It’s our last day in Dublin. Aye, ’tis a sad thing. If I was a young lad without a care in the world, I’d probably say, “I’ll leave when I’m ready, and I’m not even close to ready yet!” But I’m not a young lad without a care in the world, and our plane leaves tomorrow. But we haven’t left yet!
Strolling Around Dublin Town
We’re walking off a huge lunch we had at The Bank on College Green, taking a last stroll through town. We came across Hodges Figgis Bookstore. Founded in 1768, it’s the oldest bookstore in Dublin. We had to go inside.
Hodges Figgis, more than anything else, is big. It’s four stories of books. Their massive selection is well-organized. It’s not the cozy place with creaky floors that you go for a latte and to curl up with a book you might buy, but it’s pretty neat if you like bookstores.
After Hodges Figgis, we walked down Grafton Street. Grafton Street is pedestrian-only. It’s shopping central. It’s a scene. There was a street performer of some sort on each block.
We’ve had nice weather on this visit to Dublin, but this afternoon it finally started to sprinkle. We ducked into Neary’s Bar & Restaurant – possibly our last pub of the trip. Now that’s a sad thought, indeed.
This one was different than the pubs we’ve been in the past few days. It’s more of a locals’ place – small, warm, and cozy inside. No live music or throngs of tourists. We sat down at the only available table.
Dublin Visit Recap
This was the perfect place to revisit our trip to Dublin. Our hotel, the Roxford Lodge, was in a beautiful neighborhood, a bit off the beaten tourist path. It had been a great place to stay. I’d stay there again just for the breakfasts.
Our go-to destination turned out to be the Temple Bar area. It’s a neighborhood full of cobblestone walk streets lined with pubs and restaurants. Stand anywhere in Temple Bar and you’ll probably hear live music coming from at least two pubs.
Our go-to place in Temple Bar is the pub by the same name. Because of the crowd, it wasn’t the easiest place to get in, but once you’re in, it’s all good. The band played those great old Irish songs. Molly Malone. Whiskey in the Jar – but we’ve already talked about that, eh?
On our first full day here we took a foodie tour. We got an education on that tour. Who knew Dublin was a foodie mecca? It turns out that a lot of people knew, but until now, we weren’t among ’em.
We didn’t make it to the Jameson distillery, but the last stop on the foodie tour was at the Celtic Whiskey Shop. It would have to do. I’d like to spend more time in that particular establishment. I’d have liked to sample more Irish whiskey on this trip, too, but the Guinness kept getting in the way. One can only pack so much in!
Full-Tourist Mode
And speaking of Guinness, the next day we toured the Guinness Storehouse. They do a great job. No wonder all I wanted to drink was Guinness for the next two days.
While we were in full-tourist mode, we visited the Chester Beatty Museum. He had unlimited funds, plenty of time, a passion for collecting ancient manuscripts and artifacts, and he made the most of it. Now, the best of his collection is on display at Dublin Castle for all to see.
While having all this fun, we slogged through Ireland’s long history, (starting here), which was no fun at all. In the 4th century, Saint Patrick started the mass conversion of Irish to Christianity. Then in the 9th century, the Vikings arrived. They established a number of Irish ports, including Dublin. The English arrived in the 12th century. The Irish spent the next 800 bloody years trying to get them out. That’s the history of Ireland, condensed version.
On our first trip to Ireland, the eating situation could be a bit dodgy at times, but on this trip, it’s been great. We had traditional Irish fare at Boxty House, the best oysters we’ve ever had at The Temple Bar, Indian curry, designer pizza, and that amazing lunch at The Bank on College Green.
Our Last Supper
For our last meal, we went for Italian at a place called “Pacino’s.” I’d call it upscale Italian. We liked everything about Pacino’s, but especially our dinners. If you happen to find your way to the restrooms at Pacino’s, keep a sharp eye out. You might spy the secret (sort of) entrance to another drinking/dining establishment. A peek inside is sure to pique your curiosity. And we’ll just leave it at that!
The next day, on the ride to the airport, we passed by Croke Stadium. Our taxi driver, a big hurling fan, told us all about it. He said that not too long ago, 80,000 people filled this stadium to watch the hurling championships.
Ah, yes! After the introductory hurling course provided by our servers yesterday at The Bank on College Green, we were new hurling experts ourselves! It’s probably the little things like these that we’ll miss about Dublin the most.
To be continued…
Notes:
Additional Info about where we stayed and ate in Dublin can be found on the Travel Notes, Dublin, page.
Credit for the great photo of Grafton Street at the top of the post: Donaldytong/Wikimedia Commons
