I will be honest – I had close to zero expectations from Dublin. I was ready to the fact that due to unfortunate historical reasons, it would share many similarities with average-sized British towns. But frankly, that was totally fine with me. I was in fact looking forward to seeing those Georgian brick houses once more. My acquaintance with Dublin started with its beautiful quay and Samuel Beckett’s Bridge. Almost immediately, we passed by the Famine Memorial, which is amazing and terrifying at the same time – a sobering reminder that I shouldn’t probably compare the UK with Ireland despite the possible temptation.

Couple of words about our accommodation in Dublin. Apparently, everybody except myself was aware that Dublin counts among the most expensive European capitals. Why I didn’t know about this? No idea. While we managed to keep most expenses in check, accommodation ended up being the big spender, even with our (relatively)  early-bird research. Finally, here’s where we stayed:

Dublin: Butlers Townhouse ~195 € /night (I’m crying), 2.6 km from centre (we walked a lot alright) but overall a nice place.

Gallway: St Judes ~140 € / night. 1.5 km from the centre. A family owned B&B with a very personal touch. We loved it.

Our first stop was the National Library. While entry was free, accessing their exquisite reading room required a membership card. Instead, we opted for a small exhibition showcasing prominent figures of Irish literature, open to all.

One of the rare things I knew about Dublin before coming here was Trinity College (mainly thanks to Sally Rooney’s books), but it’s hard to overestimate my love for all real places mentioned in fiction. Therefore, I was very happy to see what it is in the real life. Unsurprisingly, this was also the most crowded spot of the town, as apparently everybody loves Sally Rooney’s books. On a more serious note, it’s on the Trinity College territory is situated the Long Library Room, that appears on every top-10 things to do in Dublin. My luck let me down this time, as 90% of the books happened to be under restauration. This is why we decided against visiting it this time… I hope that you’ll have better luck.

Even if I’m not much into fine arts (which is ironic, considering that I draw and paint a bit myself), I couldn’t miss the National Gallery of Ireland. While it may not rival the likes of the Louvre in size, it’s certainly worth a dedicated day of visit, especially for art enthusiasts. In London I used to visit such museums in segments, the fact the entrance is free, unless one wants to contribute, allows not forcing oneself to see every inch of every hall, but actually enjoy it.

The longer we wandered Dublin’s streets, the more convinced I became that quick cityscapes aren’t my cup of tea. It took us a year to properly see in London everything we wanted to see. Xavier and I visited Paris a good handful of times, each time dedicating our entire weekend to one district only. So towards Dublin I feel something like a shameful regret. As if I let down my proper values and hence this beautiful city.

On the second day there was quite a change of weather, so we decided to use it for a quick trip and hike at the seaside. We hopped on a train headed for Howth, a charming peninsula to the northeast of Dublin. Fortunately, it’s an easy ride with Dart trains directly servicing Howth—no need for a detour to the central railway station or anything of the sort. The plan was simple: a little hike, some quality time by the sea, and indulging in fresh seafood. I’m pleased to report that we executed it flawlessly.

En route to the railway station, we passed by some of Dublin’s key landmarks, like St. Patrick’s Cathedral and the Guinness Storehouse. Due to our less-than-enthusiastic stance on beer, we didn’t even consider a visit although it is one of the must-have experiences in Dublin. Nonetheless, I must confess, the building itself is a sight to behold! 

On the day of our Cliffs of Moher adventure, the weather decided to play tricks on us. Instead of the glorious sunshine we’d been enjoying for the past two days, we got… well, you’ve seen the pics. Let’s just say, it was not what we signed up for. Sure, the forecast mentioned clouds, but it failed to mention the thick mist that would completely cover the cliffs. Two hours on a bus to stare at a blank canvas and I don’t even talk about people who came all the way from Dublin (I don’t know why they chose such an inhumane itinerary, tbh). Well, it was the way it was, so we embarked on our small hiking trip seeing nothing beyond our noses. Luckily, two hours later, the mist started to slowly lift. I was never happier to see just a regular cloudy grey gloomy sky. 😀 

It is all a matter of perception. Seeing something after seeing nothing was the best moment of the day and I’m not sure I would have been happier if we had had simply good weather from the start. I consider it as a very successful Irish experience.

Before we hit the airport, we had a bit of time to wander along the quays, snapping pics in that misty, moody atmosphere, and of course, going on yet another bookshop raid. The perfect way to cap off this Dublin girls’ adventure.

So, there you have it – a snapshot of this short Irish escapade. I know Ireland deserves way more time – just peeking at the size of the guidebook gives you a hint. I’ve bookmarked a ton of beautiful blog posts with all sorts of itineraries – who knows, maybe one day I’ll be back, this time with wheels, ready to really dig into the heart of Ireland. For now, I’ll kick back and happily rewatch some Father Ted. 🍀