Ireland ’22 – Day 2

Huge sleep… up early and primed for exploring our second day in Dublin! We had set a torrent pace Monday and knew that couldn’t last but, as always, we push to make the best of our time abroad. However, first order of business was securing caffeine ☕️. Janie’s search (including the naming so we could select the correct coffee) led us to Soren & Son (2 minute walk). I guess I’m no “barista”… can’t even order my own coffee! Apparently, I like a “Flat White” coffee, which Janie secured and I enjoyed (actually two of them). Lovely start to the day…

Tuesday we set out to explore the western portion of city centre, beginning with a visit to Kilmainham Gaol (Jail). It seems that tickets are sought after and the visit is rated highly. Critically, all visits are pre-booked so we waited online for the selection of released tickets (by 9:15 AM) so we could visit. Excellently, we scored the tix and even the time we wanted! Yay! We enjoyed a pleasant 1/2 hour walk to our furthest attraction of the day, while locating and planning for the remainder along the way. We’ve sought out prisons before… be it Eastern State Penitentiary or Alcatraz. There is a “vibe” when you enter. Kilmainham, although modernized at entry, develops that distinct sense of enclosure, loss, and survival. All tours are guided, and it absolutely supports the visitor in imagining what life was like in the backdrop we found ourselves. 

This tour didn’t disappoint. While being well planned and organized it was also thoughtful and passionate. Silence, Solitude, Seclusion! Our guide Michael wove the intersections of the prison’s history with the social and political upheaval of Ireland. Almost as though teaching was in his blood! The prison played a pivotal role during the Irish Potato Famine, the Irish Rebellion and Civil War periods. I especially loved his oratory in the last Courtyard, describing with conviction the execution site of the Easter Rebellion leaders as Ireland’s “Most Sacred Ground”. Recommended!

Directly adjacent to the Gaol are the Gardens at Royal Hospital and Irish Museum of Modern Art (IMMA). The “spirit” of Modern art, although not for some, is always a hoot for us! Free to visit, we explored the impressive grounds (former Royal Hospital Kilmainham modelled after Les Invalides in Paris) and would note several exhibits. “Social Fabric” threaded themes of globalisation, technology, labour, community and agency through artworks and “The Narrow Gate of the Here-and-Now”, a reflection on today’s BLM movement and the use of Art as a tool of civil disobedience (particularly the Ghana Stamp story). It was definitely variety in our day.

The third attraction was the Guinness Storehouse, home of that famous dark, creamy, Irish beer. Been sipping that stuff for years! Yes it’s “touristy”, falling for this blatant marketing coup, and feeding the conglomerate / self serving / capitalist / corporate megalith… but I really had to visit 😉! The tour is “glitzy”, but we oddly got “caught” with several off centre points of interest. We thought of words not often used, particularly in the beer making process… Grist, wort, mash, hops & “bunghole” to name a few. Language has been a focus for us this trip, as we note how English can be very complicated (to the point where I can’t understand). A video on “The Art of Coopering” was super cool! We spent much time reviewing recent and present Ads & Marketing Campaigns. So much fun looking at samples from the ‘70s. The Taste Testing and Gravity Bar were fun filled and there is no more apt place to share a pint of Guinness! A conversation at the Gravity Bar led us to Tip #2…

Tip: Don’t Talk to strangers!  So, I get it. Not all folks have good intentions. But whatever happened to faith in your neighbour, trust in common good. From bartender to exhausting line up, Janie has the knack of opening doors that exist for us all! Say “Hi”, give a little, and join the shared experience! We had a hoot yarning with a gentleman while looking out over Dublin. Obvious… but it’s not!

Started the evening with a walk through a new part of the city… the St. Patrick’s area. Came to rest on a strategically placed bench on Grattan Bridge for some first class people watching. Then off to purportedly “Ireland’s Oldest Pub”… The Brazen Head. We ordered up a couple of ales and an Irish Stew (holy prime beef hero) in the hope that we could angle our way in front of some music and… we got several hours of solidly played tunes and singing to boot! Guys did great! I also found something called Guinness 0.0 which is quite agreeable as well 😉! Can’t say that I’d be asking for anything else. Check back in for Day 3!

…Ireland ’22 – Day 3