Page 83 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Ireland

SOUTHWEST DUBLIN  81

VISITORS’ CHECKLIST
Practical Information
Off Dame St. Map C3.
Tel 645 8813. ∑ dublincastle.ie
State Apartments: Open 10am–
4:45pm Mon–Sat, noon–4:45pm
Sun & public hols.
Closed 1 Jan, Good Fri, 24–27 Dec.
& 8
Transport
@ 49, 56A, 77, 77A, 123.

Robert Emmet
Robert Emmet (1778–1803),
leader of the abortive 1803 Manuscript (1874) from the Holy Koran written by calligrapher Ahmad Shaikh in Kashmir,
rebellion, is remembered as a on display at Chester Beatty Library
heroic champion of Irish liberty.
His plan was to cap ture Dublin 2 Chester Beatty most beautiful manuscripts in
Castle as a signal for the country Library the western European collection
to rise up against the Act of is the Coëtivy Book of Hours, an
Union (see p46). Emmet was Dublin Castle. Tel 407 0750. Open
de tained in the Kilmainham Mar–Oct: 10am–5pm Mon–Fri, 11am– illuminated 15th-century French
Gaol and hanged, but the 5pm Sat, 1–5pm Sun; Nov–Feb: 10am– prayer book.
defiant, patriotic speech he 5pm Tue–Fri, 11am–5pm Sat, 1–5pm
made from the dock helped to Sun. Closed 1 Jan, Good Fri, 24–26 Dec 3 City Hall
inspire future generations of & public holidays. = 7 0 ∑ cbl.ie
Irish freedom fighters. Cork Hill, Dame St. Map C3. Tel 222
This world-renowned collect ion 2918. Open 10am–5:15pm Mon–Sat.
of artistic treasures from Asia, Closed 1 Jan, Good Fri & 24–26 Dec.
the Middle East, North Africa 8 7 0 & ∑ dublincity.ie/
and Europe was bequeathed to dublincityhall
Ireland by the American mining
mag nate and art collector Sir Designed by Thomas Cooley,
Alfred Chester Beatty, who died this Corinthian-style building
in 1968. This generous act led to was erected between 1769 and
his selection as Ireland’s first 1779 as the Royal Exchange.
honorary citizen in 1957. It was bought by Dublin
During his lifetime, Beatty Corporation in 1851 as a meet-
accumulated almost 300 copies ing place for the city council.
of the Koran, representing the The building has been
works of master calligraphers. restored to its original condition
Entrance to Also on display are 6,000-year- and a permanent multimedia
Upper Yard old Babylonian stone tablets, exhibition, Dublin City Hall –
Greek papyri and biblical The Story of the Capital, traces the
material written in Coptic, the evolution of Dublin, from before
ancient language of Egypt. the Anglo-Norman invasion of
Treasures from the Far East 1170 to the present day.
Lower Yard
include a collection of Chinese
Dame Street jade books – each leaf is made
from thinly cut jade, engraved
with Chinese characters which
are then filled with gold.
Burmese and Siamese art is
represented by the collection
of 18th- and 19th-century
Parabaiks, books of folk tales
with colourful illustrations on
mulberry leaf paper. The
Japanese collection includes
paintings, woodblock prints and
The bright exterior of the state apartments books and scrolls from the 16th
seen from outside the walls of Dublin Castle to 19th centuries. One of the City Hall from Parliament Street

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