation and shared experiences.

Jim and I prepared for our trip home again, and we again joined our friend Frank from the Portland Gay Men's Chorus for dinner. We has a great conversation, a nightcap at a nearby pub, and we settled in for what we hope will be an uneventful trip home.

It's been an incredible journey. Thank you for joining us.Read more