Where Irish Eyes Were Smiling
Walking off of the plane and into Dublin Airport, Anthony and I made no attempt
to look local, and b-lined straight for the Tourist Information desk with three
objectives. First, we had to figure out how to get from the airport to our hostel.
Second, we needed a map. And finally, we wanted to know more about the
sights of the city. We succeeded in our mission by purchasing the Dublin Pass, a
two-day visitor card that included the cost of transportation from the airport, a
book with detailed descriptions of Dublin attractions, multiple maps of the area,
and also granted entry to every church, museum and guided tour around.
We found our hostel, Barnacles, in the heart of a lively district known as Temple
Bar. Temple Bar, mainly consisting of pedestrian only avenues, has a young,
party atmosphere, with plenty of bars and restaurants to choose from. Our room
wasn't available yet, so we checked our bags, zipped up our coats, strapped
cameras to wrists and exited, bound for our first priority – the Guinness
brewery.
Dublin Castle, Trinity College, St. Stephen's Green, yes, these are all well and
good, but the Guinness Brewery trumps these sights as the most visited
attraction in Dublin. Perhaps it's the history of the business, or (more likely) the
free pint, but everyone heads to the western part of town to find out how they
make the black stuff. No different, we made this our first destination for the day
and began our walk underneath an overcast sky that threatened the chill of rain
on an already cold day. Dublin weather.
In the building, a multi-level museum in the shape of a pint glass, we followed
lines which were drawn out for the self-guided tour and we were educated on
the history of Arthur Guinness, his famous 9,000 year lease, his dedication to
beer and the essential elements of its craft. Our favorite segment of the learning
experience took place in the Tasting Laboratory, where we lingered the longest.
At the top, just below the Gravity Bar (the highest point of the structure
symbolic of the head of a freshly poured pint; also a full bar with tables for
visitors and a 360 degree view of the city), we earned our diplomas from Brew-U
(my name for it) where we were taught how to pour the perfect pint. We drank
these upstairs and enjoyed the landscape (not really all that attractive), before
heading down, quickly stopping in the tasting laboratory for good measure, and
then leaving for the next point of interest.
Now, I hope my parents aren't disappointed when I confess our second
destination that day, but, so they know, we did experience a lot of Dublin's
history the next day, which was a bit more educational. Now then, although
many people will tell you not to drink liquor after beer, we decided to break this
rule that day, and following the brewery tour, we headed across the River Liffey
to the Old Jameson Distillery. No longer operational, the Old Jameson Distillery
is now comprised of a number of rooms, each depicting steps to whisky creation
via wax statues, scaled down models, and videos. There is, of course, also a bar,
restaurant, gift shop, and Jameson liquor store, where one can purchase a
collection of rare whiskies priced at 50,000 euro. This was a bit out of our price
range, so we just enjoyed the free drink at the conclusion. I actually was
selected at the start to participate in a brief whisky tasting at the end, so
following the thirty minute tour, I, along with seven other lucky volunteers, got
to try Jameson, Johnnie Walker and Jack Daniels, while the tour guide described
their differentiation. I received my second alcohol related certificate of
achievement that afternoon, then we were on our way.
Before leaving for this trip I asked Rianna and Melissa, two Irish girls who live in
my dorm, where I need to go when I get to Dublin. Among other things, they
mentioned the post office, which isn't spectacular really except for its
significance in the story of Irish independence. In 1916, a group of Irish rebels
led by Paul Pearse (I think) secured a number of buildings on O'connell Street,
the main street running through town, and from the steps of the post office, Mr.
Pearse, only a young man in his twenties, belted the Irish cry for sovereignty,
reading a declaration he and others had composed. What followed was a five-
day battle for the area, the decimation of the main town, an Irish surrender in
response to growing civilian casualties, and months later, the execution of the
rebellion's leaders. Six years later however, in 1922, growing popular sentiment
had grown so much in favor of the Irish, much of which was due to the 1916
Rebellion, and 26 (I think) counties of Ireland separated from the United
Kingdom. For this reason, we went the post office, and could actually see bullet
holes from the battle scarring the building's pillars.
We went back to the hostel, napped, ate, showered, and went out to a bar
extremely close by. Tired, we found ourselves in bed just before midnight.
The next day we really worked to get the most out of the Dublin Passes we had
purchased. First, we went to far west end of the city, past the Guinness Brewery
to the old Kilmainham Jail. It was a much farther walk than we expected, a cold
one too, but proved worth it. The jail, built in 1796 and closed in 1924, housed
many of the leaders of the 1916 rebellion, so it was here that we were fully
informed of those epic events by a great Irish tour guide. We saw the jail's
chapel where Joseph Plunkett was married the night before his execution and
paid homage to the outdoor courtyard where each of the brave young men
faced death by firing squad, now marked by a simple wooden cross.
After this, we went into Christ Church, a historical place of worship for the city,
but not nearly as aesthetically pleasing as the duomos of Italy. Next, we took a
guided tour of the Dublin Castle, a building still used today by certain Irish
government offices. We saw the bedrooms of the old leaders of the city and
country, the throne room where guests respectfully bowed or curtsied to the
then current Viceroys, and the ballroom where they partied. It was nice, but
what I really enjoyed was the tour of the building's foundation, which holds a
portion of the city's first walls, built by the Vikings. From here we walked less
than a block to the Chester Beatty Library, which was fascinating. This collection,
brought together by the wealthy collector Chester Beatty, is comprised of ancient
religious texts from Christianity, Islam and Eastern Religions, such as Hinduism.
I actually saw pieces of parchment dating back to the early ADs with stories
about Jesus. It made me think of my parents and I thought that this would make
for a great confirmation class field trip.
After this, we continued our tour of the city to St. Stephen's Green, a beautiful
park notorious for its enlarged replication in New York, there known as Central
Park.
For dinner, we skipped the corned beef and cabbage (not as popular there) and
headed for McDonald's. I've realized that eating American fast food abroad is
perhaps a bit shameful, but the truth is, in an unfamiliar city, sitting down to a
Big Mac, fries and a Coca-cola can be about as welcome as eating home
cooking. Also, midway through England Anthony realized that he has eaten at a
McDonald's in every single country he has visited thus far, which in turn created
a new tourist objective, to eat at McDonald's in every country visited.
That night, for our final activity in the city, we participated in a unique cultural
activity – a literary pub crawl. Many of you may have heard of a pub or bar crawl
before in which a group of people travel from tavern to tavern in order to drink,
socialize and experience a good portion of a city's night life. This was different.
In Dublin, great authors are as famous as the beers they consumed, and many
local establishments have rich histories that include stories of Joyce, Shaw and
others. Not knowing what to expect, we showed up to the Duke, a cozy
downtown bar, purchased a ticket, and headed up to the second floor where the
crawling was to commence. What we found was a large group of upper-middle
agers and two actors at center stage. It was here that they explained the course
of the evening – four bars, four recitations of famous works in between, as well
as the histories of each bar visited. They started by singing an Irish song,
written by a group of developing artists in the early 20th century, called "I'll
Have a Pint", then told us a story about James Joyce before leading us to the
next bar. It was actually a really fun thing to do and probably the only bar crawl I
would gladly participate in with my mom and dad.
At the conclusion of the crawl, around 11:00 PM, we got on a bus and headed
for Dublin Airport. With a 6:40 AM flight to Barcelona the next morning, we
decided that sleeping at an airport for the second time in three nights wasn't a
bad idea.
I wish I had gotten to see a better part of the Irish countryside and some of the
villages where I still have distant relatives, but with such a concentrated travel
itinerary, there just wasn't time. We did really enjoy the city though, the stories
of its past and the people and places of its present. I'm sure I will go back
someday.
to look local, and b-lined straight for the Tourist Information desk with three
objectives. First, we had to figure out how to get from the airport to our hostel.
Second, we needed a map. And finally, we wanted to know more about the
sights of the city. We succeeded in our mission by purchasing the Dublin Pass, a
two-day visitor card that included the cost of transportation from the airport, a
book with detailed descriptions of Dublin attractions, multiple maps of the area,
and also granted entry to every church, museum and guided tour around.
We found our hostel, Barnacles, in the heart of a lively district known as Temple
Bar. Temple Bar, mainly consisting of pedestrian only avenues, has a young,
party atmosphere, with plenty of bars and restaurants to choose from. Our room
wasn't available yet, so we checked our bags, zipped up our coats, strapped
cameras to wrists and exited, bound for our first priority – the Guinness
brewery.
Dublin Castle, Trinity College, St. Stephen's Green, yes, these are all well and
good, but the Guinness Brewery trumps these sights as the most visited
attraction in Dublin. Perhaps it's the history of the business, or (more likely) the
free pint, but everyone heads to the western part of town to find out how they
make the black stuff. No different, we made this our first destination for the day
and began our walk underneath an overcast sky that threatened the chill of rain
on an already cold day. Dublin weather.
In the building, a multi-level museum in the shape of a pint glass, we followed
lines which were drawn out for the self-guided tour and we were educated on
the history of Arthur Guinness, his famous 9,000 year lease, his dedication to
beer and the essential elements of its craft. Our favorite segment of the learning
experience took place in the Tasting Laboratory, where we lingered the longest.
At the top, just below the Gravity Bar (the highest point of the structure
symbolic of the head of a freshly poured pint; also a full bar with tables for
visitors and a 360 degree view of the city), we earned our diplomas from Brew-U
(my name for it) where we were taught how to pour the perfect pint. We drank
these upstairs and enjoyed the landscape (not really all that attractive), before
heading down, quickly stopping in the tasting laboratory for good measure, and
then leaving for the next point of interest.
Now, I hope my parents aren't disappointed when I confess our second
destination that day, but, so they know, we did experience a lot of Dublin's
history the next day, which was a bit more educational. Now then, although
many people will tell you not to drink liquor after beer, we decided to break this
rule that day, and following the brewery tour, we headed across the River Liffey
to the Old Jameson Distillery. No longer operational, the Old Jameson Distillery
is now comprised of a number of rooms, each depicting steps to whisky creation
via wax statues, scaled down models, and videos. There is, of course, also a bar,
restaurant, gift shop, and Jameson liquor store, where one can purchase a
collection of rare whiskies priced at 50,000 euro. This was a bit out of our price
range, so we just enjoyed the free drink at the conclusion. I actually was
selected at the start to participate in a brief whisky tasting at the end, so
following the thirty minute tour, I, along with seven other lucky volunteers, got
to try Jameson, Johnnie Walker and Jack Daniels, while the tour guide described
their differentiation. I received my second alcohol related certificate of
achievement that afternoon, then we were on our way.
Before leaving for this trip I asked Rianna and Melissa, two Irish girls who live in
my dorm, where I need to go when I get to Dublin. Among other things, they
mentioned the post office, which isn't spectacular really except for its
significance in the story of Irish independence. In 1916, a group of Irish rebels
led by Paul Pearse (I think) secured a number of buildings on O'connell Street,
the main street running through town, and from the steps of the post office, Mr.
Pearse, only a young man in his twenties, belted the Irish cry for sovereignty,
reading a declaration he and others had composed. What followed was a five-
day battle for the area, the decimation of the main town, an Irish surrender in
response to growing civilian casualties, and months later, the execution of the
rebellion's leaders. Six years later however, in 1922, growing popular sentiment
had grown so much in favor of the Irish, much of which was due to the 1916
Rebellion, and 26 (I think) counties of Ireland separated from the United
Kingdom. For this reason, we went the post office, and could actually see bullet
holes from the battle scarring the building's pillars.
We went back to the hostel, napped, ate, showered, and went out to a bar
extremely close by. Tired, we found ourselves in bed just before midnight.
The next day we really worked to get the most out of the Dublin Passes we had
purchased. First, we went to far west end of the city, past the Guinness Brewery
to the old Kilmainham Jail. It was a much farther walk than we expected, a cold
one too, but proved worth it. The jail, built in 1796 and closed in 1924, housed
many of the leaders of the 1916 rebellion, so it was here that we were fully
informed of those epic events by a great Irish tour guide. We saw the jail's
chapel where Joseph Plunkett was married the night before his execution and
paid homage to the outdoor courtyard where each of the brave young men
faced death by firing squad, now marked by a simple wooden cross.
After this, we went into Christ Church, a historical place of worship for the city,
but not nearly as aesthetically pleasing as the duomos of Italy. Next, we took a
guided tour of the Dublin Castle, a building still used today by certain Irish
government offices. We saw the bedrooms of the old leaders of the city and
country, the throne room where guests respectfully bowed or curtsied to the
then current Viceroys, and the ballroom where they partied. It was nice, but
what I really enjoyed was the tour of the building's foundation, which holds a
portion of the city's first walls, built by the Vikings. From here we walked less
than a block to the Chester Beatty Library, which was fascinating. This collection,
brought together by the wealthy collector Chester Beatty, is comprised of ancient
religious texts from Christianity, Islam and Eastern Religions, such as Hinduism.
I actually saw pieces of parchment dating back to the early ADs with stories
about Jesus. It made me think of my parents and I thought that this would make
for a great confirmation class field trip.
After this, we continued our tour of the city to St. Stephen's Green, a beautiful
park notorious for its enlarged replication in New York, there known as Central
Park.
For dinner, we skipped the corned beef and cabbage (not as popular there) and
headed for McDonald's. I've realized that eating American fast food abroad is
perhaps a bit shameful, but the truth is, in an unfamiliar city, sitting down to a
Big Mac, fries and a Coca-cola can be about as welcome as eating home
cooking. Also, midway through England Anthony realized that he has eaten at a
McDonald's in every single country he has visited thus far, which in turn created
a new tourist objective, to eat at McDonald's in every country visited.
That night, for our final activity in the city, we participated in a unique cultural
activity – a literary pub crawl. Many of you may have heard of a pub or bar crawl
before in which a group of people travel from tavern to tavern in order to drink,
socialize and experience a good portion of a city's night life. This was different.
In Dublin, great authors are as famous as the beers they consumed, and many
local establishments have rich histories that include stories of Joyce, Shaw and
others. Not knowing what to expect, we showed up to the Duke, a cozy
downtown bar, purchased a ticket, and headed up to the second floor where the
crawling was to commence. What we found was a large group of upper-middle
agers and two actors at center stage. It was here that they explained the course
of the evening – four bars, four recitations of famous works in between, as well
as the histories of each bar visited. They started by singing an Irish song,
written by a group of developing artists in the early 20th century, called "I'll
Have a Pint", then told us a story about James Joyce before leading us to the
next bar. It was actually a really fun thing to do and probably the only bar crawl I
would gladly participate in with my mom and dad.
At the conclusion of the crawl, around 11:00 PM, we got on a bus and headed
for Dublin Airport. With a 6:40 AM flight to Barcelona the next morning, we
decided that sleeping at an airport for the second time in three nights wasn't a
bad idea.
I wish I had gotten to see a better part of the Irish countryside and some of the
villages where I still have distant relatives, but with such a concentrated travel
itinerary, there just wasn't time. We did really enjoy the city though, the stories
of its past and the people and places of its present. I'm sure I will go back
someday.
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