History Lesson

Tuesday, August 1, 2023 – Dublin

Can a flight be too short? Apparently, yes. Our trip began in Boston, where we spent a few lovely days with our daughter and son-in-law before boarding an overnight redeye to Dublin. A strong tailwind left our six hour flight with just five hours in the air. That meant that by the time they handed us our drinks and fed us dinner, there was less than four hours left to sleep. We landed in Dublin at 8:30 a.m. local time with a combination of excitement and exhaustion.

We hopped on the AirCoach to our hotel, dropped off our bags, and hit the streets. First mission? Coffee food. Our hotel, conveniently near St. Stephen’s Green, gave us the perfect excuse for a morning stroll through its lush, flower-filled paths. No time to stop and smell the roses—our stomachs were calling—but even in our caffeine-seeking state, we appreciated the beauty.

We found salvation at Keogh’s Café: a Full Irish Breakfast for two, paired with delicious coffee. Reenergized, we wandered to Trinity College for a leisurely stroll around its stately grounds.

Chrissy is a history buff. She’s a much better student of history than I am. She reads history and historical fiction about uprisings, revolutions, and everything in between—and seems to remember it all. Irish history is one of her favorite interests, which made her the perfect guide for our first stop: the GPO Museum. Housed in the historic General Post Office, the museum brought the 1916 Easter Uprising to life. It’s where Ireland’s fight for independence began, and it set the tone for a week steeped in history.

By mid-afternoon, our hotel room was ready, and we gave in to a glorious nap. Refreshed, we set out on our evening quest: our first Guinness in Ireland. I’ve always loved Guinness, but it tastes so much better when it is fresh instead of after it has crossed the Atlantic to the US. Chrissy agreed, and we toasted to the first of many pints that week.

Dinner that night was iconic: fish and chips from Leo Burdock’s, one of Dublin’s legendary take-away spots. Wrapped in newsprint, piping hot, and eaten perched on a wall across from Christ Church Cathedral, it was simple, delicious, and the ideal start to our Irish culinary adventures. We would have plenty of restaurant meals for the rest of the week, but those fish and chips on that wall were fantastic and memorable.

The night wrapped up in true Dublin style: pub hopping in the lively Temple Bar district. Every corner had live music, but we gravitated toward the traditional Irish tunes. Oliver St. John Gogarty’s stood out as the most vibrant of the bunch, with a band that had the whole crowd singing along. We stayed at the back, soaking it all in before calling it a night.

True to Irish weather, the skies opened on our walk back to the hotel. We arrived damp but undeterred, dried off, and fell into bed for a much-needed full night’s sleep.

From redeyes to history lessons to fish and chips, it was a long but perfect first day in Dublin. And if this was the start, we couldn’t wait to see what the rest of Ireland had in store.