1896 posts 5/10/2013 2:21 pm
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Dublin Part 2 - A bit of History and Culture
Dublin Part 2 - A bit of History and Culture
 Ireland was ruled by small tribes each with their own "King" and a "High King" to which these tribes pledged allegiance. But, since the arrival of the British at the request of one of these "kings" to fight another, Dublin developed into the seat of "modern" learning for Ireland during the nation's development celebrating it's millennium in 1988. But Ireland ran for a long time as a nation divided where Celtic type rule was the norm outside of Dublin while the area around Dublin was called the Pale, the expression "beyond the pale" is derived from this division.
 Dublin has had it's fair share of writers, Bram Stoker of Dracula fame, James Joyce's Ulysses is relived annually on Bloomsday, 16th June, as Dublin, and it's visitors, celebrate a day in the life of Leopold Bloom. George Bernard Shaw, writer of Pygmalion and inspiration for the film "My Fair Lady", he was also a founder of the London School of Economics. Jonathan Swift author of "Gulliver's Travels", the notorious Brendan Behan and of course Oscar Wilde of "The Importance of being Earnest" fame.
Dublin being an outpost of the British Empire for 700 years was the birth place of the Duke of Wellington of the Battle of Waterloo fame. Handel's Messiah was first performed in Dublin as well - but perhaps Dublin is most famous as the origin of the "pint of plain", "stout" or Guinness by brand name.
Annually about one and a half billion pints of Guinness are consumed almost everywhere around the world, although maintaining the original brewing plant has been a battle for Dublin City. It's fleet of ships have long since been replaced by brewing overseas but the factory remains open and is a visitors paradise where one can learn, and be certified, as an official Guinness pint puller. Pouring a pint of Guinness is a unique art as it takes two goes with a resting period in between, and the glass has to be at a certain angle or the pint will not turn out properly.
 In years gone by Guinness ran an advertising campaign claiming that "Guinness is good for you" - while this type of alcoholic beverage advertisement may now be illegal the fact remains that Guinness was given to post operative patients in hospitals and a free pint was offered to Irish blood donors right up until 2010.
But not alone was Guinness good for you but the Guinness family was good for Dublin too. The great-grandson of the founder of the Guinness Brewery provided money to build housing for the homeless people of Dublin and, to this day, the Iveagh Trust runs a homeless shelter in the Center of Dublin.
Dublin Millennium Coin
Being beside the sea, Dublin was the main port in Ireland, and, because of Rebel troubles, had a large soldier garrison. Where sailors are ported and soldiers are billeted there is a need for human sexual interaction. In true tradition, down Montgomery Street, lay Dublin's red light district said to be one of the largest in Europe in the 1860s and immortalized in the Luke Kelly song "Take her up to Monto".
Dublin Port is thriving still today with ferries to the UK and cargo containers from around the world. The old Port Area, Dublin Docks, has been developed into a Financial Services Center while in the Suburbs many worldwide computer and IT companies are based, making modern Ireland the Silicon capital outside of Silicon Valley.
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7327 posts 5/13/2013 10:18 am |
Quoting astra236112:
I never had Guinness....
Looks awfully thick. Maybe someday I will try and only if it is from a real Irish pub.
Something to look forward to. 
It is very nice that you are doing this.
It's not that thick really, just the darkness and the top and the way the bubbles work make it look that way. Many say it's an acquired taste but for others there is an instant like.
It is best served by someone who knows how... it takes time to pour the perfect pint. The head makes it's smooth as is just as important as the lower part and there is such a thing as a bad pint.
Am so glad you are enjoying the series, was doubtful when I started, but tried to make it interesting rather than too detailed.
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7327 posts 5/13/2013 10:15 am |
Quoting sweet_VM:
Simply amazing wow ty for sharing with us
Sweet VM - you're the best, nothing like some encouragement, it's a pleasure to share too, so glad you enjoyed it.
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81699 posts 5/11/2013 8:13 am |
Simply amazing wow ty for sharing with us
Become a blog watcher sweet_vm
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7327 posts 5/11/2013 4:42 am |
Quoting ladyj_1957:
DUBLIN HAS A RED LIGHT DISTRICT?????????????????????????????????
WOW!!! That's a little bit of Irish culture my parents never mentioned.
LOL... and it was one of the biggest in Europe... some things are never mentioned... lol... and it is supposed to be the place where Queen Victoria's son, the future Kind Edward VII, lost his virginity.
All classes were catered for by it supposed 1,600 working "ladies".
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7327 posts 5/11/2013 4:38 am |
Quoting sexysixties2:
Ah....Guinness....must be good for you....when I was in hospital for three months on the twins they gave me a pint every day!!! By the time they were born they were two full size babies lol!!!
See, proves my point... Guinness has it's uses... and helped you through those nights and days and made the time more pleasant (maybe) but certainly the result was worth it.
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7327 posts 5/11/2013 4:35 am |
It did and think still does...
[image]
If memory serves me correctly Guinness were taken to court in Belgium for false adverting with the "Guinness is good for you" slogan but Guinness won their case with the XXX (triple X) stout proving them correct.
This begs the question "can mankind survive on Guinness alone?" - what a great advertising slogan... lol.
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7327 posts 5/11/2013 4:28 am |
Quoting MissMimosa:
Oh I visited the Guinness brewery, it was amazing!
I had two pints! and was very happy the rest of the day.
It's a gorgeous place!!!
It is and the view from the top... not to mention the Guinness if you had two... lol.
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7327 posts 5/11/2013 4:27 am |
Quoting LadyGrayLeopard:
aaahhh... I know the song but was never even trying to find out what Monto was!!!
Those were the days before Wikipedia...
Oh there are so many stories about Monto... Monto is in many Dublin legands... I remember as a kid singing it and we thought it was "dirty" and us brave and cool and rebelious....lol
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7327 posts 5/11/2013 4:10 am |
Quoting sweet_VM:
I don't have time to finish this right now but will return soon..
Sweet_VM how nice of you, the posts will be around for some time to come, but I appreciate you visiting and commenting - it's nice to see you on my blog.
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2359 posts 5/11/2013 2:21 am |
DUBLIN HAS A RED LIGHT DISTRICT?????????????????????????????????
WOW!!! That's a little bit of Irish culture my parents never mentioned.
"Don't count the days, make the days count"
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39750 posts 5/11/2013 12:01 am |
Ah....Guinness....must be good for you....when I was in hospital for three months on the twins they gave me a pint every day!!! By the time they were born they were two full size babies lol!!!
"Age does not protect you from love, but love, to some extent, protects you from age."
~~Anais Nin~~
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2624 posts 5/10/2013 3:52 pm |
Oh I visited the Guinness brewery, it was amazing!
I had two pints! and was very happy the rest of the day.
It's a gorgeous place!!!
These are the Aims and Objectives. Please read. of the group, Bloggers United! which I moderate. And a link to a post about my home town, Glasgow ,I hope you enjoy it!
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26369 posts 5/10/2013 2:58 pm |
aaahhh... I know the song but was never even trying to find out what Monto was!!!
Those were the days before Wikipedia...
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81699 posts 5/10/2013 2:40 pm |
I don't have time to finish this right now but will return soon..
Become a blog watcher sweet_vm
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