Travel

I’m a Dubliner

~ MaryG ~ 22 Comments

After Kilkenny, it was onwards to Dublin—the great capital city of the Republic of Ireland. We approached Dublin from the south, which was described as the “posh” side of town.

After a lovely lunch surrounded by ancient giant trees at The Fern House (and quick shopping in the attached Avoca store), we headed to the city for something completely different— a moving tour of Kilmainham Gaol.

The Fern House Cafe
Our tour guide at the Gaol (jail) was very dramatic and deadly serious about Ireland’s history and struggles for independence against “the colonizer” (aka Great Britain).

This historic prison is a powerful symbol of Irish nationalism, as it held many leaders of Ireland’s rebellions, including the 14 men executed after the 1916 Easter Rising. (On the way to the prison, the guide played Rod Stewart’s beautiful song Grace about Joseph Plunkett—one of the 14 rebellion leaders—who was allowed to marry his childhood sweetheart Grace shortly before his execution.)

Kilmainham Gaol

The next morning, the sun came out and we did a walking tour and saw many of the city’s iconic sites:

St. Patrick’s Cathedral, Dublin
The Long Library at Trinity College, Dublin, which you enter after viewing Ireland’s most famous artifact—The Book of Kells
The Temple Bar, Dublin

Meanwhile, my son John (who had been in Sweden for work) joined us in Dublin, which was fantastic. It was so great to spend time with him!

My son and me at a pub on Camden Street

We did several more museums with him, including EPIC (the Irish Emigration Museum) and the National Museum of Archeology. We also went to many pubs, stores and even a sold-out comedy show, where we were the only Americans and the comedians knew it. 🤣 (They did not hold back on the Trump jokes, which was awesome.)

Check out the International for great stand-up

And NOW, if you’re still reading, here’s the most amazing thing that happened in Dublin. You may remember that this trip was inspired, in part, by my Irish roots. Thanks to my mother’s extensive genealogy research, I have a lot of information about my great grandmother’s family, including the names and addresses of her parents—and their parents.

One night we walked by the address of the home where my great grandmother’s mother grew up and believe it or not, her father’s name is STILL on the door: Beverly Smyth.

30 South Anne Street is right in the middle of all the action in Dublin City Center—just off Grafton Street.
Beverly Smyth (1817-1898) was my great, great, great grandfather. The company he started in 1846 (Beverly Smyth & Sons) is still in existence. It’s now a well-established Irish moving and storage company known as Oman Beverly Smyth.
My maternal grandfather, Henry Beverly Powell (1906-1964) reportedly hated having “Beverly” as his middle name and only ever went by Henry B. Powell, but it turns out that Beverly (his mother’s grandfather) was a successful Dublin businessman.

I also found the church where my grandfather’s maternal grandparents got married in 1879:

St. Andrew’s Church, Westland Row, Dublin

And of course, I went inside the church too, because I’m like that!

My great great grandfather John Barry (1846-1881) married Beverly & Bridget Smyth’s daughter Mary in St. Andrew’s Church in 1879.
Their eldest child Mary Barry (so many Marys! Very confusing!!) was born a year later — in 1880. She then emigrated to America (Brooklyn, NYC) in 1903 at age 23. She died in 1952, just 12 years before her son (my grandfather).

I had two other Dublin addresses for the Barrys, but did not have time to see them when I was there, so I’ll have to go back.

But the bottom line is: I’m a DUBLINER people. My people were city folk. They were not digging potatoes in County Cork. So the next time I go to the Dubliner bar in Boston, I’ll know I belong.

My son John in front of his great great great great grandfather’s house in Dublin

It really is in a prime city location and currently up for rent! Here’s the street it’s on:

According to the realtor, the “Beverly Smyth & Sons” nameplate can never be removed because the property is on Dublin’s list of protected properties. So maybe someday my granddaughter will visit Dublin and see her great x5 grandparents’ home.

FINAL THOUGHT: we have far too many Johns and Marys in the family tree (on both the Irish and Italian sides). Giving your kids unique first names will help future generations keep it all straight. 😜

Related posts:

Ireland Planning

Greetings from Ireland

More Ireland

Last Stop in Ireland

Food and Signs in Ireland

Thursday Doors—Dublin Unitarian Church

More Ireland

~ MaryG ~ 9 Comments

I got back Monday night from Ireland and it was a really great trip, though I did end up testing positive for Covid on Tuesday. I don’t feel too bad…just a slight sore throat and some coughing (no fever). (I am fully vaccinated.) I will be wearing a mask when out until next week and I’ve moved into the guest room, so my husband hopefully doesn’t get it.

I have too many pictures! After leaving the stunning Dingle Peninsula, we went to Kilkenny by way of the adorable thatched roof village of Adare and the iconic Rock of Cashel:

Adare
The very thick layers of thatching
Our tour group only allowed us to bring one carry-on sized bag, so this was my look almost every day: layers. I brought about 8 Eddie Bauer T-shirts, an Eddie Bauer long sleeved travel shirt & capris & my Land’s End raincoat. My ASICS sneakers are very comfy. And of course an umbrella— you gotta have a “brelly” in Ireland!
The iconic Rock of Cashel is a major attraction
Check out how my husband’s Google Pixel phone will remove all the people from his pics. (I kinda think that’s cheating.)
The round tower at Cashel. Round towers are unique to Ireland and its medieval monastic ruins. Cashel is where St. Patrick supposedly converted the King Aengus to Christianity in the 5th century AD.
“inside”
The Rock of Cashel from the street below
Our tour guide Joe getting ready to lead us into Kilkenny castle
Kilkenny Castle
The “Moorish staircase” in Kilkenny Castle

After leaving Kilkenny, we went to Glendalough—a monastic site in County Wicklow, founded in the 6th century by St. Kevin. The weather was very misty/rainy that day, but I thought it added to the ancient mystique of the place.

Glendalough
The round tower in the mist at Glendalough
St. Kevin’s house at Glendalough
A cute little red Irish deer at Glendalough
The mist-covered lake at Glendalough. I needed both hood and umbrella that day.

Next: Dublin

Related posts:

Ireland Planning

Greetings from Ireland

I’m a Dubliner

Last Stop in Ireland

Food and Signs in Ireland

Thursday Doors—Dublin Unitarian Church

Greetings from Ireland

~ MaryG ~ 12 Comments

A cat outside my window has awoken me early here in the westernmost part of Europe—the Dingle peninsula.

I’ve officially turned sixty and it’s OK!

I had two shots of Bailey’s before ascending the iconic Cliffs of Moher. Highly recommend.

Cliffs of Moher

The sun came out yesterday and it was spectacular.

“The Three Sisters” in the background
View from Slea Head Drive, Dingle Peninsula
I took a selfie with an owl (that takes skill people)

I’ve been to at least four pubs and had my first Guinness, which I liked. (I got a half pint, which you can do.) I’ve learned I do not like straight whisky.

Music abounds.

This GenX pub singer was great

They have free healthcare and college here! And I have not seen a single American chain—no Starbucks, no Dunkin, no McDonald’s. Weed is illegal here. So…🍻!

Billy Keane (son of writer John B Keane) behind the bar at his pub in Listowel

Sláinte!

Related posts:

Ireland Planning

More Ireland

I’m a Dubliner

Last Stop in Ireland

Food and Signs in Ireland

Thursday Doors—Dublin Unitarian Church

Pink and Green

~ MaryG ~ 13 Comments

As my friends and classmates continue to hit the big SIX-OH, it’s a natural time to look back. After all, we’ve most definitely got more years behind us than in front of us now. (Although there was one lady in France that made it to 122.5 years old.)

Another friend posted about going deep into the woods (off the grid) for his big birthday weekend. No party or foreign travel for him. Just weed and contemplation I guess.

When we were all sophomores in high school, Ronald Reagan was elected President of the United States. In my mind, this was when the “fringe & ponchos” 70s truly ended and materialistic preppiness became fashionable. We replaced our earth shoes with boat shoes. Brand name labels (Izod, Polo, etc) were everything.

And as every true GenXer knows, the definitive preppy color combo was and always will be: Pink & Green. It’s not a color combo I wear much anymore, but I sure do like it in a garden.

Green on its own is nice too

Portland (Maine, not Oregon)

~ MaryG ~ 11 Comments

We’re getting pretty lousy weather for Memorial Day weekend—the kick-off of “summer” here in New England. It’s currently 43 degrees F and raining. My heat is running. (They’re saying it’s a slow moving Nor’easter.) Last weekend wasn’t much better.

I was in Portland (Maine) last Friday and Saturday. We saw some sun on Friday, but by Saturday the downtown was misty and chilly.

We could see the MSC Meraviglia, operated by Swiss/Italian MSC Cruises—the world’s third-largest cruise line—docked in downtown Portland, Maine last Friday from our hotel room window.

By Friday evening, the chilly mist had rolled in. It almost looked like part of the ship was on fire in the dark. There was a darker eerier blue/black mist coming from one section of it.

My friend Gail and I like to investigate mysteries we encounter on vacation. Here’s what we learned (but feel free to skip this part and go right to the food photos at the end):

The dark, smoky mist being emitted from the ships exhaust stacks was due to the ship’s use of exhaust gas cleaning systems, commonly known as “scrubbers,” during maintenance operations. The MSC Meraviglia was docked in Portland for emergency repairs, specifically to replace damaged propeller blades. Since the ship couldn’t return to a dry dock, dive teams conducted underwater repairs, utilizing hydraulic grinders to remove and replace the faulty blades. During this period, the ship operated its engines to power onboard systems, leading to the activation of its scrubbers. These systems are designed to reduce air pollutants by “washing” exhaust gases, but they can produce visible emissions, especially when the ship is stationary and undergoing maintenance. The emissions sparked concerns among local residents and environmental groups. While scrubbers reduce airborne pollutants, they can transfer contaminants to the water, potentially harming marine ecosystems. In response to over 50 complaints, city officials engaged with the ship’s captain, resulting in a switch to cleaner-burning fuel to mitigate the environmental impact. (It didn’t look much cleaner to me, but I didn’t see the smoke earlier in the week.)

This blog explains what was happening with the MSC Meraviglia and how some states (like California) ban scrubbers near the coastline.

Honestly, the cruise ship industry seems so environmentally harmful and disease-prone, I’m not quite sure why cruises are so popular.

We saw the MSC Meraviglia leave the harbor on Saturday, but another huge ship had pulled in. (At first, we thought the Meraviglia had just moved to a different spot, but then we saw it was the MS Zuiderdam.)

The MS Zuiderdam, operated by Holland America Line, was docked in Portland, Maine, as part of its 15-night “Atlantic Seaboard & Colonial New England cruise,” which began in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, and ended in Quebec City, Canada.

PORTLAND FOOD

Given that the weather was bad, we abandoned plans to take the ferry to Peaks Island and decided to try as many of Portland’s popular eateries as possible. We ate our way through the Maine mist.

Maple bacon, honey lavender and toasted coconut donuts from The Holy Donut—made with Maine potatoes
Delicious sandwich from Duckfat, Portland
Brown butter lobster roll from Eventide Oyster Company
Fried oyster bun, also from Eventide
Mmmm…that’s the eggplant lasagna at Isa Bistro
We had fantastic service at Isa Bistro. I don’t even remember telling them it was Gail’s 60th birthday, but a lovely mango ice cream with candle appeared at the end of our delicious meal.

Not pictured, but highly recommended: Gelato Fiasco on Fore Street. The gelato is delicious and they also have great coffee and tea. They’ll even make you an affogato—a single or double espresso shot poured over gelato.

The Portland Observatory on Munjoy Hill
A dense fog on Casco Bay from the Eastern Promenade in Portland

Portland is less than two hours from Boston, so it’s not a bucket list destination for me. I’d been there before and I’m sure I’ll go there again at some point. I don’t think I’ve ever seen Portland in warm sunny weather though. It’s always misty and grey for me.

But hey, it’s Maine.

One final note: the city gives liberal/hipster vibes. I saw not one MAGA hat, shirt or sign, which is a major plus for me. In the 2024 U.S. presidential election, Kamala Harris won Portland with approximately 80.5% of the vote, while Donald Trump received about 15.6%. Good job Portland. I’ll be back.

Patriots Day

~ MaryG ~ 11 Comments

Patriots Day is a special Massachusetts holiday commemorating the start of the American Revolution. In case you don’t know the story: On April 18, 1775, British regulars (aka “Red Coats” because they wore bright red uniforms) marched from Boston to seize weapons stored by colonial militias in Concord. Paul Revere and others rode ahead to warn colonists. At dawn on April 19 in Lexington, Red Coats confronted about 70 militiamen (aka “Minute Men” because they could be ready to fight in a minute); a shot was fired—“the shot heard ’round the world”—and fighting began. Eight colonists were killed. The British continued to Concord but met fierce resistance. Amazingly, the Minutemen forced the Red Coats to retreat to Boston under heavy fire using fighting skills they learned from native people. A bunch of ragtag New England farmers chased the world’s most powerful army back to Boston with their tails between their legs. This marked the start of the American Revolutionary War.

Patriots Day is also the day they hold the Boston Marathon and many people have it off work.

This year, Massachusetts is kicking off the 250th birthday celebrations for the entire country. We’ve had all sorts of patriotic celebrations this weekend—all with a decidedly anti-Trump sentiment.

If you have time, it’s worth watching historian Heather Cox Richardson give an address at the Old North Church detailing the events leading up to the “midnight ride of Paul Revere.” One of her final points is that the two men who lit the lanterns in the steeple to start the process of warning the colonists that the British were approaching “by sea” were not doing anything extraordinary. They were just doing what they considered to be “the next right thing” at that time.

Since the heartbreaking election in November, I haven’t felt much like getting back out there and joining the resistance, but Patriots Day is special.

I was there in Concord for the Bicentennial in 1976, and wasn’t going to miss out this year. It felt like “the next right thing.”

The American Revolution started here.
My friends and I with a Concord Minuteman
There was a huge anti-Trump crowd in Concord center for Patriots Day
Speakers and singers on the steps of the Unitarian Universalist church
That’s me!

No Kings.

🇺🇸

A ChatGPT mini-adventure

~ MaryG ~ 14 Comments

I’m starting to use ChatGPT a lot now. For example, yesterday I had nothing on my calendar so I asked Chat to suggest three local adventures for me and my husband within 30 minutes of my house. One of the suggestions I had never been to (or even heard of): The Bancroft Castle. Intriguing! It looked like a little bit of Ireland in the next town over.

As we were about to leave, my husband was being grumpy (it was about 45 degrees and windy), so I ditched him and went alone.

Here’s the story: In 1906, after a long career as a soldier, politician, and businessman, General William Bancroft began building his lavish retirement home on a scenic hill in his old hometown (as Harvard Men do). He even had a pretentious name in mind: Shawfieldmont. But Bancroft’s dream project only got so far, when he ran out of money. He kept the property for 12 years, but then sold it to Harold Ayres, a physician who converted the structure into a “sanatorium.” Through the 1920s, patients in the area suffering from ailments like tuberculosis (who could afford to pay $20 a week) reaped the benefits of the fresh air and treatments offered by the Groton Private Hospital, as Ayres named his facility. 

When the hospital closed down toward the end of the decade, the space segued from sanatorium to social center, where dances and other events were held by the Groton Hunt Club. The fox hunting-related festivities came to end when parts of the structure burned down after a firecracker accident on the Fourth of July, 1932. (Oops, but at least the foxes could rest easier.)

It was a short but steep hike up to the Bancroft Castle in Groton, Massachusetts.

Kind of creepy, right? And I was the ONLY person up there! But I was brave and went in.

Major ghost vibes inside

I headed up to top of Gibbet Hill from the castle (despite heavy winds) and the view was pretty spectacular.

One more selfie inside the castle before heading home

Thanks Chat. That was interesting.

People don’t look good

~ MaryG ~ 23 Comments

I don’t know if this is just a New England thing or what, but people do not look well to me. It’s been a looooong winter here in New England (currently 42 degrees with light snow in Nashua, NH), but it’s like this every year. We know this. March is a winter month and it’s foolish to expect anything else, even with global warming. You can easily get snow on Easter Sunday. Hell, I’ve seen snow on Mother’s Day.

But this is different. A lot of people look miserable to me. An older woman with a walker was my cashier at Marshall’s yesterday. At age 65+, she has a job that requires her to stand up—for hours. Can she not retire? Is she one of the millions of Americans whose retirement plan is “work til I die.”

I have no idea of the political affiliation of strangers, so maybe this has nothing to do with the erosion of democracy or ascendent authoritarianism, but it does remind me a bit of my trip to the Soviet Union in 1987. Nobody smiled there. Everyone looked…grey (for lack of a better word). If they did smile, you could see that their teeth were horrible. They did not have American smiles.

I have done a fair bit of traveling and I can tell you that we tend be the warmest smilers in the world. And as a rule, we have fantastic teeth. (Maybe it was the fluoride and all the other public health initiatives we benefited from as kids.) But I’m seeing far fewer smiles lately. And more people are missing teeth.

An older woman sitting in a museum in Suzdal (Russia/USSR) in 1987 – “smiling” without showing her teeth
A couple struggling their way through a Nashua mall today in search of a free wheelchair for her to use

White Lotus Finale

~ MaryG ~ 3 Comments

OK, I have now watched the Season 3 White Lotus finale and am ready to discuss! (I managed to avoid all spoilers yesterday—except for one: I knew there were going to be multiple deaths, thanks to a headline in the NYT.)

In my opinion, it was a very good ending with one truly excellent scene. When the three childhood friends (three women over forty) finally share deeply and openly, Carrie Coons’ monologue brought me to tears:

I’ve been most intrigued by this trio the entire season. Although we’re nothing like these three (other than being white and over 40), my two high school besties and I go on vacation together about once every ten years (usually for a milestone birthday). We live in different cities and usually meet up in a fourth city that we all want to see. We did Chicago when we turned 40, New Orleans when we turned 50, and were planning to go to Montreal for our 60th.

Even though we’re not in each other’s lives on a super regular basis, I get a deep feeling of love and fulfillment whenever I am with them. Our lives have taken different paths, but we started in the exact same place at the exact same time. It’s like Laurie (Carrie Coons) said:

“But I had this epiphany today: I don’t need religion or God to give my life meaning, because time gives it meaning. We started this life together. I mean, we’re going through it apart, but we’re still together. And I look at you guys and it feels meaningful and I can’t explain it, but even when we’re just sitting around the pool talking about whatever and name shit, it still feels very fucking deep. I am glad you have a beautiful face and I’m glad that you have a beautiful life. I am just happy to be at the table.”

When you have friends you’ve known since junior high—nearly 50 years for me—there’s a bit of God in that. Women know this.

Related:

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