Ireland: On Dublin, and the Importance of Leaving It Quickly

So, Ireland got off to a rough start. And unfortunately, the city proper did little to alleviate that for me in the coming days. The suburbs sure did, but for now I'd like to focus on Dublin itself, and learning all over again to get out of the main city as fast as possible.

First off, despite my poor experience there, Dublin is still quite beautiful. Churches and picturesque buildings hide between modern ones, and it was always a joy turning a corner only to see another gorgeous building pop out from nowhere. But Dublin is also BIG, and full of people who are super friendly during the day, and super drunk at night.
Seattle has been turning into a bigger and bigger city, and certainly some nights on Capitol Hill rivaled what I experienced, but to get an idea of Friday night in Dublin just imagine Capitol Hill multiplied by 10. Imagine all of downtown becoming a rowdy mess of young men stumbling through the street drunk. Now add on the fact that the restaurants close early, there's no street food, and the last bus leaves at 11:30pm. It gets to be a rather large mess, literally and figuratively.
Now, if big crowds and big parties are your thing, you'll have a blast in Dublin. But if your inclinations are towards needing some personal space, then find a way to remove yourself from one of the hundred crowded pubs playing traditional Irish music and get out of the city (and over to Galway, which will be another post!).

"But surely the daytime isn't as bad?" you might say, and you'd be right. There's plenty of worthwhile sights in the city that won't break your wallet or your personal bubble. For example, Phoenix Park as seen above. This massive park is filled with monuments, gardens, and the Presidential residence (surrounded by a moat and very imposing gate).

You can also find the zoo there, though I did not go in.
Another highly impressive stop was the Kilmainham Gaol. Make sure to book ahead as the tours tend to fill up quick. But it's more than worth it. The history of Irish independence and pride in the revolutionaries of the Easter Rebellion is full on display, as well as a highly impressive Victorian area of the prison built to feel like you're constantly being watched.

 

As with any big city, there is of course more to do than this, but we found our time spent far better outside the city center, which I'll talk about next time!

To be continued...