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Letters from abroad: Dublin
by David Reay-Scott
(A humanHi SELECT location)
"In Dublin's fair city where the girls are so pretty I first set my eyes on sweet Molly Malone". Well actually her name was Sue and I have known her for years. I promised myself for ages that I would visit her for a weekend on her home turf and this time I made the effort and headed across the sea to Ireland.
I flew with Ryanair from Stansted; the flight time is just under an hour and only cost me £35 return. I took advantage of the new check in on line system and only took hand luggage so as to avoid the "BMW syndrome", every extra costs.
No sooner are you up, then you are preparing for landing. The weather in Dublin was perfect; I boarded the very efficient shuttle service to the centre for 10 euros return. The journey takes about 35mins and drops you of on O'Connell Street opposite the famous landmark building The Post Office, which during the Easter Rising of 1916 served as the headquarters of the uprising's leaders. The assault of the British Forces extensively damaged the building. Although it was repaired in later years it still bares the scars of bullet-marks on its outside columns.
Map in hand I headed off towards Sue's flat, across O' Connell Bridge over the river Liffey, past Dublin's famous Temple Bar area up Dame Street, past Dublin Castle, which for nearly 7 centuries was the centre of English power until taken over by the Irish Free State in 1922. I dumped my bag and sped back into town, because somewhere there was a pint of the black stuff (Guinness) with my name on it. Kehoe's Bar on South Anne Street was where I found it. I also found one at The Stag's Head in Dame Court and The Long Hall on South St, George's Street and would you believe it, I found one in the famous Temple Bar, a good way to explore the City.
If it's shopping you are after head down Grafton Street area and the world is your oyster, home to Dublin's equivalent to Harrods, Brown Thomas, or over the Liffey to Capel Street area for all your high street brands. If culture is your bag, the City has loads to offer, Castles, Galleries, Museums, Heritage sites, Parks and Zoo. Given Dublin's literary heritage with great writers like, Oscar Wilde, George Bernard Shaw, James Joyce, Maeve Binchy, Jonathan Swift, author of "Gullivers Travels" and Bram Stoker, author of "Dracula" the Dublin Writers Museum on Parnell Square North is not to be missed.
After all this activity you probably need some refreshment Dublin has an excellent choice of restaurants and cafes to suit all tastes and wallet size. A Dublin icon since 1927, Bewleys Café on Grafton Street is a great place to relax and people watch through the world famous Harry Clarke stained glass windows. Last, but by no means least you must visit Ireland's number one visitor attraction the Guinness Storehouse on St James Gate. Learn all about the 250 year history in this magnificent £30 million visitor experience topped of with a complimentary pint of the black stuff in the Gravity Bar.
The night life in this cosmopolitan haven is eclectic and electric from sophisticated dining, friendly traditional pubs, trendy wine bars, shows, it's got the lot. Particularly the centre of most of this activity is Temple Bar.
Weary tired feet and probably to carrying too much of Dublin's liquid hospitality you'll need to head of to your hotel and re-charge your batteries for the next day on the town. Like most large cities there is and abundance of choice when it comes to accommodation. My particular favourites are two boutique hotels, The Beacon in Beacon Court and The Morgan on Fleet Street.
A great web-site to checkout when planning your trip is www.dublintourist.com
Dublin is not just a place, it's a feeling, it's a mood, an energy, a spirit, a sense of connection, of belonging, of home-coming, a state of mind, an easy warmth, a contagious zest for life. It's a passion for music, laughter and conversation. It's open genuine and generous, it's tranquil, wild and spontaneous, and whoever you are, wherever you're coming from, whatever you are into, be warned, you are going to fall in love with Dublin, not just once but over and over and over again.
Truly, Madly, Deeply.