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Dublin Castle

THE GROUNDS OF DUBLIN CASTLE

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RANDOM IMAGES 13 NOVEMBER 2023

Dublin Castle is a former Motte-and-bailey castle and current Irish government complex and conference centre. It was chosen for its position at the highest point of central Dublin. Until 1922 it was the seat of the British government’s administration in Ireland.

As you may already know I obtained a DJI Pocket 3 and I was delighted with the results but yesterday I used the supplied wide angle lens and was, much to my surprised, very disappointed with the results. The distortion, not just at the edges, was to such a degree that the footage was unusable. Today I decided to visit the same locations but this time using my Sony FX30. Unfortunately it proved to be a bad idea to try to video with a hand-held FX30.

Fortunately I also captured some stills and here they are.

VERONICA GUERIN MEMORIAL BUST

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DUBLIN CASTLE 13 NOVEMBER 2023

Does anyone know the name of the artist responsible for this bronze bust of Veronica Guerin?

Veronica Guerin Turley (5 July 1959 – 26 June 1996) was an Irish investigative journalist focusing on organised crime in Ireland, who was murdered in a contract killing believed to have been ordered by a South Dublin-based drug cartel. Born in Dublin, she was an athlete in school and later played on the Irish national teams for both Association football and basketball. After studying accountancy she ran a public-relations firm for seven years, before working for Fianna Fáil and as an election agent for Seán Haughey. She became a reporter in 1990, writing for the Sunday Business Post and Sunday Tribune. In 1994 she began writing articles about the Irish criminal underworld for the Sunday Independent. In 1996, after pressing charges for assault against major organised crime figure John Gilligan, Guerin was ambushed and fatally shot in her vehicle while waiting at a traffic light. The shooting caused national outrage in Ireland. Investigation into her death led to a number of arrests and convictions.

THERE HAVE BEEN GARDENS HERE SINCE THE 17Th CENTURY

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DUBLIN CASTLE 5 MAY 2023

There have been gardens at Dublin Castle since at least the early years of the seventeenth century.

The current gardens are situated immediately south of the Chapel Royal and the State Apartments within an enclosing stone wall. The gardens are entered through wrought-iron gates of Celtic-inspired spirals. Beyond a ‘four seasons’ garden lie four smaller gardens, one at each corner of the site.

All gardens contain specially commissioned works of sculpture. Three of these have since been designated as memorial gardens. One is dedicated to the memory of investigative journalist Veronica Guerin. Another contains a bronze sculpture commemorating the Special Olympics held in Ireland in 2003, with the names of the 30,000 volunteers who contributed to the games inscribed on plaques.

The third and largest of these corner gardens is the sheltered Garda Memorial Garden, redesigned and completed in 2009. In this garden the names of all members of the Gardaí (Irish Police) killed in the line of duty are inscribed on a roll of honour. Several sculptural works are also incorporated into the layout. These works and the overall design of the garden are intended to reflect how the premature deaths of loved ones leave a trace or imprint, like ripples in a pool, on the lives of those left behind.

At the heart of the gardens is the grassy sward of the Dubh Linn Garden, where patterns representing sea serpents are cut into the lawn. This lawn is on or near the site of the original dubh linn or ‘black pool’, where the Vikings harboured their ships and set up a trading base. It was this pool that gave its name to the city: Dublin.
The Castle Gardens are immensely popular with visitors and the citizens of Dublin alike. On sunny summer days the gardens are crowded with people enjoying the beautiful surroundings of this special place.

IN MEMORY OF IRISH POLICE PERSONNEL KILLED IN SERVICE

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MEMORIAL GARDEN AT DUBLIN CASTLE

On Saturday, 15 May 2010 the Garda Memorial Garden at the Dubhlinn Gardens at Dublin Castle was officially opened

An Garda Síochána Memorial Garden honours the members of An Garda Síochána (Police) who were killed in the service of the State. The names of the members of An Garda Síochána who were killed are inscribed in stone within the garden. Additionally, a specially commissioned glass sculpture commemorates the sacrifice of the families left behind and a specially commissioned stone sculpture is a tribute to all deceased members of An Garda Síochána, the Royal Irish Constabulary and the Dublin Metropolitan Police.

The Garda Síochána, more commonly referred to as the Gardaí or “the Guards”, is the national police service of Ireland. The service is headed by the Garda Commissioner who is appointed by the Irish Government. Its headquarters are in Dublin’s Phoenix Park.

Since the formation of the Garda Síochána in 1923, it has been a predominantly unarmed force, and more than three-quarters of the force do not routinely carry firearms. As of 31 December 2019, the police service had 14,708 sworn members (including 458 sworn Reserve members) and 2,944 civilian staff. Operationally, the Garda Síochána is organised into four geographical regions: the East, North/West, South and Dublin Metropolitan regions.

The force is the main law enforcement agency in the state, acting at local and national levels. Its roles include crime detection and prevention, drug enforcement, road traffic enforcement and accident investigation, diplomatic and witness protection responsibilities. It also provides a community policing service

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