Dublin, Ireland & Cliffs of Moher
Happy St. Patrick's Day everyone! What better day to post a blog on Ireland than today? I visited the beautiful Emerald Isle in June of 2017 and it was such a lovely trip. I spent a few days exploring Dublin and then drove to the west coast to see the amazing Cliffs of Moher. Along the way I made a few stops and discovered just how gorgeous and friendly this country is. Plus, I just so happened to be there when an old friend from my London study abroad days was celebrating her 30th birthday. Talk about the luck of the Irish!
Dublin
As with any major metropolitan city, there is a lot to see. It has the charm of old Europe mixed with a little bit of modern, and a whole bunch of pubs. I had my days filled with things to do. As mentioned above, I was going to a 30th birthday party outside of the city and then we came into the city, so I only had two days to just explore. I made the most of my time and hit most of the "must see" spots.
Guinness Brewery
One of the top spots to visit on any list I saw was the Guinness Brewery. I am not a fan of dark beers, so I wasn't going for the beer, but more so the experience. It was actually quite interesting to see how the beer is made from step one all the way until it's bottled. At this point in my travels I had not yet visited the Heineken Experience in Amsterdam, so I was eager to learn the ins and outs of making beer. There are a few demonstrations as you make your way through the tour before ending at a rooftop bar and getting your own mini glass of Guinness. While I may not have loved the beer (although it actually tasted better than I'd expected), the views from the bar were great. You can see all of Dublin from the 360 degree views the bar offers. With most buildings in Dublin being on the shorter side (not many skyscrapers here!), it was nice to see the expanse of the city from above.
Christ Church Cathedral
If you know me, you know that I love architecture and history. When these two intertwine, my heart is happy. This church is a perfect combination of architecture and history with its stone facade, stone bridge, and Victorian features. Dating back to 1030, with many years of restorations in between, it is a beautiful old world church to visit while in Dublin.
St. Patrick's Cathedral
The more well known church in Dublin is St. Patrick's (fitting for today's post). This church is much newer, having been founded in 1911, but it still offers architectural gems including the 141 foot spire, buttresses, stained glass, and my favorite part: the ornate tile floors. When you first walk inside, your eye tends to go straight up to take in the height of the vaulted ceiling and the beautiful stained glass windows. However, when you look down you get a treat! The entire interior of the church has tiles in all different colors and patters on the floor. It was the highlight for me because you don't see that often in churches. Usually the beauty of churches is eye level or above. It was nice to see something different!
Dublin Castle
As I continued wandering around the city center, I came across Dublin Castle. A quick Google search let me know this building was "erected in the early thirteenth century on the site of a Viking settlement, serving for centuries as the headquarters of English, and later British, administration in Ireland. In 1922, following Ireland’s independence, Dublin Castle was handed over to the new Irish government. It is now a major government complex and a key tourist attraction." You can actually visit the inside, but on my day of wandering I didn't have time to go in. For more information on visiting, you can visit their website here.
Ha'penny Bridge
When you search Dublin images, one of the most popular pictures is of Ha'penny Bridge. Built in May 1816 over the River Liffey, this bridge is a pedestrian bridge in the heart of Dublin. I was there on a gloomy day, but even then it was a pretty sight to see. At night, the bridge is illuminated and the reflections off the water and the additional lights from the buildings along the river make for a great photo op. You will also notice (at least when I was there in 2017) a lot of locks on the bridge. I really wish tourists would stop this because it really endangers the structural integrity of the bridge! Definitely put this on your list in Dublin.
Stephen's Green Shopping Center
I'm not a huge shopper when I travel because I like to spend my money on experiences and not things, but I highly recommend visiting Stephen's Green Shopping Center for the architecture. If you want to shop while there, then great, but go for the photos! Located across from St. Stephen's Green Park, this shopping center features a glass roof spanning many floors and a giant clock. There are over 100 shops including Boots and TK Maxx (European version of TJ Maxx). Stop on in if you're in the area and you won't be disappointed!
Trinity College Library
Another spot very high on every "must see" list is the Library at Trinity College. Located on an active college campus, the Library is open to the public so long as you register at the Information Services Desk. The main highlight of the Library is the 213 ft main chamber of the Old Library, known as the Long Room. The Long Room was built between 1712 and 1732 and houses 200,000 of the Library's oldest books. The Library is also the permanent home to the Brian Boru harp, which is a national symbol of Ireland. It is like stepping back in time when you walk inside. I was in awe just looking at the endless rows of books and the height. Can't recommend visiting the Library enough!
Temple Bar - Irish Pubs
Obviously you can't go to Dublin and not visit some pubs! The best place to head is to Temple Bar. The name is deceiving because there actually is a bar named The Temple Bar here, but Temple Bar also refers to the area on the south bank of the River Liffey (right near the Ha/penny Bridge). The actual area is between the Liffey River to the north, Dame Street to the south, Westmoreland Street to the east, and Fishamble Street to the west. In this area you will find a lot of pubs and a lot of fun! There's so much festiveness from the flags overhead, to the beautiful flowers on the pubs, to all of the crowds (most likely watching soccer or enjoying live music). Temple Bar is a MUST during any visit to Dublin.
Cliffs of Moher
After spending a great few days in Dublin and celebrating my friend's birthday, it was time to head west. Fun fact: because I had to leave around 8:00 am the next morning to drive 3 hours to the west coast, I literally pulled an "Irish Goodbye" when I needed to leave. I just walked out and that was it! Since I just met most of the people I was with that night, I don't think many people noticed, but it still counts!
After about 3 hours, I arrived to the Cliffs of Moher. I've had a few friends visit before and I had seen a LOT of blog posts about this location, but I wasn't prepared for how stunning it actually is. The wind was pretty insane (be warned, it's usually pretty windy!), but with my Wellies on and my windbreaker on (yep, def had to wear that haha), I was ready! It had rained earlier that morning, so there was a lot of mud. Packing Wellies or any type of boot is a great idea if you're visiting the Cliffs of Moher because there is a lot walking in grass (that can be slick), mud (if it rained), and steep inclines. But holy moly is it worth all of that when you get to see these stunning cliffs:
Once I spent a couple hours just taking it all in (make sure to walk to both sides of the Cliffs - - the little castle is a good center) and shooting about a thousand photographs, I got in my car and just decided to drive around the coastal area. My hotel (The Atlantic Hotel) was in the town of Lahinch which is about 20 minutes from the Cliffs. Since I had the rest of the day to explore, I decided to just get in the car and see what I could find. Along the drive I stumbled upon on old castle, some adorably colorful homes, and the picturesque seaside town of Kilkee. One of the best things to do when traveling is just getting in a car (or on public transport) and just seeing what you can find. Some of my favorite memories on my travels are from just exploring. The western coast of Ireland is perfect for this!
Blarney Castle & Cork
After spending the night in my cute little hotel in Lahinch, I had to drive back to Dublin for my evening flight to Paris. Along the way I made two stops: Blarney Castle and Cork. Blarney Castle is a medieval castle close to Cork, Ireland. It was built in 1446 and is most well known for being the location of the Blarney Stone. The Blarney Stone was placed into the battlements of the castle in 1446, but no one knows exactly why. There are quite a few theories as to why it was put there - from stories of the goddess Clíodhna, to being given to Cormac McCarthy by Robert the Bruce in 1314 as a gift for his support in the Battle of Bannockburn, and many other Irish myths or folktales. What makes it special is the ritual that exists: Kissing the Stone. Legend has it that kissing the stone gives the kisser the "gift of the gab" aka the gift of eloquent speech. It is still practiced today with tourists climbing to the top of the tower, lying down on your back, and tipping your head back to kiss the stone. I cannot confirm whether my speech became more eloquent or not :)
Cork is the second largest city in Ireland about just about 10 minutes from Blarney Castle. While I didn't have time to explore the city, there was one reason it was on my list and that was for this picture:
I had seen pictures of these colorful houses with the giant church behind it on everything from Instagram to Pinterest to about 50 travel blogs, so I knew I had to see it for myself. What none of the pictures (mine included) actually tell you though is that it is not an easy shot to get! There is a high wall surrounding the neighborhood preventing you from actually getting to the street in front of the houses. With a little bit of effort, I was able to stand on the roof of my rental car and get the shot. It was worth it in the end!
How To Get There
Luckily with Ireland being only a little over 6 hours by plane from New York City, there are a ton of flight options from the United States to get you to Dublin. There are a lot of inexpensive options as well. At the time I took my trip, I flew Wow Airlines for under $200, but sadly they went out of business (guess that model couldn't last long!). There are still many options for budget friendly travelers from Tap Air Portugal, Icelandair, and even Aer Lingus (Ireland's airline) has some great deals from time to time. It's always worth looking at other cities in Europe as well if there is a great deal and then hopping a short and cheap flight on Ryanair or Easy Jet to get you to Dublin.
Rental Car
I would obviously suggest renting a car because there is so much to see in the country. I am planning another visit sometime in the future because I still want to see Giant's Causeway (google that!!!) and also Northern Ireland (yes, realize they're two different countries). Just be mindful when renting a car that almost all cars in Europe are manual (stick shift), so if you want an automatic, make sure that you reserve an automatic! Often times that will mean paying a bit more, but if you're like me and can't really drive manual, you don't have a choice!
Food
Ahhh the food! You can't visit Ireland without trying some of the amazing Irish cuisine. Admittedly, I'm pretty White and bland when it comes to my food (don't blame me, I grew up in Ohio!), so I love Irish food. If you need some spice, be sure to pack a travel sized bottle of sriracha or hot sauce :) If you know anything about Irish history, potatoes are probably your first thought when you think of Irish food. Yes, there are a lot of dishes with potatoes, but you will also see a lot of stews and a LOT of cabbage. The Irish love their cabbage! I'm not a huge fan of cabbage, so I tried the stews and had an amazing Shepherd's Pie. Also, Irish bread is so good!!! I had a few different types of Irish bread served with the stews I tried, but my favorite is definitely Irish Soda Bread!
Bíodh turas maith agat!
