Ireland

Visited: March 2005

Duration of visit: 3 days

Capital city: Dublin

Population: 4.1 million (2005)

Estimated reading time: 5 minutes

• Dublin – the capital city of Ireland – is known for its colorful doorways, old cathedrals, bars with famous local beers and live music.
• Patrick’s Cathedral – the largest church in Ireland, built between 1220 and 1260.
• Beer; the world’s best-selling Irish beer is Guinness, originating back in 1759.
• Irish food; traditional Irish breakfast complemented with fish/chips for lunch.

The three most famous symbols of the Republic of Ireland are the green Shamrock, the harp, and the Celtic cross. The fourth one could be the famous Irish brewery Guinness. The Irish consume, in average, over 130 liters of beer per year – the 2^nd highest per-capita consumption after the Czech Republic.

Ireland is known as the Emerald Isle for its famously lush greenery and rolling hills, but so far, I visited only the capital city of Dublin as a stopover during my African Big Tour.

Oddly enough, living in London for almost 2 years, I was never attracted to explore the countryside and other urban areas.

In 2004, I stayed in a basic hostel in downtown Dublin for three nights. It was actually a break between Eastern and West African trip. At that time, the low-cost airlines started to operate in Europe, changing the price policy in aviation industry. It was incredibly cheap to fly to Dublin, where Ryanair base is located. Upon returning from Africa via London, a few days in Ireland were an excellent variation to African lifestyle.

I walked around Dublin, visited some of the highlights, enjoyed local cuisine and drinks. March marks the onset of spring, bringing with it a more temperate climate. Although the temperatures increased above 10°C and it rained only occasionally, the climate change from hot Africa was shocking for me.

St. Patrick’s Cathedral – the largest church in Ireland, was built between 1220 and 1260. After years of rejection, desecration and fires, St Patrick’s Cathedral was restored in 1860 thanks to a large donation by Sir Benjamin Guinness. It is located in the center of Dublin, honoring Ireland’s patron saint. During my visit, the number of visitors was quite limited, and the atmosphere inside was both dark and cold.

The colorful doors of Dublin from the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries stand as some of the most recognizable symbols of the city’s architectural heritage, immediately capturing attention. Various theories have emerged to explain the reasons for their bright colors and decorative elements, yet unfortunately, none are likely to be accurate.

The most reasonable explanation probably derives from the fact that the streets were predominantly filled with rows of uniform red brick houses, which suppressed the natural inclination of residents to personalize their homes. Many of these doors originate from the city’s expansion era between 1714 and 1830, with the tradition continuing through modern renovations.

When beverages in Ireland are mentioned, the most significant connections that come to mind are Irish whiskey and Guinness beer. Originating in 1759, Guinness is recognized as the best-selling Irish beer in the world. It ranks among the most successful alcohol brands internationally. The unique taste of Guinness is derived from a combination of malted barley and roasted unmalted barley.

I do not particularly enjoy beers, and I have an even lesser preference for Guinness. However, the Guinness Storehouse, located at St. James’s Gate Brewery in Dublin, is a notable tourist destination, attracting over one million visitors annually. It is a site that I couldn’t miss when visiting Dublin.

An Irish breakfast is filling and it was created for farm workers so they would be satiated and ready for a full day’s work. It consists of cooked meat (bacon, sausages), eggs, grilled tomatoes, mushrooms, cooked leftover potatoes made into a hash with butter, and brown bread. What distinguishes this from a full British breakfast is the inclusion of black or white pudding. Tea and orange juice are added for drinking. As a vegetarian I obviously skipped sausage or bacon, which caused suspicious considerations from a waiter, but it didn’t reduce the price.

The simplicity of an Irish breakfast may not appeal to me, particularly in the absence of sausage or bacon; however, the significance of a quality traditional lunch cannot be overstated. The experience of fish and chips is not uniform; certain restaurants provide a markedly better quality and taste.  Leo Burdocks Fish n’ Chips stands out a one of the most esteemed, serving customers since 1913. I can personally confirm the perfect crispiness of the fries, accompanied by a generous and fresh piece of cod that was expertly fried and seasoned to perfection.

Irish people are extremely proud of their origins. For generations they consider themselves as Irish, even though they might have never lived in Ireland.

Over 80 million people of Irish descent live outside Ireland; 14 times more than the population of Ireland itself!

A total of 3 million of these emigrants continue to possess Irish nationality. Given the relatively small size of the nation, the extent of their global presence is indeed remarkable.

Whether in Panama, the United States, London, or numerous other destinations around the globe, the presence of green on Saint Patrick’s Day is impossible to overlook. This cultural and religious event, takes place on March 17^th, marking the traditional death anniversary of Saint Patrick, a 5^th-century missionary who later became a bishop and is credited with spreading Christianity throughout parts of Ireland. The festivities are lively and colorful across the world, characterized by large parades and a significant consumption of Guinness and other popular Irish beers.

Ireland ranks low on my list of travel priorities, resulting in minimal attention devoted to it. This situation is somewhat akin to my experience with the United Kingdom. Despite having lived in London for a year and a half, I did not take the opportunity to explore Ireland more thoroughly.

I plan to return eventually to properly explore a few cities and the countryside, which features breathtaking cliffs, picturesque seascapes, grand mountains, glistening lakes, mysterious forests, and charmingly colorful homes.