An unexpected discovery near my hotel is the National Print Museum of Ireland. It is located in the renovated Beggars Bush Barracks which "In 1827...was established as a British Army military barracks" and the museum is in the Garrison Chapel building. The Irish "Free State forces were based here during the Civil War" which was in reaction to the Anglo-Irish Treaty with the United Kingdom that resulted in the division of Ireland and established what we now know of as Northern Ireland. It was this treaty in the early 1920's that forced Ella Young to leave her beloved Ireland and relocate to California.
The museum has many treasures of early printing in Ireland and it also is home to the original of the Proclamation of the Republic that was read by Patrick Pearse at the General Post Office and kicked off the 1916 Easter Rising and yet another war for Irish independence. It was very moving for me to read the proclamation again knowing that this time I was reading the original.
I also viewed an exhibit of print work on the moon landing of 1969 that "explores Ireland’s response to the man landing of the moon through print. Given the historical significance of the events of July 20th, 1969, a range of coverage was evident across the island." Here is the front page of The Irish Times:
Since I'm always willing to subvert the modern paradigm I really enjoyed this artist's work on the potential reality that the landing was just a hoax - but then I've been questioning the US government since 1967:
I ended my day's journey back in the Dock area shooting with my film camera. Met another serious photographer there who was quite taken by my unusual camera. He and I had a lovely chat together. The film photos will have to wait until my return and the film is processed. Here are two iPhone snaps from the Dock - it was a sunny late afternoon and everyone around me was enjoying the moment at day's end.
