Grave stones

Graves stones in Ireland, here in Clonmacnoise, county Offaly, are pretty impressive and massive. Most of the time, they are decorated with sculptures and the celtic Cross on the top. Some of them date from the early centuries and have seen their beauty fading through the time, others are burying little by little in the ground, giving to the cimeteries their exceptionnal authenticity.

Clonmacnoise

Located in the middle of Ireland on the Shannon side, Clonmacnoise is very known for its several churches and grave stones... in ruins. From the sixth century, this historic and religious site have seen so many wars, theft, and fires, that it is almost surpising that the is something left... even ruins. At that time, Clonmacnoise was famous for its religious instruction, with an impressive library. Pilgrims used to, and still use to walk until this monastery every year. The pope John Paul II came to Clonmacnoise during his journey throughout Ireland in 1979, gathering thousands of people.

The Custom House

The Custom House is an eighteenth-century building in Dublin which houses the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government. It was designed by James Gandon to act as the new custom house for Dublin Port. It has been completed in 1791.
As the port moved further downriver, the building's original use became obsolete, and is now used as the headquarters of local government in Dublin.

Source : [The Irish book of Lists, Julian Ashe]

Liberty Hall

Liberty Hall (Irish: Halla na Saoirse), in Dublin, is the headquarters of the Services, Industrial, Professional, and Technical Union (SIPTU). It was formerly the tallest storeyed building in Ireland at 59.4 m, and is currently the second tallest in Dublin after the Millennium Tower in Grand Canal Dock. It is more historically significant in its earlier form, as the headquarters of the Irish Transport and General Workers Union early in the 20th century, and as that of the Irish Citizen Army (ICA). Believe it or not, this building mainly made of windows used to be an hotel at the begining.
Today, Liberty Hall is meant to be redesigned, with plans to demolish the current building in 2009. The successor is planned to be complete within 18 months of this. Personnally, I'm not against this decision, because though this building is among the highest of Dublin, its design is quite kitch, and to be honest, not that beautiful...

Source : [Wikipedia.org]

Trinity College

Founded in 1592 by Elizabeth I, Trinity College, in Dublin is Ireland's oldest university. During its early life, Trinity was a university exclusively for the Protestant ascendency class. Roman Catholics were first admitted in 1793. In 1873 all religious tests were abolished. Women were admitted to Trinity College for the first time in 1904.
The library in Trinity College is the largest research library in Ireland contains 4.25 million books, of which the Book of Kells, the library's most famous asset.

Source : [The Irish book of Lists, Julian Ashe]

The Famine Monument

The Great Famine (Irish: An Gorta Mór lit: The Great Hunger or An Drochshaol, lit: The Bad Life) was a period of starvation, disease and mass emigration between 1845 and 1852 during which the population of Ireland was reduced by 20 to 25 percent. Approximately one million of the population died and a million more emigrated from Ireland's shores. The proximate cause of famine was a potato disease commonly known as late blight. Although blight ravaged potato crops throughout Europe during the 1840s, the impact and human cost in Ireland—where a third of the population was entirely dependent on the potato for food—was exacerbated by a host of political, social and economic factors which remain the subject of historical debate.

Source : [Wikipedia.org]

Dublin Castle

Dublin Castle was the seat of Irish rule in Ireland until the Irish free State came into being in 1922. It served for some years as temporary Courts of Justice. After major refurbishments, the castle is now used as a conference center, as much as a major tourist venue.During Ireland's presidencies of the European Community/Union European Council meetings have taken place there.

Source : [The Irish book of Lists, Julian Ashe]