The first thing I realized about Belfast was that it is strikingly different from Dublin. Not just the architecture, but almost every aspect of this city is different. Though they are both port cities, Dublin touts its merchant arena, while Belfast’s claim to fame is a sunk ship. While I do enjoy Belfast, and I am going to the Titanic Museum, I was incredibly surprised at the differences between this city and Dublin. First, the architecture is different. Belfast is full of Victorian influences, which makes sense given its past. In fact, Victoria seems to be the theme in Belfast. When we first walked up to the Belfast City Council building, I noticed a large statue of Queen Victoria. This is very different from Dublin, which was full of statues of rebellion leaders. I think back to the civil war in Ireland, and now I understand more how conflicting the cities were. They are so different. Also, Belfast is a very wealthy city port, and the city hall is evidence of that wealth. The inside is full of marble, even green marble from Greece that was displayed in London before coming to Belfast. This wealth, made from being a port city for Great Britain, was a very contentious aspect between Ireland and Northern Ireland. When you have wealth from being a colonial aspect of a greater state, it is very hard to justify overthrowing that state. Belfast has obviously benefitted from being a port city, and it works for them to continue in this manner. I think that, at times, we can look on a city that did not rebel against a colonial power as being weaker than those that did. But that is not the case. Belfast is better for being a part of Great Britain.

The Vermeer exhibit was probably the most profound exhibit I have ever seen. Not only were Vermeer originals on display, but also Gerard ter Borch’s works were there. Ter Borch is one of my personal favorites and I was so surprised and excited to see his pieces displayed. I also really enjoyed how the exhibit was constructed. The National Gallery of Ireland did an incredible job in conceptualizing how this exhibit would flow and move throughout Vermeer’s subjects and styles. All of the works reflected the influence of their contemporaries. Even ter Borch, who seemed the originator of many of the subjects used in Vermeer and others’ works, was influenced by younger artists. This back and forth between artists, be it competitive or complimentary, was very reminiscent of some of the authors in Ireland. They were influenced by each other, and also extremely competitive. I am especially reminded of the relationship between James Joyce and Oliver St. John Gogarty. They were friends, but also highly competitive. Our James Joyce tour guide described them as “frenemies”. Joyce even solidified St. John Gogarty in an unflattering light in his play, Ulysses. They were always pushing one another because each thought that they were the more talented and more intelligent author. They are both remembered in connection to one another. This is an aspect that is very interesting when applied to the artists, since their works were displayed in an exhibit together. Also, many artists are referred to as an influencer or one that was influenced by Vermeer. Vermeer’s works act as the cornerstone of the group, as did James Joyce. Overall, I was extremely happy with the exhibit and I will never forget seeing his work in person.

Throughout this study abroad, we have discussed place. In my blog posts, I have repeatedly mentioned place as a physical location. This connection is easy to make, especially given the fact that we are in Dublin, where many of our readings take place. Today, though, I would like to discuss place in terms of time. Oscar Wilde was ultimately executed because he had sexual relations with men. As discussed in class, sexuality was not linked to identity in Wilde’s time, but it was still demonized and stigmatized to the point where people were killed if they participated in any homosexual activities. This month is Pride month, and I think that this is an example of how far we have come from Wilde’s time (though we still have a long way to go). People can openly acknowledge their own sexual identity and celebrate other’s. So, in this case, place is closely related to time in a way that shows how society has changed over time. Today, we also visited Wilde’s statue in Merrion Square. It was situated between some trees, but the sun shown over most of the area. As the group walked away, I looked down a noticed a tiny little plaque. It was a memorial to members of the Irish lesbian and gay community who have died. It is implied that the plaque is further memorializing those that have died due to persecution because of their sexual orientation. It is very interesting to me that this plaque is situated right by Wilde’s statue. It is fitting, too. It acknowledges Wilde’s orientation and reason for death in a subtle way, which does not detract or diminish the light that shines upon him and his accomplishments.

While I have never read Ulysses, I did read the first chapter for this class and it was incredible to experience Bloomsday, today. I think that being in Dublin has allowed me to better conceptualize the book, which will aid me in reading the entire book when I return to the United Sates. Seeing the way that people reacted and dressed up for Bloomsday really warmed my heart. The fact that one book has grasped onto entire generations of people and defined a city for an entire day was so moving. Literature can bring together a city in a way that no other medium can. Also, I remember on the tour, when Lucy was saying that the publishers were imploring James Joyce to remove the names of places and people around Dublin. Now, though, places celebrate being mentioned in Ulysses, and they make a lot of money from people travelling from all over the world for Bloomsday. It is interesting also, that James Joyce’s most famous and defining work was centered around a city that he, ultimately, left. People flock to the same city that Joyce was so critical of. They spend money and celebrate Dublin, the city that Joyce ran from, but always wrote about. It is a very interesting conundrum, and I wonder how Joyce would feel about the situation now. Given his ego, I’m sure he would relish and understand the wide obsession with his work, Ulysses, but I do not think he would grasp the concept of people visiting all places important to him and ones mentioned in the book.

Today was, by far, the best day in Dublin. It was probably one of the best days of my entire life. In the morning, I woke up and made my way to St. Patrick’s Cathedral. On my way there, I stumbled upon Christ Church Cathedral. That is the story of my day, actually. I stumbled upon so many different gardens, bakeries, and shops. I was able to take my time exploring this city, and my heart grew fonder with every step. I walked through St. Stephens Green with a hot chocolate in hand, meandering my way along the flower-lined paths. Setting my own pace allowed me to discover so many things that I could have easily missed, including the photo attached to this post. The translation of the writing essentially means, “My love, Dublin City.” And that is exactly how I feel. This city captured my heart, today. I loved seeing the people and meandering down the streets. I walked close to thirteen miles today, and my feet are killing me! One thing I definitely learned was that I need more supportive shoes. By wandering through the city, I was able to really grasp the atmosphere of Dublin. I felt connected to the city today, and I experienced most of what the city had to offer. Today, though, really made it hard to connect to the readings, because my experience of Dublin is so different then Joyce’s writings. Overall, though, I loved Dublin and all of my adventures today in this incredible city.

When we first got to Howth I was amazed at the sheer beauty of the place. Maybe it was because we have been in the city for a while, but it was very refreshing to see the open ocean and green landscape. It was a definite side of Ireland that has not been depicted in Dubliners, which I really appreciated. I think this is such complex and layered city, so I appreciated seeing more of that complexity. I also really just enjoyed the hike. It was very different from walking around the city, and everywhere you looked you saw pure beauty. This happens in downtown Dublin as well, but as stated before, it is a different form of beauty. In the city, the architecture is beautiful and striking, and in Howth this beauty is water and rocks and flowers. I also enjoyed Howth because it felt like a break from the hustle of the city life. This is similar to how I felt about the readings, too. Dubliners can become so dark and gloomy, and though Yeats was also gloomy, it felt different. I believe that Yeats is gloomy because many of the poems centered around the events of 1916, including the deaths of many young men. Joyce’s Dubliners is dark for many different reasons, but they all seem to center around the place, Dublin. This characterization of Dublin is very hard for me to grasp because I am experiencing such a different Dublin than the one Joyce describes. I am glad, though, that Dublin has changed, but I wonder what Joyce’s thoughts on Dublin would be today.

Today was a day full of juxtaposition. First, I explored the gardens at the Irish Museum of Modern Art. These gardens were so peaceful and welcoming, they evoked such feelings of content and awe. They represented the beauty that Ireland can offer in a very manufactured and polished way. The gardens did not, though, represent the natural beauty of Ireland. They were a piece of art, after all, so I understand why they were so polished. The statues in the garden were of Greco-roman inspiration, a feature I had not yet seen in Ireland. The Irish Museum of Modern Art’s gardens were so clean, with straight lines of trees and immaculately manicured bushes. This was in stark contrast to the area visited later that day.

After the gardens, I visited the Kilmainham Gaol, or the old prison used to imprison everyone from Irish beggars to insurgents. The best word to describe this place was that it was sobering. To go from the beauty of the gardens, to the desolation of the jail was so striking. It was incredibly eerie to see the cells in which some of the most famous and influential revolutionaries were housed and ultimately, executed. Seeing the two crosses, on opposite ends of the exercise yard, where the thirteen men were executed was powerful, but I was speechless when I saw the green, white, and orange of the Irish flag flying high above this area. So much suffering and destruction had occurred here, but in the end the efforts of those executed were not in vain.

One of the prominent themes in our studies on this trip has been place, and I think that no day has encompassed this day better than today with the 1916 Easter Rising Walking Tour. Lorcan Collins is not only an incredible storyteller, but being able to discuss the various aspects of the book and the Easter Rising while being at the places the events occurred was incredibly powerful. When Mr. Collins stood on the O’Connell Bridge and pointed out the various spots occupied by both the Royal and the Rebel forces. The proximity of the buildings was alarming, at the very least. The place that this conflict occurred was situated in such a populated and important area for commerce, which was purposeful. This was a place of power. I find though, that the proximity really highlights the potential for casualties. It was also very moving to be in the General Post Office, especially after reading the accounts in Collins’ book. In the taxi to the Hugh Lane Gallery, my driver told me that the General Post Office had been destroyed apart from the columns and a bit of the front façade. He had also said that the columns still showed evidence of the conflict, including damage from bullets. This information was echoed by Collins and supplemented by the bullet and ball that would have been used in the conflict. When the ball fit the indentions in the column perfectly, I was convinced that this ammunition was used in the conflict. This really brought home the idea of place for me. It made tangible the idea that this place, as beautiful and vibrant as it is, was once a place of incredible violence and suffering.

While at the Hugh Lane Gallery, I was struck by Francis Bacon’s studio. By being identical to his studio on the day he died, the studio carries a subtly somber tone. Though filled with bright colors, the door itself is a barrage of brightness, the fact that this space is no longer filled with that creative spark is evident. The tools almost yearn to be picked up again- to feel an artist’s touch. What also struck me about this space was the concept of place. This place was intentionally chaotic. In fact, the Hugh Lane Gallery makes a point in highlighting Bacon’s quotes about the space. He worked better in this chaos, and it seems to have mirrored the way his own brain worked. I also think that this chaos is reflected in his work. The chaos in his work is evident through the various streams of thought highlighted within them. They usually contain more than one subject, though the others are not nearly as strong. Bacon’s work feels as equally chaotic as his workspace, which was his place of power. That is where he was dominant and felt most comfortable. In fact, Bacon would impart this dominance to other spaces as well. One quote offered the idea that any “clean” studio that Bacon used would become chaotic in a few day’s time. The reason this idea and the studio were so striking to me was the fact that I am the complete opposite. Chaos equals anxiety to me. I cannot work in a messy room, much less a studio like that. Also, any place I use I take great care to keep it tidy. This could say something about the submissive nature of my personality versus Bacon’s dominant one. Or, it could say that we both approach our spaces in a way that reflects our thoughts. In my case, I strive for order. In Bacon’s case, perhaps his brain was steeped in chaos and turmoil.

While at the Hugh Lane Gallery, I stumbled upon a piece of work that was very striking. It was composed of words that jutted out from a wall, casting a shadow on the wall behind them. The piece states that, “We suffocate under words, images, and sounds, which have no reason to exist, they come from the void and go towards the void. A truly worthy artist should be asked for nothing but this act of sincerity: to educate himself to silence.” This paragraph immediately reminded me of Beckett’s Text for Nothing, where it seems that voices do occur and exist within a void. The piece at Hugh Lane Gallery was also poignant through its use of the word suffocation, which is the overwhelming feeling I get when reading Beckett’s work. In fact, the dominant voice in Texts for Nothing yearned for the silence that would come once the other voices diminished. The art piece suggests that the other voices may be questions and wonders, which could be solved through learning and education. This would create a cyclical pattern, though, where all voices would continue to wonder and ask questions. After all, the more you learn, the more questions you have. The world does not become simple after study- it grows even more complex. So, perhaps like in Beckett’s work, you can never really escape the voices that barrage you, no matter how hard you may mentally try. The art piece offers an additional thought provoking aspect, by having the words reflect on the surface around them. I think this is symbolic of the effect that your thoughts and the voices within them can have on the world around you.