There’s something about the word “free” that makes your head turn. It seems freshers are most easily lured into a society that offer something free such as free gift bags or discount cards. Free donuts and coffees in the SU Shop are causing quite the queue, at times lasting more than 20 minutes. And it seems that same kind of effect was reached with DU History’s free walking tour last Thursday. There was a bumbling crowd of freshers from both the Dublin area and beyond. They appeared excited to experience a historical tour of the city where they’ll spend the next four years studying. And so they should be.
Trinity is at the heart of Irish history and is within walking distance of the sites of some of our most pivotal moments. Beyond the front gates we saw how Ireland’s government was run in the new Bank of Ireland building until the Act of Union 1800. We then ventured over the Liffey and O’Connell Bridge to see Daniel O’Connell’s famous statue and hear about the significance of the Catholic Emancipator himself. A fascinating story told by tour guide Denny O’Brien explained how on the way to Rome, O’Connell passed away and his final wish was for his body to go to Ireland, his heart to Rome, and his soul to heaven. His heart was then supposedly presented to Pope Pius IX.
O’Brien then brought us to the infamous General Post Office (GPO) and briefly explained the background of the 1916 Easter Rising. All the while, he was pointing out bullet holes in both the O’Connell statue and surrounding buildings that go unnoticed in the day-to-day hustle and bustle of the city.
We covered a lot of ground during the one-hour tour, eventually circling back to Temple Bar over the Hapenny Bridge. The Hapenny Bridge was refurbished by Harland & Wolff, an industrial company from Belfast, in 2001 to strengthen and reinforce the bridge. As you may know Harland & Wolff built the Titanic – you would hope the company has learned its lesson.
This walking tour was a fantastic beginner’s guide to Dublin, covering an extensive slice of Dublin’s history. O’Brien even brought us to The Palace Bar, which has belonged to the same family for the past three generations. He called it “the best pub in Dublin”, a statement met with delight by the budding first years. Speaking to The University Times, the Auditor of DU History, Cathal Byrne, said: “It’s fantastic to see so many first years come, we had a bigger turn out than expected and they all seemed eager to get to know each other, which is great to see.”
