Hi guys! Welcome back to “On the go with EF”.
I’m here on Grafton Street, which is Dublin’s most busy shopping street.
And as tempting as the shops are to me, since the weather is so nice,
I actually feel like going out to get some fresh air and greenery.
And right over there is St. Stephen’s park, so this is where I’m going to go.
Rumour has it that it’s green here all year round.
So, whenever you feel like fresh air, you can come here!
It is so beautiful and peaceful here, but it hasn’t always been the case.
Back in the 17th century, this park was actually used as a place for public punishment.
Later on, it was bought by the Guinness family ̶ yes, those Guinesses ̶
and they turned it into much more pleasant surroundings.
It reminds me of when I was little and my grandma used to take me to the park
and we would collect all the leaves that had fallen from the trees,
and we would put them inside big books.
Then, in springtime, we would get them out and make an ikebana out of them.
That’s a cute little house. It looks like it’s out of a fairy tale.
Superintendent James used to live here with his family.
It looks really well kept and very cute. It looks like somebody still lives here.
Oh no, it’s locked. I guess I will not be having afternoon tea with the superintendent’s family.
Okay!
This reminds me of all the sweetheart movies I’ve ever seen.
The final scene of the movie where there’s the boy and the girl, and they’re dancing together …
… and the final kiss.
There are 18 monuments in the park.
They’re all dedicated to Ireland’s famous figurines,
such as rebellion leaders, poets, novelists and writers, like Mangan over here.
This is a memorial for James Joyce.
He’s one of Ireland’s most renowned novelists, short story writers, and poets.
He’s got this memorial in his honour, as well as this bench right opposite the memorial.
So, you can sit on the bench, look at the author, and enjoy some of his work.
He’s most famous for his short story collection, Dubliners, and, of course, Ulysses.
You’re not dealing with house pets here. These are wild animals.
These are wild animals and it’s normal behaviour. Don’t worry about it.
This is amazing and this guy’s doing a great job. He comes here on the weekends.
He found 21 of these birds, injured, and he took care of them.
Then he brought them back here to the park and he comes on the weekends,
and sometimes during the week as well, to feed them and integrate them back into the park.
And to teach them not to be afraid of humans. It’s a wonderful thing.
I love this beautiful little hill with these chestnut trees.
And I think it’s amazing that you have a park in the middle of the city,
so whenever you feel like it, you can just run out and enjoy the nature, connect to it,
and get all the fresh air that you need.
Guys, I’ve had such a beautiful time strolling around the park today.
I was thinking, what do I usually enjoy doing while out in the nature?
I personally enjoy reading.
That’s why I have this collection of Oscar Wilde’s work,
which I would love to give to one of you.
But first, you’re going to have to answer one of my questions.
What is your favourite park?
Comment below and the best answer is going to get this.
Thank you so much for watching. Make sure to come back next week. Bye!
Next week: Maria visits the Temple Bar area