Half pint Ireland, please!

Curious about the title? Naturally, you would be, if, like me, you too got to see only a part of what Ireland has to offer and cannot wait to reorder from the ‘travel bar’ the remaining bits. This iconic green island, situated on the outer banks of Europe in the Atlantic Ocean, is perhaps one of the fastest growing economies in Europe and has always been a fan-favourite for tourism.

During my month-long vacation in Europe this summer, I kept three days earmarked for Ireland, and though a short stint, sometimes even three days are more than enough to make a trip historic. So, here’s how I chose to spend my days in Ireland —

Day 1: Dublin

Since I was travelling from London, I took a one hour and 15 minutes flight into Dublin. For Indian Nationals holding the UK BIVS visa (British Irish Visa Scheme), entry and stay into Northern Ireland is allowed without having a separate Irish visa stamp, and vice-versa. You must ensure that your first entry is in the country from which you’ve obtained this visa.

A swift glance at the top 10 itineraries of things to do and places to see when in Dublin and I got directed to the following recurring in many lists…
– Trinity College
– Dublin Castle
– The very many beautiful beaches
– Dublin’s whiskey distilleries
– Dublin pub crawl
– The Guinness Storehouse
– St. Patrick’s and Christ Church Cathedral
– Molly Malone Statue and others
– Killiney Hill
– The Viking Splash and Dubilinia

After a quick rest and recoup at the hotel, I was off to see a couple of these sights. One may argue, at length, about the best way to get around Dublin and view all the tourist sites. Is it by walking tours, the Hop-On-Hop-Off busses, or the Viking splash? Or is it a mix of all three? The answer is simple: it depends on you and your preferences.

First up, Trinity College. Possibly one of the most notable landmarks of Dublin, Trinity College was created by Queen Elizabeth I in 1592. The grounds of this prestigious university are free to enter, so be sure to stroll around and see the remarkable Long Room Library. The history buffs shouldn’t especially forget the legendary Book of Kells.

Then was the St. Patrick’s and Christ Church Cathedral; with barely a seven-minute walk between the two, you can easily stroll around and admire Ireland’s top two iconic cathedrals in all their glory, with St. Patrick’s being the larger of the two.

Located very close to Trinity College and a bunch of other bars is the Molly Malone Statue on Suffolk Street. Though the theories are many, the most popular one says that Molly worked as a ‘fishwife’ who would likely have followed a route, and others commonly referred to her as the ‘Tart with the Cart’, for she led a double life as the ‘Woman of the Night’. Thus, it is a popular spot for tourists to click some raunchy yet good-humoured photos. As evening neared, ‘Drizzly Dublin’ grew foggier with mist, and it was time for the famous pub crawl.

Pubs: Possibly the first place your mind veers off to when one thinks of Dublin are the pubs. Easily the most popular and convenient thing to do when visiting Dublin on a timeline is to hit some of its most famous and old pubs and have a pint of Guinness or whatever your choice of poison is and enjoy the night.

I made a beeline for the Temple Bar straight off, as it had been on my bucket list for years. A bustling riverside neighbourhood lined with cobblestoned streets, this spot is an exuberant cultural hub in Dublin that hosts several restaurants, galleries and pubs. Historically, the Temple Bar square has always been a popular spot, owing to the Vikings who had camped and settled in the area as early as 795 AD.

The street gets its name from the Temple Family, for the head of the family, Sir William Temple had first built a house and some gardens there in the 1600s. Pubs such as the Temple Bar Pub, The Turk’s Head, The Porterhouse, The Foggy Dew, and The Auld Dubliner, among others, pack a vibrant energy that comes to life every evening over spilt beer, tourists shuffling in and out in heaps, and the sweet sound of live or recorded music engulfing you in this cosy, tipsy hug, that is the Temple Bar square.

Apart from music and drinks, the country is also known for having some of the best stand-up comedians, so comic shows are also a regular/weekly feature in most of the pubs here.

From the list mentioned above, I could manage to view only a select few destination spots, as the unpredictable rains made the other destinations unfit for visitation. Keeping all fingers crossed and praying to the mighty rain gods for a sunny day, we booked a trip to the Cliffs of Moher along the Wild Atlantic Way and Galway City from Dublin the following day.

Day 2: Cliffs of Moher, Wild Atlantic Way and Galway City

On day two, the sun was a no-show again. We were off in a bus to the Cliffs of Moher, driving steadily amidst intermittent rain. Pro Tip: even if it says that August and September are good months to visit Dublin, with relatively lesser rain, never forget to pack a windcheater and/or a raincoat, as the Irish weather is notorious for being consistent throughout the year, yet unpredictable with its mood swings within just a day.

Located in Burren on the Wild Atlantic Way are the Cliffs of Moher, Ireland’s most visited attraction, which gives you a spectacular, panoramic view of the Atlantic Ocean. From the top of these sea cliffs, you can view the Aran Islands in Galway Bay, the Twelve Bens mountain ranges and the Maumturks on the northern side, while Loop Head is visible on the southern side.

It is quite a mesmerising experience, with beautiful scenery all around. In fact, we were blown away, quite literally! Owing to the rainy weather, it was very windy near the ocean, so much so that tourists literally had to latch themselves tight onto one another or the side railings to keep themselves from being swept away.

On days when it is sunny outside, there are guided boat tours that happen down the sea as well. These take you through some of the bigger caves located at the helm of the cliffs. The visuals here are so enchanting that the entire place looks like it has come out of a movie set. You may have noticed the Cliffs of Moher in many famous movies such as Leap Year, The Princess Bride, and of course, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince of the Harry Potter Series.

From here, the tour takes you towards Galway, where you’ll pass the Burren National Park, Dungaire Castle, and Galway Bay, all the while learning about the history of these places, as the bus driver is also your tour guide at the trip. We stopped midway at a local pub for lunch and refreshments and tried some of the better-known and trusted Irish-English delicacies like meat stew, corn chowder and good-old fish and chips.

The stop in Galway is about two hours long on this tour, giving you plenty of time to explore the Eyre Square of this West Coast harbour city. Galway is bohemian, artsy, most astoundingly musical, and above all, a cultural hub that is perfect to jauntily roam about, when in Ireland.

Declared as the UNESCO City of Film, Galway hosts many festivals throughout the year, such as the Galway Arts or Film Festival and Galway Oyster Festival, amongst others. Since I was under a time constraint with a day tour here and only three in Ireland overall, I couldn’t explore the very nooks and corners of this beautiful coastal city and had to instead have my fill with just Eyre Square.

Eyre Sqaure: The heart of Galway City, Eyre Square is also known as the John F. Kennedy Memorial Park, as the former US President was made a freeman of the city, and the spot is celebrated in his name as it marks the place where he gave a speech to more than 100,000 people, during his last trip before the assassination. The square quintessentially represents shopping and merriment, as it hosts various boutiques, an indoor mall and multiple seasonal markets, coupled with a side of pubs, playgrounds, and picnic spots.

With over 70 shops in the square’s centre, hosting both Irish and select International brands, the place is a shopper’s delight for all your regular and souvenir shopping, collecting the best of local trinkets such as the Claddagh rings, Aran Sweaters, and Bog-oak carvings.

The incessant festivals, small pubs lining the streets, Irish music filling the air, chefs inviting you to try their local delicacies, and the vibrant architecture of the city are all confirmatory signs in themselves to claim Galway as the festive capital of Ireland.

With nearly whole of day two gone, we were back in Dublin late evening at around 7pm, only to be greeted with more rain. The next logical step was to return to my room and call it a night. But I’m not very logical while on vacation.

So, a quick outfit change later, I was making my way, amidst the rain, to the nearby pubs when I spotted this well-kept treasure, Mr. Fox, a former Michelin-star restaurant, with an unreasonably long queue inside. To the untrained eye, it’s almost impossible to clock a place like Mr. Fox, given that it is a basement restaurant in a residential area, indicated in measly written letters on a small board. But I am glad to have clocked it in time.

Since dinner in European countries tends to start as early as 5- 6pm, the reservations to eat at the restaurant were already full for the day, so I sat by the bar for a couple of drinks and to take in this Victorian, speak-easy atmosphere. Wooden flooring, dim lights, plush leather couches, the rain outside, a mean Negroni, French 75, and just the right amount of tangy Yuzu Sour, made it to one of my most memorable spots in Ireland thus far.

Day 3: Shopping in Dublin

With a flight back to London scheduled late in the evening, I kept my day three in Ireland light and languid, by exploring many streets and pubs in Dublin. Is it possible for a girl to travel and not check out the local area for shopping? The answer is plain as day. Given below are some of the top sites to shop in Dublin, while sightseeing and, of course, sipping beers/whiskey cocktails like a true-blue Irish.

Henry Street: One of the focal points for shopping in the city, Henry Street is easily accessible to pedestrian tourists commuting in the city, who are bound to stop by the many independent designers, shopping centres, and reasonable restro-bars lining the street. You can easily spot popular European brands such as Mango, Primark, Debenhams, River Island, Clarks, etc.

Grafton Street: Again a main shopping street with a historical significance dating back to the 18th century, when O’Connell Bridge bridged the gap between the two sides of Dublin. This street is renowned for its plethora of high-end stores, fashion boutiques, and vintage stores.

Brown Thomas Dublin: A luxury departmental store housing retail gems such as Chanel, Hermes, and Cartier, amongst others, is the go-to spot for all things luxury. It also offers exceptional dining experiences in restaurants such as Hugh Brown and Edition Café.

Cow’s Lane and Liberty Market: Stepping aside from the normative offerings of Henry and Grafton Street, Cow’s Lane offers a narrow but thorough street that has fashionable knitted and leather goods. While situated in the southern inner suburbs, Liberty Market is one of the most charming and oldest local markets of Dublin. Don’t forget to get yourself a souvenir from here!

Now do you see why my pint of Ireland was served only half? However, it was a truly delicious pint (read journey). If the ‘Luck of the Irish’ is real, then I hope to return soon for the full pint.