Madison County Democrat. (London, Ohio) 19??-1958, 1956-05-25
G OUR
"a Town

Larne in north Ireland is a
pleasant experience although
the sea is high on a sunny day.
We have been exceptionally
fortunate in having such mar
velous weather during our
trip. only two rainy days
thus far. At Larne we board
the toy train for Belfast
where we go by car down to
Dublin a trip of about 100
miles.
AS you no doubt know, the
Irish Republic broke away
from British rule some years
back and the Irish have been
on their own. for better or
for worse, ever since. Most
commodities are noticably
cheaper in Ireland than in
England which is perhaps for
the better but Ireland is poor
err than England which may
be for the worse. We do not
Judge Ireland on this basis,
however, and we are content
10 just let nature take its
course insofar as enjoyment is
concerned.
At the border between Nor
thern Ireland and the Irish
Republic we pass through
British customs without incl
dent and then find that the
Irish have set up TWO GUS
toms stations one after the
ether! While the British make
sure that nothing Irish gets
into England, the Irish are
twice as sure that nothing
English gets into Ireland! So
it goes between these two :
with neither side giving in a
single inch.
Oddly enough the first Gus
toms station is at Killeen CHI
DinkD but like I say, no in
cident of inspection mars our
trip and everyone. both Eng
lish and Irish, is very kind.
And so we travel on to our
destination amid beautiful
scenery and on fine roads.
Going through the Irish
towns takes one right back
home in that the names on the
stores and buildings ring out.
Dwyer, CORY, Flanagan,
Brady, Broderick, Powers,
ODonnell, O'Co1nell, Latter
ty, Higgins, Kennedy and Don
nelly hit us in the eye as we
ride along. To read the names
off as we pass sounds like roll
call at a st. Patricks outing.
Names of towns offer some
confusion because each has
two one in English and one
in Gaelic. For instance, the
Gaelic name for Dublin is
Bale Atha Cliath". Dun
I.aoghaire is also called
Kingston and the town OF
BRAY is also Bri Chualann.
Such is the way of the Irish
in maintaining its historic
language.
There is a holiday in Dublin
and we cannot get into the
Royal Hibernian Hotel but we
do get rooms at the Russell :
an old but respectable house
which boasts of the best food
in town. This latter fact
pleases us to no end. O'Con-
nell Street, Dublin's grand
thoroughfare, is decorated like
a Christmas tree with gar
lands of flowers on every
street light and beds of flow
ers in the parkways between
Quite sight this and with
the monuments to Iris h
heroes at each intersection. il
is something that will be lone
remembered. Parnell, Burke
and O'Connell look down their
noses at us as we read the
fighting inscriptions on their
statues. A huge monument tc
Admiral Lord Nelson also
adorns the scene. Much con-
troversy has taken place over
this English hero since ne
stands amidst the Irish, but
we are told that a great many
Irishmen fought with Nelson
at Trafalgar which reason ac'
counts for the fact that Mel
son still stands.
One of the most outstanding
differences between Irelanc
and other parts of the Isles |:
the beauty of the Irish girls
Not all of them, mind you, but
every so often we see one OF
two which could make the
movies any old time. Matter
Of fact, the girls at the recep
ton desk of our hotel are sucf
and they kindly pose for I
picture.
Dublin is a big, brash ans
bustling metropolis which ba'
everything from all parts o
the world. You can bury a
merican cigarettes. Cubal
rum, French wine, Italian
cheese, Chinese silk AM
South African Holsters here.
R,lt Harry's Irish friend