Dublin Days One and Two

After  very long day and night of traveling, we arrived in Dublin about 6:30 am. Since we could not drop our luggage off at the B&B until 9:00, we had  coffee in the airport while we discussed the day's plan and the best mode of transportation into the city centre. 

We took the 8:30 Airbus into Dublin and was dropped off at the spot nearest the Marian Guest House B&B.  It took a a while to find it becasue we were looking for house numbers. We would think we were close and the numbers would start back over. Finally a cab driver pointed us in the right direction. Street names are hard to find because they may or may not be printed on the corner building.

We dropped our luggage off . Catherine provided us with a map of the city and a suggestion for breakfast while we waited to our noon check-in. The Guesthouse was about a 10 minute walk into city centre. With St. Paddy's Day most of the places in the centre were booked or very expensive. We spent a couple of hours taking in the city and had a wonderful Irish breakfast at Candy Cafe. At noon we headed back to rest. Kev was tired and I knew if I was going to make it through the night a little nap would not hurt.

Our room was small but it had everything that we needed. While he napped, I settled in, since we were staying three nights.About 6:00 we woke up and got ready to head into the city. We had read about an area called Temple Bar that had lots of pubs and good music. 

 

After walking around Temple Bar and taking everything in, we ducked into O' Flattery's. They two guys playing and singing traditional Irish music.

I had the Cottage Pie and a Guinness. It was delicious!

Monday Morning we woke up early ate a traditional Irish breakfast which consists of sausage, bacon, eggs, steamed tomatoes, and toast.

We walked through the city making our way to the Guinness Store House.

We enjoyed our free pint from the 360 Bar. The views were amazing! You could see most all of the city. Each window had the landmarks/ monuments that you could see from it.

Buildings and architecture on our walk through the city.

The Garden of Remembrance  is a memorial garden in Dublin dedicated to the memory of "all those who gave their lives in the cause of Irish Freedom". The Garden was designed by Dáithí Hanly. It is in the form of a sunken cruciform water-feature. Its focal point is a statue of the Children of Lir  symbolizing rebirth and resurrection, added in 1971.

The Gate Theatre has been, artistically and architecturally, a landmark building in Dublin for over 250 years. The present performance space was once part of the Rotunda Hospital; because it was a charitable institution, the hospital had several public function rooms in which fundraising activities were held. The large rotunda after which the hospital is now named is now a part of the Gate Theatre.

Dublin Castle

We did not tour this castle because we arrived at the same time  three school groups arrived. It was built in 1204 Dublin Castle and has been at the heart of the history and evolution of the city.  Today, spanning an area of over 11 acres, the site contains 2 museums, 2 cafés, an international conference centre, 2 gardens, Government Buildings and the State Apartments which are the most important state rooms in the country.

 

There is a church on every corner. They are absolutely beautiful.

 

We walked along The Customs House Quay. We saw the very graphic and sad Irish Famine Memorial. The statues represent the starving and  dying population of Ireland, as they tried to reach Dublin Port on foot in order to escape Ireland and avoid death by starvation. The Potato Famine lasted from 1845 – 1848. 

A replica of the ship they were trying to get on that would take them to The United States.

The Arch at George's Dock

Bridges of Dublin

O'Connell Bridge was built in 1880 over the Liffey River.

The Samuel Beckett Bridge was opened in 2009.

 

The Ha'Penny Bridge is a pedestrian bridge that was built in 1816.

We walked through St. Stephen's Green, Ireland's best known Victorian public park. Lord Ardilaun reopened the 22 acre park in 1880 for the citizens of Dublin. 

 Aviva Stadium

Monday night we ate an early dinner at Fitzsimons. I was not impressed by the service or the food.

WE ducked into several little pubs to have a beer throughout the night and enjoyed people watching in the Temple Bar area.