Dublin- Some Fun Places to Check Out

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Dublin is a great walking town.  I have logged lots of miles on foot in the last few days and here are a few places I’d recommend.  These are not the only places I’ve enjoyed, but it’s all I have time to write about for now.  Hopefully I’ll be able to write more in the coming days. For now, these places are definitely some of the sights you may want to see if and when you go to Dublin.

Jameson Distillery Tour:  Like the Guinness Storehouse Tour, it’s a chance to combine some learning with a little drinking.  Located across the river about 15 -20 minute walk from Temple Bar.  I had an excellent whiskey sour while I waited 40 minutes for my tour (free WiFi in the bar).  I am not a whiskey drinker, but I liked Jameson.  It’s smooth and it’s flavorful.  Now that I’ve taken the tour, I understand that the process of triple distillation and the 13 years of aging in a combination of cured bourbon barrels and sherry casks all combine to make that happen.  The tasting at the end allows you to compare the Jameson to Jack Daniels and Johnny Walker.  These are cured once and twice, with the Scottish whiskey using peat fires to distill the liquor.  You can taste the smoky flavor from the Scottish peat (hated it!) and see how much influence the sherry and the bourbon barrels have on the Jameson product (loved it!).  I walked out of there a little tipsy, but feeling smarter and happy I visited.

 

 

–St Michan’s Crypt– While you’re at the Jameson Distillery, take a peek down the street into the creepy crypts of St. Michan’s Church.  The tour is short and a bit overly dramatic, but it’s unusual, and it’s cheap. You literally climb down into the underbelly of the church, but it’s a unique experience when you can touch the finger of a mummified crusader (for good luck) and read the actual death sentence of some Irish patriots.  Reading that gave me a sense of just how brutal the British were to those who threatened their imperial rule.  The past relationship with Britain is still so crucial to modern Irish psyche and history.  Every little thing I learn brings me closer to appreciating what fires what seems like their crazy violence-filled past here in Ireland.

Temple Bar District– This section of town is not a single bar, it’s a neighborhood filled with cute pubs, theaters and nightlife.  If you’re looking for a hopping entertainment scene, this is the place to go.  If you are looking for city scenery that provides a little bit of charm and photo opportunities, this is also your destination.  Even the pharmacy here was beautiful!

See a Show at the Olympia Theater: I was able to get into see the show at the last minute and would highly recommend it.  The musical “ONCE” is now playing at the Olympia Theater.  It’s convenient to most nighttime destinations, being located in the Temple Bar section of town.  Price was very reasonable at around 30 Euros for my cheap seat.  I just loved this show and the music.  The lead actor killed it!  I even found out that a song I love called “Falling Slowly” is a theme from this sweet and clever musical.  It’s a show about following your heart and pursuing your dreams while pursuing your art.  How could I not love that?  All of us who attended enjoyed it.  The theater is charming with the stage turning into a bar at intermission.  How often do you get to hop up on stage when you go to a play?

Trinity College and the Book of Kells: 

The ancient illuminated books of the Gospel are explained and one or two are displayed at Trinity College.  This school is a center of learning and history in the heart of Dublin.  Some of the most famous names in Irish history were educated here.  The Book of Kells is a priceless Irish treasure of art and will not be traveling outside the country ever again. If you want to see it, you’ll have to come here.  In the meantime, take a look at these photos and you’ll know what some of the fuss is about.  Does anyone else see the similarity to Zentangle?  It’s rare we invent anything new as artists…however, we often reinvent techniques.

Printed and painted with gold leafing and ink on vellum (dried young cowhides), these manuscripts are incredibly precise and detailed.  Their creators had to slaughter the animals, tan the hides, extract the dyes and inks, mix them into mediums, and with perfect vision and a steady hand, apply the materials with feather quills in these intricate patterns.  They are truly a beautiful example of medieval art. It begs the question: Would you paint if assembling the materials was this difficult?  We gripe about how hard it is to choose and purchase our materials, but compared to these monks, we have it easy!