The Dead Centre of Town

Amy's lovely parents Gemma and Pete treated Dave, Caz and I to a guided tour of the Glasnevin Cemetery. We rugged up and enjoyed a great 90 minute walking tour through the Celtic crosses and limestone epitaphs.

We learnt about Daniel O'Connell, "the man who discovered Ireland" a lawyer, parliamentarian and abolitionist. The crypt was sealed for many years after a bomb was planted in the tower in retaliation for the destruction of the Lord Nelson statue near the GPO.

We passed by the graves of James Joyce's parents. And learned lots about Charles Stewart Parnell. Parnell was a politician who joined two political parties and was the leader of both. 

He is most notably known for introducing the position of the Whip into parliament and the filibuster. He famously filibustered for 26 hours in a row! I imagine he had a lot to talk about! He wanted to be interred with the common Irish and is buried with 13,000 people who died of cholera during the 19th century. 

Many of the people involved in the 1916 Easter Uprising are also buried at Glasnevin, including De Velera and Michael Collins.