Delightful Dublin

One usually associates Leprechauns, the little bearded men wearing a hat and coat, with Ireland, along with shamrocks, four leaved clovers and St Patricks' Day.

On the grounds of Clayton Hotel

That was until I read about an Irish company selling fairy doors in the inflight magazine of Aer Lingus. I blinked and wondered if I had mis-read something here. "Helping fairies relocate and find homes" was the company's mission statement.  Intrigued, I tucked the magazine into my cabin bag, determined to find out more about this company in the safety of my hotel room.

Clayton Hotel

The Clayton Hotel at Ballsbridge, a well kept historical building which looks like a prop from Harry Potter movies, used to be a Masonic girl's school which has now converted into a hotel. My room didn't come with a view, but being on the second floor meant I could sprint up the Fire Exit doors without having to wait for the two elevators serving an entire south wing of 150 odd rooms.

Pubs, one after another..

Breakfast at the Grandstand restaurant didn't disappoint. Butter croissants, assorted Danish pastries and Irish soda bread, which tasted like heaps of baking soda, were aplenty. There was bacon, Irish sausage, baked beans, scrambled eggs, sauteed button mushrooms and Irish puddings. Fresh fruits, thick country yoghurt, fruit compote, oatmeal porridge, cereals and grains made up the healthier choices.

Streets of Dublin,,

The DART train at Sandymount -five minutes walk- or the bus stop just outside the hotel can get you to the historic downtown within 15 minutes. You just need to get the transport store-value card, LEAP.  There are also many taxis plying the streets, and taxi hailing apps like MyTaxi and Uber work here too.

On the first afternoon,  I took the DART to Tara Street station. I walked along River Liffey to Fleet Street and the Temple Bar environs. I was pleasantly surprised by the number of shops, cafes, restaurants and pubs. This is food and drink haven! I am sure busty Molly Malone, the unmissable landmark, selling her cockles and shellfish, would agree.

enticing cakes and slices

Irish love their pubs

As luck would have it, my Irish friends Deirdre and Joe were in town and invited me over for tea the same afternoon. I stumbled upon a pastry shop called Queen of Tarts and could not resist bagging some  Bailey's Cream Cheesecake, Double Chocolate cake and Apple Crumble to bring along.

2 Cor 4. 4-12, Pauline epistle 200AD 

Molly Malone... and Deirdre was singing her song

Upon Deirdre's recommendation, we visited the Chester Beatty library which houses some of the best collections of arts and religious treasures. We also visited the Dublin Castle's grounds, Trinity college and Brown Thomas, a department store that is the Irish answer to Harrods.

Irish Pottery

I've taken a fancy to buying Irish and was introduced to Avoca and Kilkenny for  woollen garments, skin care products, and artisan jewellery among many other things.

Bridge over River Liffey

Fallon & Byrne is another grocer with a dining area for some good eats, though my vote goes to KC Peaches. I just love their concept!

Dublin Castle 

Dun Laoghaire

walk on the windy side

On the next cold, windy morning, Joe and I braved the winds as we walked along Dun Laoghaire Pier,  This sleepy seaside resort boast Victorian style houses and a spanking ultra modern library.
The popular walking route offers scenic views of the Dublin marina and Dun Laoghaire harbour, the largest man-made deep water harbour in Europe. Several landmarks await discovery like the James Joyce tower and Dalkey Castle.

Another interesting afternoon was spent at EPIC, the Irish Emigration museum. I was curios about the Irish diaspora and reasons for emigration to other countries. I learned that Obama has some Irish streaks and that the Kennedy family and Grace Kelly have Irish ancestry. Music which the Irish emigrants took to America became what we now know as country folk music.  In the field of literature, Irish Nobel prize winners include: WB Yeats, George Bernard Shaw, Samuel Beckett and Seamus Heaney.
It is no wonder, I could sit all day and listen to Deirdre and Joe in their lively banter, as they are such fine orators !

Post Scriptum: Nothing about fairies and Leprechauns..

Meeting at the Turret Stairs

On Valentine's day,  the National Gallery of Dublin announced that it would put on special display the painting by Frederic William Burton "The Meeting on the Turret's Stairs" (1864).
Bitten by curiosity and not by Cupid's arrow,  I arrived at the National Gallery early enough before the crowds arrived, to get an exclusive viewing and also steal a snapshot which I then posted on my Facebook to wish everyone Happy Valentine's Day! With a smug smile on my face, I left the Gallery and continued with the rest of my day. In the evening,  I caught up with my Irish friends for some more Irish cuisine, humour and music at Dublin's most famous historic pub, Johnnie Fox, visited by many luminaries and celebrities like Bill Clinton and others. Can sure recommend the food and the live music, not to forget the beers, as the signpost says " Don't Worry Beer Happy"

Johnnie Fox's curios

When Irish eyes are smiling... you know you are in sterling company!