Dublin: Baile A’tha Cliath

Dublin lies on the eastern coast of Ireland on the Irish Sea. The first known settlement here was called Eblana, a name found in the 2nd century writings of Ptolemy. In history the name later appears as Dubh-linn, Gaelic for “Black Pool”. Baile A’tha Cliath, the present “official” name meaning “Town of the Ford of the Hurdles”, came sometime after 291 AD.

In the early 9th century, Vikings started the city by founding one of their largest settlements outside Scandinavia. By the mid-1100’s, they were intermarrying with the Celts, inhabitants since 700 BC. The Irish and Danes fought for control of Dublin frequently during the next three centuries. In the late 12th century, the Danes were ousted by the Anglo-Normans and relegated to a place on the north side of the River Liffey. England’s King Henry II made Dublin a dependency of Bristol; English overseeing remained until 1534, when patriot Thomas Fitzgerald led the city in a rebellion. In the 17th century, Dublin was surrendered to English parliamentary forces and remained under British control until the Irish insurrection of the late 18th century. The revolution of 1919-21 led to the establishment of the Irish Free State.

Quick Tips:

If you plan to visit for the holidays, be sure to book your hotel well in advance. Many hotels, even the larger ones, close December 24-26 (December 26 being St. Stephens Day) so if you wait you may have a difficult time finding a place to stay. Most restaurants are also closed, but you can find pubs open, though not all will be serving food those days. DART trains run on a holiday schedule as well; from the usual 4-5 trains an hour, you may only have 1-2 an hour to a given destination. The people of Dublin are the warmest I've found anywhere; they are very polite and hospitable, and love nothing more than good craic in their local pub with friends. They love Ireland too, as I discovered when talking to one man in a pub. He had recently returned from living several years in another country, and while he liked it, he said that "part of my soul was missing". After only a few days in Dublin, I think I understand what he meant.

Best Way To Get Around:

Dublin is a wonderful city for walking, although buses seem to be plentiful. The DART trains are efficient and inexpensive, and are a good way to get a bit outside the city to explore.

The George Frederic Handel Hotel is located on Fishamble Street, one of Dublin’s oldest streets. The street name is taken from the old fish stalls which once existed here. The hotel is named for the composer of the famed "Messiah", which was first performed in a music hall on the site of the hotel in April of 1742. Today the door to the music hall remains, next door to the George Frederic Handel Hotel.

Although steeped in history, there is nothing old-fashioned about the decor of the hotel. Light wood furniture, a colorful flowered bedspread and modern light fixtures give the rooms a bright modern look. The blue carpet with the treble clef motif adds a whimsical touch. The bathroom is white with touches of green in the shower curtain and wall tiles. Amenities include a TV, mini-fridge, phone, hair dryer, as well as coffee and tea making facilities. Closet and drawer space is very generous, as are the large bath towels. Start your day with a complimentary Irish breakfast in the hotel restaurant. This includes eggs, beans, sausage, bacon, grilled tomato, mushrooms, white and black pudding, toast, juice and tea or coffee, and will give you plenty of energy for lots of sight-seeing. Or, if that’s a bit much, cold cereals are also offered. There is also a trendy bar/pub as part of the hotel where you can have a late drink and a day touring Dublin.

My fourth floor room had a view of Christ Church Cathedral that was lovely. I was really surprised by the spaciousness of the room and bath, being used to much smaller quarters in Amsterdam and London. The staff is warm and friendly; they make you feel most welcome, and will gladly help to make your stay a pleasant one. Located in the trendy Temple Bar area of Dublin, the hotel is also close to a number of fine restaurants, pubs, and shops. It’s about ½ mile to the Tara DART station, but it’s a very nice walk along the Quay.

This is an all-suites hotel located on beautiful St. Stephens Green Park. When you walk into the suite, you enter a small foyer, with the bedroom straight ahead, and the living room and kitchen to the right; there is oak flooring throughout. The spacious bedroom has regency-stripe blue and cream wallpaper with drapes of a matching blue. The double bed was very comfortable, especially for someone who’d been traveling and hadn’t slept in about 30 hours, and the closet space was immense. The bathroom is a bit small as compared with the rest of the rooms, but clean and spotless and done completely in white. You can cook a meal for four in the compact kitchen: there’s a microwave, stove, refrigerator, pots, pans, toaster, dishes and tableware at your disposal. The living room is done in a red shade, and has a comfortable sofa, armchair, a small dining table and chairs, a desk with a fax machine, CD player, phone, and TV. Other amenities include a trouser press, iron and safe. I generally stay at less expensive places, but as December 26th is a holiday in Ireland; many hotels are closed, so for one night I decided to splurge. Also due to the holiday, the hotel was not serving the usual breakfast, but I used the kitchen to at least get my morning caffeine fix so I didn’t mind too much. The staff was helpful and courteous, and if you want to splurge or have space to spread out, the Clarion St. Stephens Hall is a good choice.

Topolis has dark wood floors, tables and chairs. The walls to the height of the chair rail are painted deep terracotta; above the chair rail they are white ragged with terracotta. Fresh flowers are on each table, as well as a glowing candle for a soft light.

The menu is primarily pasta and pizzas, although there are also some seafood and meat entrees as well. I started my dinner with a small house salad, which was a mixture of vegetables and fresh greens with a tasty house dressing. I tried the Pizza Regina for my main course. This is a combination of tomato, mozzarella, mushrooms, olives and ham, and was delicious. I was disappointed that they were out of Italian beer, so I settled for a Corona instead. The staff sometimes seems a bit harried and disorganized, but the food and ambiance are good, so Topolis is definitely worth a visit.

For a starter I chose Spring Roll, which is served hot and crispy, and is filled with baby shrimp, BBQ pork, and shredded vegetables. The entree I selected was King Prawns with Black Bean Sauce. This dish, served on a sizzling platter, is full of huge, tender prawns, with slices of carrot, pieces of onion, and chunks of green pepper in a tasty black bean sauce. You have a choice of either boiled or fried rice with your entree; there is an extra charge for rice. For dessert I tried the Orange Sorbet, which is a generous scoop of refreshing orange sorbet served in a hollowed-out orange. A Chinese beer quenched my thirst nicely.

The lighting here is subdued, and tables are set with white cloths, which contrasts with the red lacquer ceiling. The walls are white panels with Chinese scenes featured; these are done with almost an Art Deco feel.

Calculating the price from punts to Euros to dollars has left me a bit fuzzy, but I calculate the price to be about $40 US dollars, which is a bit pricey for even excellent Chinese food. Not a bargain certainly, but the food and service are both good.

This is a cozy place with oak floors, pale terracotta walls with dark terracotta trim, and wooden beams on the ceilings. The dark wood tables each have lighted candles. Decorative wall sconces and murals of Italy on the walls add a nice touch.

I stopped by here New Year's Eve, after one of the restaurants down the street had turned me away (silly me, no reservation for dinner on New Year's Eve!) Luckily, Ciao Bella Roma made room for me at a cozy table in a corner.

The menu features mainly pasta and pizzas; about 20 or so different kinds of pizza were offered, and they all looked tempting. However, wanting something a bit lighter, I chose Rigatoni all Amatriciana, which is rigatoni pasta in a tomato sauce with herbs, cheese, and ground meat. I tried an Italian beer, Nastro Azzurro, which was quite nice. I'd thought a salad came with my pasta, but either it didn't or the server forgot it. Since it was New Year's Eve, I decided to splurge and ordered Cassatta for dessert, which was fabulous! There are layers of ice cream, whipped cream and tutti frutti.....worth every calorie, I assure you! A cappuccino topped of my meal nicely.

I thought the service was decent, especially for New Year's Eve, and I was especially impressed that they were able to make room for me at the last minute. The owner seems to keep watch over his staff to assure that things ran smoothly.

This is a very modern space in Temple Bar, and seems to be quite popular with the younger crowd. The front and side walls are glass, so diners can people-watch those in the Square. Lighting is subdued; tables are small and rather closely placed.

My friend John and I each tred the Pironi beer, which we both enjoyed. For a starter we shared an order of the bruschetta, which is grilled bread with chopped tomato and spices...quite tasty. John's pasta dish had strips of steak in a tomato herb sauce with tube pasta. My Carbonara Trastevere had bacon, mushrooms, and herbs in a delicate cream sauce, it absolutely melted in my mouth it was so good. We split an order of the Irish Cream Mousse for dessert, which we followed with coffee.

This was one of my favorite restaurants that I visited in Dublin; my one criticism is that the music was a bit loud.

I decided to try this Indian restaurant located a short walk from my hotel. The lighting is subdued, with candles and flowers on each table. The color scheme is mostly burgundy and gray.

I was first offered some papadum, which are made from ground lentils and are thin and crispy. A selection of four different chutneys was offered: a green chutney (mild); one that seemed to be a peach or apricot chutney (sweet and mild); a chopped red pepper chutney; and a fiery chutney that I believe was made with some sort of fermented chili peppers. For a starter, I had the Vegetable Pakora. Different sorts of bite-sized veggies are fried in a slightly spicy batter; try them with some of the excellent chutneys. I thought the pakora were quite good; and there seemed to be a nice variety of vegetables, including some I never did identify. For a main course I had the Vegetable Jaipur Biryani, which is rice, spices, and pieces of vegetables. This was actually a lot spicier than I’d thought it would be, but quite tasty. A mineral water helped douse the flames.

I’m spoiled by the wonderful Indian restaurants in Chicago; the food here did not compare, and the service was average. However, if you are in Dublin and have a taste for Indian food you could likely do worse than Indian Tandoori.

I met Bryan McEvilly, a prison officer, my first evening in Dublin. Finding him to be a wonderful raconteur and a history buff, I got the idea of having him take me on a tour of the prison where he works. Bryan agreed and we made our arrangements.

I was met at the main gate of Mountjoy, the closest my cab could go to the entrance of the prison. We began our tour around the outside of Mountjoy Prison, which opened in 1850, eleven years after construction was begun. It is currently the most dilapidated prison in Ireland.

Bryan pointed out the top floor area of one of the buildings where, in 1996, four prison officers were held hostage by a group of inmates for 52 hours. Fortunately, the incident ended peacefully. We next visited the area where the executions took place; it gave me chills to know I was perhaps standing where the hangman did, as he readied the noose for his victim. The first execution in Mountjoy was carried out in 1901, the last in 1954. By law, the hangman was charged with murder and fined five shillings.

Next Bryan told me about the ten patriots in the War of Independence (1918-1921) who were executed and buried at Mountjoy. Their bodies were exhumed in November, 2001 and reburied. Nine of the ten were laid to rest in the Republic Plot at Glasnevins Cemetery in Dublin, while the tenth was buried in his hometown of Limerick.

Inside the prison, Bryan pointed out a black wrought iron piece on one wall, which has three symbols done in brass. First the ship, symbolizing deportation to Australia; then the "auld triangle", formerly used by the prison chief to summon the prisoners to meals, etc. The final symbol is the cross, which represents the prisoners executed here.

The prison cells are about 10 x 8; large enough for a single bed. Each has a door rather than bars. I was visiting at lunchtime, and most of the inmates were eating in their cells. One was open, however, and I went to the door and looked in. The cell’s occupant had covered the walls with colorful posters, an incongruous note in an otherwise drab, dreary place. There are no sanitation facilities in the cells; toilets and sinks are located at the end of the hallway. Shower facilities are in the gym area; inmates will go for a workout and then have a shower. The prisoners can take classes in small groups; it is hoped they may learn a useful skill or trade to help them upon their release.

School groups are regularly brought through Mountjoy on tours. As Bryan said, if even one youngster is saved from a life of crime, it’s time well spent. I was allowed to bring in my camera and take whatever pictures I wished, with the exception of photographing anything dealing with the security systems or photographing the prisoners themselves.

This is a large, cheerful, multi-floor pub in the heart of Dublin’s lively Temple Bar, an area chock-full of pubs and restaurants. The copper pipe, red brick walls, red tile pillars and glass shelves showcasing world beers add to the warm atmosphere. As the name indicates, the Porterhouse has their own brews, as well as offering beers from all over the world. I tried two of their beers, Chiller and Vienna Winter Lager. Chiller is 4.2% alcohol by volume, and is the closest the brew to an "American" beer, i.e., a Miller or a Bud (but Chiller is MUCH tastier!) Vienna Winter Lager is a handcrafted winter lager, which is brewed in small batches. I loved it; really a different taste.

Ever try a Mongolian beer? Porterhouse offers Baa Dog at 5.0% alcohol by volume. How about trying Keo from Cyprus, or Windhoek from Namibia? Better still, bring in a full bottle of a beer the Porterhouse doesn’t already have and they’ll reward you with a free pint! Wine, cocktails, coffee, and coffee drinks are also available. Most beers are priced about $3-5 for a pint, although there are some of the more exotic ones that are a bit pricier.

If you’re hungry, try the oysters, or perhaps the nachos. Food is served from 5:00 PM to 9:30 PM except for weekends and bank holidays, when it is served all day. Prices range from about $4 for the potato wedges to about $16 for a Porterhouse steak.

I spent much of New Year’s Eve here and had a great time; lots of good craic (conversation) with the locals, as well as live music. The staff is young and friendly, and while this is a place popular with the younger crowd, there were a number of "over 40’s" as well.

www.porterhousebrewco.com

You can book this and other offered tours directly at the Dublin Bus Office, through your hotel concierge, or at the Dublin Tourism Center, Suffolk Street. I decided at the last minute to take this tour, and was able to buy a ticket at the Dublin Bus Office for the tour departing that same afternoon. There were a number of other people that bought tickets last minute as well, though I’m not sure it would be as easy to do so in high season.

The first part of the tour winds south along the coast where the first place of note is Dun Loaghaire, with its impressive yacht harbor. In the quaint, seaside village of Dalkey, we all wondered if the tour would come to a premature end, as the streets are very narrow and the turns very tight – especially with a large double-decker bus! But our driver/guide had obviously had much experience and we continued on our way with all paint and bus parts intact.

Dalkey was one of my favorite places on the tour, particularly the view of the island in Dublin Bay with its ruin of an old military tower and church. The island is uninhabited...by humans, that is. Our guide said that now only wild goats live there. Apparently these goats are much beloved by the people of Dalkey, as they will take food out to them on the island in particularly harsh winters.

Next we passed through Killiney Bay, ("Kill" in Irish means "church"), then Shankill and Bray. The guide pointed out the many elegant homes in these lovely coastal villages.

The tour stops for about 45 minutes at Avoca Handweavers in County Wicklow, where wonderful Irish woolens and handcrafts are for sale. There is also a restaurant for those needing sustenance to continue touring! After browsing through the store, I went out and wandered through the scenic grounds, which are also quite lovely, with the sun setting over the nearby mountains.

On the return to Dublin, I loved the village of Enniskerry; it was like a glimpse into the past. Also of note on the return trip is the Blue Church, a popular place for weddings, especially with the church in the background of the wedding photographs.

Once reaching Dublin, we drove a bit through Georgian Dublin, where, typical to the Georgian style of architecture, the windows get smaller each floor you ascend from the ground floor. The tour finished back at the Dublin Bus Office on O’Connell Street. For about $16 US, this is a nice tour, although I was disappointed that we didn’t stop along the way to let us have an opportunity to take photographs.

When I heard about the tradition of ringing the Christ Church bells on New Year’s Eve, I decided this would be a special way to celebrate. Every New Year’s Eve at midnight, the giant bells at Christ Church are rung to usher out the old year and welcome in the new. Long before midnight, Dubliners gather around the church, joining old friends and meeting new ones, to wait for the bells. The Garda (Dublin’s police force) block off the street and there is much dancing and singing. Everyone feels free to walk up to complete strangers to shake hands, hug, kiss or just wish them a Happy New Year. Even the Garda join in the festive spirit as many ladies walked up and hugged and kissed the handsome young Garda officers, who didn’t seem to mind a bit! Many of the Garda obligingly posed for pictures with revelers or took pictures of anyone who asked. All of a sudden, the bells began to ring, people were shouting, and it was 2002 (and welcome to the Euro!). The festivities continued for a bit after midnight, then the Garda re-opened the streets, and a few brave souls (like me) went in search of a late open pub for one more drink.

I may as well admit it, I do have an interest in astrology and other such esoteric things. When I was walking along and spotted this shop, I had to go in and have a look around. If you want to have a personal horoscope done, you can buy them on the spot or order them and have them mailed. All that is needed is your date, time and place of birth. There is a large collection of crystals and polished stones. Crystal balls ranging in size from 1" to 5" round are available...hmm, wonder if those things really work? Tarot cards, divination cards, incense and incense burners are for sale. I particularly loved the Celtic astrology jewelry, which is based on trees. My birthday is February, which is the willow tree. Attributes of those born under the willow "sign" (according to Celtic astrology) are strength and flexibility, a different attitude, an unconventional manner, a need for freedom, and humanitarian tendencies.

Other popular items include Feng Shui objects, Native American pieces, and Indian and Tibetan pieces. Whether or not you believe in astrology, this is none-the-less a charming little shop to visit.

email: astrology@eircom.net
www.houseofastrology.com

Global Internet Cafe
8 Lower O’Connell Street
Dublin 1
(01) 878-0295
Email: info@globalcafe.ie
www.globalcafe.ie

This bright Internet cafe with its friendly, helpful staff is conveniently located on O’Connell Street, just near the River Liffey. The equipment is up-to-date, in good repair, and offers fast Internet access and large monitors. All PCs have MS Excel and MS Word; both black and white and color printing is available. Additionally, scanning, CD burning, web cam, and digital photo uploading is offered at no extra charge. A selection of papers and envelopes is on hand should you wish to prepare a presentation or craft a new C.V. (that’s resume to those of us in the States). If you’re a "net novice" or a computer newbie, you’ll find helpful instructions posted on the wall: how to use the photo printer, or how to send photo/video email. Hot and cold beverages are offered, as well as a selection of snacks. Price range is $2-5 USD. Other niceties include a choice of smoking or non-smoking areas, and a luggage storage service. The price was only about $3 USD for about an hour, and is one of the nicest Internet cafes I’ve found in my travels.

After taking the South Coast Bus Tour, I decided I wanted to return to Dalkey and capture more of its charm in photographs. I took a DART train from Dublin; it took about 1/2 hour and the round trip cost was about $3 USD. When I reached Dalkey, I started walking in a direction I thought would take me to the water....which it eventually did. My destination was a spot where I could get a good view (and good photographs) of Dalkey Island, and 1/2 mile off the coast. Dalkey Island is 23 acres in size, and signs show it was first inhabited about 2,000 years ago. The only inhabitants now are wild goats, which the local residents of Dalkey care for and feed during harsh winters. Noted sights on the island are the 9th century stone church of St. Begnet and a Martello tower dating from about 1804. After a long walk from the train station, I eventually came to a sort of scenic outlook where it's possible to get a wonderful unobstructed view of Dalkey Island and the lighthouse at Dalkey. After taking my fill of photographs, I headed back toward the train. As I walked through the village, people were greeting each other on the street and wishing each other a Happy New Year, and some stopped to greet me as well. This is truly a charming village, a spot not to be missed.

Howth lies to the north of Dublin, on a peninsula. To get there, catch a DART train in Dublin; the journey takes about 40 minutes and will cost about $3 USD roundtrip.

Howth and its Cliff Walk had been recommended to me; I decided to go on New Year's Day and it turned out a number of families were out walking along the harbor as well. Although it was quite cold and rather windy, many people were out for a stroll: perhaps hoping the cold bracing sea air would clear their New Year's hangover? A few brave souls were even swimming: I can't imagine how cold they must have been even in wetsuits! I ended up walking along the harbor and the pier; I was surprised to find seals in the harbor, and everyone stopped to watch them frolic.

Like Dalkey, you can see a Martello tower on the island off Howth. This island fascinated me, as it seemed to change colors as the light changed. When the sun came out and shone, it seemed to be almost a golden glow, but in shade was dark and foreboding. There are several places to stop for refreshments: I noticed a fish and chips place near the train station that seemed to be doing a brisk business, as well as a small convenience store which was quite busy as well.

Near the train station there's a sign posted which shows all the points of interest and recommended walks along Howth. This is provided by the Howth Peninsula Society. I enjoyed the sea air, and want to come back and enjoy more of the walks through Howth.