Ireland

On the first day of our mid-semester break we flew to Belfast from Glasgow and took a train down to Dublin. Thinking back on that day of travel, I’m amazed that we still had so much energy by the time we reached Dublin! Still loaded down with all our bags, we immediately began exploring the city, delighted by what we found. My favourite part of that day was our picnic dinner in St. Stephen’s Green – sitting in the sun with Brendan and Liam, enjoying good food, lovely surroundings, and the thrill of being in a new place (B and I will both readily admit that we’re hooked on that thrill!).

Our getup on our first day in Dublin (I was wearing a backpack too) -
we didn't want to waste time going to the hotel first when there was so much to see and do!

Liam enjoying the picnic in St. Stephen's Green (I wanted to get a shot of his little hungry mouth!)

Garden in St. Stephen's Green (I did not edit this shot - the flowers really looked like that!)

Our hotel was just outside the city, so after dinner and a walk down Grafton Street (a pedestrian street lined with shops and bustling with life), we caught the bus towards bed.

The next day’s adventures began at the Guinness Storehouse. We had a great time walking through the museum and ended our visit with a free pint in Gravity Bar, which offers a fantastic view of the city. This was a day of firsts for me: first morning in Dublin, first pint of Guinness, first beer before lunch! From the Storehouse we headed across town to St. Patrick’s Cathedral where we had another picnic meal on the green. I don’t recall what we talked about as we ate, but I remember being happy that we were there, that we were together, and that we still had an entire afternoon ahead of us to explore.

Gravity Bar, Guinness Storehouse (B took this)

St. Patrick's Cathedral

Garden beside the cathedral (where we had lunch)

After lunch we made our way to Trinity College, where we took a guided tour of the grounds and visited the Book of Kells exhibit and the Old Library. The Book of Kells is a beautiful manuscript of the Gospels, dating from around 800 AD. It is one of the few surviving codices written by Irish monks – an invaluable treasure. Before our trip, I read Thomas Cahill’s How the Irish Saved Civilization, which describes the role of Irish monks in preserving western culture during and after the fall of Rome. The Book of Kells is an example of the painstaking labour and artistry which went into keeping the light of literacy alive during a dark and turbulent time in history.

Later in the afternoon we walked through Temple Bar, which is the lively restaurant and pub district of Dublin. We didn’t eat there, but enjoyed the energetic atmosphere of people and music as we passed through. For dinner we opted for a place in Viking Dublin called The Brazen Head, which claims to be the oldest pub in the city – a great little spot full of traditional character.

After dinner at The Brazen Head

Our Irish Leprechaun shot in Temple Bar

The next day we got up early in order to catch our train back to Belfast, as we were to fly from Belfast to Malta that afternoon. We arrived in Belfast with a bit of spare time, which we spent at a market we had seen advertised when we were there a few days earlier. I’m glad we were able to stop there. I love markets and this one was great – brimming with fresh food and creativity.

Our time in Ireland was short but well worthwhile. We hope to go back someday. 

Outside Belfast International Airport before boarding our flight to Malta!