Dublin

Our final stop was the completion of our loop of Ireland, and our adventure, with a 2 night stay in Dublin.

The drive was around 3 hours so we broke it up with a stop at the Roc of Cashel; a castle sitting on the outskirts of Cashel, just off the freeway. As you drive through the town centre it quickly comes into view, quite an imposing sight, standing tall on a hill looking over the city.

We went for a walk around the outskirts before deciding we really didn’t need to see the inside of another castle, as well as pay for the privilege. So we hit the road again for the final leg.

Once we reached Dublin we dropped the car (scam free), checked in, and headed into town for a late lunch and initial exploration.

We were staying near Stephen’s Green, in central Dublin, and were quickly amongst the action. The streets were busy, filled with people in bars, restaurants or shopping. Like Galway, buskers were everywhere, filling the air with music.

It wasn’t long before we reached the famous Temple Bar district, and then the even more famous Temple Bar where the Irish music was in full swing.

Having recovered from our Galway experience we decided it was time to get back on the horse and head in! It was packed and took a long time to find a free table, but we eventually got lucky.

It was once again great music and a fantastic atmosphere, but this time we made sure not to get carried away and were back in our room for an early nights rest.

It was then that we turned on the news, after seeing a friends post, to discover that Iran had bombed the US base in Qatar and flights through the area were in disarray. We quickly made some backup accommodation plans and then hoped for the best.

The following day started with a tour on the Hop on Hop off bus. The audio guide summed up Dublin as famous for Churches and Alcohol! It certainly was a theme, with churches, whisky distilleries, and the Guinness factory featuring high. In fact it seemed that most of the other sites, including Stephen’s Green, had been purchased for the city by the Guinness family as a result of their alcohol successes.

The loop passed through Phoenix Park on the edge of the city, which is the largest enclosed park in Europe, as well as home to the Irish Republic’s President.

After the park we followed the Liffey river that divides the city as it flows toward the harbour.

Before travelling along O’Connell St, the main thoroughfare featuring monuments of many famous Irish men and women. The one that most catches your attention though is the Spire, officially known as the Monument of Light. It towers above you, reaching into the sky for what looks like kilometres due to the way it tapers. It’s actually only 120m.

It is built on the site of the former statue of William Blakeney. The IRA took offence to it(him) and blew it up. It then took them over 30 years to decide what to replace it with.

We ended our loop at the famed Trinity College; university and home of The Book of Kells, an 800ad decorated version of the New Testament. In its day the college was a central part of the Catholic v Protestant conflict. Catholics weren’t permitted, and when they eventually were, they weren’t allowed to attend by the order of Catholic Church (except with exemption). Very Irish.

After the bus we walked to Dublin castle. The Castle only has remnants of the original buildings and most of it looks relatively modern.

We finished the day with a return to Temple Bar for some more live music, and then a final wander through the city on our way back to the hotel to pack for the last time.

We loved our time in Ireland, although, in hindsight it was too rushed with all the driving we had to do.

We learned a lot about the nation’s history and fight for independence, and were surprised at the high level of use of the Irish language, particularly on TV. The people are incredibly friendly, always willing to help, they drive on the correct side of the road, they do petrol properly (no need to prepay), and they know how to have fun. We felt right at home!

PS. We successfully flew out the next morning and thankfully were not delayed in Qatar, which was a wonderful end to an amazing adventure.