Does the Guinness taste better in Ireland?

‘So it’s your birthday on the weekend and I thought it’d be a good idea if we went away for it.’
‘Wow, cool. So where are we going?’
‘Ahh, it’s a surprise.’
‘Really? Can I have a clue?’
‘Uhh, OK. We’re catching the train after work on Friday. Make sure you finish on time.’

So, backpack equipped we arrive at the station in time to catch our five o’clock train.
‘You know how I said that we’re catching a train, well we’re actually catching the bus to the airport because we’re going to Dublin! Happy birthday! Did you bring your passport?’
(Worriedly) ‘No!’
‘Don’t worry, I packed it for you!’

The flight is very short. We go up, and not long after, we’re going down. As we approach, even though it’s almost eight at night, the sun is still up and we can see the buildings of Dublin bay lit up in the afternoon light.

The customs bloke who stamps our passports and issues us with our short stay visa is really friendly - even if he’s a bit hard to understand through his strong accent.
‘Sooo whatcha wahrk ahht?’
‘What do I work at?’
‘Yah, whatcha wahrk ahht?’
‘I’m an engineer.’
‘Yah, sooo hoo long ahhr yah stay-in then?’
‘We leave on Sunday.’
‘Ahh, I give yah til Munday. Enjoy-yah-time-n-Irelhand.’

Having dumped the backpack in our hotel room, we stroll out into the evening with one question - does the Guinness in Ireland really taste better?

Having walked down O’Connell Street and over a footbridge spanning the river Liffey, we head through a narrow alley and into the main street of Temple Bar. A lot of the travel information that we’ve read - including our guidebook - paints a grim, seedy picture of Temple Bar.

However, far from seedy, the fun seems contagious. The small cobbled streets are packed! The crowd is interspersed with street performers, buskers, and British hens night groups in their matching outfits (cowgirls with pink hats, pink tracksuit jackets and pink boas are a notable example).

Saturday starts in the best way possible - opening the curtains of our hotel room we gaze up to see blue sky! Awesome. Ireland is supposed to be a wetter place than the UK, so a day like this really needs to be thoroughly enjoyed.

We read something about a special book at a uni, so we head for Trinity College. It’s around 10 am and already it is very busy. We line up behind a large French tour group to enter the Trinity College Library and Book of Kells display.

The 1200 year old Book of Kells is interesting, however the Trinity College Library itself is truly superb! The wooden library has its 200,000 odd books dating from the 15th to the 19th century shelved in two story high bookcases around the perimeter of the library. Each section has wooden ladders allowing access to each and every shelf. We take a seat in the middle of the room, and take it all in. It is a magnificent building and the collection of ancient books - many with wooden covers and rope bound calfskin pages - is amazing.

After lunch we head for the Chester Beatty Library where we admire another collection of ancient books and a great accompanying display on world religions. A bonus is the surprisingly good view offered from the top of the Library on to the remains of Dublin Castle, which has largely been swallowed up by the surrounding cityscape.

Because the weather is so sunny, we decide to spend the afternoon near the water. So we jump on the train to Howth. As we head along, Ariana notices a sign saying ‘Ireland’s first 50 metre pool’ - which we share a chuckle over. A bloke sitting in the bay opposite us informs us ‘ihts actually one of threee in ahllof Irelhand’. The friendly Irishman continues to tell us that we must go for a walk around the headland when we get to Howth.

On arrival, already impressed with Howth, we follow the friendly Irishman’s advice and walk down along the foreshore before climbing the hill at the end of the village. We pass numerous little cottages perched on the cliffside and before long the road ends and we continue along the track. Pausing on a rocky outcrop to admire the sea gull colony on the rock face below we’re rewarded with a view of the dozens of white sailing boats in the crystal clear waters of the bay.

We pick ourselves up and continue along the path, which now is now starting to periodically sport signs stating the obvious ‘Danger: steep cliffs’. Just as we pause for a rest, Ariana spots a seal swimming along below - it appears all the animal spotting lessons on Colodan are paying off!

Back in Howth we follow the locals’ lead by ordering some fish’n’chips and eating them on the grassy foreshore gazing out at the fishing boats in the harbour. To avoid falling asleep in the warm afternoon sun (and potential sun burn- Aussies should know better), we head back towards the train station to the series of oyster bars and restaurants that line the harbour.

Poking our heads around the fish shops really opens our eyes to the quality of the seafood on offer in Howth. OK, so it’s not a patch on what we Queenslanders take for granted, but there are plenty of fresh fish, oysters, live lobsters in tanks, Dublin Bay prawns, and scampi. Hmm, seafood…

Not to be left out, we pop into the pub just near the Howth train station to take advantage of this rare opportunity and order some prawns, some local oysters, and pints of Guinness and Bulmers (Irish Cider) to wash it all down with. The bloke behind the bar is another friendly Irishman who is also not that easy to understand.
‘Was that 5-40 or 9-40?’
‘I don’t know - just give him the 20 Euro note!’

Back in Dublin, and absolutely exhausted, we trundle back to our hotel to shower and freshen up. Our bodies are screaming ‘go to sleep, and whatever you do, don’t walk anywhere!’ but it’s only 9pm on a Saturday night and it’s still daylight outside…so another Guinness?

We head out to the edge of the Temple Bar district to find an authentic Irish pub experience and John Mulligan’s doesn’t disappoint. After a pint we head back into the heart of Temple Bar to finish our night at one of the quieter pubs that isn’t overflowing with tourists.

Sunday starts in fine form with a café breakfast. Still enjoying the Irish seafood Lachlan tucks into smoked haddock and Ariana tucks into an Irish breakfast (is that what you call an English breakfast in Ireland?).

With a midday check-in for our return flight, we take one last stroll around the O’Connell street area before jumping on a double decker bus back to the airport.

But before we bid farewell to the friendly Irish folk; is the Guinness really better in Ireland? To be sure, to be sure - yes!

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