Our final day in Ireland and we made the most of it! We started with The Trinity College Library and The Book of Kells, an ornately decorated copy of the first four gospels. Dated back to 800AD, the library displays a page from two of the books each day, we saw a page from both John and Matthew. It was quite fascinating to be able to see these beautiful works in person.
Housed in the same part of the Library, was the Long Room. The main chamber of the old library, it is still actively used by students and researchers. It houses over 200,000 of the Library’s oldest books. The marble busts that line the room are all great philosophers and writers of the western world. The pictures don’t do justice on the magnificence of this room!
We can’t visit Dublin without a tour of Guinness Storehouse. This is definitely a must do for the beer lovers. The interactive journey through the manufacturing process and the company history are well done. The tasting experience attracts all of your senses and shows how to bring the flavors to life. The highlight was definitely the Guinness Academy, where you learn how to pour a proper pint. The best part is you get to enjoy the fruits of your labor. We took our freshly poured drink to the Gravity Bar, the top floor that offered 360 degree views of Dublin. We enjoyed lunch in one of the four restaurants onsite, which was delicious, before finishing up the tour with of course the gift shop. We spent about 3 hours here and could have spent all day, so if you are going make sure you allow enough time to enjoy everything there is to offer.
We left Guinness, later than planned, and arrived at Kilmainham Gaol about 20 minutes after our planned tour time. Luckily they allowed us to join the tour late. We were able to see the inside of the Irish Prison, which was in operation from 1796-1924. The most notable events included the execution of several of the leaders of the 1916 Easter Rising, an uprising of Irish Republicans to end British rule.
We returned to our hotel, where we sadly said goodbye to our new friend and driver, Donal. He was a fantastic guide and chauffeur and made sure our trip was smooth and action packed! We were on our own for dinner, so we walked the streets of Dublin, some last minute souvenir shopping and a final authentic Irish meal at The Brazen Head. They claim to be Ireland’s oldest pub, but having visited Seán’s Bar which outdated them, we aren’t buying it. The food however was quite good, the atmosphere wild, and if we had the energy we would have stayed for the live music that started at 9pm. We decided we better get back to the hotel and pack up because we had a 9:15am pickup for the airport.
As our trip comes to an end, we reflect on what an amazing journey it has been. From Belfast to Londonderry to Galway to Dublin we covered over 500 miles of Northern Ireland and Ireland. As amazing as the sites and experiences were, we were also thankful for awesome travel partners. “A journey is best measured in friends, rather than miles.” – Tim Cahill
