Grianan of Aileach

The Grianan of Aileach is a hilltop fortress 6 miles west of Derry.  Not too easy to find, however.  The principle interest of mine was to see what is known locally as Burt Chapel, which is at the base of the hill along the main road, and offered the only landmark to the location of the Grianan.  The architect of the chapel had based his design on the Grianan, where the circular megalithic paradigm of Newgrange again takes its form.  The hilltop offers a magnificent panorama of the surrounding countryside, and has obvious strategic advantages as an observation post.  The structure itself could not be taken by surprise, and offered both a sheltered defense from the enemy and nature.  The interior of the fort was tiered and offered an amphitheater kind of effect, almost as if the soldiers who manned it used it is an arena for gladiatorial games.  Another outstanding example of the skill of Irish masonry.

Castle Coole

Castle Coole, built int 1798, is set in 700 acres of parkland is an outstanding example of the Irish response to the Palladian ideal.  The house is a model of symmetry and the quality of the stone masonry is consummate with all four frontages equally perfect.  The house was designed by James Wyatt for Armar Lowry-Corry, the first Earl of Belmore, a member of the Irish Parliament.  Lord Belmore intended that Castle Coole be a showpiece to proclaim his standing in Irish society and influence in the Irish House of Commons, where his family held five seats.  This house certainly is a showpiece.  I found the grounds and setting of the house to be nearly ideal due to the labor of volunteers who have preserved and maintained them.  The “front” of the house is northern facing, which is rather unusual as the main approach to the house is from the south  The site is sloped from north to south as well so the effect on seeing the house initially is a shadowed, almost ominous façade. 

 There is not much of a difference between the front and the back of the house architecturally, and it stands like a temple, symmetrical and perfect.  I was impressed by the smoothness of the curved alcoves and the perfectly cut square blocks.  The masonry was truly outstanding.  If you eyed up the face of the front of the building from corner to corner, there was no more than inches in deviation.  Lovely building in a lovely setting.  There are miles of trails here as well, offering plenty of walking and tree observing.  Many of the trees were quite old and striking. 

Thankfully, this large expanse of land has not been parceled and his held by the National Historic Trust for the continuing enjoyment of the public

Adare Manor

October 2

Adare Manor was completed in 1862 and was the family seat of the earls of Dunraven.  It has been converted into a five-star hotel and is set within 840 acres of formal gardens and parkland beside the River Maigue.  The nearby village, also built by the Dunraven family, is “one of the prettiest in Ireland”.  Building work on the manor began in 1832 and was completed 30 years later.  During the Irish potato famine in the 1840s, building work provided vital employment for many villagers.  I happened to stay at the B&B owned by one of the descendents of the original builders.  His name was Sean Collins and he his son was the seventh generation to have gone to the local school.  In walking through the manor, I sensed the importance that this building had to the workers who built it.  They exerted enormous effort to work under what I sensed was a capricious, but beneficent family.  Even today, the building reeks of class conflict as being an “exclusive” resort meant that it was gated and guarded, almost to an obnoxious degree.  As I wasn’t a guest, I felt like I was going to be ejected at any moment for trespassing.  Apparently, it is owned by an American businessman named Kent, whose commercial interests seemed to make an uneven blend with the natives. 

As I observed the house carefully, the spirit of the workers was everywhere.  There is writing in the railing which says “Except the Lord build the house, they labour in vain that built it”  This is from Psalm 127.  When I mentioned this to the wife of Sean Collins, she agreed with my interpretation that this was a statement by the workers that the house represented more than just a lord’s house, but many years of labour by the people who built it, and ultimately that depended on it for their lives.  There is an inner truth to be found in Adare Manor that reveals how pride of ownership doesn’t necessarily relate well to pride of construction.  Though Earl of Dunraven could say that this was his house, he didn’t build it and therefore didn’t really “own” it.  The manor does have a plan, nonetheless, that was the product of the tastes of its owners.  The result is a fascinating evocation of Victorianism reflecting the personalities of the two generations of the family that built it.

 There is a 300 year old Cedar of Lebanon on the grounds that is just exceptional as well. 

Glucksman Gallery

October 1
I was privileged enough to get the curator of the gallery to guide me on a special tour through this building.  In the B&B, the Garnish House, where I was staying across the street from the University of Cork, I met a German artist, Bettina Pousttchi, who's work was on display in one of the galleries.  So by association with her, I was able to contact Matt, the curator.  The building is elegant, yet unrefined, and nearly organic in its flow and plan.  The dramatic cantilever of the main floor creates a floating effect that the architects, John Tuomey and Sheila O'Donnell, likened to a Viking ship on stilts.  The structure harmonizes well with the surrounding site, and is unique in its low profile.  The finish of all of the exposed metals was either mill or galvanized, which was really cool. 

Another neat feature were the "Bendheim" glass modules that surrounded the stairwells and partly around the entrance.  The quality of the construction was outstanding.  Nearly perfect alignment of everything, including interior stone wall panels with the stair treads.  The Irish builders know exactly what they are doing!  The lower patio had a sliding door system that was huge, and in order for this to work, the slab must have been dead on level.  Not an easy feat when the building was constructed on a flood plain only a few feet from a creek.  The curator told me that a flood had damaged the first floor last November and was a point of issue with the university and the architect/builder.  I commented that the only alternative would have been to raise the building up even higher, so in a sense the fact that the galleries are elevated, protects them from the inevitable 20 year flood.  The curator said that this building will age gracefully as there is no "shine" to wear off.  I agree with this concept and the principles of design that make this a truly special building.

Skellig Michael

September 28.  While I couldn't make it to Skellig Michael due to the large swells which made landing impossible, I was not disappointed with the spiritual journey that I opted for alternatively.  I did the local "Stations of the Cross Pilgrimage" which is a 4 hour ascent of Knocknadobar, a 690m mountain on the Iveragh peninsula.  For whatever reason, there was only one cross on the walk, and this was at the top.  This was not a grueling climb, but one of the most rewarding I have ever done.  The view was breathtaking, and offered a 360 degree panorama of the Kerry coastline, Cahersiveen and the Dingle Peninsula.  I recorded this video at the top which somewhat captures the experience including the gusting winds, though I wish I had brought my tripod to avoid the shaky cam!.

The sheep at the top is amazing, as there is so much grazing below, I wonder why it decided to come up to the top other than to enjoy the view.  The celtic cross is awesome and added to the inspirational feel of the trip.  The descent was equally spectacular as I went down the SW ridge which is right on the edge of the coastline. 

Even if I didn't get to Skellig Michael, I could see it and feel the remoteness of this beautiful area in Ireland.  I listened to Loreena McKennitt's "Skellig" at the top, and it was a powerful experience.  One of the best things I have ever done in my entire life, and I am not overexaggerating.  It was incredible.

Took this picture of Skellig Michael at an viewpoint overlooking Ballinskellig's Bay.

Dublin Central Bus Station

This 1953 building known as Busaras is one of the first postwar examples of the International Modern style in Europe.  The architectural team led by Michael Scott was strongly influenced by Le Corbusier's Maison Suisse in Paris.  Certainly for a bus station, this is an exceptional building.  The cantilevered canopy is wave contoured precast concrete and links the two office buildings together.  This building was very costly to build (over 1M) and incorporates detailing with mosaics, handmade bricks, assorted woods and stone.  The bronze glazing is similar to the Seagram Building's and was hip for its time, though it is need of restoration.  There is one glaring problem with the building that appears to a "bust" in its construction in that the elevation alignment of the left side wing glazing and the right side wing is off by a foot or so.  I don't think that this was intentional... but who knows.

Casino at Marino



The Casino built in 1762 and located 3 miles northeast of Dublin city center is an architectural gem.  Ireland's first and "most important Neo-Classical building" was designed by Sir William Chambers as a garden pavillion for the Marino estate of the Earl of Charlemont, James Caulfield, of which it is now the only surviving part.  Chambers had intended his design as an end pavillion for Harewood House in Yorkshire, England and never visited Ireland.  I didn't have time to tour the interior, though I found this building to offer plenty from the outside.  The urns on the roof were once functional chimneys and the freestanding columns were hollowed out to conduct rainwater.

This lion has such a pleasant look on its face I found it to be almost adorable.  The whole building has an air of charm and certainly would have brought smiles to the faces of its guests. 

Custom House

Designed by architect James Gandon and built in 1791, it was once considered the city's most important public building.  The original interiors were destroyed in 1921 when the IRA set fire to the buiding in an attempt to disrupt British rule in Ireland. 

There is a lingering air about this building that is palpable, almost as if the Irish wanted to forget about the violence of the past conflict that this building is a persistent reminder.  Perhaps it is the mismatched Ardbraccan limestone used in the reconstruction of the central dome that creates this aura of an uneven synthesis, even perhaps symbolic of the differences between the British and the Irish themselves.

The Old Library at Trinity College

September 27.  After successfully returning my rental car, taking the bus from the airport to center city and locating my hotel yesterday, I took it easy last night and walked around just to get my bearings, leaving the touring until today.  I found Trinity College this morning and was fortunate enough to see the exhibit of the Book of Kells at the Old Library. There were wall sized illuminated reproductions of some of the folio pages. Under glass, were the preserved originals.  Absolutely fantastic.  Ever since I went to Trinity College in Hartford where I minored in Medieval and Renaissance studies, I have been interested in monastic culture and art.  The sophistication of the art of these monks is unbelievable. 

Incredibly complex curvilinear designs and thematic Christian symbolism.  The script in the original manuscript is just beautiful.  It occured to me how the spirals of Bru na Boinne had evolved into this form.  I suspect that the same artistic and spiritual tradition, now lost, were perpetuated by the same culture over millenia.  The inside of the Old Library, where no photos were permitted, was just awesome.  Thousands and thousands of books, all alphabetically arranged in high shelves, under a wood framed barrel-vaulted ceiling.  Truly a treasure trove of knowledge and history. 

 I walked around the campus and took these photos.  Elm trees and grass quads reminiscent of my alma mater, though architecturally quite different. 

This is after all the original .

RTE Campus

September 26.  After leaving Bru na Boinne, I needed to return the rental back to the airport.  I made a point to drive to see the RTE Campus before I did, as its location was well beyond walking distance from the city center.  It was an interesting route to get there, as it involved going through the tunnel and by the port.  RTE is the National Television and Radio Broadcasting Corporation of Ireland.  Ireland's BBC if you will.  The Campus was designed in 1973 by the Irish architectural firm Scott Tallon Walker and represented a "new level of aspiration for the Irish state's rhetoric of modernization."  Miesian, by definition.  Of course, for the uninvited tourist, the campus proved to be more secure than Fort Knox.  I drove up to the security checkpoint in the "visitors" lane.  The guard said that no visitors were allowed.  I responded by saying "I understand, thank you sir" and backed out whereupon I parked on a nearby side street and scoped out the campus from the street. 

I found an unguarded pedestrian entrance and walked down the path and was able to take a few pictures.  As I approached the right flank of the guard shack, the guard came out and said "I told you, no visitors" and an unarmed guard approached me hurriedly on my right flank.  He accosted me and said, "Do you have permission to take pictures?"  And I said "No".  He said "What do you need pictures for?"  I then explained that I was studying the architecture of Ireland, and that this building was considered iconic.  Fortunately, he seemed to accept this explanation and let me go.  He suggested that I contact corporate affairs to arrange for a tour of the facility.  Of course, I didn't want to go through all that, as interesting as it might have been.  I am learning that you don't want to tango with any Irish officials, Gardai or not. 

I found this whole diversion to be well worth it, as even in the limited viewpoints, I found the architecture to be unique in its layout and scope.  Many buildings all connected by bridges and walkways.  

Bru na Boinne

September 26.  Bru na Boinne provided me a good deal to ponder.  What a miraculously spiritual place.  The energy here was overwhelming.  I visited Newgrange first.  What is prominently seen today is a controversial  reconstruction of the white quartz stone into a wall.  I agree with the Knouth interpretation that this quartz would have provided a decorative apron terrace rather than a wall.  This is the only passage tomb where visitors are allowed to enter.  I was impressed by the skill of the ancient megalithic masons who were able to engineer and construct a corbled vault that has stood for more than 5000 years.  Not only that, these people had the skill to carve intricate designs into the rocks.  As we walked into the chamber, I took a vantage point that happened to be right next to an intricately carved fern leaf.  Stunning, and the only one of its kind anywhere in the chamber.  Many of the other designs featured spirals and curvilinear shapes.  Newgrange has a window that precisely aligns with the sunrise on the winter solstice.  See above picture.  Certainly, the ancients were in touch with the stars, and their knowledge of astronomy was profound.  As the agricultural society developed, the calendar became an essential tool.  Observation of the sun was how the year was measured.  The monoliths surrounding the burial mound seem to provide an obvious reference for the movement of the sun, the shadow. 

As the sun moves across the sky, the position of the shadow changes as well.  The interesting part is how spirituality must have driven them to exert enormous amounts of effort to build monuments of staggering proportions.  The foundation rocks are huge, and some weigh up to 10 tonnes.

  Knouth is the largest of the chamber tombs and was the highlight of the day. 

I climbed the stairs to the strategic viewpoint at the top of the mound where generations of towns had been founded and destroyed over several millennia of occupation.  I had a compass, and observed that the entrance passage was indeed aligned to the east.  The views were fantastic, and I took one from each of the cardinal directions for reference

North

West.  The Boyne river winds its way towards Slane. 

Along this river was the site of the great battle between the Williamite and Jacobite armies where 60,000 men fought in 1690 where William's victory resulted in a continuation of Protestant rule in Ireland.

South.  You can see Newgrange to the SW.  East was obscured by a tree, but Dowth is over that way.

Excellent park as well, with top notch facilities and guides.  Certainly one of the great sites of the world and a must see for anyone who visits Ireland.

Glen da Lough

September 25.  Went to Glen da Lough and the Wicklow Mountains.  Checked out the hotel at 10:40 and drove into Bray.  Bray has quite an interesting selection of shops, including some back alley fishmongers.  Left Bray and navigated to Glen da Lough which was fairly straightforward.  Arrived there at 11:30 and got my gear  together.  Went to the visitor’s center to see about admission.    A nice gentleman informed me that is was free to walk the trails.  My first stop was the monastic city, founded in the 6th century.  There were many people there, so I had some difficulty in finding unobscured viewpoints.  I did however get some good shots of the round tower and St. Kevin’s Church.  These are at least 900 years old.

I tried to imagine what life would have been like for these monks.  For the first 600 years before the Anglo-Normans showed up, quite a nice life probably.  Plenty of space and communion with a serene lakeside natural setting.  God rules this place for sure.  The setting was reminiscent of the types of tarns one would find in the Cascades.  Glacial moraines surround the edges and steeply rising cliffs drop sharply not too far from the shoreline.  After checking out the monastic city, I ventured out into the forest.  I took a long hike up to the logging area.  I saw a red squirrel and a small deer.  Occasionally, I was startled by unfamiliar bird calls and animal noises.  It was a beautiful day, so I didn’t get freaked out.  I doubled back after reaching this gash in the hill, realizing that making it to the top was out of the question.

I continued on in another direction and made my way up to a nice vantage point overlooking the upper lake.

I then walked back down and found a pleasant waterfall. 

I followed this path down to the upper parking lot and had a muffin and some water and iced tea.  I was greeted by a man who was soliciting support for the mountain rescue.  It was a raffle for 2 Euros.  I bought a ticket.  Along the whole route, I encounter many foreigners, some Germans, some French, some Dutch and some Swedes. Most of the people were very nice, and I smiled and said hello to many of them.  After I ate, I walked down past the shoreline of the upper lake.  I continued on and made my back to the lower lake and monastic city area.

This is St. Kevin's Cross.  I got into my car around 3:00 pm.  From Glen da Lough, the route provided by my GPS turned into a beautifully scenic drive through the Wicklow mountains.  

Very sparse vegetation and vast open space surrounded by rolling peaks.  The road (113) was winding and narrow and proved to be a bit hard on my rental, but we made it through unscathed. 

Ireland Trip Log

I made it to Ireland at last.  Going through security was a bit of a pain, because the guard pulled me aside and unpack my carry on bag for some reason.  Boarded my flight from BWI to JFK at 4:55 PM.  Sat next to an entrepreneural specialty brewer who was on his way to Brussels for a beer convention.  Landed at JFK at 6:40 PM.  My flight to Dublin boarded at 10:55PM.  I took the opportunity to see as much of the airport as I could while I was there.  This meant leaving the Delta terminal and going back through security again.  Though I was reluctant to do this, it proved worthwhile.  I couldn't locate the Saarinen TWA terminal, but I did see some amazing construction that seemed to be modeled after the 1962 iconic design.  The above building is Terminal 4.  I then walked to the newest terminal housing Air Japan, Lufthansa and Air France. 

Really sophisticated engineering, and quite an awesome cavernous interior space.  I made it back to the Delta terminal and back through security with no problems.  My flight left from gate 14, and as I waited for the boarding, I tried the JFK wifi and was dismayed to learn that it wasn't free.  The flight to Dublin was quite uncomfortable and I couldn't sleep at all, though I really tried.  During the flight, it occured to me that my hotel reservation was booked for the wrong day.  No problem, just have to find a new hotel and pay a "no show" fee.  I was relieved to get off of the plane at 10:30 am local time.  My next challenge was getting past an overly zealous Irish immigration official who made me prove that I was worthy to enter Ireland.  His main objection was that I didn't have a return ticket.  I commented that I wanted to leave it open, because I wasn't sure how long my itinerary would take me.  This wasn't a sufficient enough explanation apparently, because then he asked me how much money I had and forced me to provide a bank statement.  I cooperated knowing full well that he could ruin my whole trip by deportation.  On showing him the proof, he relented and graciously stamped my passport with a one month allowance.  I was relieved.  My next challenge was finding a room for the night.  I carefully assessed the best locations, and decided on Bray, which is a seaside community south of Dublin.  I had to rent a car, which was a breeze, and got lucky with an automatic Toyota Corolla.  The clerk at the Budget rental desk was quite pleasant in contrast to the immigration official.  The GPS proved to be invaluable as I navigated the M50 and had no problems adjusting to driving on "the wrong side of the road".  In fact, I found the Irish drivers to be very sensible and a welcome contrast to the idiots I am accustomed to in DC. Arriving in Bray at 12:30, I checked into the Esplanade hotel.  A relatively inexpensive place right on the coast.  The clerk at the desk was also courteous and said that my room would be ready at 1:30 PM. 

This is the Esplanade hotel.  I took a stroll along the coast of the Irish sea and was envigorated by the gusting winds and the salty mist. 

I went into the hotel and was surrounded by a mob of French speaking students.  Fortunately, the clerk noticed me and said that my room was ready.  I was practically delirious and needed to clean up, so I was relieved to check into my room and get recharged.  I slept for 4 hours and went down to the bar to get something to eat.  I had the fish and chips which was excellent.  Tomorrow I am going to the monastic city of Glendalough and then will drive up north of Dublin to stay at a B&B in Navan, Meath County.  On Sunday, I am going to go to see Newgrange and the Boyne Valley.

The Pentagon

Latitude: 38°52'15.00"N

Longitude: 77° 3'21.00"W

In order to tour the Pentagon, you must go through a simple security procedure and book a time slot at least 1 week in advance.  So, having always wanted to see the inside of the world's largest non-high rise office building, I prepared accordingly.  I rode the Metro to the Pentagon stop, and walked to the first checkpoint where there was a guard checking for the proper paperwork that consisted of an email saying "Congratulations!" and your tour number.  This took less than 1 minute and I was inside the building.  The tour departure point is a seating area near a souvenir boutique beyond a metal detector.  The guards were all armed with automatic weapons, so this is not a place where you want to seem suspicious.  I was relaxed and went to the ticket window where a clerk checked my name off of the list for the time slot.  My tour had about 20-25 people in it.  After about 20 minutes in the first area, they moved us to a theater seating area and gave us each a badge, where we were briefed on how to act (don't use the bathrooms, don't drink from the waterfountains, and just follow instructions).

 The marine guide was very good and well trained.  He attempted to make small talk with the group, which at times were awkwardly non-communcative, probably because they were intimidated.  This briefing took about 10-15 minutes.  The tour was fast paced and rather disorientating and I have no idea how we actually moved through the building.  I am fairly sure that we stayed in the outer ring "E" for most of the tour.  The corridors that we walked through were decorated with thematic memoribilia.  There was one for New Zealand / Australia and US cooperation, one filled with NATO flags,  one honoring the circumnavigation of the globe by the Navy, one honoring the military's peacetime contributions.  Pretty cool stuff.  We then went to the site of the 9/11 attack, where there is a memorial to the victims, both on the plane and in the building.  I was moved by it.  You can look out of the window and see the memorial garden where each victim is honored with a bench.  What a tragic waste of innocent life.  The guide mentioned that the recoonstruction was finished ahead of schedule and under budget due to the dedication and pride of the contractors.

What impressed me the most about the people of the Pentagon was the professionalism, efficiency and purpose that was displayed by every person I observed.  The building itself is a marvel of technology.  Over 100,000 miles of telephone wire for example.  The building was a rush job built during WW2, without steel, and is simply reinforced concrete block.  The windows are new, but very simple steel frames with BR glazing,  The 5 acre interior courtyard was pretty neat.  The guard mentioned that at the center was the former location of what was once considered "the most dangerous hot dog stand in the world" as many Russian nukes were aimed directly for it.  He also mentioned that at one time the stand covered a tunnel used by enemy agents to take info out without detection.  The end of the tour put us back in the lobby where there are two outstanding memorials to the victims of 9/11.  On one side is a flag quilt with all of the names, and on the opposite side each person's picture is displayed.

I left feeling proud and a believer in the code of conduct of the US military.  This building glows with honor and the personal sacrifices of thousands of individuals all working towaards a higher purpose.  Well worth the trip, and certainly a true reflection of how a building can encapsulate a culture.

Hooper House II

Latitude: 39°23'8.45"N

Longitude: 76°38'45.23"W

Marcel Breuer's 1959 Hooper House is a gem of the Bauhaus legacy. Camouflaged along Lake Roland, the house goes unnoticed by the many trail walkers on the nearby path. I had to stealthily approach the house in order to get these pictures, which was fun, though I did at one point set off a motion sensor, that simply played music. Fortunately, no one was home. What a great house in a great location. This is a seven bedroom house, stables, an underground garage and maids' accomodations that is completely unpretentious and low key.

The fieldstone masonry is fantastic, and each stone seems to have been placed with a design intent  The large glass windows offer communion with the serene woodland setting.  The grounds seem to be both wild and maintained, just tame enough to offer a lawn, but not overly manicured.  The house is split into halves separated by a courtyard, within which is a full grown tree.  Very cool.

Monticello

Latitude: 38° 0'36.00"N

Longitude: 78°27'9.00"W

Today I went to see Monticello and the Highlands. I think that I experienced these places on an unusually deep level. As I walked through Jefferson's home and gardens, I could feel the man's passion for his life and work. The history came alive. To me, the rational and the emotional became united in an organic wholeness that was quite powerful. I looked at his books, and his study, and it occurred to me how important the continuing pursuit of knowledge is. Jefferson was an self-taught architect, and I found the results of his 40+ years of building, to be a fascinating example of the pastoral ideal. The foundations of this country were built on ideals, like justice, honor, and virtue, but they were and continue to be universally unattainable. Jefferson himself recognized the paradox between slavery and justice. It did not, however, deter him from the pursuit of the idyllic. What you can achieve in architecture is a certain kind of perfection that just does not exist in society. That is why I love it.

I could only take pictures of the outside, but the weather was fantastic.  I took this view from the garden.

The fenestration in the house is quite elaborate.  There are dual acting doors, double pocket doors, skylights, and even a triple sash egress window.  Jefferson obviously liked to look outside and enjoy the view.  Communion with nature is what glazing actually offers.  The house was completely unlit, but light wafted through it magically.  Opulent for its time, I am sure.  Very inspirational building and one of my favorites so far.