Chris & Emily’s Ireland Adventures
Seven days across the island — city streets and castle walls, cliffside roads and a ferry ride to the edge of the Atlantic. This is the trip, day by day, more or less as we lived it.
Dublin → Kilkenny → Cashel & Blarney → the Ring of Kerry → Doolin → Inis Mòr
In This Journal
Day 1
Dublin
We arrived in Dublin City at 5:40 AM after a short five-and-a-half-hour flight—not quite long enough to get a proper nap in, but we powered through the day. Luckily, we were able to check in early at our hotel and freshen up before heading out.
Aloft Hotel Dublin
Our first stop was Tang for breakfast, where Chris and I shared a delicious order of pancakes and shakshuka.
Tang’s Shaksuka
Fueled up, we made our way to Trinity College, Dublin’s most prestigious university, founded in 1592. Here, we explored the iconic library and learned about the Book of Kells, one of the most famous manuscripts in the world. This stunning Latin transcription of the four Gospels, created around 800 AD—long before the printing press—features intricate illustrations that push the limits of what was possible at the time. Our biggest takeaways? Almost any animal can symbolize Jesus if you get creative enough, and Vikings were a constant, recurring nightmare for monasteries.
The beautiful campus of Trinity College
In Trinity College Library’s long hall
A bust of Ada Lovelace, the first computer programmer
The Brian Bora Harp, the oldest surviving Irish harp - if it looks familiar that's because it's the inspiration of Guinness’ logo!
Next, we made our way to St. Stephen’s Green, but not before stopping for a quick photo with the famous Molly Malone statue (no, we didn’t touch her boobs).
Molly Malone Statue
St. Stephen’s Green, now a gorgeous park, was once the site of Ireland’s 1916 Easter Uprising, a pivotal moment in the country’s fight for independence. Free audio tours of St. Stephen’s Green can be found at www.ststephensgreenpark.ie
Selfie in St. Stephan’s park
A heron in St. Stephen’s park
From there, we strolled down Grafton Street, admiring its high-end shops and lively atmosphere, before arriving at The Brazen Head, Ireland’s oldest pub.
Here, we enjoyed a hearty meal of burgers, veggie stew, fantastic beer, and Irish coffee.
St. Patrick's Cathedral
On the way back to the hotel for a well-needed rest, we passed through the lovely St. Patrick’s Park, taking in the peaceful surroundings before calling it a night. Tomorrow, we’ll explore Dublin Castle and even take some Irish dance lessons!