Dublin

Dublin is a great city for a 4-day trip. You can navigate it easily using the Spire in the center of the city.

This is a memorial to incarcerated people. Much of Dublin's history feels defined by British occupation.

The weather was mostly overcast.

 

One of the best places we ate was The Stags Head. Be sure to get the Guinness-Oyster combo; we also got a toastie.

The bar at the old Jameson Distillery is worth a visit.

There is also a great ethnic food scene in Dublin.

Everyone says the Guinness Factory is a must see in Dublin, but we were pretty underwhelmed.

 

Trippy

The place is a maze of escalators.

Nice rooster

There's some good street art in Dublin.

There's even a bar in an old church!

Dublin Castle was built by Norman England to consolidate power in Ireland in 1204. It served as the British seat of power until 1922.

You can tour the inside and see some art.

The throne room

A very Irish carpet

St. Patrick's Hall, used for presidential inaugurations

The badge of The Order of St. Patrick, a British order of chivalry

Next to Dublin Castle is the Chester Beatty Museum, an amazing collection of antiquities from around the world assembled by the eponymous mining magnate.

St. Patrick's Cathedral is the national cathedral of the Anglican Church of Ireland.

Plenty of pigeons were roosting outside.

The cathedral was founded in 1192.

The tile floors are beautiful.

A narrow winding staircase

A portion of the Cathedral is a war memorial.

A stained glass window memorializing Sevastopol.

The Cathedral became Anglican during the English Reformation in the 16th century.

The choir

The head sticking out of side of doorway is a common style.

Don't open the door to hard.

Beautiful stained glass windows

Exit through the gift shop!

Christ Church Cathedral is the oldest cathedral in Dublin, and also of Anglican Church of Ireland denomination.

This Cathedral was my favorite, mostly due to the foxy friars on the floors.

And on the chairs!

The Cathedral was founded in the 11th century by Vikings.

The Norman Strongbow rebuilt the Cathedral.

The Cathedral has a spooky crypt.

Trinity College houses the Book of Kells, a Gospel book made in the British Isle in the 800s.

An old Irish harp

The Long Room of the Old Library at Trinity College

The illustration in the Book of Kells is top quality for the 800s. Irish missionaries (allegedly) converted many places on continental Europe.

One of my favorite places in Dublin is the National Archaeological Museum.

The Cross of Cong was made in 1122 to enshrine a portion of the True Cross possessed by the High King of Ireland.

Croziers from the 11th and 12th centuries

St. Patrick is associated with bells in Ireland.

A Celtic fibulae

A carved stone head from the 1st/2nd century A.D. There are many bog mummies in the museum as well.

An impressive collection of Celtic goldwork

Giant gold beads from 800-700 B.C.

Viking jewelry from the 9th century