Ireland - Dublin

I spent a little more than 48 hours in Dublin and it was clear this is a city I need to revisit.  There is so much to see and do here I haven't touched a fraction of it in the many steps I took around the city.  It is very walkable and given time and energy, could be covered easily on foot.  But with time pressures and pre-booked tickets (good thing I booked the Kilmainham Gaol tickets 28 days in advance!), a cab ride or two is inevitable, and these are readily available at a reasonable price and a quick click on an app.  

Our hotel was 5 minutes from the river so that was our first stop after getting off the plane and storing our luggage. We walked right into the Famine Memorial with its powerfully expressive sculptures just before we came to the elegant Samuel Beckett Bridge, one of two bridges designed by renowned architect Santiago Calatrava  in Dublin.  What you see below are snapshots of things that made an impression on me, not necessarily important landmarks.

Samuel Beckett Bridge by Santiago Calatrava with the Convention Centre behind it

Famine Memorial - statues by Rowan Gillespie.  A haunting memorial to the potato famine 

in the mid-19th century where a million people died and another million emigrated from Ireland.  It was interesting to learn that this was not just due to crop failure but due to systemic failure.

From the waterfront, we walked to Grafton Street for lunch at the famous Bewley's Orient Café, seeing some colourful graffiti murals on the way.

Gorgeous flower stand on Grafton Street, note the 5 euros sign!

Bewley's have beautiful stained glass windows inside and interesting art deco motif on the outside.  We tried the Full Irish which was a bit much even for lunch.

Stained glass inside Bewley's

The "Full Irish" - black and white pudding, sausages, dry cured bacon, roasted tomato and portobello mushroom, brown soda bread - the two white globs are exquisitely done poached eggs.

People watching on Grafton St.

Ice cream shop ceiling

Entrance to St. Stephen's Green, lovely green space in the city.

St. Stephen's Green Shopping Centre - one place I wish I had gone inside even though I'm not a shopper.  From what I can see on the web, it's quite spectacular.  Next time...

Before our Sunday morning appointment at Trinity College to visit the Book of Kells, our guide took us on a walking tour of the area around O'Connell St..  We learned some bits of Irish history trivia.

The O'Connell monument surrounded by the four virtues - one of the four virtues have a bullet hole in its elbow...

James Joyce statue

One of the main reasons I wanted to visit Dublin was to see the Long Room at Trinity College before its's closure for renovations in October, 2023.  Definitely worth the trip.  Notice some of the shelves are already empty as the books are being moved to storage.

Chester Beatty Library - another treasure house with its Papyrus Fragments of the New Testament from Roman Egypt

Near the Chester Beatty library and right behind Dublin Castle is the Garda Memorial Garden, with its stunning sculpture, an oasis of quiet remembrance in the bustle of the touristy city

A walk through the colourful Temple Bar district - quiet on a Sunday morning, no doubt much more interesting at nightfall

One of the most impactful activity in Dublin for me was the visit to the Kilmainham Gaol.  Led by a passionate young Irish woman, the tour of the gaol was a moving lesson in the tragic history of Ireland.  Many of the prisoners were in there for stealing food.  We also got a glimpse of some specially marked cells of important political prisoners.  The most touching moment was in the Stonebreakers' Yard where a cross was all that was left to commemorate the many lives that were executed there.

The stunning East Wing

Stonebreakers' Yard where 14 leaders of the Easter Rising were executed

We went on a couple of tram rides to and from our dinner venue - definitely something handy for the next trip

Entertaining Storyteller at dinner 

The last afternoon in Dublin, I made a pilgrimage to see the James Joyce bridge, another Calatrava creation, easily recognizable in its design.  The Calatrava bridge in Toronto is like one half of this one, which is like an open book.  James Joyce House is at the southern end of the bridge.  I also bumped into the Dublin Pride celebration.

The Ha'penny Bridge

Sunset from O'Connell bridge

Night shot of the Samuel Beckett Bridge and the Convention Centre