Dublin

This past weekend, Rick and I and some other friends went to Dublin, Ireland on a school-sponsored trip. This meant that we paid our money upfront, and SU planned the transportation to the airports, flights, and some activities for us during our stay. I was a little worried at first about the possibility of inflexibility on the school’s part, but it actually worked out really well. We didn’t have to deal with the hassle of planning everything, and we did some things we probably would not have done had the school not scheduled them.

The trip was actually an optional trip for a particular class about literature and political action in Ireland. However, there were only three students with us that were actually in the class. Altogether, there were 12 students, a professor, and an administrator who was in charge of logistics.

We arrived into Dublin a little after 10:00 p.m. Thursday night. After waiting for a bus without luck for about 45 minutes, our group leader broke into the emergency funds so we could take taxis to our hostel. Upon arrival, we were split into rooms that were booked specifically for our group. Although it was short, the flight left most of us feeling a little worse for the wear, so we hung out in the hostel lounge for a bit before bed.

Friday morning we ate breakfast at the hostel and set off on a walking tour about the 1916 Easter Rebellion. For a very abridged history lesson: Under British rule, the Catholic majority was extremely repressed under the Protestant minority. The majority of Catholics were Nationalists, and in favor of an independent Ireland, while the Protestants were Unionists who remained loyal to the United Kingdom.

Easter Monday of 1916, the stage was set for a rebellion. The British military presence in Ireland was already stretched thin by World War I, and that particular weekend was a large horse race which most of the remaining soldiers were attending. Nationalist leaders rallied thousands of Irishmen and controlled the town for about a week. Unfortunately for them, the British military reinforcements proved to be too strong. They were forced to surrender, and most of the leaders were jailed and then executed. Although this rebellion did not grant Ireland independence, it turned public opinion against the Brits, particularly in light of the brutal punishments handed out by the general in charge.

The last stop of the walking tour was the General Post Office, which the Nationalist leaders commandeered to serve as their headquarters during the rebellion. It was from this spot that P.H. Pearse read the declaration of rebellion to call Ireland’s citizens to arms. The post office has one of only a few original copies of the proclamation.

After grabbing lunch, we took a bus to the Kilmainhem Gaol, the jail where both political and common prisoners were held. It was here that the leaders of the 1916 rebellion were held and executed by firing squad. A guide gave us the history of the jail, including its time during the Great Potato Famine when the jail of just over 100 cells held 90,000 people, many of whom committed crimes just so they could be sent to jail and be fed.

On the way back on the bus, we noticed we were going to pass the Guinness Storehouse, and all 12 of us students decided to go. This was in some ways similar to the Heineken Experience Rick and I had visited in Amsterdam; it gave us the history of the brand and how it was made. The Guinness tour focused a little more on the technical processes, and less on the commercialization of the beer. At the end of the tour, we arrived at the top of the building to find a circular bar with windows all around, offering a very pretty view of the city by night. Of course, we got a free pint of Guinness, and also got a paper weight type thing which has a drop of Guinness in it.

We spent the night in the Temple Bar area, which is arguably Dublin’s most touristy section. It is full of restaurants, pubs, clubs, and souvenir shops. It is also where you are most likely to see street performers.

Saturday morning we took the commuter train for about half an hour to Sandy Cove, an outskirt of Dublin on the coast. The reason for our visit was the James Joyce Museum (remember, the trip was actually for a class on Irish literature). Having only read one short story by Joyce in high school (I think), the museum was not exactly a great attraction. However, it is housed in a tower where Joyce once lived, and by climbing to the top we had amazing views of the Irish Sea. The weather was rather cloudy and chilly, but it was still gorgeous.

While scanning the coastline, we realized that there were actually people swimming. Apparently, there is a club that goes in the water every day of the year. Having decided against joining them (although one of our classmates did…wearing nothing but his boxers…not the smartest idea), we walked the rocky coastline and took lots of pictures. We then had a group lunch at a pub in the town before taking the train back.

That afternoon was free time, so Rick and I broke from the group and browsed many of the souvenir shops that line Trinity College. We then headed across the River Liffey to the Old Jameson Distillery. Jameson, for anyone who doesn’t know, is Irish whiskey, and the most famous brand of it. This was a guided tour which explained the process by which the whiskey is made. It culminated, of course, in a tasting. This reminded me of the vodka tasting my father and I went to in Russia; they picked several volunteers, had them try sips of five different kinds of whiskey, and pick their favorite. Rick and I did not get to stay to see which the favorite was – we were running very short on time and had to run to meet our group back at the hostel, picking up takeaway fish and chips on the way.

That evening’s planned activity was a musical pub crawl. This was my favorite part of the trip. We traveled to two different pubs with two musicians, who played traditional Irish music, sang, and explained some history of what they were playing. They were great – they played the guitar, the fiddle, and the bodhrán, an Irish drum.

We were so entranced by the music that at the end of their session we asked the musicians where we could go to listen to more live Irish music. They gave us some (rather vague) directions and we headed out. At the time, our whole group was in to the music, and everyone (students, professor, and group leader) decided to come with us. After hiking the river for at least 20 minutes, the patience of many in our group was beginning to wear thin, and we ducked in the first bar we came to. About 30 seconds in, listening to the (bad) American music and feeling the heat of the at least 200 other people in there, Rick and I quickly decided this bar was not for us. We were in Dublin! Bars like that can be found in London!

We resumed our search for the pub the musicians had recommended, and shortly found it. Much to our relief, there were three fiddlers and two flute players sitting around a table and playing traditional Irish music. The average age of the clients and bartenders in this pub was at least 50 – just the way I like it. We stayed for a few hours and chatted with old men about life. It was really a great night and will probably be my most poignant memory of Dublin.

Sunday morning we had about four hours to kill before transferring to the airport. Rick and I headed to Dublin Castle, which was strangely painted very bright colors. It had some beautiful gardens, where we sat for a while to watch two little dogs romping and to play with what seemed to be the castle’s resident cat.

After going to the castle, we decided to go to mass at St. Patrick’s Cathedral. It was only when we arrived that we realized that St. Patrick’s is an Anglican church, not Catholic as we had expected. We went to the service anyways. It was nice, but not really the experience we had hoped for. However, the cathedral itself is quite pretty.

Overall, Dublin was a great trip. It is not necessarily the prettiest of cities, and did not provide for the great photo-ops that Stockholm and Edinburgh did. But one thing that really stands out about Dublin is its people. They were the friendliest people I have ever encountered. From taxi drivers to bartenders to bouncers to shop owners to tour guides, everyone wanted to know where we were from and seem actively interested in what we had to say. My only regret about this trip was that it was too short to visit inland Ireland and the southern areas. Of all the places I have been, this tops my list of where to go again.