An impromptu visit to Ireland

My friend and I arrived in Ireland in the evening. After checking in at the hotel, we made our way out to experience Ireland! We started our time off in Dublin the right way, with a visit to the Brazen Head, Dublin’s Oldest Pub, established in 1198. Eat the Irish staples like Beef and Guinness stew (it was delicious) or Bangers and Mash while sipping on a Guinness. You might catch some live music there. Be sure to walk through the various rooms of the pub and drink in its rich history. The pub did an excellent job of preserving its historic past while also offering excellent food and drink. Following that, we went to the Temple Bar, another historic location that was established in 1840. This is one hundred percent a tourist attraction yet I couldn’t help but love it! Live music and ales and of course more Guinness kept the night rolling well past midnight. While locals might roll their eyes at the drink prices, this is a must visit in Dublin. Who knows, you might become best friends with complete strangers as you sing the night away.

Feeling rough after a long day of travel and a decent amount of Guinness, we needed some serious breakfast. We took a nice little stroll to Wuff and both got the Full Irish breakfast: free range pork and leek sausage, potato and chive cake, Clonakilty black & white pudding, bacon, house baked beans, free range egg with crispy sourdough toast. It hit the spot perfectly. I had no idea what the “pudding” was but it tasted great. After that, it was off to the Jameson Distillery for a tour! With a beautiful and informative walk through the history of Jameson as well as a whiskey tasting, this was my favorite tour. There is something about hearing an Irish man talk about Jameson Whiskey with an Irish accent that was magical.

At the end of the tour they even give you a certificate which states that you are a certified official ambassador of Jameson! Unfortunately, this gives you zero discounts at local pubs. For dinner, we visited Sophie’s Rooftop Dublin. It offered beautiful views of the sunset and the city of Dublin. I ordered a delicious stone fired pizza and a stout. To finish the night off, we visited The International Bar. There we quickly made friends with the long time bartender, who has met countless celebrities. Ask him for some stories and you won’t be disappointed. We also struck up a conversation with a friendly Irish man named Gus, who bought us some whiskey. We drank to the beautiful country of Ireland and to making new friends.

With adventure in our hearts, we made our way to Galway, a port city on the western side of the country. We putted around the city briefly and snagged a quick breakfast. We, then, rented a car. Interestingly, the steering wheel was on the opposite side of what we were accustomed to. This would make for an interesting and exciting driving experience. Off we drove to the Cliffs of Moher! The drive itself was beautiful. Rolling hills dotted with farmhouses and stone walls made the hour and a half drive fly by. Upon entering the area of the cliffs, there is a visitor’s center and some stores for buying food. We snagged some water and made our way to the trail. What awaited us was breathtaking. Seaside cliffs that dropped seven hundred feet to the ocean below, green grass, and black rock that framed beautifully against the blue ocean. My jaw dropped continually throughout our time there. This area is also extremely dangerous! While there is a barrier between you and the cliffs for a decent portion of the hike, it eventually ends and you can inch all the way up the cliff’s edge!This is terrifying and exhilarating. I could have spent the entire day there and been content. I’ll save that for next time.

It was our final day in Ireland! We caffeinated and got pastries from Soren & Son and took a cab to Deer Park Golf for a quick 18 holes. Stone walls, a castle, and a beautiful view of the ocean kept us company. Following the golf, it was time to visit Ireland’s most iconic place - The Guinness Brewery. It’s a Guinness overload and anyone that even remotely has affection for the brand must visit. Take the self-guided tour at your own pace, soaking in the history of one of the world’s most recognizable beers. We stopped there for lunch and had some more beef and Guinness stew. Delicious. Next, we had our faces “printed” onto the foam on the top of our Guinness beers. This was cool. The tour finished for us at the Gravity Bar, a 360 degree view of Dublin and one final pint of Guinness! At this point in the trip, I had consumed so much Guinness that I couldn’t even finish the pint from the Guinness factory itself. Defeated, I left the factory in shame. Our next stop was Trinity College. It had a beautiful campus and we managed to visit on a sunny day. We first stopped at the library to see the Book of Kells and the infamous Long Room, a beautiful library. Feeling sufficiently cultured, we departed for our last dinner. We visited SOLE Seafood and Grill for oysters, scallops and lobster bisque. It was the perfect way to end a fantastic trip to Ireland.