Call me macabre, but there’s nothing I like better than wandering around cemeteries. They’re peaceful, interesting and a little creepy at the same time. And Dublin’s Glasnevin Cemetery is one of my favourites! Luckily it’s just across the river and up the road, in the inner suburbs on the north side of the city. Opened in 1832, it now covers an area of around 124 acres, and is the final resting place of 1.5 million of Dublin’s departed. On my most recent visit, I was accompanied by Goth Beastie. She looked strangely at home among the gravestones…
If you’re interested in Irish history, Glasnevin is a must-see. Many of the significant figures from our recent past are buried here, including Daniel O’Connell, whose campaign to allow Catholics to be offered the same right to a dignified funeral as Protestants led to the establishment of this very graveyard! An early-mediaeval style round tower stands on his tomb, and it can be seen from pretty much anywhere in the cemetery – it’s in the background of this photo…
Glasnevin is also home to some beautiful old trees, which line the pathways between the graves…
And there’s such a huge variety of styles in the monuments here, too! There are underground crypts…
…Traditional crosses…
…And some more understated ones. Goth Beastie was particularly taken with this one.
But it wasn’t long before the sun got too high in the sky for certain pale-faced Beastie ladies! There was just time for Goth Beastie to seek out a little cool shade before we headed for home…
How do you feel about graveyards? An interesting place to spend an afternoon, or too spooky for words?
Glasnevin Cemetery, With Goth Beastie
It is like living in a Dickens’ novel 🙂
Funny you should say that, it is quite a literary graveyard! Its biggest claim to fame is that it features in James Joyce’s “Ulysses”. Now THERE’S a reading challenge for you!
Wow,Joyce!!! You want me sweat indeed!! Ask me Virginia Woolf but Joyce…. I have The Dubliners at home in Croatia but have nefer found enough courage to start reading it….
Actually, “Dubliners” is a good place to start… It’s only when you take on “Ulysses” and “Finnegans Wake” that things start to get tricky! I always had trouble with Virginia Woolf though… Which book of hers would you recommend to change my mind?
“To the lighthouse” for sure! She’s good in revealing what’s hiding in a woman’s mind.
So…. you are telling me to find the “Dubliners” at my Mum’s….. ?? Ok,I’ll do that!
Yes indeed! I’m reading it myself right now… And I’ll pick up a copy of “To The Lighthouse” when I’m done! Thanks 🙂
When ever Beloved & I go anywhere new we always visit the graveyard – I just love wandering around them, I walk through the village graveyard daily we have 3 graveyards lots of dead folks reside where I live, one of the most interesting one is for the Hammond family the husband, a new born and 2 children died all in the same year, (the 2 children on Boxing day) in 1899 sad or what
Loving Goth Beastie she is urber cool ❤
Yes, the gravestones really do have stories to tell when you look at them closely… And some of them are incredibly tragic. I sometimes wonder how the family members who were left managed to carry on afterwards… It really makes you appreciate all the improvements in health care and living conditions that have happened since then. And I’m also glad I’m not the only one who actively seeks out graveyards when I’m on holiday!
If anyone asks about out strange habit of graveyard stalking I would remind them we are social historians LOL
Hahaha! Good idea! I don’t think anyone’s ever called me on my love of graveyards… I’m lucky to have a friend who is similarly intrigued by them, and the two of us always end up in a cemetery when we travel together!
I used to like in a cottage called Tanyfynwent, which means ‘under the cemetery’ in Welsh. I loved it – I have never had such quiet neighbours!!
Hahaha! Sounds amazing… I’ve never had the opportunity to live beside a graveyard, but one of the highlights of my young life was visiting the Ulster Museum, which has an old cemetery in the plot beside it. Before the renovations a few years ago, the café used to overlook the graveyard, so I’d always make a beeline for a window table and spend lunchtime staring at graves!
Oh dear, I think I may have to order a Goth Beastie. For the kiddo, obviously…
I love cemeteries, too. Old headstones tell fascinating stories.
Heeheehee! It might surprise you to learn that most of my customers are actually adults 🙂 If you would like to adopt Goth Beastie, she’s in my Etsy shop – there’s a link to it in the right-hand sidebar of the blog. Thanks for stopping by 🙂