Dublin Eats (& Sleep)

Categories: Accommodations · Architecture · Dublin · Europe · Food · Ireland · TravelTags: · · · · · ·

Dublin is one serious food lover’s destination. Chalk it up to pure ignorance, but I was delightfully surprised at the number of excellent restaurants and eateries in town. My very first stop after I landed and checked into my hotel was to have the hotel concierge book me a late lunch at The Greenhouse located off St. Stephens Green. Chef Mickael Viljanen, who was crowned the Best Chef in Ireland 2015, prepares innovative Irish cuisine that is both sublime and “art” in itself.   Etto on Merrion Row was added to the Michelin Bib Gourmand list that recognize restaurants that offer…

Temple Bar

Categories: Dublin · Europe · Ireland · TravelTags: · · · · 1 Comment

Everyone hears about the Temple Bar area of Dublin. The city’s erstwhile down-at-the-heels neighbourhood that is now crammed with cafes, bars, pubs, clubs and trendy hotels – a mix of the old with the new. During daytime, Temple Bar is an artsy and cultured district full of hip shops and modern art galleries. At night, such refinement gives way to a non-stop party atmosphere with its 30+ pubs and bars.     The River Liffey separates the north and south sides of the city. Dublin takes its name from the southwest of the city when, in prehistoric times, there was a dark…

Art and Soul

Categories: Architecture · Art · Dublin · Europe · Ireland · TravelTags: · · · · · ·

The Irish Museum of Modern Art (IMMA) is housed in what was formerly the Kilmainham Hospital. Built in the 1680s as one of Ireland’s Classical-style buildings modelled after Les Invalides in Paris, it is considered the finest 17th century building in the country. The hospital was handed to the Free State in 1922 and served as headquarters for Garda from 1930 to 1950. It was beautifully renovated in 1991 and reopened as IMMA. Christ Church Cathedral as it stands, is a 19th century restoration of what was originally a wooden church. Dublin’s first church was founded here in 1028 by…

Go to Jail

Categories: Architecture · Dublin · Europe · Ireland · TravelTags: · · · · · 2 Comments

Built in 1796, the Kilmainham Gaol (Jail) in Dublin became notorious for the role it played in virtually every painful act of Ireland’s quest for independence. The material used to build the jail was sandstone which wept in bad weather, resulting in damp and grim conditions for its inhabitants. One of the largest unoccupied jails in Europe, Kilmainham Gaol was closed in 1924 and was restored as a museum in the 1960s and provides an informative guide to the country’s history. After a sobering tour of the prison, lighten the mood with what majority of the people associate Ireland with — Guiness. The…

Dublin

Categories: Dublin · Europe · Ireland · TravelTags: · · · 2 Comments

I have always wanted to visit Dublin, Ireland. So when I was itching to do some traveling and only had an extended long weekend to do so, I finally took the opportunity. One of Europe’s more popular cities, Dublin is steeped in history. This laid back Irish capital is a blend of Georgian townhouses, Victorian pubs and modern buildings. With a population of 1.7 million, this explains the number of great restaurants, cafes and bars. Wandering around Dublin is one of the great pleasures of visiting this urban destination. The city is so compact that the chances of getting lost walking around is quite slim….