To be honest the 'Core was never where it was at. I tried to like the place but the village itself is not the most charming in Dublin. There's little sense of community, no cafés to speak of and limited shopping opportunities. The house was a charming, cosy place to live (apart from being drafty as hell) and I have many happy memories here but the time is nigh to bid adieu.
My favourite aspect of living here was getting to discover and fall in love with the War Memorial Gardens by Islandbridge and I will seriously miss the daily walk to work in Chapelizod through it. It's a secret oasis of elegance and calm in a busy part of the city with rose gardens, tree lined paths, benches by the river Liffey and for me was a little taste of Paris in dear old dirty Dublin.First mooted in 1919 as a commemoration to all who died in the Great War, The Irish National War Memorial Gardens weren't built till the 1930s. An official opening was planned for 1939 but then World War II broke out and it was shelved.
The Gardens were neglected during the 70s and 80s and even became a halting site for several years. Restoration work took place in the 80s but it wasn't finally and officially dedicated until 2006!
The park consists of two beautifully maintained sunken rose gardens (left) surrounding a central memorial area with two fountains (see above), a War Stone of Irish granite and a Great Cross of Sacrifice.
Outside of the main Gardens the park stretches to the Liffey and a walk-way by the river continues all the way into Chapelizod.
This stretch of river is home to all the major rowing clubs in Dublin and sees individuals and teams of rowers demonstrating their prowess with oars at all times of the day. It's also home to an array of wildlife including stately herons, sun-bathing cormorants, elegant swans, not-so-elegant ducks and occasional groups of exhausted looking brent geese on the way to warmer or cooler climes.
There are currently several families of adorable fluffy ducklings and cygnets who've made the river bank their home and I would advise any broody females out there to pay a visit to ooh and aah over the squeeze-them-in-the-cheek cute balls of fluff. There are two mama ducks, one with seven ducklings, the other with five and two swan families, one with one cygnet and the other with nine! The family of nine cygnets is beyond cute. It's especially nice to see swan daddies being so devoted to their young...unlike daddy ducks who are useless articles who force poor female ducks into submission then abandon them to raise the ducklings alone. Hmph.
The park is also a favourite with local dog-walkers and unlike Phoenix Park it's possible to see the same faces (and the same dogs) walking the same route every day. There's a loyal community of Memorial Garden walkers out there and once in the park everyone is friendly and genial towards one another. People know each others dogs names, discuss the progress of the duckling and cygnet broods and share broad smiles at being happy to be out in the throes of nature no matter what the weather.
I was part of this community for a short period and I would recommend to any Dublin resident to take a stroll in these Gardens some summer's eve. The roses are coming out and soon there will be a sea of colour in the sunken gardens, the cygnets and ducklings are growing in confidence every day and Suzy the border collie wants you to play tug-o-war with her. Leave the sqalid bedsit behind and pretend that Dublin is Paris for a while.
Meanwhile I'm away to Galway to soak up some sunshine and Volvo Ocean Race craic - c'est beau la vie.
