20th - 23rd May. Little Museum of Dublin. National Maritime Museum of Ireland. End of the Dublin Rally 2013.

We walked to the beach at Sandymount, which is part of Dublin Bay, and Shannon did enjoy herself! She ran through pools of sea water, then dried herself on the dry sand, which did not really work.

One bath and blow dry later.

The Harp Bridge in Dublin is impressive, whether seen from close to, or at a distance.

The Little Museum of Dublin gives the social history of the city throughout the Twentieth Century. When the President of the USA, JF Kennedy, visited Dublin in June 1964, he used this lectern when speaking in the Irish Parliament.

Wherever you go in the Georgian part of Dublin, the distinctive coloured Irish Doors can be seen.

On Wednesday the barges started to make their way out of Ringsend Basin, under the low railway bridge. The level of the water had to be lowered for barge 4E to negotiate this hazard.

Our last trip, organised for those at the Dublin Rally 2013, was to Dun Laoghaire, for a private visit to the National Maritime Museum of Ireland. The museum is located inside this church, which was traditionally the sailors' church. We were not given any tots of rum at our drinks party here, but the wine was very palatable! 

The anchor is just outside the entrance.

Currently there is a display of flags from all over the world included in the museum, seen here from the balcony.

This Bailey Optic came from the Bailey Lightship. The whole top assembly floats on a bed of mercury, and needs very little energy to keep it moving. The original mechanism which drove this motor was clockwork, but it now uses a small electric motor.

On Thursday it was the turn of The Puzzler to leave Ringsend Basin, where we had no trouble with height.

When we reached lock C4, on the Circular Line, the lunchtime food market was nearly finished, which was quite a good thing, as their main electric cable was draped over the bottom lock gates.

We moored outside Ida at Mespill Road, with all the other boats which will be going up the Grand Canal either tomorrow or, if you are a barge, on Saturday.

Once again it was a barbeque with friends to end the Dublin Rally 2013.

Muffin is a friend of Shannon, and he felt that the previous picture did not do him justice!