TUE, 09 AUG 2022 – It was late afternoon/early evening when we made our return to Dublin on the last day of the Ultimate Ireland Small Group Tour by Overland Ireland - Small Group Tours. I was the first tour member to be dropped off at his/her/their hotel. went smoothly and after a short freshen up, I headed for Oscars Caf Bar, a few feet from the hotel, for supper. Linguini and chicken in white sauce (not very Irish) with an Islands Edge Irish Stout (very Irish) hit the spot.
In that Islands Edge Irish Stout regard, I had spotted Guinness Storehouse and Jameson Distillery on Google Maps (both within walking distance), but my investigation revealed a minimum tour fee of 25 Euros (up to as much as 100 Euros). I have always had a problem that want me to BUY a tee shirt that advertises their product for them, and I, likewise, have a problem paying a fee to tour facility and, in the process, develop an allegiance to and its product. There are lots of wineries and craft breweries that have free tours to PROMOTE their product. I guess these
two big boys dont think they need promoting, so I boycotted both tours. Three Nights - Maldron Hotel Smithfield, Dublin, Ireland
WED, 10 AUG 2022 – I had several attractions within walking distance of the hotel, a factor I considered when making my hotel selection some several months ago. Unfortunately, Ireland has been hit with a rare system – great for the blue skies but not so much for moderate (walking) temperatures. Originally, I planned to take my own walking tour on one day and ride the Dublin Bus the other day; however, the heat caused me omit a couple of minor attractions and to split the walking tour into two halves. I began Tuesday at the National Leprechaun Museum of Ireland. My expectations were low and relatively accurate. Most of the tour is a series of and interesting stories recited in the secretive darkness of the leprechauns underworld! That being said, the attraction is not educational in the traditional sense but is pure, worthwhile, entertainment.
Georges Street Arcade (a cool name for a shopping centre) and the Molly Malone Statue fell victim to the heat, but I did make my way
to The Brazen Head, Dublins oldest pub. My regular readers might remember that I attempted to visit the oldest pub in Bruges, Belgium but found it closed for holiday so my crosshairs definitely found The Brazen Head. After all, a fella has to eat somewhere! There has been a hostelry on the site of The Brazen Head since 1198 even though the present building was built in 1754 as a coaching inn. The Brazen Head appears in documents as far back as 1653, and an advertisement from the 1750s reads Christopher Quinn of The Brazen Head in Bridge Street has fitted said house with neat cellars for said business. The National Dish of Ireland, Irish Stew, is not EXACTLY what one finds at The Brazen Head since it is made with beef, Beef and Guinness Stew, instead of mutton, but it was very tasty – or, as most would say in Ireland, it was lovely. The evening was devoted to relaxation and a little prep for my tour of Europe that begins on Saturday.
Cathedral, Dublin Castle and the Anti Social Bar, an establishment I spotted on Google Maps that required my investigation. I found the cathedral unspectacular and made my way to the castle, which looks more like a palace than a castle. After some pictures from the courtyard, I entered the castle only to find a (volunteer, I assume) lady just inside the door being quite confrontation with some young women about whether or not they had purchased their tickets I looked around the room during the aforementioned dialogue and decided Id rather visit a pub. Since the Anti Social Bar didnt open for about two hours (time that should have been occupied by the castle tour), I backtracked a couple of blocks to The Lord Edward where I found the bartender was a big NFL fan.
