Cork and the Irish

Well I started out rather late this morning, the bus didn't show up so I decided to walk all 2.5 miles to town. Five minutes into the walk the the bus passes me!!!! Anyway it is only a half hour walk if you are not lugging any luggage, so I coped quite well. I was off to the library to see what I could find on my Great Great Grandmother, the 16 year old convict. I searched the microfische but could find nothing, so I asked if they had any other papers. NO!! Bang, bang, bang, bang, bang, bang, bang, bang, bang (that is the sound of me hitting my head on the desk)... all the original Examiner newspapers are in the national Library, you guessed it in.......DUBLIN!!! Bugger!!! I am not impressed. They did however have the original Courier Newspapers from 1851, when Catherine (Bridgets sister) was transported. I searched through them and did not find anything (big surpride there, with my luck). BUT a lovely little old Irishman told me what to look for so I am returning Monday, I have booked the fische machine and I will search them again with my new found knowledge. I got really engrossed while reading the original Courier, I was reading all the other trials and some of them were really fabulous, well not if you were the defendant I guess, but from an outside point of view they were. I cannot tell you how many people had their clothes stolen and pawned, and all in houses of illrepute. It was hilarious just reading the excuses the people came up with as to why they were there. Needless to say the ladies stealing the clothes were the ones on trial. A really good read, several murders etc. I was enthralled for ages.

I then took the bus tour of the city, the hop on hop off bus, but the Irish haven't really got it right here in Cork. There are brochures to tell you were the stops are, but no signs in the streets, so you just have to guess whereabouts to actually stand, it was ridiculous. The tour starts at about No 18 or something, none of the stops are in numerical order, No 1 is between number 15 and number 3?? It was an experience. I did however get off the bus at stop no 1, which is halfway through the tour, it was the old prison and it was the prison that Bridget & Catherine would have been held at until their trials, so that was really awesome, sobering too. It was not a nice place to be held, the tour was really informative and I am so glad that I went.

I asked the guy who runs/owns the hotel where I would find a laundrette and he tells me there are no coin operated laundrettes in Cork. But there is a service that picks up your laundry and returns it the same day. He also said that being Saturday it might not be returned until Monday morning, it would be about 10 or 11 Euros ($17 or $18Aus) but no choice really. I decided after breakfast to tell him I would wait to send the clothes until Monday, to save any hassle. I was looking for him when the lady of the house shows up and I explained that I had decide to wait until Monday etc. She said are you sure, I could run them through now for you and you would have them by lunch time.... Take out service.. my fat aunt, his wife or house keeper or whatever does the washing, I was really unimpressed with him. She was lovely though, so I gave her my laundry, it was on my bed when I returned tonight, now I am only waiting to see how much he charges me for the take out service... Lying little Irishman!!

Once again the McDonalds here is unbelievable, I refuse to eat at them due to their WiFi nonsense, but that does not stop me from using their bathrooms... I'll teach them!! As I went up the stairs I saw the "toilets are for customer use only" sign they always have, but these people really take it seriously. No joke, there was a guy standing at the toilets with a swipe card to let customers in!! Really, honest to God. I was gobsmacked.. Anyway he let me in, he didn't asked to see a receipt or anything, but I couldn't believe they would pay a guy to do that. So I said, "Wow you have a really interesting job, don't you?" He laughed and said only for 3 hours, they were having trouble with the door of the mens room?? So later when I went back, yes I know, but I shall abuse this system until I feel I have been repaid for all the WiFi nonsence in Dublin. So as I was saying when I went back the little guy was missing and on the swipe card thingy is a little sign, Pease ask a member of staff for assistance, well a girl was going past, she stuck out her hand and swiped me in, without me even opening my mouth. Obviously she didn't know I was the toilet bandit who uses the loo but doesn't buy anything, or else she just doesn't care. I ask you, wouldn't it be cheaper to just have normal doors and let people use the bathrooms, the trouble these people go to is ridiculous.. They take their toilets way too serious if you ask me!!

I shall post some pics that I took today, I hope you enjoy them

Cheers

Lones


The examiner on the day my Great Great Great Aunt was tried in Cork. I also got printouts from the fische. Lucky at the photos pixulate when enlarged. Cool to have though


Cork has some cool churches. Heaps of them..


The outside of Cork City Gaol. They used to have public hangings from this building...


A typical cell from the time. They had lots of dummies on display and lots of history and stories from the times. It was a good tour, really sobering, this is where my Irish Australian history began, in one of these cells. I do wonder if she ever regretted being caught, or if she thanked her lucky stars every day of her life. After all she did get the better weather and a future, which she may not have had, had she stayed in Ireland. Bridget lived to be 92 and had about 9 children so I hope that she had no regrets.


In Australia this would be classed as "the car you have when you're not having a car".. I couldn't believe it, it is even smaller than the one Sheonagh, Ally and I saw in Scotland. I love it!! It's even registered, God love 'em!!