FOUNTAIN Alex This is the Sundial Stop. We will tell you about the fountain which features Aeolus, a character from Homer. Anthony This fountain was inspired by Lord Powerscourt’s visits to Rome. You can see the head of Apollo above the sundial. The Latin inscription translates as:- “I count only the sunny hours.”KEEPER OF WINDS Alex Well, that is very handy for Apollo. He does not have to time manage the running of this place. Anthony Both these two bronze figures are of Aeolus, the keeper of the winds. They are a 17th century Italian work. Sarah Mervyn the 7th Lord Powerscourt bought them in Paris in 1872 after they had been rescued from the Palais Royal which had been attacked by the Paris commune. Anthony Aeolus features in Homer’s Ulysses as the Keeper of the Winds. Alex A good man to consult when I make my weekly action plans. ULYSSES Anthony Aeolus gave Ulysses a bag that contained all winds, except for the gentle West Wind. This was the one needed to take him home. Ulysses’s companions thought the bag contained riches. They opened it. The winds blew the ship in all directions. This greatly extended their voyage home. Alex This legend inspired our own James Joyces’s Irish version of Ulysses. He was also influenced by nearby Glendalough for another novel, Finnegan’s Wake. This 6th century monastic site is one of the must-see attractions along Ireland’s ancient east.