Kilmainham Gaol in Dublin, Ireland

On August 25, 2017 By Isobar ExpeditionsIn Ireland7 Comments

Almost everyone we spoke to about what to do during our visit to Dublin recommended us taking a tour of Kilmainham Gaol. Kilmainham Gaol is a former prison in Dublin that has been converted into a prison museum. It has been used as a set for many movies including In the Name of the Father and Michael Collins as well as many others. The tour was very interesting and provided a lot of detail about the prison and prisoners, especially the leaders of the 1916 Easter Rising. The prison held almost every leader of the Irish revolutionary groups until it was shut down in 1924 by the Irish Free State.

We almost weren’t able to take the tour of the prison as we didn’t purchase tickets in advance and the tours sell out several days, if not weeks, ahead of time. Since the tours were sold out, the hotel recommended that we go to the prison about an hour before the first tour time and there would be a chance that we could get last minute tickets. We weren’t the only people who didn’t have tickets and the staff did their best to accommodate everyone who waited in the cold, wet morning air. Purchasing tickets in advance is highly recommended.

The tour starts off by taking you through the oldest part of the prison, which dates back to 1796. This is where many of the leaders of the uprising were held by the British, who ran the prison. One of the things that was interesting was that they didn’t segregate the prisoners, so men, women, and even children were all locked in cells that held up to 5 people. Also, there was no lighting or heating in the prison, so the prisoners were given a single candle per cell for light and a little warmth. One of the highlights of the tour is when you enter the more modern section of the prison with its large common area. Everyone on the tour has the opportunity to enter one of the cells and get a closer look at the cramped conditions.

Looking into the Cell at the Tiny Window

Originally, there were many hangings outside of the prison, although later the leaders of the rebellions were executed by firing squad inside of the prison square. It seems odd at first that a site of such suffering and oppression could become a popular tourist attraction. Understanding the sense of national pride that the people of Ireland have for all of the leaders who fought for independence and were imprisoned and lost their lives in the prison, makes the experience of touring the prison much more impressive.

Courtyard with Cross Marking Execution Spot

We thoroughly enjoyed taking the time to visit the prison and were certainly glad that we did, but we’re not sure that Kilmainham Gaol is the top tourist attraction in Dublin. It is definitely something that anyone who visits Dublin should take the time to see, but we would recommend reading some information on the history of the prison and the various uprisings prior to taking the tour as it will enhance your experience.

The Un-Luck of the Irish

On July 24, 2017 By Isobar ExpeditionsIn IrelandLeave a comment

The one trip that we knew we had to make during our six months in Europe was to Ireland. Both of our families have strong Irish ancestry, so we definitely wanted to visit the land of our heritage. We also flew our mother over from the United States to join us for our trip since she had never been to Ireland. Instead of renting a car, we hired a local tour guide from a company called ToursByLocals and chose the tour that would take us to Kilkenny and the Southeastern coast. We augmented the tour to add the city of Waterford so that we could visit the crystal factory and purchase something special to bring home with us.

Our tour started out perfectly as our driver took us through the countryside where we saw quaint little farms with fields filled with sheep. We even had sheep crossing the road in front of us, it was exactly what we had imagined a trip into the Irish countryside to be. Our first stop was to one of the many historic churches of Ireland, however we weren’t able to enter the church as they were having services at the time. We have seen plenty of churches in Europe, so that was not a big deal for us, but it was a little disappointing. Hoping to make it up to us, our guide took us to a historic monastery where we could walk the grounds. Upon our arrival, the gates were closed and the ticket office was closed and there was no one at the site. Luck was not on our side, but the day was early and we were optimistic that our luck would change.

We then went to Kilkenny Castle, which was absolutely spectacular and was again exactly what we expected to see in Ireland. From there, we traveled to Waterford where we hoped to purchase something special to remember our time in Ireland. Upon our arrival, we found the Waterford Crystal Factory closed. Not only was the factory closed and no tours available, but even the store was closed. Our guide pulled up their website and there was nothing indicating that it should be closed and our guide had never seen the store closed. We visited a viking museum and while we were there, we asked if they knew why the factory was closed and they were just as surprised as us to hear that it was closed.

We were obviously frustrated that we weren’t able to visit the factory or even purchase something in the store, but there wasn’t anything that anyone could do. So we put a smile on our faces and continued on to have lunch at a seaside town. Our tour guide felt extremely bad as now he had taken us to three places that we weren’t able to actually see, but we didn’t blame him. Our last stop was to another historic church that had a tower that you could climb for a couple of Euros that had wonderful views of the countryside. By now you can guess what we found when we arrived. It too was closed for no apparent reason and there was a sign that it would be open to the public an hour later, but that would have gotten us back to Dublin far too late, so we chose not to wait.

Despite all of these things, we truly enjoyed our tour as well as our time in Ireland. We couldn’t help but joke with each other that for once, we didn’t have the luck of the Irish. These things happen sometimes and we certainly could have gotten angry with our guide, but it wouldn’t have changed anything. There was no doubt that he felt bad, but other than perhaps the first church that we visited, there was no way for him to have known that these other places would be closed as their websites all indicated that they were open.

The Pubs of Dublin, Ireland

On March 29, 2017 By Isobar ExpeditionsIn Ireland, Recipes1 Comment

To say that there are a lot of pubs in Dublin is an extreme understatement. If you are in the mood for a pint, there are options around every corner and down every street and alley. Needless to say, we did not visit anywhere close to all of the options that were available, but the we truly enjoyed the ones that we did visit. Some of them served much more than your typical bar food, while others served exactly what you would expect, fish and chips, bangers and mash, and the iconic Irish breakfast.

We especially enjoyed the pubs that were converted from old buildings such as The Bank on College Green and The Church. The Bank on College Green is obviously a former bank, but the site has been occupied even longer than its conversion to a bank in 1892 by Belfast Bank. Its location near Trinity College makes it a popular location for tourists as well as college students. The ornate decorations and stained glass window are obvious signs of the wealth of the banking industry even during the turn of the century. The Church is a restaurant pub converted from St. Mary’s Church in 1997 after the church closed in 1964 and remained abandoned. One of the interesting things about The Church is that they kept most of the original features of the historic site and there is even a self-guided tour that you can take that features a bust of Arthur Guinness, Baptismal, Gallery, Tower, Burial Crypts, and more.

Stained Glass Ceiling at The Bank on College Green

We were celebrating our mother’s 79th birthday on our visit to Ireland, so we didn’t stay out late, but there are many options for listening to authentic Irish music, dancing, and general nightlife. One of the most famous is The Temple Bar, which is located in the heart of the area also known as Temple Bar. One of the other interesting pubs that we visited was T.P. Smiths, which had a unique spiral staircase made from copper to resemble brewing vats. There is also an interesting mosaic in the main bar that adds to the atmosphere. We have to admit, though, that it was its proximity to our hotel that caused us to visit this friendly pub a couple of times.

Finally, and certainly not least, was The Brazen Head, officially Ireland’s oldest pub. The pub itself has the feel that you would expect from the oldest pub in Ireland, stone walls and a dark atmosphere, but over time the pub has grown into a full restaurant and hotel with many floors of rooms to serve eager guests. We preferred the atmosphere of the old pub, but could certainly see the beer garden being a lively spot during a warmer time of year. No visit to Dublin is complete without visiting this famous spot, especially if you are a fan of historic pubs as we are.

As we mentioned, we could only scratch the surface of all of the pubs that Dublin has to offer. One could probably spend several months in Dublin before visiting even the majority of the offerings. Even with the reputation that the Irish have for their fondness to drink, it seems that the tourists take advantage of a visit to Dublin to drink like a local. We typically don’t need an excuse, but we enjoyed the sampling that we were able to experience during our brief time in the city. What truly makes each place wonderful are the people, everyone of these locations had friendly staff who were quick with a smile and a story if you were willing to listen.