Dublin and the River Liffey. 2016.

“Dublin is the capital and largest city of Ireland. Dublin is in the province of Leinster on the east coast of Ireland, at the mouth of the River Liffey and bordered on the South by the Wicklow Mountains. The city has an urban area population of 1,173,179. The population of the Greater Dublin Area, as of 2016, was 1,904,806 people. Founded as a Viking settlement, the Kingdom of Dublin became Ireland's principal city following the Norman invasion. The city expanded rapidly from the 17th century and was briefly the second largest city in the British Empire before the Acts of Union in 1800. Following the partition of Ireland in 1922, Dublin became the capital of the Irish Free State, later renamed Ireland. As of 2010, Dublin was listed by the Globalization and World Cities Research Network (GaWC) as a global city, with a ranking of "Alpha-", which places it amongst the top thirty cities in the world. It is a historical and contemporary centre for education, the arts, administration, economy and industry. The name Dublin comes from the Irish word Dubhlinn meaning "black, dark", and lind "pool", referring to a dark tidal pool. This tidal pool was located where the River Poddle entered the Liffey, on the site of the castle gardens at the rear of Dublin Castle.” -Wikipedia

Seagulls standing on glass-topped bus stop.

“Feet are obviously important to birds for standing and perching, but they can also be a means of propulsion in aquatic species, a major weapon in predatory species and for some birds their equivalent of a hand, being used to grasp and hold objects during feeding. Most birds have four toes. The first points backwards in most species while the second, third and fourth toes are arranged from the inside of the foot out. The fifth toe is lost completely, except in some birds where it has become a defensive spur, such as the chicken. The individual characteristics of a species' feet, i.e. size and shape, arrangement and length of the toes and the degree of webbing all depend on what the bird uses its feet for and where it lives. The most common type of webbed foot found in ducks, geese, swans, gulls, terns, and other aquatic birds are known as palmate. Palmate means that three toes are completely webbed, enabling efficient propulsion in water.” -The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB)

1 Bird, 1 Spire of Dublin, 3 Frames. 2016.

“The Spire of Dublin, alternatively titled the Monument of Light, is a large, stainless steel, pin-like monument 120 metres (390 ft) in height, located on the site of the former Nelson's Pillar on O'Connell Street in Dublin, Ireland. Nelson’s Pillar had been destroyed in 1966 following a bombing by former IRA members. In the 1990s, plans were launched to improve the streetscape. The centrepiece of this regeneration was to be a replacement monument for Nelson's Pillar – the Spire of Dublin – chosen from a large number of submissions in an international competition by a committee chaired by the Lord Mayor of Dublin, Joe Doyle. At dusk, the base of the monument is lit and the top 10 m (33 ft) is illuminated through 11,884 holes through which light-emitting diodes shine.” -Wikipedia

Homeless Jesus at Christ Church Cathedral. 2016.

“Homeless Jesus, also known as Jesus the Homeless, is a bronze sculpture by Canadian sculptor Timothy Schmalz that depicts Jesus as a homeless person, sleeping on a park bench. The original sculpture was installed at Regis College, University of Toronto, in early 2013 and has been replicated elsewhere around the US and Canada. The first sculpture outside of North America was installed on the grounds of Christ Church Cathedral, Dublin. It has since been installed and blessed in many places globally with the most prominent location being in Rome outside of the Papal Office of Charities. It depicts Jesus as a homeless person, sleeping on a park bench. His face and hands are obscured, hidden under a blanket, but crucifixion wounds on his feet reveal his identity. The statue has been described as a "visual translation" of the Gospel of Matthew passage in which Jesus tells his disciples, "as you did it to one of the least of my brothers, you did it to me". Schmalz intended for the bronze sculpture to be provocative, admitting, "That's essentially what the sculpture is there to do. It's meant to challenge people.” -Wikipedia

Trinity College Dublin. 2016.

“Trinity College, officially the College of the Holy and Undivided Trinity of Queen Elizabeth near Dublin, is the sole constituent college of the University of Dublin, a research university located in Dublin, Ireland. The college was founded in 1592 as the "mother" of a new university, modelled after the collegiate universities of Oxford and Cambridge, but, unlike these other ancient universities, only one college was ever established; as such, the designations "Trinity College" and "University of Dublin" are usually synonymous for practical purposes. It is one of the seven ancient universities of Britain and Ireland, as well as Ireland's oldest university. Trinity College is widely considered to be the most prestigious university in Ireland, principally due to its extensive history since the sixteenth century, its unique relationship with both the University of Oxford and the University of Cambridge, its highly competitive admissions procedure as well as its reputation for elitism. The Library of Trinity College is a legal deposit library for Ireland and the United Kingdom, containing over 6.2 million printed volumes and significant quantities of manuscripts, including the Book of Kells.” -Wikipedia

The Campanile of Trinity College, Dublin. 2016.

“The Campanile of Trinity College, Dublin is a bell tower and one of its most iconic landmarks. Donated by then Archbishop of Armagh, Lord John Beresford it was designed by Sir Charles Lanyon, sculpted by Thomas Kirk and finished in 1853. It is located in what is considered the middle of Trinity College, however its actual location is in the northwest of college (the actual middle being the Museum Building). It is the most recent bell tower in a long line dating back to the original tower of the monastery of All Hallows. The entire structure stands at 30.5 metres (100 ft) tall and is mainly granite in composition with its carvings being of portland stone.” -Wikipedia

Proud Member of the European Union. 2016.

“Ireland has been a member state of the European Union since 1973, but has chosen to remain outside the Schengen Area. Citizens of the United Kingdom can freely enter the country without a passport due to the Common Travel Area, which is a passport-free zone comprising the islands of Ireland, Great Britain, the Isle of Man and the Channel Islands. However, some identification is required at airports and seaports.” -Wikipedia

Rest in Peace Ziggy. 2016.

“David Robert Jones (8 January 1947 – 10 January 2016), known professionally as David Bowie, was an English singer, songwriter and actor. He was a leading figure in popular music for over five decades, acclaimed by critics and other musicians for his innovative work. His career was marked by reinvention and visual presentation, his music and stagecraft significantly influencing popular music. During his lifetime, his record sales, estimated at 140 million albums worldwide, made him one of the world's best-selling music artists. In the UK, he was awarded nine platinum album certifications, eleven gold and eight silver, releasing eleven number-one albums. In the US, he received five platinum and nine gold certifications.” -Wikipedia

Sinead You Were Right. 2016.

"Over the years, Sinead O’Connor has openly discussed and written extensively about the abuse she suffered as a child leading to her expression of disgust with the Catholic Church’s refusal to root out pedophiles—specifically in Ireland, which might explain the mural—which led to her infamous ripping up a photograph of Pope John Paul II on Saturday Night Live in October of 1992, the first of many very sudden and very public heart-over-mind moments that has overshadowed her music." - The Aquarian

Kilmainham Gaol. 2016.

“Kilmainham Gaol is a former prison in Kilmainham, Dublin, Ireland. It is now a museum run by the Office of Public Works, an agency of the Government of Ireland. Many Irish revolutionaries, including the leaders of the 1916 Easter Rising, were imprisoned and executed in the prison by the British.” -Wikipedia

Kilmainham Gaol Stairs. 2016.

“Kilmainham Gaol is a former prison in Kilmainham, Dublin, Ireland. It is now a museum run by the Office of Public Works, an agency of the Government of Ireland. Many Irish revolutionaries, including the leaders of the 1916 Easter Rising, were imprisoned and executed in the prison by the British.” -Wikipedia

Light Fixture in Kilmainham Gaol. 2016.

“Kilmainham Gaol is a former prison in Kilmainham, Dublin, Ireland. It is now a museum run by the Office of Public Works, an agency of the Government of Ireland. Many Irish revolutionaries, including the leaders of the 1916 Easter Rising, were imprisoned and executed in the prison by the British.” -Wikipedia

Kilmainham Gaol Upper Floors. 2016.

“Kilmainham Gaol is a former prison in Kilmainham, Dublin, Ireland. It is now a museum run by the Office of Public Works, an agency of the Government of Ireland. Many Irish revolutionaries, including the leaders of the 1916 Easter Rising, were imprisoned and executed in the prison by the British.” -Wikipedia

Georges Seurat at Kilmainham Gaol. 2016.

Here's a pointillist version of a photo I took there. “Kilmainham Gaol is a former prison in Kilmainham, Dublin, Ireland. It is now a museum run by the Office of Public Works, an agency of the Government of Ireland. Many Irish revolutionaries, including the leaders of the 1916 Easter Rising, were imprisoned and executed in the prison by the British.” -Wikipedia

Horse Carriage at the Guinness Storehouse. 2016.

“Guinness Storehouse is a tourist attraction at St. James's Gate Brewery in Dublin, Ireland. Since opening in 2000, it has received over four million visitors. The Storehouse covers seven floors surrounding a glass atrium shaped in the form of a pint of Guinness. The ground floor introduces the beer's four ingredients (water, barley, hops and yeast), and the brewery's founder, Arthur Guinness. Other floors feature the history of Guinness advertising and include an interactive exhibit on responsible drinking. The seventh floor houses the Gravity Bar with views of Dublin and where visitors may drink a pint of Guinness included in the price of admission. In 2006, a new wing opened incorporating a live installation of the present-day brewing process.” -Wikipedia

Queue at Guinness Factory. 2016.

“Guinness Storehouse is a tourist attraction at St. James's Gate Brewery in Dublin, Ireland. Since opening in 2000, it has received over four million visitors. The Storehouse covers seven floors surrounding a glass atrium shaped in the form of a pint of Guinness. The ground floor introduces the beer's four ingredients (water, barley, hops and yeast), and the brewery's founder, Arthur Guinness. Other floors feature the history of Guinness advertising and include an interactive exhibit on responsible drinking. The seventh floor houses the Gravity Bar with views of Dublin and where visitors may drink a pint of Guinness included in the price of admission. In 2006, a new wing opened incorporating a live installation of the present-day brewing process.” -Wikipedia

A bike messenger and her copilot. 2016.

This bike messenger was likely in the middle of her workday but I did read something interesting about Dublin's "Alleycat" races, in which many bike messengers compete. "Alleycat races kicked off in Dublin back in 1997 and that the race effectively "simulates a working day." Every competitor has a manifest in their front wheel with a list of checkpoints around the city. The racer can get to these checkpoints in any order they choose, and at each point they are met by someone who signs the manifest to confirm their arrival – the racer to get to the finishing point first with all the required signatures is the winner. Like the original Toronto races – the series kicked off in 1989 to celebrate Halloween – Dublin's alleycats are often organised to mark special occasions, with the biggest annual event being the infamous Paddy's Day Massacre, a three day event which has been taking place for 18 years.” -Lovin Dublin

Irish Museum of Modern Art Courtyard. 2016.

“The Irish Museum of Modern Art, also known as IMMA, is Ireland's leading national institution for the collection and presentation of modern and contemporary art. Located in Kilmainham, Dublin, the Museum presents a wide variety of art in a changing programme of exhibitions, which regularly includes bodies of work from its own collection and its education and community department. The Irish Museum of Modern Art was established by the Government of Ireland in 1990. It was officially opened on 25 May 1991 by Taoiseach Charles J Haughey. ” -Wikipedia

The Irish Museum of Modern Art. 2016.

“The Irish Museum of Modern Art, also known as IMMA, is Ireland's leading national institution for the collection and presentation of modern and contemporary art. Located in Kilmainham, Dublin, the Museum presents a wide variety of art in a changing programme of exhibitions, which regularly includes bodies of work from its own collection and its education and community department. The Irish Museum of Modern Art was established by the Government of Ireland in 1990. It was officially opened on 25 May 1991 by Taoiseach Charles J Haughey. ” -Wikipedia

A Seagull on the River Liffey. 2016.

“The River Liffey is a river in Ireland, which flows through the centre of Dublin. Its major tributaries include the River Dodder, the River Poddle and the River Camac. The river supplies much of Dublin's water and a range of recreational activities. The river was previously named An Ruirthech, meaning "fast (or strong) runner". The word Liphe (or Life) referred originally to the name of the plain through which the river ran, but eventually came to refer to the river itself. It was also known as the Anna Liffey, possibly from an anglicisation of Abhainn na Life, the Irish phrase that translates into English as "River Liffey". James Joyce embodies the river as "Anna Livia Plurabelle" in Finnegans Wake.” -Wikipedia