SNIPPET: Three metres below Dublin's oldest church, you can stare death in the face. He has been staring back 800 years. For travelers who have already explored Christ Church Cathedral and St. Patrick's Cathedral, St. Michan's, Church Street, is one of the capital's best ecclesiastical surprises. Built on the site of an 11th century Hiberno-Viking Church, St. Michan's, (named for a Danish bishop), is an unprepossessing sight on the outside in industrial Church Street, a few blocks north of the River Liffey. The exterior is barnacled with tired gray stucco, and the church entry is shadowed and gloomy. It is one of Dublin's well-kept secrets and well worth a visit, per traveller's own reviews on the TripAdvisor website, and in various guide-books and travel magazines. The church's interior contains fine woodwork and houses a richly carved organ loft where HANDEL played. But it's to the crypts that most of St. Michan's curious come. They long to hear the nerve-fraying creak, ducking their heads and stepping down into the limestone tunnels that Vikings dug a millennium ago-to see the spot where one stack of dusty coffins toppled over, leaving their burdens jumbled onto the rocky floor. Over time, limestone walls, cool temperatures and soil emissions have conspired to create this grisly tourist attraction. Shrunken, leathery, the four macabre bodies are in a miraculous state of preservation so many centuries after their final farewells. There is the nun, buried in the 1500s, the thief, whose right hand and feet were chopped off for stealing from the church, and a third body, still untraced in the jumble of forgotten coffins. But the grandest find was that of the crusader, a brave Dubliner who had gone to his glory perhaps 850 years ago. Truly spooky, and perhaps best suited to older children. Guided tour available for small charge. Opening times vary, so call to confirm specifics. It is said that St. Michan's crypts provided the inspiration for writer Bram STOKER's "Dracula."

We visited St. Michan's and the crusader remains about 5 years ago.  It took some persistence over a period of 2 years to finally be able to access the graves.  For a senior traveler, access can be quite difficult.  It is worth attempting to be escorted down to the crypt.  Unfortunately during the 2 years we had tried to visit, (i.e. church closed, a holy day, no guide available etc.) there was flooding and damage by vandals.  I would suggest writting or calling ahead if you are going to be in Dublin.   Mary Ellen Chambers --- On Fri, 12/12/08, Jean R. <jeanrice@cet.com> wrote: From: Jean R. <jeanrice@cet.com> Subject: [IRELAND] St. Michan's - Dublin's oldest church - "grisly" crypts To: IRELAND-L@rootsweb.com Date: Friday, December 12, 2008, 1:18 AM SNIPPET: Three metres below Dublin's oldest church, you can stare death in the face. He has been staring back 800 years. For travelers who have already explored Christ Church Cathedral and St. Patrick's Cathedral, St. Michan's, Church Street, is one of the capital's best ecclesiastical surprises. Built on the site of an 11th century Hiberno-Viking Church, St. Michan's, (named for a Danish bishop), is an unprepossessing sight on the outside in industrial Church Street, a few blocks north of the River Liffey. The exterior is barnacled with tired gray stucco, and the church entry is shadowed and gloomy. It is one of Dublin's well-kept secrets and well worth a visit, per traveller's own reviews on the TripAdvisor website, and in various guide-books and travel magazines. The church's interior contains fine woodwork and houses a richly carved organ loft where HANDEL played. But it's to the crypts that most of St. Michan's curious come. They long to hear the nerve-fraying creak, ducking their heads and stepping down into the limestone tunnels that Vikings dug a millennium ago-to see the spot where one stack of dusty coffins toppled over, leaving their burdens jumbled onto the rocky floor. Over time, limestone walls, cool temperatures and soil emissions have conspired to create this grisly tourist attraction. Shrunken, leathery, the four macabre bodies are in a miraculous state of preservation so many centuries after their final farewells. There is the nun, buried in the 1500s, the thief, whose right hand and feet were chopped off for stealing from the church, and a third body, still untraced in the jumble of forgotten coffins. But the grandest find was that of the crusader, a brave Dubliner who had gone to his glory perhaps 850 years ago. Truly spooky, and perhaps best suited to older children. Guided tour available for small charge. Opening times vary, so call to confirm specifics. It is said that St. Michan's crypts provided the inspiration for writer Bram STOKER's "Dracula." ------------------------------- To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to IRELAND-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message