Irish weather today proved the truth of the saying “If you
don’t like the weather wait a few minutes and it will be different.” It has
been rainy, sunny and everything in between. We’re told it is just normal Irish
weather. Our outdoor tour today was in pouring rain, drizzle, overcast and
sunny weather.
Our day started at the “usual” time. Breakfast was shared
then we met for the daily schedule review. Paula led devotions and shared two
poems. Deb rehearsed the music we’ll share in worship on Sunday.
Our scheduled activities for the day started with a cab ride
to the City Cemetery. Our guide, Darra Barrett, met us and told us about the history
of the cemetery and pointed out the designer planned it in the shape of a “bell”
for Belfast. We visited several grave sites and learned about who was there and
why they were interesting characters. One he showed us was a “mass murderer” as
he was the head of a tobacco company. We also saw where one of the dividing
walls was located, nine feet under.
Then it was “across the street” to the Milltown Cemetery,
the Catholic Cemetery. This cemetery has the graves of many of the Catholic
freedom fighters and hunger strikers, also known as members of the IRA. They
also have the graves of several Polish soldiers who perished in a plane crash
during WW2. We were also introduced to the doctor who has seen more maimed
bodies than anyone else. He was a physician during the Boar War and then a
pathologist. He would crawl out to those wounded to try and save them while the
fighting was still going on. There were several others we were introduced to
and you are advised to check with your friends on this trip for further
impressions.
Our last scheduled activity was lunch at the Felon’s Club.
This was once a private club and where the IRA had its founding. Pictures on
the wall reminded you of its history.
The rest of the day, well at least until dinner at the
hotel, was free. The majority of us returned to the hotel for rest. Six of us
went to An Cultúrlann which is a center for Irish Culture, including the Irish
language - Gaeilge (which was of great interest to Rod.)
Dinner was at the hotel tonight because it is difficult to
get into any restaurants due to the Giro International Bike Race starting and
ending in town today. Christine and Collum joined us from Armagh. They met some
of the team a couple of years ago and have remained friends. Conversations continued
well into the evening.
Tour of Belfast City Cemetery:
Walk along Falls Road and a view of some Murals on buildings:
Felons Club, where we ate lunch:
On the walk back to Farset Hotel - strong feelings in the Catholic section about Boston College's release of "priveleged" information:
Dinner at Farset with Collum and Christina:
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