Dublin’s Fair City

Wednesday, August 2, 2023 – Dublin

How do you choose a place to eat in Dublin when the online options feel endless? If you’re us, you pick the one with the cheekiest name: The Cheeky Piglet. Cozy, out of the way, and blessed with yet another stellar Full Irish Breakfast, it was the perfect fuel for a day of exploration. Plus, it was conveniently on the route to our next stop: St. James’s Gate Brewery.

The Guinness Tour guide suggests budgeting 1.5 hours. We spent 3.5. There was so much to see. From the brewing process to the brand’s quirky advertising history, the self-guided tour covered it all—and culminated in a pint at the Gravity Bar, where we soaked in panoramic views of Dublin.

We took it a step further with the Guinness Academy, where we learned the art of pouring the perfect pint. There’s a method and you have to be patient — the starting angle, the 90-second pause, the top off, and then you sip with pride as you enjoy your own masterpiece. Now I just need to install tap at home.

At the Academy, we paired up with Edge and Manuel, two Armenian-American guys from Los Angeles who were on a similar Irish road trip—ours clockwise, theirs counterclockwise. We bonded over self-poured pints and shared stories, including the realization that we had all been at Gogarty’s the night before. I joked with Edge about having the same name as some Irish guitar player and he chuckled politely – I don’t think I was the first for that comment.

From Guinness, we trekked to Kilmainham Gaol, a prison with a lot of history including the executions of the leaders of the 1916 uprising. Although the tours were sold out, the free museum didn’t disappoint. Its exhibits brought the stories of the 1916 uprising leaders to life. Once again, Chrissy’s knack for history turned what might’ve been just a “cool old building” into a deeply moving experience.

The walk back to the city center took us through Bully’s Acre Park, past the Irish Museum of Modern Art, and finally to The Brazen Head, Ireland’s oldest pub (in operation since 1198). Guinness? Of course! From there, we veered away from the tourist-heavy Temple Bar area, heading instead toward the neighborhood surrounding our hotel.

One stop was The Bleeding Horse, chosen entirely for its name, followed by dinner at Devitt’s. Upstairs, a solo singer/acoustic guitarist entertained the room while we tucked into hearty pub fare. It was just a short walk back to the hotel, and though we briefly considered chasing more live music, the call of a good night’s sleep won out.

By the end of the day, we’d clocked six miles on foot. Sure, buses or cabs might’ve been easier, but walking let us see Dublin up close—the small details that give a city its soul. Tired but content, we returned to our second-floor room overlooking a quiet courtyard. With cool, fresh air streaming through the windows, sleep came easily—a perfect end to a perfect day.