♫♪ Oh never, oh never oh never again
If I live to be a hundred or a hundred and ten
I fell to the ground and I couldn't get up
After drinking a quart of that Johnny Jump Up ♪♫
The Irish, known for orally passing their traditions in poems, songs or stories, sure knows how its done! Days passed, and here we are, still singing and remembering the folk songs we were taught during our recent two-day visit in Dublin, Ireland. Given that this trip was relatively short, we tried to see and do as much as we can: Book of Kells, Temple Bar, National Museum, Merrion Square, etc. but the Musical Pub Crawl and our visit to Kilmainham Gaol win the crowning moments of our tour.
If I live to be a hundred or a hundred and ten
I fell to the ground and I couldn't get up
After drinking a quart of that Johnny Jump Up ♪♫
The Irish, known for orally passing their traditions in poems, songs or stories, sure knows how its done! Days passed, and here we are, still singing and remembering the folk songs we were taught during our recent two-day visit in Dublin, Ireland. Given that this trip was relatively short, we tried to see and do as much as we can: Book of Kells, Temple Bar, National Museum, Merrion Square, etc. but the Musical Pub Crawl and our visit to Kilmainham Gaol win the crowning moments of our tour.
The Musical Pub Crawl, a two-and-a-half hour entertaining and rather, informative bar hop about Irish traditional music and traditions, began at Oliver St. John Gogarty Pub and Hostel in the heart of Temple Bar street. Prettified with hanging colorful flags and painted with a bright lemon hue and touches of clover green, Oliver St. John Gogarty shouts Picture! Picture! for delighted tourists like us. As we learned later, the name Oliver St John Gogarty was from a popular surgeon and public figure known for his servitude and his eccentricities (i.e. selling a drunk friend for medical purposes).
Arriving half an hour earlier to score some tickets and snug some front row seats, we walked passed the already hyped-up bar crowd towards the thick wooden stairs up to the second floor where the crawlers meet. Agreeably devoid of any snotty rock star attitudes, the musicians/tour guides arrived and started on time, kicking the night off with our first real introduction to Irish pub tradition: stomp to the beat, instead of clap. Why? Takes no rocket scientist - people's hands are always well-utilized - food in the left and beer on the other. And, we were set - a slew of mostly flamboyant and giddy Irish tunes came wafting in the air. Welcome to the crawl.
Arriving half an hour earlier to score some tickets and snug some front row seats, we walked passed the already hyped-up bar crowd towards the thick wooden stairs up to the second floor where the crawlers meet. Agreeably devoid of any snotty rock star attitudes, the musicians/tour guides arrived and started on time, kicking the night off with our first real introduction to Irish pub tradition: stomp to the beat, instead of clap. Why? Takes no rocket scientist - people's hands are always well-utilized - food in the left and beer on the other. And, we were set - a slew of mostly flamboyant and giddy Irish tunes came wafting in the air. Welcome to the crawl.
Twenty minutes after, we went to the Ha'penny Bridge Inn, a family run pub within a 5 minute walk from Gogarty. It was named after the Ha'penny Bridge seen from right outside its window, which was coined from half-a-penny: the cost to cross the bridge when it was mandated way back. Unlike the Gogarty, which is carefully designed and was pretty crowded, Ha'penny's was the opposite. Perhaps too early for a visit from pub goers, our group had the pub to ourselves. It had a more intimate feel, exactly the setting for authentic Irish pubs, like you're entering someone's living room, our tour guide says. No fancy bright colors, no rococo banners, no flickering lights - only chairs, a bar and a small rostrum. Here, we learned some interesting nibbles about Irish music:
1. Having a good singing voice is only a plus not a necessity. As long as the person effectively conveys his/her story or message, then that's good enough.
2. In traditional pubs, musicians are hired to play music not to entertain. During a session, musicians play to their liking while the crowd are merely eavesdroppers to their musical conversation.
3. If the drums are the heartbeat in American bands, 'tis not so for the Irish - the dancers are. The dancers dance and the music adapts to the dancing.
4. The Bodrhan looks like a tambourine minus the jingles; it is played with varying miniature mallets and in our case, even a paint brush!
Our next and last stop was the Brannigan's, which I don't remember the Brannigan it was named after. The feel and setting of this pub comes right in between Gogarty and Ha'penny - newly painted and varnished, modern yet cozy. To wrap up the night, we had the "Noble Call," where the crowd gets to share songs from home or songs meaningful to them. How many more drinks will it take for you guys to think you're good enough to sing? our guides teased. Finally, two brave souls took the challenge - a ballad and a folk song, ending the night on a comforting high note.
1. Having a good singing voice is only a plus not a necessity. As long as the person effectively conveys his/her story or message, then that's good enough.
2. In traditional pubs, musicians are hired to play music not to entertain. During a session, musicians play to their liking while the crowd are merely eavesdroppers to their musical conversation.
3. If the drums are the heartbeat in American bands, 'tis not so for the Irish - the dancers are. The dancers dance and the music adapts to the dancing.
4. The Bodrhan looks like a tambourine minus the jingles; it is played with varying miniature mallets and in our case, even a paint brush!
Our next and last stop was the Brannigan's, which I don't remember the Brannigan it was named after. The feel and setting of this pub comes right in between Gogarty and Ha'penny - newly painted and varnished, modern yet cozy. To wrap up the night, we had the "Noble Call," where the crowd gets to share songs from home or songs meaningful to them. How many more drinks will it take for you guys to think you're good enough to sing? our guides teased. Finally, two brave souls took the challenge - a ballad and a folk song, ending the night on a comforting high note.
Kilmainham Gaol
The following day, we visited Kilmainham Gaol, a historic site effusing with backstories of prisoners - men, women and even children as young as five. The gaol now houses a small cafe and a museum, and a visit inside are entered by tour guides only. After overcoming our bus stop confusion, we finally arrived at the jail just in time for the 1100AM tour. The tour began with a short video presentation inside the jail's chapel, immediately followed by a trip to the West Wing of the prison. Cells lined the dark and narrow hallway, enclosed by thick steel and wooden doors locked by a now rusty latch. Gas piping run atop the cell doors for heat and light replacing the then rationed single candle supposedly good for two weeks. Beside the doors, small hewn openings act as the police's spy window. Small windows were also carved near the interior's ceiling for prisoners to look up to the light, to look up to God.
The jail accommodates about 2000 inmates, however, became very overcrowded during the Great Famine especially when people began stealing and begging for food. The begging, which became a nuisance for some, led the government to declare the act as a crime, bringing the prison's population up to 9000. Ironically, this also became a refuge for the people during that time. The prison provided temporary shelter and a much needed steady supply of food, but conditions obviously worsened. Four to five inmates are held in a single cell while the rest flooded the hallways.
The jail accommodates about 2000 inmates, however, became very overcrowded during the Great Famine especially when people began stealing and begging for food. The begging, which became a nuisance for some, led the government to declare the act as a crime, bringing the prison's population up to 9000. Ironically, this also became a refuge for the people during that time. The prison provided temporary shelter and a much needed steady supply of food, but conditions obviously worsened. Four to five inmates are held in a single cell while the rest flooded the hallways.
Unlike the claustrophobic West Wing, the East Wing is a U-shaped area, designed so guards can have a 180 degree view of the cells. The grand staircase in the middle permits guards to easily access the upper level cells. At the other end, a spiral staircase rises up forcing detainees to walk in a single file and avoid any intended ruckus. Before acting as a tourist spot, carpets lined the East Wing prison doors allowing guards to walk and peek quietly without the inmates knowing. After Kilmainham Gaol closed it doors in the early 20th century, it has now become home to many movies (i.e. In the Name of the Father), music videos and even concerts.
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