Round The World and other travels
A frequent flyer's collection of trip diaries
November 2011: Dublin
This original idea of this short visit to Dublin was as a means of side-stepping the UK's air passenger duty on a journey to the Middle East. When it quickly became apparent that Bruce had never before set foot in Ireland, we decided to take advantage of cheap accommodation using the 2011 Hilton January Sale and turn the stopover into a destination in its own right. Clearly we couldn't really do the city justice in only one short November day, so this was very much an introduction for Bruce and a renewal of an old acquaintance for me.
We began our brief visit in O'Connell Street, spent the rest of the morning in the Trinity College / St Stephen's Green area and visited Dublin Castle after lunch.
Eating & Drinking
Ireland's capital has long been famous for the latter activity, but is now emerging as a 'foodie' destination as well. We managed to include all three of the following in our one-day itinerary.
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Dublin Castle
The original Dublin Castle dates from shortly after the Norman invasion of Ireland, but a single round tower is all that remains above ground of that structure. The current building was for many years the centre of British administration in Ireland, but it is now owned by the government of the Republic of Ireland and used for the inauguration of the country's presidents and other state functions. A guided tour of the state apartments offers an interesting crash course in Irish history.
Base: Hilton Dublin Airport
Linked reports from same trip: