When you find yourself with a day to spend in Dublin, Ireland, you will be in a place where more pints of fresh Guinness are poured than anywhere else and you can listen to music from a tin flute and fiddle.
Dublin is the largest and most populous city on the island of Ireland. It is situated at the mouth of the River Lithey and sits on Ireland’s east coast on the Irish Sea. Gaelic, the Irish language, can be seen written almost everywhere alongside English. Although most all of the county’s citizens speak English, the Irish work hard to preserve their heritage. And with so many cheap tickets to Dublin, more and more people are coming to visit and appreciate that heritage.
Morning
Get yourself lost in Phoenix Park
Its 11 kilometer wall circles around one of the largest city parks in all of Europe. Its interior is home to 707 hectares of tree-lined avenues and grasslands. Since the 17th century it has been home to a herd of wild Fallow deer which can be seen roaming the park. Being a place frequented by Irish novelist James Joyce, he mentions it in his novels Finnegan’s Wake and Ulysses. The residence of the Irish president resides within Phoenix Park. You can visit one of Dublin’s main attractions while in Phoenix Park, the Dublin Zoo. It is home to 700 animal species and exotic birds from around the world. Founded in 1830, it is one of the top three oldest zoos in the world. Phoenix Park is home to numerous other sites of interest including gardens and monuments. One can spend hours walking through the natural beauty of this park never realizing you are in the middle of a crowded city. Visit http://www.phoenixpark.ie/ to see more information.
Afternoon
Get locked up in Kilmainham Gaol
A grisly prison built in 1796 which became the final home to several leaders of Irish rebellions during the struggles for an independent state. At Kilmainham there was no segregation among prisoners. Men, women, and children were imprisoned together and there was even no separation between hard criminals and petty thieves. The prisoners were given only a candle for light and heat and spent most of their time in the cold, dark, and damp cells. The prison was at its fullest capacity during the Irish Potato Famine when numerous prisoners inhabited a cell that was made for one. The youngest resident to Kilmainham was just five years old. The tour lasts about an hour and a half, giving you time to explore the museum before being led through the building by a storytelling guide, who tells you of the fates that many suffered within the walls. The tour cost €6.00 and the last admission is at five p.m.
Evening
Walk along the cobblestone street of Temple Bar
While home to many bars and pubs, Temple Bar is a street, not an establishment. It is Dublin’s cultural quarter where an Irish pub experience with a pint and Irish music can be had. Hear some authentic live music that will keep your blood pumping and experience the freshest Guinness in the world, made with the perfect pour. Temple Bar is home to many shops and restaurants to suit many budgets.
Photo Credit: infomatique
