Like most Americans, I suspect, when I thought of Ireland I pictured green rolling hills studded with rock walls and thatched cottages with bright red painted doors.  Though I realized that Dublin is a city and contains all that cities do, I was not prepared for what I saw our first day there.  Since then I had the opportunity to spend a lot more time in Dublin and saw all of its faces.  It's a city as varied and vibrant as San Francisco and I enjoyed every minute of my time there.

 The first thing one notices about Dublin is all of the churches.  This one is St. Mary's Chapel of Ease or the Black Church.  It was the first subject I photographed in Ireland.




I believe this church is still in use for which I am glad--it is such a lovely building!  It stands next to the Dublin Writer's Museum.



Detail of the church next to the Writer's Museum.








Another church whose name I do not know.


Details of another nameless church.  So beautiful!

 






The second thing one notices about Dublin is all the flowers.  They are vibrant, gorgeous and truly amazing.  (The gal pictured is my daughter, Mary, who took me on this amazing trip.)














After wandering around the city on foot, we stepped into the Writer's Museum.  We were not allowed to take many photos there and most of those I did were not worthy of posting.  This one is of the staircase in the center of the building.




I am obsessed with shuttered casement windows.  This one is in the Writer's Museum.





I love the detail on this building on O'Connell Street.





Another shuttered window . .








When in Dublin, one can't help but notice the doors.  They are beautiful.  Many of them stand at the entrance of empty buildings. 




I like to call this one "the twins". 















After the churches, the flowers, the windows and the doors, one begins to notice the other architectural delights.  This harp and horn detail is found at a garden of remembrance near the Writer's Museum.



At the head of the garden was this incredible statue which represents the loss of King Lir's seven children when they were turned into swans.





I adore the lamp posts of Dublin--they feature lots of scrolls and shamrocks and that's just the top!



The middle.





The bottom.


My daughter, the wanna be police officer, in front of the Garda Station (or police station) in Dublin.




Tomorrow:  a bit more Dublin and then off to the beautiful Kilkenny and a castle or two.