We are back!!
It is hard to believe that just 3 weeks ago we were in Dublin, Ireland. We experienced a flawless journey over the pond – from take-off to touch-down. The ease of travel was much-appreciated, and it proved to be a smooth start to our new adventure … and a grand adventure it was!
Day #1 Sunday May 18th
With our unexpected ease of travel and prompt arrival in Dublin, we had the better part of the day ahead of us, allowing us time to explore. Although quite tired from the overnight flight, we checked into our hotel, freshened up, grabbed a coffee and a snack from Guud Day, and pushed ahead. We strolled down O’Connell Street Upper to The Spire, along Henry Street, browsing through the shops, then south to the River Liffey. What a wonderful sight to behold! The river was shimmering – thousands of sparkles from the reflection of the sun. We savoured the moment, soaking up the atmosphere of the city surrounding us – we were in Dublin – the start of a new adventure for us all! Happy and energized, we crossed over the Millennium Bridge and into Temple Bar. We strolled through Temple Bar Square, admiring the cobbled streets and historic buildings, and the vibe of the atmospheric district. It was at this point we realized how tired and hungry we were feeling. We crossed back over the River Liffey by way of the Ha’Penny Bridge and straight into a lovely establishment – The Woolen Mills – for dinner and a rest. After a delightful meal of traditional fish and chips, we crossed back over the River Liffey to continue our exploring. We walked along Crampton Quay, south on Bedford Row/Anglesea Street to College Green and straight into Carrolls. We shopped for some Irish souvenirs and wear, and then went back onto the streets to continue our adventures. We wove through the side streets and out to the front gates of Trinity College. The campus was locked for the evening, so we then decided to call it a day, and get some gelato from Cloud 9. As we indulged in our dessert, we reflected on our first day in Dublin, and chatted about what we can see and do in the days to come. Tired, fulfilled, and ready for sleep we strolled back to our hotel on O’Connell Street Upper and tucked in for the night.
Day #2 Monday May 19th
This was the day LM had been waiting for! We were going to Kilmainham Gaol (known from the movie, Paddington 2). Since our tour was booked for 3:15pm, this allowed us time to visit the Dublin Zoo in Phoenix Park. It proved larger than I anticipated. LM was, once again, enamoured with the Red Pandas. He was also rendered speechless when setting sights on an elephant for the first time in his life. The zoo was quite enchanting, and we all had fun finding and photographing the animatronic dinosaurs along the pathways – very cool! However, with time of the essence, we departed the zoo and made our way south through Phoenix Park, stopping for just a moment to enjoy the sweeping city view that it offered. Descending the steps, we made our way across the River Liffey by way of Island Bridge, and south to Kilmainham Gaol for our 3:15pm tour. Our tour guide was both lovely and knowledgeable, and he talked us through the grim history of the Kilmainham Gaol and the role the establishment played in the Irish Rebellions. The atmosphere of the limestone structure and the history within clings to you, setting a tone from deep within. Although the East Wing was an architectural marvel (the view LM was most eager to see because of Paddington 2), the knowledge of what went on within the jail was distressing. To lighten our mood after the tour, we strolled through the Royal Hospital Kilmainham Formal Gardens, soaking in the sun and greenery, and reflecting on recent history learned. We then continued our walk east, making our way back to Dublin City Centre, past the Guinness Open Gate Brewery, Christ Church Cathedral, and Dublin Castle. We landed at Grafton Street to browse amongst the many shops, specifically The Disney Store (we don’t have them in Canada!). From Grafton Street, we strolled northwest to Temple Bar and supped at The Norseman, the oldest pub in Temple Bar, dating back to 1696! We even enjoyed a live Irish dance show from the Celtic Dace Co. whilst there. It was an unexpected delight, and LM’s first time watching Irish step dancing! It was a magical way to end a wondrous day.
Day #3 Tuesday May 20th
We started our day walking east along the River Liffey. We took in the sights of the Custom House, Famine Memorial (donated by Canada!), and EPIC Ireland. We crossed over the River Liffey on the Sean O’Casey Bridge, weaving through the streets, making our way to Trinity College. The gates were open to the public. We stepped through the archway and stepped backward in time. The campus is stunning – rich with history and grand architecture – the cobbled quadrangle certainly drew a crowd! We ambled along the pathway, snapped some photographs, and watched an artist paint a rendition of the campus. Afterward, we made our way to the National Museum of Ireland on Kildare Street. LM is fascinated with Dublin’s Viking past, so we took our time to explore the Viking artifacts on display. The replica of the Viking ship was definitely a favourite! Prior to leaving the museum we entered the bog body exhibit. The bog bodies are partial human remains that were preserved by bogs, and date back to the Iron Age. It was both fascinating and gruesome to view the bog bodies and learn about their deaths. We left the museum, feeling a little overwhelmed from the bog body exhibit; and in need of a rest. We strolled over to Lincoln Place to dine at the Lincoln Inn, another 200+ year old establishment. We enjoyed a simple, lazy lunch, and then crossed the street to the National Gallery of Ireland. We took our time to appreciate the works of art, from Yeats to Caravaggio, and Monet to Picasso. Afterward, we wandered down to St. Stephen’s Green to spend some time in the park. It was drizzling, but not enough for us to seek shelter. We strolled through the gardens, stopping at the playground, the waterfall, and the pond. As the rain began to fall a little more heavily we left the park, exiting out on Grafton Street and back to The Disney Store. LM had his sights on a lightsaber… From there, we popped into Stephen’s Green Shopping Centre – a beautiful glass and white iron structure – to explore the shops inside. But, to our dismay, the centre was closing for the night. Tired, damp, and rather hungry, we decided to made our way back to O’Connell Street Upper for a traditional Irish dinner, and to tuck in for the night. We needed our rest for the adventures we had planned for the following day!
Day #4 Wednesday May 21st
The day was bright and sunny, all the more perfect for what we had planned – a trip to the Irish seaside! We took the Dart Train to Howth, a busy fishing port off the Irish Sea. We had pre-booked a boat tour with the hopes of spotting some Atlantic Puffins off the cliffs of Ireland’s Eye. While waiting for our boat tour, LM spotted 3 seals swimming in the harbour! It was surreal to be so close to a seal that was not in captivity. LM wanted to stay to watch the seals, but it was time for our boat tour. It did not disappoint! We reached Ireland’s Eye quite quickly, and as we rounded the bend, we were met with towering cliffs that were filled with seabirds – Guillemots, Razorbills, Kittiwakes, Cormorants, Gulls, and Puffins! LM was both enthralled and excited when we spotted the Puffins. It was a wonderful 45 minutes spent on the sea – a great experience for us all! After our boat tour we lunched at Howth Market and then explored a small portion of the town, staying near to the harbour. By late afternoon, we were on the Dart Train heading back to Dublin. We spent our time chatting, sharing favourite moments of our holiday thus far, and the thrill at being by the Irish seaside on a beautiful sunny day, seeing seals, seabirds, and puffins! After freshening up at the hotel, we headed back out onto the streets of Dublin to shop along Grafton Street and at our favourite store, Carroll’s. Small Irish delights and one lightsaber purchased (yes, you read that correctly), we were ready to dine at Pacino’s, a lovely Italian restaurant that boasted a speak-easy bar hidden in the basement – too cool! Contently full from traditional Italian pizza, we left the restaurant to venture along the City Quay to Samuel Beckett Bridge – a remarkable cable-stayed swingbridge designed to look like a harp lying on its side. It’s stunning! We walked across the bridge to the north side of the River Liffey, pausing to admire the architectural design and the reflection it cast across the river against the setting sun. We continued our walk along the quay to O’Connell Street and back to our hotel. It had been an eventful, exhilarating, and wonderful day.
Day #5 Thursday May 22nd
It was our final day in Dublin, and there was still so much that we wanted to see. We began our day at Parnell Square in the Garden of Remembrance, prior to touring the Hugh Lane Gallery. The small gallery, home to works from Manet, Degas, Renoir, and O’Conor, was quaint; however, much of the gallery was closed to public. Our tour cut short, we decided to make our way southwest to Capel Street. We were on a mission to find Dash Burger – Dublin’s smash burger joint. We found it. We ordered. We ate. YUM!! From there, we crossed the River Liffey by way of Grattan Bridge, to Christ Church Cathedral. We marvelled at the Great Nave, the 13th century medieval structures, Strongbow’s Tomb, and the crypt. The crypt is the city’s oldest structure that runs the entire length of the church. After that, we crossed the street to Synod Hall to tour Dublinia, an interactive museum/re-creation of ancient Dublin, from the history of vikings to medieval Dublin. It was both fun and informative! LM got to yield a viking sword and shield, sit in the medieval stocks, and try on chainmail headgear! At the end of the tour, we climbed the medieval tower for a spectacular view of the city, with the Wicklow and Dublin Mountains towering in the distance. It was breathtaking (figuratively and literally … there are 96 steps to climb). We left Dublinia and walked south to St. Patrick’s Park, a beautiful green space in the heart of the city, and then over to St. Stephen’s Green. LM wanted to see the park one more time, and visit the ducklings and swans at the pond. Afterward, we continued our walk up Grafton Street for one final visit to The Disney Store. After a coffee and a rest at M&S Cafe, we went to Carrolls for one final purchase. We then walked to Temple Bar, over the Ha’Penny Bridge, and into the Woolen Mills for our last dinner in Dublin. We enjoyed a wonderful meal as we chatted about our adventures and the memories made. After dinner, we walked north to Henry Street, stopping into Arnotts Department Store. We were pleasantly surprised to find a FAO Schwarz inside! LM kicked off his shoes and played the BIG Piano with style and flair! We made a few purchases before leaving the store, and made our way back to the hotel to pack. However, our night did not end there! We decided to enjoy one more evening walk after we finished packing. We strolled down O’Connell Street, across the River Liffey and into Trinity College. The campus was open. It was quiet, so we took the time to snap some photos and bid the historic college adieu. We then walked south on Grafton Street to the gates of St. Stephen’s Green, and then northwest to Temple Bar. The strings lights on the buildings were twinkling in the night sky, and Irish music filled the air. It felt magical. We ambled through the area, then back over the O’Connell Bridge to our hotel. It was late, and we were feeling tired, sad, yet grateful for this grand adventure.
Saying farewell to Dublin proved difficult. Although a little rough around the edges, I thought the place, the people, and the sights were lovely. It was the first time that we – as a family – experienced a new destination together. We enjoyed shared moments, lived new experiences, and created lasting memories as a family. I am so grateful.
This trip to Dublin was all that we could have hoped for. We enjoyed wonderful weather, and walked a total of 99,035 steps seeing as much of Dublin as we could see. This vacation was our celebration of milestones achieved and milestones yet to come in 2025. This adventure was a remarkable moment in time.
And a grand adventure it was.
And a Grand Adventure It Was. Published by Crystal Joy Hall
No Comments