First Impressions of Dublin: History, Pubs, and More

Yes, if you guessed that the next stop would be Dublin, you were right! This unplanned, yet inevitable trip to the Irish capital came together so quickly, it almost didn’t feel real. How did we manage to get to Dublin with preparations taking less than a week?

Well, it all started when our geography and French teacher, who already knew about our adventures in London and Vienna with Rolo his IG HERE, got us excited about another trip. We had already been planning for Erasmus, but that’s a story for another chapter… 🤫 When she asked us where we were planning to go (spring break was coming up), and we couldn’t decide, we started searching for flights from Košice to get as close as possible. That’s when we discovered Dublin! She kind of hinted at it since she had a weekend trip planned there too. Maybe that’s why it was one of the few options. And when she mentioned that there was a chance to score cheap flights for the weekend during spring break, it was settled. So what awaited us in Dublin? Did we meet our teacher there? Let me show you Dublin through my eyes.

Planning the Trip:a Quick Pick

So, we decided to take a quick trip from Friday to Sunday. After just a few days, we had our flights and accommodation sorted. A fast, yet unforgettable getaway outside the country, where we discovered new places and enjoyed everything Dublin has to offer.

Getting Ready for the Trip: Pack up, don’t Wait!

Everything seemed like it was going to be fine. We were prepared for the flight, didn’t forget the adapter for the charger and the power bank – those were a must-have. At the airport, we went through security, but an unexpected problem awaited us: a delay. The flight was delayed by about three hours, which set us back quite a bit since we wanted to get to the city as soon as possible and start exploring. The flight was supposed to be in the morning. At the airport, we met our teacher, who was also traveling, and we spent the time joking about the delay and having a beer before the trip – it’s kind of a tradition. When we finally took off, the flight was comfortable and quick, but the delay ate into our precious time in the city.

After Arriving in Dublin: The Journey to the City

The airport in Dublin is really close to the city, so it wasn’t like in London, where you have to travel quite far. At the airport, we took a shuttle bus that runs between the airport and the city. The ticket price was around 10-15 euros. The buses are spacious and make stops at several locations around the city, so you can choose where to get off along the way. There were stops all along the river Liffey canal, and we also used those stops when going back to the airport. We chose the closest stop to the city center. On our way to the city, we passed along the Liffey River, which flows into the Irish Sea – and I must say, it looked really beautiful.

Exploring City: A Quick Walk

As soon as we arrived in the city, we saw a tall pillar that seemed a bit confusing at first glance. This monument is called The Spire and is located at the intersection of O’Connell Street Lower and Henry Street. The pillar is over 120 meters tall and is truly impressive. If you stand directly under the Spire, it might seem even taller than it actually is, which adds to its mysterious and almost magical atmosphere. Nearby, there is also the GPO (General Post Office) Museum, which we hadn’t planned to visit, but from the outside, it looked similar to the British Museum, just a bit smaller. We continued exploring the city, discovering beautiful streets and pedestrian zones.

Streets and History: How to (not)Get Lost in the City

Henrietta Street and other streets in the old town reminded us of the pedestrian zone in Košice, just with an Irish twist. The brick buildings with their unmistakable Irish character completely enchanted us. We walked past Christ Church Cathedral, where we spotted the interactive Viking museum – Dublinia, with a little bridge right across from it. On the other side of the street, there was a small park with the Millennium Child monument, which resembled bent children. A little further down, we came across St. Patrick’s Cathedral, which we hadn’t planned to visit, but fate led us there. Unfortunately, it was already closed, and we couldn’t go inside. It’s open from 9:30 AM to 5:00 PM, and we arrived too late.

Zastávka v tradičnom pubu

Po celodennej chôdzi po meste sme sa rozhodli spraviť si prestávku v jednom z tradičných írskych pubov, konkrétne v „Jackie’s“, kde sme si dali pivo Guinness – tmavé, silné a neodolateľné. Majú tam veľmi dzivé wecká, určite pozrieť aj len tak z nudy. Vedel ste, že práve pivovar Guinness je autorom slávnej Guinnessovej knihy rekordov? To nás prekvapilo. V tomto bare sme zažili pravú írsku atmosféru a nasávali duch miestnej kultúry.

When Unexpected Traces Lead You to Places You Wouldn’t Expect

After walking past the Guinness Storehouse (where they brew Guinness beer for the whole world), we decided to head back to our accommodation. On the way, we heard chanting from football fans. As we got closer to the stadium, we realized there was a match between the local team, St. Patrick’s Athletic, and Bohemians. We decided to get a closer look at the atmosphere. The stadium was smaller, similar to those in Slovakia, but the atmosphere was incredible. After a few minutes, a security guard stopped us, but after a few words, he let us in to watch the last 10 minutes of the first half. It was unforgettable!

Accomodation: Trials and Tribulations

We arrived at our accommodation in the evening, around 9 PM, and what should have been a simple process turned into a nightmare. The code for our room simply didn’t work. We managed to get into the building, but not into the room. So, we ended up stuck in the kitchen. After several messages with the owner, she sent us another code, but that one didn’t work either. At that point, a Spanish guy showed up and acted like he was some big shot, saying he would sort it out. He was confident, but then he disappeared. So, we called Airbnb support, who were a bit helpful, only telling us they’d contact the property owner. We were stuck there for over an hour and a half, and suddenly, the Spanish guy reappeared and gave us another code to try – and voilà, the room opened. We thought, “Finally!” And then, what we saw… was a test of patience. A tiny room with a bunk bed – we had expected that, but cold and old windows with minimal heating? That was something else. Despite being frustrated, we decided to just get some sleep and continue with our trip.

And that’s just the beginning… What awaits you in the next part will be even more fascinating than you can imagine. The experiences we had in Dublin are just the tip of the iceberg, and you’ll want to be there for it! Don’t miss the next part – sign up for the newsletter and stay one step ahead. And don’t forget to follow me on Instagram, so you won’t miss a thing… Because what’s coming next is just the start – our adventure together is just beginning! I’ll take you where no regular tour guide ever would.

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