Dublin

Europe » Ireland » County Dublin
November 1st 2006

Published: November 2nd 2006

It was hard to leave Scotland. I’d unexpectedly fallen in love with the country and had already stayed much longer than planned. But I was excited to see a new country and wind down for a few days which is what I did in Dublin. I was fortunate to have a place to stay as my college friend, Elizabeth, had recently moved to Dublin to attend the Royal School of Surgeons. So it was nice to catch up with her as well as with sleep, laundry, emails, healthy eating, and of course the best Guinness in the World. I managed to soak in a few other Dublin experiences and some Irish history too.

A highlight again was the Anglican Cathedrals, St. Paul’s and Christ Church, both dating from the 12th century, where I caught an Evensong and a Sunday morning service, both graced with more fabulous choral music. One fascinating excursion was to Kilmainham Gaol, a prison which operated from the 1700s to early 20th century, where most of the Irish rebels fighting for independence from Britain spent time and/or were executed. The jail is now a monument to these freedom fighters and houses a fabulous museum illustrating the poverty

St. Patrick's Cathedral

and unbelievably poor living conditions brought on by British rule and Ireland’s struggle for independence. The Guinness Brewery tour was a multi-sensory experience incorporating sights, sounds, smells, and tastes and describing in length the history of the making and creative advertising of Dublin’s world famous brew. I also spent a day near the small town of Glendalough in the Wicklow Mountains, about 30 miles south of Dublin. This area was quite touristy, not surprisingly, given it’s proximity to Dublin, but pretty none the less. I completed a short hike which afforded nice views of the valley and lakes, but despite keeping a careful watch, no Leprechauns were to be found. However, there were some nice ruins of a medieval, monastic village on the valley floor.

The nightlife was something to behold in Dublin where on any given weekend night, hordes of sauced locals, expats, and tourists spill out of the countless pubs and flood the streets in the more popular areas such as Temple Bar. One of my favourite pubs was O’Donoghues, a Dubliner’s pub, where local musicians congregate every night for impromptu jam sessions, and there’s always an appreciative audience.

After a fairly low key but still