Ireland #8

Ireland #8
Today was very interesting. Our first stop was the Waterford Crystal factory. We watched them make some vases (blowing). Next was a guy cutting off the excess tops on some big bowls. Then we saw a guy putting the marks on the glass with a felt pen. The engravers then follow those marks when they cut with their machines. Fascinating. The factory was closed down in 2008 putting 3000 people out of work. A couple of years ago several of the guys decided to open it up again so do it on a small scale. The name Waterford was bought and they have factories in Germany and Checklslovakia (I know I've spelled that wrong) making more. The crystal for sale in their shop was amazing (and expensive). I could have bought a Christmas ornament for E40. Ouch.All these workers lost their pensions so you can imagine what a blow that was to the local economy. Our musician/pub owner from yesterday was one of those.
Then it was on to New Ross where we went through a remake of one of the ships which took immigrants to either Quebec or New York. Many many of these people were starving because of the potato famine. Often their landlord would pay their passage so he could take over their plot of land to graze his cattle on. Unfortunately an average of half the people died enroute. There was a woman who pretended to be on the ship carrying her wee bairn. She told of the hardships and answered questions assuming we didn't get into present day words.It broke my heart even though I knew she was acting. There were squared off areas not much bigger than a king size bed for each family. So two adults plus whatever number of children they had slept and lived there for several months. In this area they also had to store their pots for cooking and their pot for their wastes. They were allowed on deck for about an hour each day to cook over the brassiers -- and only if the weather was decent. It was a hell hole down there with disentry, etc. I keep thinking of my ancestors who came to Canada that way. The people with money had a better deal with a bedroom in a separate area.
We arrived in Dublin at rush hour so took ages to get from the south side of the city to the north where our hotel is. We are in another castle. It was originally built in 1172 as an inner circle of defence sites protecting Dublin. It had various "owners" over the years depending on who won what rebellion, war, etc. A note of interest: In 1649, Oliver Cromwell granted the estate to John Blackwell who then sold it to the Vernon family. In 1836 it was deemed unsafe due to crumbling foundations and was torn down and the new one, which we are in, was built the next year.
We are in a quiet residential neighbourhood. Went for a walk before supper. We are on our own tonite so went to the pub for dinner. I had lamb stew and Don had bangers and mash.
Another day has gone by with no scones!