 The Dublin Castle is full of royal treasures; from a golden hilted sword to silver plated cutlery, the castle is home to items of great importance to Irish and European history. Taylor and I walked less than a block from our Dublin Castle Airbnb and purchased tickets to explore the State Apartments.  Our self-guided tour began at the “Connolly Room” where the Easter Rising icon James Connolly lay wounded as a prisoner of the British Empire. The gravity of his situation could nearly be felt as Taylor and I read the enormous infographic displays. Connolly would be executed for his role as an Irish Republican, but his memory and influence has defied death to this day in Ireland. The next room held two items steeped in royal tradition and ceremony. The Irish Sword of State was commissioned in 1660 and hadn’t seen Irish shores for 95 years. Meticulous decorations trace the edges of the blade to its golden hilt where Ireland, England, and Scotland are symbolized. The second item was a gift to King George IV in 1821. The shamrock-shaped box made of Bog Oak is accented with gold and encrusted with diamonds and pearls. An Irish inscription reads ‘May God Bless You’.
 As Taylor and I strolled through the lavish halls and rooms, we discovered countless artworks royal decoration, and exquisite furniture. Several perfectly decorated Christmas trees were still on display with gifts of unimaginable fortune stacked in front of a regal hearth. As we continued, an exhibition of fine china, opulent utensils, and crystal glasses showed the typical table setting for a castle dinner. Large, featured oil paintings lined the walls of the gallery between the dining exhibition and St. Patrick’s Hall.  St. Patrick’s Hall was the last and most grand room Taylor and I stepped foot inside. The tall ceilings were painted with highly impressive scenes reminiscent of Michelangelo’s master work at the Sistine Chapel. Brilliant yellow columns frame windows and mirrors on respective sides of the Hall while a royal blue carpet and wallpaper serve as an accentuating background. The Hall was the most grand room of our tour, but the the State Apartments of Dublin Castle are extravagant in their entirety. The Apartments not only satisfy those infatuated with royalty but satisfies those of us infatuated with history as well. Taylor and I spent about one and a half hours leisurely exploring each room and exhibit before hitting the streets of Dublin for the remainder of our day.
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 Trocadero is a fine dining restaurant on St. Andrew’s Street in Dublin, Ireland. Taylor and I were following the recommendation of our cab driver from the night before, and were welcomed to a high-class meal and wonderful atmosphere. Taylor and I chose to order from a three course, ‘pre-theatre’ menu. The highlights among our courses were Taylor’s prawn and fennel risotto, our sirloin steaks with red onion marmalade and béarnaise sauce, and our Irish coffee to pair with Taylor's tiramisu at the end of the meal.
Although we weren’t expecting white tablecloth, Taylor and I enjoyed the change in pace after our long day walking around Dublin. Trocadero is a sure bet if you’re looking for a fairly nice formal dinner right downtown.
 The Parliament Square entrance to Trinity College in Dublin, Ireland, lead us through magnificent gates to reveal the prominent Campanile bell tower at the edge of Library Square. A sign directed Taylor and I to the Book of Kells exhibit we were looking for. The Book of Kells is composed of the four gospels of Christ’s disciples: Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. It is a masterpiece of Western Calligraphy on display at Trinity College.  An exhibition on the history, techniques, and literature of the book precedes the room where it is housed. The book is encased along with several smaller manuscripts of comparable age and subject, but no photography of the book is allowed. Much to our surprise, the self-guided tour was far from over. One flight of stairs above us, thousands of rare books were housed in the Long Room of the Old Library. As people entered and exited the Long Room with reverence, Taylor and I reveled in the extensive collection.
After I’d discovered that the off-limits collection could only be viewed by students under strict guidelines, we hit the streets of Dublin to continue our journey.
 The Blarney Castle is named for the fabled stone that is built into it. The Blarney Stone brings visitors from various foreign nations to come kiss it and earn the gift of eloquence, but Taylor and I found the surrounding property to be more mystical than the cherished stone. Rain lingered and was replaced by a light fog as Taylor and I explored the grounds. The first feature we noticed was a stone circle named the Seven Sisters. A certain Irish king is said to have ordered two of the nine stones be knocked over to leave seven standing sisters after his two sons were killed in battle. Walking past the ancient Yew “Three Wise Men” left Taylor and I standing among tall bamboo and heading toward bog waterfalls. Beyond the bog lay woodland trails that wind through the property.
 We found a bubbling spring, a lush green pasture, and a fallen tree shaped into a throne before being lead to the Wishing Steps. Posted information suggested that a certain method of ascending the stairs would grant one wish from the inhabitant of the several thousand year old Witch’s Kitchen atop the steps. The Witch’s Kitchen is a cave-like opening complete with a chimney and tucked under the root system of a large, dark tree. This dwelling was nearly as impressive in its own right as the one we’d walk to next.
 The Blarney Castle that stands today was built in 1446 by the King of Munster. Its Great Hall is smaller than I’d expected, but the remainder of the castle is more extensive than I could’ve imagined. Chambers, halls, and a ‘murder pit’ were all along the climb to the top of castle where the stone was lay into the wall.  We made it to the top of the castle to find two gentlemen tasked with helping visitor’s literally bend over backward to kiss the stone. Once we’d been imparted with a mystical experience and kissed a stone, we left to prepare for another night in Ballincollig.
 After an unbelievably delicious breakfast at Hatch and Son’s, Taylor and I crossed the street into an oasis of Dublin. As we entered St. Stephen’s Green, Taylor and I were engulfed in a mass of pigeons flying toward a child with bird food. Once we were free from the flock, we discovered all that St. Stephen’s Green has to offer.  St. Stephens is one of the most beautiful features of Dublin. An oblong pond extends the length of one side of the park and is crossed in the middle by the O’Connell stone bridge. The bridge is guarded on either side by picturesque Weeping Ash trees. The opposite side of the park is a grassy recreation area shaded by some of the park’s 700+ trees. The footpaths from either side converge on the central green that boasts several vibrant flower beds and small trees.
During our walk around the park, Taylor and I noticed several monuments including The O’Donovan Rossa. This large stone is set with the likeness of prominent Irish Republican Brotherhood member Jeremiah O’Donovan Rossa. We also found The Three Fates, the WolfeTone & Famine Memorial, and the statue of Lord Ardilaun. Whether you visit the park for the monuments, the green scenery, or the birds, it’s a perfect retreat from the buzzing Dublin city streets.
 Our hosts in County Cork recommended that, when in Dublin, Taylor and I go to the ‘real’ O’Donoghue’s Irish Pub. ‘The real’ O’Donoghue’s has stood near St. Stephen's Green since 1934 and is most well known for the music it has played host to over the years. There is another, newer location one located on Suffolk Street.  Taylor and I walked to O’Donoghue’s from The Temple Bar late on our last night in Ireland. The rectangular, bright white sign with black lettering shone over Merrion Row. It was unmistakable after we’d walked past St. Stephen’s Green. Inside, the pub’s walls are virtually covered with framed photos, and the air was buzzing with music and conversation.  A band sat in the corner by the front door and filled the pub with Irish melodies. A lively crowd had gathered to listen to the music, and there wasn’t an empty seat in the house. We enjoyed Guinness by candlelight and reflected upon our week. The pub was warm and welcoming, just as all of Ireland had been to us.
 The Guinness Storehouse at Saint James's Gate, is a very historic site in Dublin that will be there, according to the current lease, for another 8,741 years. Currently, it is a storehouse, museum, and bar. The museum and bar highlight the creation and successes of Guinness beer. The first couple of floors are dedicated to the brewing process and the beer’s four ingredients: barley, yeast, hops, and water. The final two floors are where the product is tested.
The first floor is solely dedicated to the four ingredients and uses some cool visuals to represent each one and its job. As you move up the museum, you move further through the brewing process. You move through roasting, fermentation, storing, and pouring. There is a lot of history about Arthur Guinness, the company, and the city of Dublin. Our favorite part was the “World of Gilroy” that displayed all the great Guinness advertisements that were created by John Gilroy.
We skipped the long lines for the pouring academies and went straight up to The Gravity Bar to get our complimentary pint of Guinness before meeting up with an old high school friend of mine. Viewing Dublin from atop the Gravity Bar was the perfect way to start our first night in the city.
John and I were fortunate enough to stay with La and her husband on very short notice. Their apartment is near the city center and very clean. We were provided the amenities: wifi, full bathroom, and kitchen access. We did not spend much time at the apartment, but our hosts were kind and accommodating when we were there.
Follow our Airbnb link to get $40 off your first booking: www.airbnb.com/c/taylorc1809  Pinterest rarely fails John and I for recommendations, and the Huffington Post article that lead us to Hatch & Sons was a spectacular find. The restaurant uses all local ingredients to craft their Irish menu. All of the food melted in our mouths as we tried to think of a better breakfast. I swooned over my “Pulled Spice Brisket Blaas” while John savored his “Double Baked Eggs and Bacon”. After enjoying an entire pot of tea between us and hardy meals, we took our full bellies to St. Stephen’s Green for a lovely afternoon stroll.
 Ireland is home to many small fishing towns. John and I were fortunate to be able to check out Kinsale in County Cork during our week long trip through the beautiful country. Our trip through Kinsale started with a quick drive through the town on our way to The Old Head of Kinsale. The cliffs surrounding this elite golf course are massive drop-offs that chop and break the water every few seconds. When you go to see the cliffs, you arrive at an old beaten down tower, and take a path towards the edge. John and I were intrigued to explore the edges of these walls, but the wind too blustery, and we deemed it best to stay back from the edge.
We then drove up the hill a short distance and crossed through a patch of thick grass to the next walking path. This on led us to greater views of an entire side of the cliffs in all their glory. After several pictures and cautious steps, we headed back to the car to go back into the town. Kinsale was pretty much shut down for New Years Eve except for a few restaurants and pubs. Myself, John, and our two hosts wandered around the town looking at the brightly colored houses and window displays. I wish we had been able to have some local fish n’ chips, but we saved it for our next visit!
 One of the things John knew he wanted to go to in Cork City was Blackrock Castle. To our surprise, our host, who grew up right outside of Cork City, said he had never been. It was a pretty good place to tour while stuck in a rainstorm, except for when we got to the top of the main tower. The “castle” was never really a castle, because no one lived in it. It was actually a gunnery used to keep pirates from coming up the River Lee beyond the reach of the British Navy. An additional tower was added so that royalty could have extravagant parties there. The castle is now used as an observatory and research lab. Unfortunately, we missed the last planetarium show, because it was sold out. We were able to walk around the museum and see all kinds of video presentations about the nature of space and the research happening at Blackrock.
 About an hour and a half south of Ballincollig, just outside of Skibereen, is the site of the ancient Druid Altar - The Drombeg Stone Circle. It took a quick walk along an old, cobblestone path to get to the site. When we arrived, it felt like we had walked back in time.  Although I was a bit disappointed in the size of the stones, we learned several things about the formations and the culture of that time. The most amazing thing about this site is that archaeologists can't say exactly what this stone circle was used for. It is said to be a burial ground, because a youth’s cremation remains were found in the middle of the formation. What can't be said is who the child was or why he or she was buried in such elaborate fashion. Some believe it was a sacrificial altar, but no one knows for sure. Next to the stone circle is a "fulacht fiadh" which is believed to have been used to boil water, but its uses have been debated among archaeologists. Some believe it was used for cooking. Others believe it was used for dying clothes, while others believe it may have had ritualistic significance.
Regardless of the uses, seeing the stones in person and imagining the ancient Celtic civilization that lived on these lands gave me chills. It is truly thought provoking to visit ancient sites like this one.
John and I were very lucky to snag a two-night stay at this basic apartment right in the heart of downtown Dublin. The apartment is practically connected to the Dublin Castle and within a rock's throw from City Hall.
Even though we never met our host, Marco sent us an email with detailed instructions on how to get to the apartment and how to check in. It also included a list of restaurants sorted by distance and categorized by categories: traditional, hipster, beer, and live music. Wifi, a towel, a shower, and a hair dryer were the basic amenities provided. There was another guest staying in the apartment and traveling from our favorite city, Chicago. We enjoyed the convenience of the location and slept well both nights. Book your first stay on Airbnb and save $40 using this code: www.airbnb.com/c/taylorc1809  After an early morning of megalithic wonders at The Drombeg Stone Circle and pre-meal wanderings through The English Market, we had worked up an appetite by the time we arrived at this heavenly restaurant.  It is pretty cool to see the sausages in the market then see them cooked right in front of you. These magnificent foot-long creations are topped in one of their six combinations of toppings.
I chose the “Pana Dog” with BBQ sauce and pulled pork. John had “The Original” with all of the condiments, sweet chili, and onions. We split a side of fried potatoes with garlic mayo. I wish we had regular access to a meal as tasty as this one was.  Before arriving in Ireland, I knew it was pertinent to ask our friends to take John and I to the English Market. When you walk into the market you don't feel like you are in a building almost as old as America itself. Instead, you feel like you are in a modern day market. The smell of fresh fish fills the air, but it doesn't distract from the wonderful cheeses and spices on display just a few stalls over. It took restraint for John and I to keep from buy anything, but we knew most anything could complicate our flights home.
 Unfortunately, the restaurant upstairs was closed due to the New Year's holiday. Instead, our friends took us to O’Flynn’s Sausage Gourmet Sausages just down the street to get a different taste of the market.
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Talkin' 'bout Tacos:
I'm Taylor, aka Tacos! I am sharing my journeys and experiences from across the world, hoping to inspire travel and adventure in all who read! Archives
July 2024
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