Dublin, Ireland
Dublin: A City Rich in History & Friendly as Can Be
After my original flight to Cuba had been postponed due to Hurricane Irma, my thoughts drifted to someplace less tropical; enter Ireland. Without much knowledge on the country other than dragons, four leaf clovers and pubs slinging beer and whiskey, I was in for a real treat. Although, slightly tricky to maneuver without your own wheels, Ireland is one of the most beautifully green and lush landscapes I’ve ever seen. It’s also full of big hearts, kind faces, delicious food and incredible landmarks like castles and churches, the magical kinds you see in the movies.
With 10 days ahead of me, my flight landed in Dublin with stops planned in both Galway and Killarney. After Dublin, it was off to see the Aran Islands & Cliffs of Moher Thru Galway, while Killarney offered a chance at Chasing Sheep in the Gap of Dunloe. Capping off my trip was a day tour to Northern Ireland exploring UK's Carrick-a-Rede Rope Bridge & Giant's Causeway. Unfortunately, time ran short before I could make it down to Cork and there wasn’t too much going on in the remote town of Limerick.
After arriving at the Dublin airport, the 747 bus drove me straight into town for €7. It took about 40 minutes to reach my stop, Christ Church Cathedral, and another 10 to walk to my hostel, Garden Lane Backpackers Hostel. It's a bit off the beaten path but that's usually what I prefer. Even though hostels are great in so many ways, I can't handle teeny boppers and the best way to avoid them is to book a place just outside the main strip.
Brunch at Queen of Tarts
The overnight flight had me exhausted but it was hours before check-in. Luckily, I was able to arrange a shower and freshen up at the hostel. For breakfast, I walked over to Queen of Tarts and took a seat outside on the patio. The vegetarian plate of sunny-side-up eggs, home-cooked baked beans, roast tomatoes, mushrooms and chive potato cake was delicious and to drink, a dirty chai latte. And the latte so tasty, I grabbed another to go.
Admire Christ Church Cathedral
After breakfast, I took a stroll by Christ Church Cathedral admiring its gorgeous exterior. Being a place of pilgrimage for its worshipers, Christ Church Cathedral has stood at the heart of Dublin for almost 1,000 years. Located in the center of medieval Dublin and renowned for its beauty, architecture and well-crafted floor tiles, the cathedral was founded in 1030 by Sitric, King of the Dublin Norsemen. In 1152, it was incorporated into the Irish Church and eventually led by the famous Archbishop and patron saint of Dublin, Laurence O’Toole.
Marvel at St. Patrick's Cathedral
A few hours later, I stepped out to visit St. Patrick's Cathedral. To enter, it cost a few euros but the free tours were only available on weekdays so I took a quick peak around on my own.
St. Patrick's Cathedral was founded in 1191 as a Roman Catholic Cathedral and is currently the national cathedral of the Church of Ireland. Christ Church Cathedral, also a Church of Ireland cathedral in Dublin, is designated as the local cathedral of the Diocese of Dublin and Glendalough, a diocese of the Church of Ireland headed by the Archbishop of Dublin.
Kindly, the cathedral welcomes all with a chapel for those who come to pray and a small fee for those who wish to sight-see, sometimes reaching 300,000 a year. It’s also home to over 500 burial sites, both under the cathedral's floor and in the graveyard outside.
Originally all-male, the choir school continues, now admitting girls. And amazingly, the organ of St Patrick's Cathedral is one of the largest in Ireland with over 4,000 pipes. The sheer scale of the interior, along with the stunning stained glass windows are worth the visit.
Just outside St. Patrick's Cathedral the streets were lined with leafy green trees and sidewalks covered with autumn’s fallen leaves. It made for a gorgeous setting and all my exploring had worked up an appetite.
Slurp Noodles at The Ramen Bar
Temple Bar is a popular neighborhood packed full of restaurants, bars and shops. I happened upon a noodle place called The Ramen Bar - Kokoro Bento. Traditional ramen noodles are made with wheat flour but I opted for rice noodles instead, making mine gluten free (see #glutenfree). My bowl of spinach and dumplings (minus the dumplings) was smooth and light in flavor. The Ramen Bar was also kind enough to throw in extra veggies leaving me with a massive meal plus leftovers, all for €15.5.
Try Dingle Gin Ice Cream
On the way out of Temple Bar, I picked up a scoop of ice cream at Murphy's. A super cute place, they had some interesting flavors; Dingle Gin made with whiskey was my choice. It was delicious but the single scoop was a bit pricey at €4.50.
That night getting sleep at the hostel was pretty tough, especially after a long day of travel and exploration. A huge group of travelers decided to have a guitar playing pow wow late into the night. To top it off, a huge guy on the top bunk shook the bed (and farted) every time he rolled over. Definitely not what I was looking for in my hostel experience and maybe time to reconsider.
Browse Aran Sweater Market
As for breakfast, most hostels offer something to get your day going like toast or cereal, both of which I no longer eat but it’s always great to have a kitchen to whip up your own meals or reheat leftovers.
Before stepping out, I bundled up in my favorite leggings to keep warm and hit the streets. Picking up a dirty chai at Queen of Tarts, I headed to the Aran Sweater Market. The market had beautiful sweaters, soaps made from sheep’s milk and wool products of all kinds. The store offered to ship the beautiful sheep’s rug I had selected home for free, along with some soap and wool socks for my dad. One travel hack I’ve picked up over the years is to either have items you purchase shipped directly home or pick up a brand new piece of luggage and stuff it full of goodies.
Wander the National Botanic Gardens
A bit nervous to catch the bus from the main strip due to overcrowding and of course, the whole vehicles on the opposite side of the street thing, I hailed a taxi. The National Botanic Gardens are about 15 minutes from town and cost €10 to reach by taxi. Luckily, there was no entrance fee at the gardens. The grounds encompass nearly 50 acres of fruit and vegetable gardens, palms, flowers, cacti and native plants including some gorgeous greenhouses.
The gardens were founded in 1795 by the Dunlin Society and are owned by the State today. They are home to about 20,000 living plants and many millions more dried specimens. Quite popular, the gardens are the seventh most visited attraction in Ireland and the second most visited free attraction.
The grounds were massive, taking several hours to wander the gardens, losing myself around every corner. Plus, the landscape was very well kept and thank goodness, so much was still in bloom though it was fall.
The indoor spaces were best of all, with the orchid house, palms and succulents as my favorite collections. Even though the weather was chilly, I enjoyed the gardens immensely and it was one of my favorite stops in Dublin.
Devour Lunch at P.Mac's
On the way back toward Temple Bar, I caught the bus for €2.70 and settled on P.Mac's for lunch. Pleasantly surprised, P.Mac's is a gastro pub with relaxing music and tons of flickering red candles. The tables are worn with community style seating and a welcoming vibe.
For lunch, I ordered a gluten free ginger beer and chili bowl with beef, chick peas, rice, beans, corn, guacamole and sour cream, and french fries with aioli dipping sauce. Everything was so yummy and I was initially a bit shocked because I thought it would be hard to find healthy options in Ireland; not true at all.
Tour Kilmainham Gaol
While eating lunch, a rainstorm passed through; the first time I’d experienced anything worse than a light mist in Ireland but thankfully it tapered off pretty quickly. Afterward, I jumped on the bus toward Kilmainham Gaol, a 20 minute ride from downtown. Kilmainham Gaol is a prison turned museum where many of Ireland's political prisoners were incarcerated, tortured and executed. Tours run every 15 minutes in groups of 25 or so and sell out quickly so it’s best to purchase tickets online at least a day or two in advance to ensure you have a spot. Tickets cost about €8 each. Unfortunately, they do keep a tight leash on you once inside so you won't be able to wander freely.
Once I arrived, I was asked to sit and wait in what felt like a court room with bench style seating. Moments later, we were called by the guide to begin the tour. Our guide led us around the prison describing each space and the climate at the time of its height. Back then, this prison was incredibly forward-thinking, designed as the first individual-cell prison but unfortunately it was already overpopulated upon its opening, unable to serve its purpose.
For over 100 years, Kilmainham Gaol imprisoned thousands of men, women and even children for crimes ranging from minor offenses to being involved with some of the most significant events in Irish history (think Peaky Blinders). Some of the famously imprisoned include Robert Emmet, Anne Devlin, the Fenians, Charles Stewart Parnell, Countess Markievicz and the leaders of the 1916 Easter Rising, 14 of whom were executed by a firing squad in the Stonebreaker’s yard.
Today, the Main Hall is surprisingly quite beautiful with light pouring in from the skylight above and the symmetry of each cell facing inward. At the time, there was no segregation of prisoners. Men, women and children were kept up to five in a cell with only a single candle for light and heat. Most of the time was spent in the cold and dark.
The prison was officially closed in 1924 but kept as a national monument until the 1960’s when it was restored by the Kilmainham Gaol Restoration Committee and handed over to the state in 1986. Today, it’s run by the Office of Public Works and allows visitors to enter by guided tour only.
After the tour, I caught the local bus back into town and stopped off for a cup of tea and a bit of shopping in the Temple Bar neighborhood. Later in the evening, I picked up some delicious food from Cornucopia, a cafeteria style whole foods vegan and vegetarian restaurant. Each dish was incredibly tasty and better than the last. In the morning, I’d be checking out and moving on to my next stop in Galway, Ireland to visit the Aran Islands and Cliffs of Moher.
Aran Islands & Cliffs of Moher thru Galway
Galway, Ireland
Garden Lane Backpackers Hostel
Garden Lane is a great place to stay just outside the main tourist area. It's quite private and the multiple floors feel more like an apartment building than a hostel. The top level offers a spacious kitchen, dining and lounge area but unfortunately, the lounge was next to my room and incredibly loud on one of the nights (not the norm but frustrating nonetheless).
The staff is very kind and helpful, even offering me gluten free options for breakfast. The individual style bathrooms are nice for privacy and they offer cages under each bed for security. Wifi had major issues while I was there and didn't function at all.
