Happy Anniversary

 September 2022

My parents, Dublin Ireland, September 24, 1951.

Day of the Dead In Memoriam

 November is the Day of the Dead and the anniversary of my little sister's death in 2013.

August 24, 1955 – November 2, 2013

With her family at her side, Ursula passed away suddenly at St. Joseph’s Hospital Hamilton, on November 2nd, 2013 at the age of 58.  Ursula leaves her cherished children Caitlin Lazarus and Brennan Lazarus, her devoted partner Brian Underdown and her extended family Eric, Russell, Margot, Julian, Aubrey and Vivien Underdown.  She will be sorely missed by her sister Jackie McGuinness and brother in-law John Boisvenue and her dear cousin Laura O’Connell.  Born in Dublin and growing up in Montreal, Ursula was from her earliest years an adventurer.  After graduating from McGill, she joined CUSO as a teacher in Nigeria and travelled fearlessly through Africa in troubled times and other exotic places which influenced her decision to develop a career as a scientist devoted to vaccine research.  Settling in Hamilton in 1998 Ursula developed a successful practice as a patent agent with Gowlings.  Her family will remember her bright spirit, the many shared dinner conversations and her loving support. A visitation will be held on Wednesday evening from 7-9 p.m. at the Cattel, Eaton & Chambers Funeral Home, 53 Main Street, Dundas.  A Service Celebrating Ursula’s Life will be held at the Funeral Home on Thursday November 7th at 2 p.m.   In lieu of flowers, donations to St. Joseph’s Hospital, Hamilton, would be appreciated by the family.

You are missed.

Thinking of You

Ursula, August 24 would have been your 61st birthday.

Miss you always, baby sister!

British Isles Friday - Ireland Part 6

Hosted by Joy's Book Blog.

I've been doing some memory lane posts of trips before digital and before blogging.
I first traveled to England with my Mom in 1960
My parents took us back as a family in 1970.
John and I first went together in 1986 to London.
Continuing 1986 with Oxford and Stratford.
Ireland 1991 Part 1 Dublin
Ireland 1991 Part 2 Around Ireland 
Ireland 1991 Part 3 Around Ireland
London 2005 with family
Ireland Part 1 2005 Ballyvaughan Aran Islands
Ireland Part 2 2005 Ballyvaughan Dunguaire Castle, Galway
Ireland Part 3 2005 Burren Bunratty Castle Aillwee Caves Lahinch
Ireland Part 4 2005 Dingle Kinsale Inch
Ireland Part 5 2005 Killarney Limerick Ashford


We're at the end of our trip as we stay in Dublin for a few days. The kids will get to meet some McGuinness relatives.
We had rented two apartments in the city centre and returned the rental car.
My sister's family spent three days and we stayed on for another.

But first some sightseeing.

The Four Courts -
Ireland's main courts building, located on Inns Quay in Dublin. The Four Courts are the location of the Supreme Court, the High Court and the Dublin Circuit Court. Until 2010 the building also housed the Central Criminal Court.

It was built between 1786 and 1796, while the finishing touches to the arcades and wings were completed in 1802.

The headquarters of the bank until the 1970s was the impressive Bank of Ireland building on College Green. This building was originally designed by Edward Lovett Pearce in 1729 to host the Irish Parliament, and it was the world's first purpose-built two-chamber parliament building.

TODAY IS JUNE 16!!

Bloomsday is a celebration that takes place both in Dublin and around the world. It celebrates Thursday 16 June 1904, which is the day depicted in James Joyce’s novel Ulysses. The day is named after Leopold Bloom, the central character in Ulysses. The novel follows the life and thoughts of Leopold Bloom and a host of other characters – real and fictional – from 8am on 16 June 1904 through to the early hours of the following morning.

This is one of the plaques in the sidewalk that outlines Bloom's day.
If you want to do the walk on your own  just follow the trail of the 14 pavement plaques installed in 1988 – from the old offices of the “Irish Independent” to the National Museum in Kildare Street via O’Connell Street and Bridge, Trinity College, Grafton Street, Duke Street and Dawson Street.

I want to go to Dublin for Bloomsday one year!

And here's the man himself, James Joyce.

Christ Church Cathedral

Dublinia is a historical recreation (or living history) museum and visitor attraction focusing on the Viking and Medieval history of the city. Dublinia is located in a part of Dublin's Christ Church Cathedral, known as the Synod hall.


Dublinia features historical reenactment, with actors playing the roles of Vikings and Medieval Dubliners (in full costume) and encourages visitors to join in. It has recreations of Viking and Medieval era buildings (houses, etc) and street scenes.

This is what happens when kids don't behave!

Lunch at the Elephant and Castle in Temple Bar.

Grafton St.

 Moore St.

This statue of Oscar Wilde always makes me laugh because it looks like Hugh Grant. It is located in Stephens' Green and his house is across the street.

St Michan's Parish Church in the heart of inner-city Dublin has been offering services on this site since 1095/.

The vaults of St. Michan's uniquely contain many mummified remains. The walls in the vaults contain limestone, which has kept the air dry, creating ideal conditions for preservation. Among the preserved remains are the 400-year-old body of a nun, a six-and-a-half foot man popularly believed to have been a crusader, a body with its feet and right hand severed, and the Sheares brothers —Henry and John—who took part in the 1798 rebellion. The various holders of the title Earl of Leitrim were also interred here.

No photos are allowed in the vaults but I think Caitlin's face says it all as I tell her she can touch a mummy.

 We took the Viking tour that included a dip into the Liffey River.

Family entertained us each night. One night we went to my cousin Ann for dinner.

Caitlin, meeting her grand uncle Tommy for the first time.

Uncle Tommy, Aunt may and Brian.

Brennan with a second cousin Niall.

Caitlin and her second cousin Cleo.

My cousin Ann/s husband, Joe at the head of the table.

We have a huge dinner and then the neighbours, from Russia, insist we come over to celebrate their new baby!!!

There is so much food and we have just eaten!!

Then Joe decides we should go to the pub(s)!

The next night we went to my Dad's sister's house. My Aunt Leila still lives in the house where my Dad grew up.
My cousin Brenda and her daughter Ashling, Brennan and Antoinette.

Caitlin and Jennifer McGuinness, her mom is Susan O'Mahony and married a McGuinness!!

Her mom, Susan, suddenly passed away a month later.

John and I had an extra day in Dublin and went to Guinness.

O'Connell looming over his thoroughfare.

It's a good idea to know which is the Ladies bathroom in other countries!

Parnell's pub across from the hospital I was born in, I wouldn't be surprised if this was the pub the nurses banished my Dad to while my Mother was having me.
We had a gorgeous black cat at one time that we named Parnell.

Parnell, himself.


Charles Stewart Parnell (Irish: Cathal Stiúbhard Pharnell; 27 June 1846 – 6 October 1891) was an Irish nationalist politician and one of the most powerful figures in the British House of Commons in the 1880s.

It's time to say goodbye for now.

The most basic way to say “goodbye” in Irish is

Slán

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Couldn’t be simpler, could it? Slán simply means “safe,” and is a shortened form of a slightly longer phrase:

slán abhaile

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Which means “safe home.”