During my last few days in Ireland, I went to Kilmainham Jail and the National Museum of Ireland. I rode a tour bus to get to the jail. The great thing about the tour buses is that they're double-decker and open at the top. I had a great view of everything. I saw a number of interesting landmarks, including St. Patrick's Cathedral and the Guinness Brewery. The latter is absolutely sprawling. There were tubes and pipes and vats all over the place. It reminds me of some chemical manufacturing plants I've seen. I suppose that's pretty much what a brewery is.
A number of famous Irish people have been held in Kilmainham Jail, which today has been refurbished and turned into a museum. I visited as part of the requirements for one of my classes. The leaders of the 1916 Rising were held and executed in Kilmainham. The photo above shows the site of execution, in the stonebreakers' yard outside the jail. I've decolorized the photo except for the flag. The cross marks the actual spot where the men were shot. Kilmainham was a pretty run-down place, with few amenities. Staying there would certainly be no picnic.
The national museum had an exhibit on the 1916 Rising. One of the interesting things in the exhibit was an illuminated book. Illumination is the practice of decorating manuscripts with drawings and flourishes, often with gold leaf. (In this photo from the Museum of London, the pages hanging on the right side of the wall are illuminated.) The book in the museum depicted the people and events of the Rising.
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