Day 3 - An Easter Parade

We started the day with a hearty breakfast before chorch (well maybe not the chorch bit) and. Set off for the city. We heard that an Easter Parade was planned for O'Connell Street. I immediately thought of mardi gras floats and Easter bonnets but it was an altogether more solemn matter - the commemoration of the 1916 Easter uprising which took place on the very spot in front of the post office. The ceremony was similar to our Anzac Day but was dedicated to the young freedom fighters who were all executed for their troubles but are now regarded as founding fathers.

The Garda were a very strong presence with barricades and some heavy duty military support. The public were kept well back from the ceremony and you had to go through a bag search to get in. It is a salutory reminder of the past troubles and perhaps some still simmering issues. I notice that the shops throuhout the city all have heavy roller shutters which cover thevwindows at night - a legacy of past unrest that we would never see at home.

We went exploring again, using the green bus and took in all the georgian splendour. Here's me with Molly Malone, aka 'the tart with the cart'. She's over near Grafton Street where all the posh shops are.



And here, lounging on his rock in Merrion Square, is Oscar. Dublin is very proud of its writers and there are statues, bridges and all sorts of mentions of them. Jonathon Swift was dean of St Patrick's Cathedral and they pointed out the spot where James Joyce met Norah Barnacle.



Meanwhile, Ireland's economy is clearly in the toilet. We noticed quite a few moribund building sites. The papers this morning are full of government legislation that would force mortgage defaulters into an income management system that would contol the way they spend their remaining funds - they could only buy 'healthy' food, would have to get rid of their cars if they live in a city with public transport. And if working women are paying too much for childcare they could be made to give up their jobs and stay home with the kids. The commentators are describing it as stalinist. The banks are being facilitated to get their pound of flesh despite their behaviour in the past!

We are surprised at how relatively cheap things seem to be. We had the full monty breakfast at the hotel this morning for 15 euros. It would be more than twice that at home.

Oh, and did I mention it was 4 degrees here today. All day. The daffs are out. Just. The trees still have no leaves but daylight saving has started.

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