Dublin Day 3

The next day we adventured out and took DART, the train, into the city center to catch our tour bus to our first stop, the St. Patrick's Cathedral, the national cathedral of the church of Ireland. This is where the "reputed" well is located where St. Patrick baptized converts on the church property. It's also most famously known for one of it's prior deans, Joathan Swift, who authored Guilliver's Travels among many others.

Inside the cathedral there were so many relics and impressive artwork. One of the caretakers told the kids that there are nine tiles on the floor that weren't facing like the rest. The builder did this on purpose feeling like no job should be perfect because God alone is the only perfect being. So, the kids ran around trying to find all 9 tiles. Unfortunately, they only found 6 by the time we had to leave but it kept them busy.

The grounds were beautiful around the cathedral. They even had a playground.

Our next stop was the Guinness museum. The museum was impressive and took you through a self-guided tour through the process of the making of a glass of Guinness. We learned the history of Arthur and how he brewed the first batch by accident by over roasting the barley. We even got a sample of the "roasted" barley. Each level took you up through a large pint glass until you came out on top at the Gravity Bar in which they gave you a complementary pint.

Half way through the tour they give you a "taste".

Sorry, after six months of being in Ireland I still can't drink the stuff.

Cam enjoyed his pint though.

The view from the Gravity Bar was breath-taking.

Our next stop was the Kilmainham Gaol (Jail). The jail was built in 1792 and held some of the first famous Nationalist who took part in the Easter Rising. Many of these people were executed in the prison yard. The prison also held children who were caught stealing flowers from public gardens or pieces of printed calico from the market place.

This jail also has been used in many movies like the first Italian Job and In the Name of the Father.

The kids couldn't believe kids their age were in cells like this. Many times the jail was overcrowded with five to ten people to a cell.