My friend Jenn, mentioned Ireland. No, the other Jenn. I thought that today being St. Patrick's Day would be a good time to start. Once again, we will not have a single blog about Ireland. There's way too much to see and do. So, I started with the ancient city, sitting on catacombs and secrets from days gone by, one of the oldest and by far the largest city in the country. It's capital, Dublin.
Long seen as a romantic place to visit with castles, cathedrals, fine dining, and great all around scenery, Dublin is a traveler's dream. You can reach the city by bus, rail, air, ship, car, or you can even hike in on one of the country's nationally mapped trails. The architecture, views, parks, pubs, and shopping will keep you thrilled with the city which also has a great shore with cliffs, lighthouses, beaches and harbors.
I know that Covid-19 is wreaking havoc with travel ideas and plans, but it will get better.
That being said, it probably seems odd that I would lead with some museums. I know that Dublin is full of catacombs and castles, but they have some of the more interesting museums that I've ever heard of.
They have a Rock and Roll Museum, and that features an experience for visitors. The museum focuses on such stars as U2 and Sinead O'Connor. There are interactive displays as well as exhibits and it's great fun for all. For as anyone who's ever visited a Rock and Roll Museum will tell you; they are a lot of fun.
Kilmainham Gaol or Jail Museum is a window into the past, and it's a jail. For anyone who's ever visited an old jail, you'll know that it's great to learn about the history of criminals. Known for such inmates as Robert Emmet and Anne Devlin; it was home to many during the Anglo Irish Wars and was in use from 1798 to 1924.
Do you like whiskey? Do you like to go places that showcase drinks and drinking? Well, Dublin has an Irish Whiskey Museum. Yes, you get to drink as well as learn the history and process of making Irish Whiskey.
And, in honor of St. Patrick's Day, I would be remiss if I forgot to mention one of the most unusual museums in the world; The Leprechaun Museum. You can fidget with the exhibits here and have your picture taken with the little gold guards. Will you have a wish granted? Probably not, but the place is a lot of fun.
Now, while I'm on the subject of museums, Dublin also has an art museum, a modern art museum, the National Museum, an emigration museum, a woolen museum, and many more. Do not forget that in the British Isles it rains. Museums are a great back up plan for when the weather goes bad.
Dublin is full of history, and the colleges and libraries are no exception. Trinity College has been around since the 900's. It's schooled some of the most famous leaders and artists from all of Ireland. It's library is a historic landmark, as is the Marsh Library that is also in Dublin. Both are beautiful works of architecture and historical significance. But, look out; reportedly both are haunted. In good times you can schedule a tour of both and some of them are at night when their endearing residents may be roaming the halls.
Cemeteries in Europe are every bit as fascinating as other historical landmarks, and Dublin has Glasnevin Cemetery. It's the main Catholic Cemetery in the city, and it's home to many notable individuals, including Christy Brown of "My Left Foot" fame and many political and Irish art influencers. The cemetery has been open to the public since the 1800's and has some amazing art of its own to view.
I will round out the different historical options with "The Hungry Tree." This strange, barely notable spot at the King's Inns was discovered by the good people over at "Atlas Obscura." They mentioned it and bam, it became a must see. It's just on the grounds of the inn and you can visit it most anytime. I love to check out "Atlas Obscura" when I travel. They have great oddball ideas. https://www.atlasobscura.com/
You can drink in Ireland. Have I mentioned that? Dublin is home to some great places for that. Guiness would be the first one that comes to mind. You can take the factory and tasting tour, and learn how to pour the perfect pint. You can also visit the Open Gate Brewery when it isn't Covid-19. Either way, have a perfectly Guiness day!
One of the other, more notable places is the Teeling Distillery. Home of great whiskeys and a great place to taste them. Kind of reminds me a bit of the Brooklyn brewery.
Are you hungry? Temple Bar is both a pub and a neighborhood. It's the Bohemian part of the city, and known for its gastronomic delights. You can choose from many different kinds of restaurants, pubs, bars, clubs, shops, and boutiques. It's an older part of town, so the architecture is cool too. It's the night spot, so you'll get to enjoy some great local music too.
Little known fact about Dublin. They go to the beach and the shore and hang out. Once again, this is by neighborhood, largely. Howth Head is home to the cliffs of the town. You'd be hard pressed to find a better view in town, with the lighthouse and the sea. Dalkey has everything you might be looking for from castle ruins to beach. It's a beautiful neighborhood with quaint buildings and narrow streets. Just gorgeous.
Bull's Island and Sandy Cove are a little more beachy. Bull's Island has a tremendous beach view, while Sandy Cove is a darling neighborhood with a harbor beach. Sandy Cove is known for swimming if you don't mind the cold north Atlantic Ocean water.
It's hard to go to Europe and miss Soccer, or Football as it's called in most of the world. Croke Park is the local stadium and they have games all season long. But, if you're looking for an amazing view, you can take a tour and walk across the top of the stadium and look out over the city. It's called the Skyline Tour, and it's an amazing view.
Whitefriar's Church. It's not alone in Dublin as a magnificent beautiful historic church, but it is the only one that's home to St. Valentine. As with most of the cathedrals and churches in Dublin which no one seems to know how many are there; it is beautiful. Of course, the other most notable cathedral in town is St. Patrick's. Happy St. Patrick's Day!
What did I forget? Oh yeah. Castles. Dublin has many, including Dublin, Howth, Drimnagh, Swords, and so on. There are at least a dozen. Malahide is one of the prettiest. One of the best known and most visited castles in town, Malahide was a private residence from the 1600's to the 1900's. There are tours daily, and it comes with a great view and a tremendous garden.
So, there's the first thoughts on Ireland. Dublin is vibrant, ancient, modern, gastronomically appealing, musical, and active. There's so much to see that a trip to that city would keep you busy for a good long time. It is an English speaking town, so you won't run into a great language barrier. You may have to battle the weather a bit, but that's how it is over all of the British Isles. There is something for everyone, and it's a great place for family, romance, partying or whatever you wish to do. Enjoy!
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