Up in Dublin and Down the Country. - Ireland over Winter

Note. There is a problem with writing and uploading pictures on this posting; although it looks fine on the blog, when I am on the working page, I only see script, no pictures.   I am sure you can work it all out yourself.

Even between - and indeed during the raindrops dropping all over the place in Ireland over the winter, the country looked beautiful. Both ´up in Dublin´ and ´down the country´. So in homage to the country looking beautiful even when it was as soggy as a drowned cat, I am posting pictures taken in Dublin and ´down the country´.

First Dublin. 
The pictures below were taken on one of the few days when it did not rain in Ireland  when I was there; I got a lend of a bike and just cycled around. It was a JOY. It really struck me: How much literary heritage there is in Dublin. Just cycling about at random, I past the birth place of the writer George B. Shaw.  I cycled by Synge Street School attended by James Plunkett who wrote Stumpet City. - A read to be recommended.   And then there´s Brendan Behen´s favorite pub.  Full disclosure:  Mr. Behen had ´many favorite pubs´.  Áras an Uachtaráin, is Irish for `President´s Residence´. …Yep popped by there too; alas I was not invited in for a cuppa.

The interesting lady in the pond is officially known as Anna Livia. To learn a little about her history – including some of her more colorful monikers, read this link to Lisa Cassidy´s website Builtdublin: http://builtdublin.com/anna-livia-croppies-acre-memorial-park-wolfe-tone-quay-dublin-7/

FYI:   Builtdublin is one of my very favorite websites in the whole world, yes, in the whole world. Ms. Cassidy an architect created this site about hidden gems of Dublin architecture. The website is clearly a labor of love. And a joy to visit.

-  And that robot. Cool or what. The photo was taken at the BT School Science Exhibition in the RDS. – Not built by a student however!

And down the country.

The Castlecomer Wellie Racing takes place on January 1st. This was the 36th such wellie race in that neck of the woods in Co. Kilkenny.

In the process of wearing (less than) fancy dress,that could prove to be a major regret in the years to come, and simultaneously getting soaked and sweaty running up and down hills in their wellies over the last 36 years – the race participants have raised ´mill´ens´ for charity.