We had two nights in Dublin. Two nights is really nice on a tour like this because you don’t have to get your suitcase packed and into the hall one of those mornings. The next morning our suitcases had to be out at 6, which is even earlier than usual.
We started our day in Dublin with a tour of the Guinness Brewery and Storehouse. Not the place that Tom and I would have chosen to tour but it was interesting enough. Arthur Guinness started brewing ales in 1759 at the St. James’s Gate Brewery, Dublin. On 31 December 1759, he signed a 9,000 year lease at £45 per annum for the unused brewery. Talk about a confident business plan! Ten years later, on 19 May 1769, Guinness first exported his ale: he shipped six-and-a-half barrels to Great Britain. Today it is the best-selling alcoholic drink in Ireland.
We did the self-guided tour and the first part of it reminded me of being at Epcot Center – big on glitz and low on information. It was flashy and nice, but didn’t really tell us much about Guinness beer. There are four ingredients that go into brewing beer: barley, water, hops, and yeast. Guinness grows their own barley in the fields of Ireland and they malt (roast) it themselves. They bring their water from the Wicklow mountains around Dublin.
Tom was very interested in the extensive display on coopering the oak casks. They had a great movie on one of the cask makers going through the steps of making a barrel. The display was very interesting, but Guinness doesn’t use oak casks anymore. Instead, they use stainless steel casks. We watched some of the old commercials for Guinness, none of which were familiar to me. I think Guinness wasn’t sold much in the US until recently.
A voucher for a pint of Guinness was included in our tour ticket. Tom and I didn’t want any, and we tried to give our vouchers away. We were not successful. It seems most people don’t want more than one pint of Guinness at 10 am. Probably a good thing.
When we finished our tour of the Guinness brewery, we had a two-hour tour of Dublin on the bus. I felt like our guide showed us just about everything of historical interest in the city. He had so many stories, dates, and sights that it got a little overwhelming. The Irish are proud of their independence from Great Britain, which was granted, after years of fighting, in 1921. There are lots of statues commemorating the events of “The Rising.”
When our tour was over, Tom and I walked around the corner to McCabe’s Family Deli. Our plan was to order food and eat it there. The line was out the door and every table was occupied. We thought about going on, but then realized we were going to have to go back to our hotel room to get the backpack. So we got in line and, when we got our sandwiches, took them back to our hotel. They were huge and excellent and we also got a rocky road bar and a brownie for later.
Rocky road in the UK and Ireland doesn’t use nuts. They use digestive biscuits instead. Have I mentioned McVities Digestive Biscuits yet? They are a cookie that comes in a sleeve, like crackers. Generally they are shortbread with chocolate on one side. Similar to Keebler Fudge Stripes but not as sweet. And, because they are made with whole wheat flour, they are supposed to be good for your digestion.
Tom was reluctant to eat them when I bought a pack. He didn’t want to eat some healthy cracker. But he has become a fan. If you are interested in trying them, you can usually find them in the imported food section of large grocery stores. They are also available at World Market.
After our good lunch we set out to explore Dublin on foot. Our first destination was Christ Church Cathedral, founded in the early 11th century under the Viking king Sitric Silkenbeard. It was rebuilt in stone in the late 12th century under the Norman Strongbow, and considerably enlarged in the early 13th century. The building was extensively renovated and rebuilt in the late 19th century, giving it the form it has today, including the tower, flying buttresses, and distinctive covered footbridge. It is part of the Church of Ireland, Anglican.
Tom wanted to see the tomb of Richard Strongbow, also known as Richard de Clare. He was the Anglo/Norman that was invited to Ireland to help repel other Irish chieftains. Thus the foot-in-the-door of the British in Ireland. We paid our admission and followed the self-guided tour outlined in the brochure. Richard Strongbow’s grave was the first thing we came to. The church is beautiful, although not as large as many English cathedrals. We admired the intricate stained glass windows. There are awe-inspiring arches in the ceiling and lovely ceramic mosaics for the floor.
The church organist was practicing so we listened for a while. Then we headed down to the crypt in the basement. We saw the archeological foundations of the original cathedral and some of the other treasures of the church. I am always impressed by modern congregations that worship in these huge medieval buildings. I know how difficult it was to keep a newer building repaired, much less take care of an 800-year-old church.
Leaving the church, Tom and I headed down the street to Dublin Castle. The original castle was built by King John I but the only thing remaining of this original castle is the round tower. Tom was especially interested in the round tower because it contained the Irish armory. But it is undergoing renovation and we couldn’t go up. Instead, we had to content ourselves with walking around it and viewing it from several different angles.
Having ticked off the things we wanted to do in Dublin, we headed back to the hotel. We took the scenic route along the River and went by lots of shops. We picked up a snack for supper and I got some ice cream. Then we went back to our hotel room. The next day was a very early morning, so we needed to be early to bed.
Postscript, written on July 29.
Tom and I are back in Ohio now. We got back a few days ago. When we went to church this morning, one woman said, “I thought you were in Dublin! That’s where I left you in your blog.” She was quite right with regard to where we were in the blog and I was impressed that she was following our journey so closely. But just so no one else is surprised to see me in Ohio – we are home. Because I only post the blog four days a week, I will continue posting about our trip through the end of September. It will give me something to write about in addition to the things we are doing in Ohio. Thanks for reading!