Ireland (Lonely Planet, 9th Edition) - Fionn Davenport [79]
The most interesting parts of the cemetery are at the southeastern Prospect Sq end. The single most imposing memorial is the colossal monument to Cardinal McCabe (1837–1921), archbishop of Dublin and primate of Ireland, while a modern replica of a round tower acts as a handy landmark for locating the tomb of Daniel O’Connell, who died in 1847 and was reinterred here in 1869 when the tower was completed. Charles Stewart Parnell’s tomb is topped with a huge granite rock. Other notable people buried here include Sir Roger Casement, who was executed for treason by the British in 1916 and whose remains weren’t returned to Ireland until 1964; the Republican leader Michael Collins, who died in the Civil War; the docker and trade unionist Jim Larkin, a prime force in the 1913 general strike; and the poet Gerard Manley Hopkins.
There’s also a poignant ‘class’ memorial to the men who have starved themselves to death for the cause of Irish freedom over the century, including 10 men from the 1981 H Block hunger strikes.
The watchtowers in the cemetery were once used to keep watch for body snatchers.
To get to the cemetery, take bus 40, 40A or 40B from Parnell St.
CASINO AT MARINO
It’s not the roulette-wheel kind of casino but the original Italian kind, the one that means ‘summer home’ (it literally means ‘small house’), and this particular casino (Map; 833 1618; Malahide Rd; adult/child/senior €3/1/2; 10am-6pm May-Sep) is one of the most enchanting constructions in all of Ireland. Entrance is by guided tour only; the last tour is 45 minutes before closing.
It was built in the mid-18th century for the Earl of Charlemont, who returned from his grand tour of Europe with more art than he could store in his own home, Marino House, which was on the same grounds but was demolished in the 1920s. He also came home with a big love of the Palladian style – hence the architecture of this wonderful folly.
The exterior of the building, with a huge entrance doorway, and 12 Tuscan columns forming a templelike facade, creates the expectation that its interior will be a simple single open space. But instead it is an extravagant convoluted maze: flights of fancy include chimneys for the central heating that are disguised as roof urns, downpipes hidden in columns, carved draperies, ornate fireplaces, beautiful parquet floors constructed of rare woods, and a spacious wine cellar. A variety of statuary adorns the outside but it’s the amusing fakes that are most enjoyable. The towering front door is a sham – a much smaller panel opens to reveal the secret interior. The windows have blacked-out panels to hide the fact that the interior is a complex of rooms, not a single chamber.
To get to the casino, take bus 20A, 20B, 27, 27B, 42, 42C or 123 from the city centre, or travel on the Dublin Area Rapid Transport (DART) to Clontarf Rd.
Beyond the Grand Canal
The more attractive of Dublin’s two canals is the Grand Canal (Map), built to connect Dublin with the River Shannon. It makes a graceful 6km loop around the south city centre and has a lovely path running alongside it that’s perfect for a pleasant walk or cycle. At its eastern end the canal forms a harbour connected with the Liffey at the area called Ringsend, through locks that were built in 1796. The large Grand Canal Dock, flanked by Hanover and Charlotte Quays, is now used by windsurfers and canoeists and is the site of a major new development, including Dublin’s first real skyscraper, which will be home to U2’s purpose-designed recording studios.
At the northwestern corner of the dock is Misery Hill, once the site of the public execution of criminals. It was once the practice