Dublin: The Final Field Trip

On July 18th, our group departed Waterford for our final field trip to Dublin. We concluded our grand adventures with the Beatty Library and Trinity College (which in my opinion was saving the best for last). The tour of the Beatty Library was the first stop, an incredible collection donated by the very wealthy mining engineer, Sir Alfred Chester Beatty. With all of his millions he invested in many works of art from various cultures across the globe.  Upon his death in 1968, his will declared that the art and works he had collected since the 1930's would be given the people of Ireland. He wanted every person to be able enjoy his collection for free, which is why admission to the museum/library is free. The purpose of the library is to contribute new value to the cultural life of Ireland in relation to peoples and cultures everywhere.
Since I have discussed mostly architecture in my last few blogs, I decided to mix it up by analyzing some of the beautiful paintings found in Chester Beatty's collection. The 30 paintings in the exhibit are of some that were presented to Ireland in 1950 when Beatty moved to Ireland from London. These paintings can normally be found in the National Gallery of Ireland, but were luckily available to us at the Beatty Library during our visit. 

Jean Louis Ernest Meissoneir (1815-1891)

Group of Cavalry in the Snow: Moreau and Dessoles before Hohenlinden, 1875

(http://www.nationalgallery.ie/en/Exhibitions/Loan_Exhibition/Chester_Beatty_Works/Group_of_Cavalry_in_the_Snow.aspx)

 

This painting is oil on canvas and depicts a snowy scene of men just before battle. This scene in particular is an important battle in history because it shows the strategic planning between two military generals, Moreau and Dessoles, before their victorious battle at Hohenlinden which was fought during the French Revolutionary Wars in December of 1800. Meissoneir loved painting Napoleonic campaigns, so this specific one was significant to him.

By observing this painting, we can deduce that it is one of importance just by paying attention to the use of line. The two generals stand far off, two vertical lines that reveal their assertiveness. The horses and other men blend into horizontal lines, making them more passive and less important. The diagonal lines in the general's coats and horses' tails suggest movement and action, implying the wind that we can only see the effects of. The light in the painting is illusionistic, and creates a feeling of darkness like the coming of a snowstorm (also referring to the impending battle). There is a nice balance of warm and cool colors, although the excessive white does successfully give the feeling of cool--like winter. The dark horses and men stand out against the white snow, making them the obvious focus of the painting. The generals in the distance also appear to be the vanishing point of the painting, leading our eyes to them. I think that this painting is beautiful and I appreciate the intricate details used. I believe that no matter what time this was painted it should be admired as great work.

 





Jean-Léon Gérôme (1824-1904)

Caravan on the Nile, 1897

http://onlinecollection.nationalgallery.ie/view/objects/asitem/People$0040979/0?t:state:flow=03a1736c-657c-452e-8e79-2c05255ca074

 

This painting is oil on canvas and depicts a caravan walking along the Nile River. The artist, Gerome, was a French painter and sculptor who also focused on historical painting like Meissoneir. This scene was probably inspired from his trip to Egypt in 1856 along with many other paintings that depict North African landscapes like this one.

By observation, we can deduce that the lines in this painting create direction and movement around the edge of the river, following the caravan from the front to the back. The shapes of the people and animals are organic while the mountains in the background seem to take on a more geometric shape because they appear somewhat rectangular. The illustionistic light used in this painting creates the illusion of a bright and sunny day, typical of Egypt. The warm colors of the mountains and sand create the sense of heat while the cool colors of the river feel cold like water. The atmospheric perspective shows that the man riding the donkey at the front of the caravan is the main focus of the painting because of the sharpness of detail while the other members of the caravan are blurred and far away. Our eye is drawn to the first rider in the caravan and then slowly moves back with the flow of the line. I really loved the intricate details in the face of the donkey and the beautiful colors. I wanted to have this painting in my own house!

After leaving the Beatty Library, we headed down the street to Trinity College where we ate lunch and had the wonderful opportunity to see the Book of Kells and the Long Room (filled with thousands of beautiful books!). It was a large campus full of history and stories of famous/influential people who have attended school there. But one thing stood out to me when we walked to the Long Room... a bronze sculpture in the shape of a sphere that spun as the wind blew.

This scuplture is called Sphere within Sphere by Arnaldo Pomodoro and I learned that it is not the only one in the world. This sculpture exists in over ten locations across the world without any markings or explanations on or around it. We asked the tour guide what the scuplture meant, and she said that no one had any idea. I decided to research it myself and discovered that the artist claims that the scuplture represents Christianity, but not many people believe him. There are many speculations about what the scuplture actually represents (the end of the world? The birth of a new one? Just the death star?) and real concerns behind the reasoning of why it keeps popping up everywhere without a second glance. This one was donated to Trinity College from the artist in the 1980's.

But beyond all of the supersition, this scuplture can be analyzed like any other piece of artwork. This particular one is a "In the Round" sculpture because it is free-standing and can be viewed from any angle. The artist worked with bronze casting for this scuplture, a common method for sculptures. There is little information about why the artist made this the way it is, but its modern look and confusing imagery works well to cause viewers to ask questions: something that all art should do. This particular sphere is slightly different than the ones across the world, making a unique statement at Trinity College in Dublin. I thought it was interesting at first glance and it made me curious, causing me to stop for a moment and observe it, a quality that respectable art has. I think that if the artist wanted to stir emotions and questions, he has succeeded.

Overall the final weekend spent in Ireland was full of laughter and good times. I have learned so much here and I can't wait to take back what I have experienced and share it with everyone I know.     

 

   

The Famous Five Memorial

On August 27^th, 1927, a group of five Canadian women dared to ask the question, “Does the word ‘Persons’ in Section 24 of the British North America Act, 1867, include female persons?” to the Supreme Court of Canada. The point of asking the question was to discover if women could also run for Senate, because up until that point no woman had succeeded. On April 24^th, 1928, the Supreme Court of Canada gave its unanimous decision on the grounds that women were not qualified to do the job: No. But that answer would not stop these women from demanding a reconsideration by the Supreme Court since the act was created in 1867 and the role of women had changed a great deal since that time. Their determination led to the “Persons Case” in which The Lord Chancellor Viscount Sanky ruled that women should be included as eligible to be members of the Senate. The ruling was officially handed down on October 18^th, 1929 and influenced the rights of women in Canada for many years following.

On October 18^th, 2000, the 71^st anniversary of the court ruling in favor for these women, a memorial was erected by the work of the Famous Five Foundation which has raised funds for many years for women’s rights. The memorial site, named The Famous Five (or Valiant Five), was unveiled on Parliament Hill in Ottawa, the capital of Canada. This specific site is significant because the capital is a universal place of political importance, and this case had a large impact on the politics of the country. Another interesting note is that until The Famous Five monument, the only other monuments built on this site were of prime ministers, fathers of the confederation, or monarchs. This location is also available to anyone to visit and observe the monument because it is built outside in a park area where other monuments are standing as well. The monument itself is of the five women who worked hard to petition the Supreme Court of Canada to allow women to have equal political rights as men. This memorial remembers their efforts and hard work and the incredible impact they have had on the generations that followed them.

 

The monument is made up of five statues cast in bronze, created by Barbara Paterson. The particular scene captures the moment when the five women discovered that their hard work had paid off: women were declared as eligible persons under the law and could be accepted into the Senate. The five women include Nellie McClung, Emily Murphy, Henrietta Muir Edwards, Louise McKinney, and Irene Parlby. Each woman was intelligent and women’s rights activists. They are pictured in the monument as coming together to drink tea and discuss women’s rights because that is what they spent most of their lives doing. Although none of these women were actually elected into Senate, on October 8^th, 2009, these women were named honorary senators to Canada and celebrated for the great change they brought to Canada. October 18^th is now known as “Person’s Day” in Canada in remembrance of their efforts and victory.

 
This monument is representational because it depicts the women realistically as bronze statues. The statement it makes is one of victory and impact—the hard work of these women is remembered because it changed the future for women in Canada but also had an impact on women across the world who learned of their gain of equal rights politically. The statues can be examined up close and reflected on easily because the women are captured in a moment of action and triumph. Onlookers may feel a sense of respect for these women and appreciation for what they have done in Canada. This monument is a memorial for these women because it remembers what they did and doesn’t halfway accept the changed they fought for. They are praised for questioning the norm and not accepting no as an answer. It is not placed in an obscure location where it won’t be appreciated; it is on Parliament Hill, a very political place that once rejected what these women demanded but eventually conceded when they proved their point. Their memorial not only appreciated what these women did, but inspires others to be like them and also stand up for what they believe. If it wasn’t for their determination, who knows how long it would’ve been before women received the rights that they deserved?

Works referred to:
http://www.heroines.ca/celebrate/statuepersons1.html
http://www.ncwc.ca/aboutUs_five.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Valiant_Five

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Persons_Case

Kilkenny Excursion

On July 11th, our field trip maneuvered through County Kilkenny to see some really interesting and beautiful sights. Our first stop (after a very long walk through the cute town) was St. Canice's Cathedral, a cathedral of the Church of Ireland. It is the second longest cathedral in Ireland and dates back from the 13th century.

 

 

The site of this cathedral has been used for worship since the 6th century, although the present building has only been around since the 13th century. This cathedral was originally used for Roman Catholic worship, but was taken over by the Irish Parliament to be used for the Church of Ireland, forcing all Roman Catholics to worship elsewhere. Our tour guide through the cathedral mentioned that Oliver Cromwell ordered attacks on this cathedral because of its association with Catholicism and all of the original stained-glass was destroyed in the attacks. The current windows are replicas of the originals, and still very beautiful. There are also many great monuments and items in this cathedral, including the organ pictured above which was first bought in 1854 for 600 pounds, and is now worth over 2 million.

The cathedral itself is of Early Gothic style and made of limestone. It appears to be of shell system, with its tensile strength being strong and meeting at the keystones probably placed at the top of the pointed arches throughout the building. The nave is very long, making up the majority of the 75-yard-long structure. You can also tell that the cathedral is Gothic because of the ornate details of the stained-glass and floor tiles. Overall a very beautiful church, and I am sad that Cromwell could destroy it so easily. Lucky for us it has been restored for present enjoyment, worship, and appreciation.

Just outside of the cathedral stands a round tower from the 9th century that was dedicated to St. Canice. It is one of the only two medieval towers in Ireland that can be climbed to the top, so of course that's what we did!

 

Climbing inside the tower!

A great view from the top.

This tower is specifically an Irish round tower, (which in Irish it literally means "bell house") and is made of medieval stone. This tower served the purpose of standing out and calling attention to itself--for the sake of alerting nearby people where the cathedral/place of worship was located. It also shows that this cathedral in particular was of great religious importance because of the massive size of the tower. These towers (usually only in the 8th century) were also used as refuge from Viking raids that tended to happen on occasion. Due to the references that suggest that this tower existed in the 9th century, this tower is thought to be the oldest structure (still standing) in the entire city.

This tower is probably a shell-system and of load-bearing construction because the stones look like they have been layered on top of one another. I know from research that this tower is made of medieval stone and was originally built with a cone top (but has been removed so that visitors can stand at the top and take pictures). Perhaps the top of the building could be called an oculus? Since it is in cylinder form, the ceiling is somewhat domed, minus the part that is missing to allow people to climb through. Even if not, this round tower symbolizes history and great religious significance of the time it was built, through the attacks on Catholicism, and today.

After visiting a really cool museum and eating a great lunch, our last stop was the Kilkenny Castle. This grand estate was built in 1195 by William Marshall as a symbol of Norman occupation. It still stands today with as much elegance and superiority as I'm sure it appeared back then.

 

During its time in the 13th century, this castle would have served as a great defense for the town (now Kilkenny). The site on which the castle now stands was where Richard de Clare (who we have learned about on many tours as Strongbow the warrior) first established his own castle in the 12th century. The site was later inherited by Strongbow's daughter and husband, William Marshall, who completed the construction of Kilkenny Castle in 1213. An interesting discovery about this castle was that a later owner, a member of the Butler dynasty (who bought the castle in 1391), Lady Margaret Butler, married the paternal grandmother of Anne Boleyn, a very important wife of King Henry VIII who changed the history of England and Ireland (and arguably Christianity across the world). In present day, the castle is owned by the people--the state of Ireland.

The architecture of this castle ranges from Norman influences from the original construction to the Classical gateway built in the 17th century and 19th century remodeling that introduced Castellated Baronial style and Ruskinian Gothic motifs. The final two influences are revealed through the evidence of battlement installments (turrets and square indentations throughout the castle) and the Gothic-themes inspired by inspiration from John Ruskin, an art critic from the Victorian era. The Gothic elements can be seen in the windows, which are shaped in pointed-arches. The structure also seems to be of load-bearing construction, layered with stone bricks. All of the mixtures of influences on the construction/remodeling of this castle makes it difficult to analyze it directly, but still makes it an interesting castle to examine.

Overall this was a great field trip full of adventure and exciting new discoveries! I can't wait for more.   

 

    

 

The Baroque Mansion (Museum)

If I could design my own museum... I would choose one focused on the Baroque Period.

The Baroque Period began around the year 1600 and lasted until the mid-1700s. This period embraced drama, grandeur, tension, and deep emotion. It started in Rome, Italy due to the encouragement of the Roman Catholic Church to respond to the Protestant Reformation with an emphasis on religious themes throughout all of the arts. They believed that all sculptures, paintings, music, literature, and architecture should communicate a deep emotional struggle with religious elements in a dramatic and direct way so that everyone, even the illiterate, could understand. This movement spread throughout all of Europe and impacted many forms of life, including the way people dressed, communicated, approached culture, and even lived. This period was one of increasing opulence and extravagance that would impact the world for many years following its eventual end.
I thought The Baroque would be a great period to expose to the community because of its impact on so many art forms that we can still stand in awe of and appreciate today. I believe that revealing this period to the community in a concentrated and focused light will show people how influential and important this period was during its time and now through the works that resulted from its inspiration. In order to see how great these paintings, sculptures, architecture, and music are, it is crucial for the community to have easy access to the works. I think that art is very important to the shaping of culture, ideas, and the way people approach life. Therefore it is important that the community should take part in learning the differences and similarities of the way people approached life during the Baroque Period compared to now and how some influences of that period are still visible in current art and culture today.
The Baroque Mansion (my museum of Baroque art) will only cost $10 per adult, $5 for children (13 and younger), $7 for students, and a special discount for families or school field trips (the exact pricing will depend on the size of the group, but there will be a significant discount). Besides the price for admission, my museum will pay for upkeep, staff, etc. through special shows and guided tours. For example, if the local high school wants to take their classes to the Baroque Mansion for a field trip, they can pay a little extra per student to be guided through the museum by a professional tour guide and enjoy meeting "special guests" from the Baroque Period that will talk about "their art" and contributions to art and culture during their lives. My museum will also feature a "tea parlor" in the upstairs wing that will serve drinks, refreshments, and souvenirs for reasonable prices. The Baroque Mansion can also be rented out for elegant parties, wedding receptions, and even proms. This museum is designed for everyone to enjoy, especially those who want to learn new things and really "experience" art and culture from the Baroque Period.
The Baroque Mansion will be designed like a mansion from the Baroque Period, modelign the same interior details and exterior architecture that defined this period. The interior will be ornately decorated with the same furniture, chandeliers, rugs, and other furnishings as the mansions of the period. Guests will have the chance to experience the Baroque Period as they walk through the rooms of the house and can even sit on the couches and relax as if they lived their themselves instead of merely observing it from afar. Therefore the motto/catchphrase for advertising the Baroque Mansion will be: "The Baroque Mansion: Experience Art". The guests of this museum will feel as if they have stepped into the 1600's, as the staff and tour guides will be dressed from that period and ready to show everyone the life and culture of the Baroque Period.
There will be multiple rooms throughout the mansion for guests to experience. After passing through the ticket purchasing center, they will follow through the rooms of the mansion (with the option of going back to one they particularly enjoyed) and have the opportunity to observe, contemplate, admire the many works present. There will be paintings, sculptures, and even music from the Baroque Period playing so that the audience can see, hear, and experience art. The first room will contain works from the beginning of the period and the following rooms will continue on through the timeline, highlighting important works that influenced later periods and are still admired today. The rooms will also be specific to their purpose (furnishings-wise) in relation to the museum feeling like a mansion that someone lives in. For example, one room may be the dining room with an elegant table and chairs, but on the walls will be famous Baroque paintings and in the corner will be a Baroque statue. For examples of some of the works to be featured in the museum look to the following:

"The Assumption of the Virgin Mary" by Annibale Carracci in about 1601. This painting depicts a religious scene dramatically and emotionally with light and dark contrasts that reveal its Baroque characteristics.

"The Crossing of the Red Sea" by Nicolas Poussin in 1633-34. This painting is oil on canvas and features a religious scene that depicts struggle, emotion, and drama.

"The Elevation of the Cross” by Peter Paul Rubens in 1610-11. This is a Triptych, oil on canvas, painting that depicts a strong emotional religious scene in a very obvious Baroque style.

"The Entombment of Christ” by Caravaggio in 1602-04. This oil on canvas painting shows struggle and deep emotion in this religious scene of Christ's death.

 

“Saint Jerome” by Caravaggio in 1606. This oil on canvas painting observes the human body realistically and uses dramatic lighting to show exaggeration and emotion.

"Judith Beheading Holofernes” by Artemisia Gentileschi in 1611-12. This oil on canvas painting depicts great emotional struggle and violence with dark contrasts.

"Neptune" by Antoine Coysevox in 1699-1705. This marble sculpture shows dramatic emotion in the moment and violence.

"Perseus and Andromeda” by Pierre Paul Puget, finished in 1715. This marble sculpture depicts action and emotion.

“Religion Overthrowing Heresy and Hatred” by Pierre LeGros the Younger in 1695-99. This marble sculpture depicts religious struggle and conflicting emotions.

 

"Saint Andrew” by Francois Duquesnoy in 1629-33. This marble sculpture show relgious emotion and dramatic yet realistic human stance.

 

"David" by Gian Lorenzo Bernini in 1623-24. This marble sculpture contrasts Michelangelo's David by showing action, emotion, and struggle which are major themes of the Baroque Period that set it apart from the calm, logistical, and rational period of the Renaissance.

 

 

These works will be displayed throughout the Baroque Mansion in a way that can be observed up-close by guests, but not touched in case of damage. There will be security cameras and one actual security guard at each room to ensure that works are not tampered with or items from the mansion are stolen. Each piece of artwork will have an information tablet beneath it where the guest can read more information about the piece if desired. The layout of the museum will be as follows: After passing through the front door and purchasing your ticket, you will enter into the grand foyer where an exuberant staircase lays in center with a giant chandelier hanging from the ceiling. There will be a doorway to the right and the left, but you must follow the path to the right. The first room will be a sitting room with couches and tables, and of course the artworks on the walls or sculptures standing. You will follow from this room to the next, leading around the mansion until you are led back to the foyer from the doorway that was on your original left. Now you can choose to stay in the foyer where giant artworks are displayed and feature telephones that explain the artworks in depth and their creators if you choose to listen. You also have the option of following the staircase up into more rooms filled with more pieces of art. The final room is in the back, the tea parlor, where guests are invited to sit and refresh themselves with food or drink and can browse the items for sale in the souvenir shop. From there, guests can exit through the back door down the staircase that leads into the backyard (gardens) of the mansion or they can leave the way they came.

The exterior will resemble a Baroque Mansion, such as the example below: 

The Chateau de Maisons, the inspiration for the Baroque Mansion.

 

The location of the museum will have to be in a place with many acres so to seem "out of this time period" but close enough to the city for easy access for the community. I do not have a specific location in mind, but since I live in Georgia I will make it be there. There will also be a large gate surrounding the perimeter of the museum, also for historical effect but also for security purposes. The surrounding yard will resemble gardens from the Baroque Period, but will not contain any statues or sculptures that could be easily damaged from weather or other risks. There will be a driveway through the gate (during open hours) that leads to a large parking lot for cars and buses. The mansion itself will relate to the museum directly because the architecture will closely resemble the architecture of the Baroque Period. The museum will be designed in this way so that guests will feel as if they are stepping into the Baroque Period and can truly experience the art, culture, and life of that time period.    

 

 

  

  

 

 

      

The Beautiful Weekend in Kerry

This past weekend over July 4th through July 6th was filled with various gorgeous views of the mountains, lakes, and houses in County Kerry. We stopped by many historical spots during our visit, one of the first being Ross Castle on the edge of Lough Leane (which means "lake of learning"). The structure was magnificent, and the view was breathtaking.

 

This castle was once the ancestral home of the O'Donoghue clan who built the castle in the late 15th century. During the Irish Confederate Wars, this house was the last one to surrender to Oliver Cromwell's Roundheads. It was once believed that the castle could never be taken, at least by land. Therefore when the castle surrendered to General Ludlow's army during the Wars, it was only because of the warship that they were scared into complying. Luckily at the end of the Wars, the owners of the castle proved that their heir was too young to have taken part in the rebellion so they regained ownership of the castle until they were exiled at the end of the 17th century due to their loyalty to the king of England. The castle then became military barracks until the beginning of the 19th century when it slowly turned into what it is today: a tourist attraction.

I personally thought that this castle was quite grand, but not the most beautiful one I have seen. The design seemed somewhat plain and boring, unlike other castles and houses we have observed in Ireland thus far. The design could be attributed to the fact that it was built during a time when protection and defense was more important than beauty. (Yet it is still very beautiful). This castle in particular seems to be of shell structure because it is made of singular stone walls. Although it doesn't thin towards the top, it does appear to be load-bearing construction because the stones stack upwards. Overall a magnificent structure.

Another stop that we made during our weekend adventures was the Derrynane House, where the famous politician/writer/speaker Daniel O'Connell lived for the majority of his life. The estate is located in the middle of the Killarney National Park and overlooks a beach on the Iveragh Peninsula.

 

Daniel O'Connell was not born in this house, but he grew up here with his brother and his uncle raised them. This was also the house where Daniel would come when he needed a vacation from the hardships of being a politician and wanted to get away from the city. We learned that Daniel was the very first Catholic to ever be elected into the House of Commons. He dedicated most of his life's work to the rights of Catholics and made a huge impact for the future of Ireland. In 1823 he organized the Catholic Association which later helped pass the Catholic Emancipation Act in 1829.

The house itself was quite beautiful, and I know I wouldn't mind living somewhere that close to the mountains and the beach. The house was originally built in 1702 by Daniel's grandfather, but was reconstructed and added onto over the years. However, no significant changes have been made since Daniel's death, so we can assume that the house is in its true form from the mid 1800's, except for the restoration done in 1967 to keep the house from deprication. I would analyze the house as being a skeleton and skin system due to the reconstruction of the house, it probably has some new additions to the walls. Otherwise it is difficult to say exactly what the house is in true form since it has been changed so much.

One of the final places (and structure) we visited before our return trip home was St. Mary's Cathedral, a Roman Catholic cathedral in Killarney.

 

The inside and outside are so beautiful... walking through the cathedral made me feel so small as I looked up at the tall ceilings and intricate stain-glass windows. It was definitely built for worship of a great God of small people He loves. There were even people in the cathedral praying when we arrived and walked through. This cathedral is most well-known as the most important Gothic-revival churches of the 19th century in Ireland. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St_Mary's_Cathedral,_Killarney) It was designed by Augustus Welby Pugin and was built sometime between 1842 and 1855. The width of the nave (or part of the building meant for the congregation to be) is considered small, but it was intentionally built this way to imitate the medieval models in Ireland and England. The building is made from stone, brown and grey interchanging across the length of it. There are many pointed arches as doorways throughout the interior of the cathedral. Some may consider this structure to be neo-gothic since it refers back to gothic architecture although it wasn't built during that time. The interior is also very intricately decorated with various statues and stain-glass windows, which can also be considered as gothic.

Overall, we saw many great sights and beautiful places during our trip to Kerry and going on this excursion adds more to my gratefulness for choosing this study abroad program.     

 

     

 

 

 

  

Walking through History in County Wexford

After the first day of classes on Monday, I was ready to explore more of Ireland. On Tuesday, June 25, we took a trip to County Wexford, a region just to the East of Waterford. Our first stop was in Enniscorthy, the second largest town in the county. We toured the museum in the National 1798 Rebellion Centre where we were taught all about the pivotal Irish rebellion against the British on Vinegar Hill. 

The Rebellion Centre, where we walked through the museum.

An information station about a fatal battle of the rebellion (on my birthday!)

Their motto for freedom and liberty--born in America, blossomed in France, soon to fall in Ireland.

 

The museum walks you through the events that eventually led to the rebellion, informing us of all the reasons why the Irish wanted to fight for freedom. The writings of Thomas Paine inspired many Irishmen to fight like the Americans and win their independence from Britain. The museum's actual interpretation and representation of these events was interactive and interesting. I wish I had taken more pictures, but unfortunately the ones above are my only ones. Learning about these events made the next part of our adventure even more interesting.  





After leaving the museum, the tour guides led us out into the countryside where we hiked up a long trail to the actual Hill and site of the rebellion where many Irish men and women lost their lives in a struggle for independence.

A beautiful view of the countryside

The endless stretch of County Wexford as seen from the hill

The ruins of the windmill on Vinegar Hill

A close inside look into the windmill.

 

The battle on Vinegar Hill was a desperate attempt of the Irish to rebel against the British on June 21, 1798. Thousands of British soldiers attacked the camp of Irishmen, and it didn't look good for the rebels. Luckily, General Needham of the British army was late to the battle, so the Irish had a way out. Although they lost many people during the battle, it only encouraged the Irish to continue their fight for independence throughout the next one hundred years. The ruins of the old windmill marks important historical significance for the Irish people because it is where the Irishmen flew their banner during the rebellion (until they were taken over). It still stands today, marking Irish honor and pride in their struggle for independence which they now have today.

The actual architecture of the windmill is difficult to analyze since it is in ruins, but I will try my best. It looks like it is a shell system, made up of stone and bricks built in a cylindar shape. It also seems to be of load-bearing construction because the stones are stacked and piled layer upon layer. Overall it looks like a pretty solid structure, but without a roof it is hard to say what else it was built to look like.

The next stop we made was to Johnstown Castle, also in County Wexford. I have always been a romantic and wished I was a princess since I was a little girl, so seeing this castle was the highlight of my day. For the first minute I just stood in awe of its grand beauty and then began to snap as many pictures as I could.    





 

 





 

 

 

I was so obssessed with this castle, but it had a lot of great angles. According to my source, (http://www.wexfordweb.com/Johnstown/) it was originally built for the Grogan Morgan family between 1810 and 1855. In 1945, the castle was presented to the Irish Nation (I'm not sure why) but later it was occupied by the Department of Agriculture (who are still there--and have a museum dedicated to the vocation). Daniel Robertson is believed to be the original architect and contributed to the building in the 1830's. From an artistic point of view, I think he did a marvelous job. This structure also seems to me to be a shell system, only built with brick and stone. All of the windows are symmetrical to each other on both sides, and the tensile strength seems level with keystones most likely towards the middle of the structure, and at the top of each column. It's hard to say if the structure is like a barrel vault or groin vault... it may be something entirely different, but there seems to be series of stones built up together that form the exterior of the castle. I think this is a magnificent feat for the year that it was built and the fact that it is still standing is a sign of great workmanship.

Overall, that day was a success for exploring more of Ireland and learning about the complex history of the Irish people.