The Cold Plunge: Bog Bodies, Cemeteries, and Tram Cafes

In this post, I take reprieve from life admin to explore some weird and wonderful attractions in Dublin.

The five-hour time difference between Toronto and Dublin didn’t seem like much, but I was not sleeping well, managing only a few hours in the early hours of the morning. The reality of starting my new life in Ireland was sinking in, and the stress was definitely contributing to my restless nights. Despite being perpetually tired, I wasted no time getting out and about in Dublin, ticking off the activities and attractions I hadn’t experienced on my previous two visits and revisiting some of my favourite places.

Bog Bodies

I learned about the Bog Bodies while on the Darklands Tour at the National Leprachaun Museum, and my morbid fascination was captured. The Bog Bodies are human remains that have been naturally mummified in peat bogs around Ireland. Unlike most ancient human remains, bog bodies often retain their skin and internal organs due to the unusual conditions of the surrounding area. Combined, highly acidic water, low temperature, and a lack of oxygen preserve but severely tan their skin. While the skin is well-preserved, the bones are generally not, due to the dissolution of the calcium phosphate of bone by the peat’s acidity. The acidic conditions of these bogs allow for the preservation of materials such as skin, hair, nails, wool and leather which all contain the protein keratin.

The Kingship and Sacrifice exhibition centres on a number of bog bodies dating back to the Iron Age. The Bog Bodies are displayed along with other bog finds from the museum’s collections.

The burial theme of my Dublin sightseeing activities continued at Glasnevin Cemetery. I booked in to take the Women in History Tour, which shines a light on the fascinating stories of the extraordinary women buried in Glasnevin Cemetery, all of whom played pivotal roles in shaping the course of Irish history. The tour reminded me of a circus show I had performed in thirteen years earlier in Brisbane. Vulcana Circus presented a performance in Brisbane’s Toowong Cemetery, exploring the histories of Brisbane’s bygone women. The tour concluded inside the O’Connell Tower, built to commemorate the life of one of Ireland’s greatest historical figures, Daniel O’Connell. A crypt in the base of the tower contains his remains.

Phoenix Park

It was a short walk from my accommodation to Phoenix Park, a large urban space lying north of the River Liffey. Its 11 kilometre perimeter wall encloses 707 hectares of recreational space. The headquarters for An Garda Siochana, the Irish police service, stands on the edge of the parklands, which I noted for my book research.

Phoenix Park is ‘where Dublin goes to breathe’, and I certainly needed breath of fresh air. I enjoyed taking walks around Phoenix Park, taking a much-needed break from the grind of job searching and navigating other life admin tasks associated with setting up my life in Ireland.

Garda Museum and Dublin Castle

I found the Garda Museum tucked away in an inconspicuous corner of the grounds of the mighty Dublin Castle. There, I spent two hours wandering through the exhibition learning about the history of An Garda Síochána, the police force in the Republic of Ireland. Among the museum artifacts are photographs and documents outlining the history and development of policing in Ireland in the 19th and 20th centuries.

Tram Cafe
I had a chai latte at the Tram Cafe, a beautifully restored, softly lit, quirky and nostalgic tram located in Wolf Tone Square. I was a little disappointed there was no Guinness-infused chocolate cake like the last time I had visited, but otherwise, it was a lovely, laid-back spot to people-watch in the heart of Dublin City.

Monto- A Lesser Known Part of Dublin’s History

Monto was the nickname for the one-time red light district in the northeast of the city, roughly covering the area bounded by four streets in what would now be called Summerhill. The name is derived from Montgomery Street (now called Foley Street), which runs parallel to the lower end of Talbot Street towards what is now  Connolly Station, a major transport hub. 

In its heyday from the 1860s to the 1950s, there were anything up to 1,600 prostitutes working there at any one time, with all classes of customers catered for. Dublin was reputed to have the biggest red light district in Europe, and its profits were aided by the enormous number of British Army garrisons in the city.

The madams were tough, shrewd businesswomen who ruled the roost in a strict maternal manner. Many of the kip-houses also illegally sold drink which made it easier to part a man from his money. Several madams became quite wealthy, wore expensive jewels, owned cars, and even sent their children off to prestigious schools abroad. The Monto was also a major hive of IRA activity during the Irish War of Independence, and the madams assisted in their activities.

My first week in Ireland had been such an experience. My studio apartment at Binary Hub had become my little home. My sleep hadn’t been great-the collective of apartments had been busy, people talking in the corridors and the doors had a tendency to slam when closed. But the bed was comfortable, and it was great having my own bathroom and a desk to work at.

After a busy few months preparing for my departure from Australia, and then two months of constant travelling, it had been so good to pause in Dublin. I had done a fair few tourist activities, and also spent a lot of time in my room, writing and resting. I wanted to rest more over the next few days. I was not going to apply for any more jobs before I left Binary Hub. I was going to rest.

I hope you’re enjoying coming along with me on The Cold Plunge. If you would like to help me along on this adventure, consider donating below. There are preset amounts, or you can customise an amount too. Whatever you choose, your contribution is deeply appreciated.