All the touristy things I do are either for toddlers (the zoo) or ridiculously morbid (Glasnevin). Today was a creepy day. To prepare for St. Michan's I read the Cask of Amontillado, one of my favorite Poe stories, and a couple chapters of the most recent Dexter book. I actually didn't purposefully read creepy stories before, but it made the experience all the more terrifying.
St. Michan's on the north side is the only church still surviving with a Viking foundation. It's built on the remains of a church from 1095, but the actual structure I was creeping around in is from 1686. I think the guy said its the oldest church on the north side of Dublin at least.
I took these pictures while waiting for the tour in the main part of the church.
Plaque to commemorate the Sheares brothers who took part in the disastrous 1798 rebellion. I saw their caskets in the crypt, they were drawn and quartered in the streets, such a pleasant form of capital punishment.
The organ of St. Michan's where legend has it, Handel composed Messiah. I'm pretty sure its just that, a legend, even the tour guide questioned its validity. He may have practiced here however.
Altar and stained glass windows.
How do you prove that you're really sorry in the 17th and 18th century? Confess in front of the church in one of these handy public confessionals. I think that kind of defeats the purpose of the priest...but it beats going to the cinema!
Pulpit
The keyboard from the old organ.
A cabinet of curiosities it seems, complete with skull!
The graveyard around the back of the church, still in use.
The crypt entrance, I've never actually opened a door in the ground and climbed on in. At first I felt like Dorothy getting ready for the twister, but I'm pretty sure Auntie Em and Uncle Henry were alive and well.
Ok, I caught a sneaky no flash picture of the crypt when the guy left me alone. Don't tell on me or I'll never be invited back! Oh, did I mention I was the ONLY PERSON on this tour? The guide was fantastic, he could have easily worked at the haunted mansion at Disney World, he had the best creepy voice.
I'm not gonna lie, at first I was pretty freaked out, I mean I had just read the Cask of Amontillado, I knew how this could end. Also, he and I were the only people that knew I was down there in the crypt, but it was kind of thrilling! I felt very brave, even when he was describing different torture and murder techniques.
I didn't take this picture, I found it online. Here are the four mummies in the first crypt. One is a nun, one is a man without feet and a hand, another woman, and then the warrior in the back. The warrior in the back is 800 years old, the others about 300. The mummification is natural, kind of like at Glasnevin, the conditions underground are just right for preservation.
Apparently it used to be good luck to come down and shake the hand of the warrior, so people have been visiting this crypt for awhile. After the guy was done telling me this, he waved me closer and said "Well, since its just you down here, why don't you have a go." I was taken aback, he expected me to go inside that crypt and shake that mummies hand??!! So what did I do? Well, I shook its hand of course. I'm still a little surprised at myself, I'm sure I'll have a disturbing dream about it soon.
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