Tuesday,
15 February
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Traces
of foreign cultures in Dublin
Michael
and the Vikings |
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Today
we visited the national museum of Ireland for history and archaeology
in Dublin and in particular the Viking part. I really adore this
folk. The first Viking raids on Ireland are recorded in the year
795 and their influence continues till about 1150 AD. The analysis of the way of living through observation of the object gives a great insight into the life of the Vikings. They were extremely well organised and smart. Dublin owes its origin to the Vikings, so do Limerick, Waterford, Wexford and possibly Cork. Their influence has been discovered in all parts of Europe, from Spain and Italy to Iceland. |
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Their
burial customs were pagan and the wealthiest were buried with their
personal possessions. They were of course warriors but also farmers,
smiths and great merchants. New trade routes were opened up by them
straight to the silver and gold market of Byzantine, Muslim central
and western Asia. Vikings have transformed the Irish way of life:
they popularized indeed new art and clothes style, introduced new
weapon styles and they appear to have introduced a better quality
of ironworking especially in the area of blade production. Their
impact on ship and shipping is famous, too. The Vikings contribution
to Ireland is very big and today we can still see their presence
on the island.
By Michael
Darde |
| The year of the rooster | |
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On the 8th of February Dublin’s
Chinese population has a reason to celebrate. It is New Year’s
Eve, the beginning of the year of the rooster. This is the most
important event in the lunar calendar. Around this time a lot of
festivities are organized in Dublin. On the area of the National
Museum at the Collins Barracks a diverse program can be seen. A
big variety of traditional food is offered, lectures are being held
and athletic men and women show their ability in martial arts. |
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Everything is decorated with
Chinese banners, flags and lanterns to create an exotic atmosphere.
It is also a sign to say good bye to the winter and welcome the
spring. But the Chinese lifestyle is part of the daily life in Dublin
all year long. About 40.000 Chinese live and work in the greater
Dublin area. Chinese restaurants, shops and markets contribute to
Dublin’s cultural diversity.
By Antje Laacks
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Flu-ent
intercultural understanding |
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Achill. As beautiful
as it is, as rough it can get. Pampered by being born and bred in
a mild climate Germany, I am the kind of character that is both
receptive to the beauty and the beast of Ireland. The beast has
a name and the name is flu. And it always attacks one in the worst
moments. |
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Last
day on Achill, 5 days of Dublin still to come. Being forced to stay
in bed and hoping to survive the peppermint tea, cold medicine and
pain killer treatment. But that bears the chance to experience another
side of Dublin and a very special part of the project. The side
of Dublin I came to notice is the tides the traffic and the noise
this lively city produces. If you have the time and the patience
to listen to it, it is similar to the sound the sea surrounding
Achill creates. There is the basic rhythm that never stops. Above
that, the louder and faster melody of the high tide, the daytime
in Dublin and the silent, softer melody of low tide, the night. But most importantly, now to come to the very special part of the project, it is the warmth and love with which the project mates care for the ones that are about to fall behind that I had the chance to experience. |
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There
are people running up and down six staircases so that the peppermint
and hot lemon source shall never dry out. There are the ones climbing
the heights to deliver hot soup and freshly cooked meals, the ones
that arrange never ending tissue supply. And there were more like
me. And I am sure they could tell similar stories. Above and beyond
work and intercultural differences growing together as a team in
a short amount of time is possible. Thank you all for the great
time we spent together working, arguing, celebrating, laughing and
coughing.
By Daniela Dung |
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page
by Daniela
Dung and Karsten Kneese