BOOK OF KELLS - GUINNESS TOUR - CHURCHES - IRELAND'S OLDEST PUB
Another Full Irish Breakfast to start the day then on to Trinity College to sneak a peak at the Book of Kells. If you have a love of lots of old wood and lots of very old books, then this is a place for you! Sadly, photography is not permitted in the Old Library nor of the Book of Kells.
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| Entry to Trinity College |
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| Trinity College - central court yard |
We were a bit tired after that foray into ancient academia, so we figured a long winding walk to Guinness Factory would be just the break we needed. It's very important for one to fully understand the enterprise of creating such a fine brew! Five of us (I won't reveal which ones) were able to sample a half pint mid way through the tour. When we reached the end, the four truly legal ones lifted 4 pints. At this point, the fifth had to settle for being a wannabe.
We continued to meander the city and made our way St. Patrick's and Christ Church. We were very puzzled to discover that the two largest cathedrals in Dublin aren't Catholic.
Since our kids are so fond of "pub hopping," we had to complete their visit with a quick stop at the oldest pub in Ireland, The Brazen Head. Apparently, this pub dates back to 1198.
We selected the Merchants Arch for some live music and dinner. It was off to the side of the main pedestrian way - we wanted to avoide the crowd. There was quite a lot of activity, including a street band and a few that had a few too many.
Oh, here's an interesting fact: the pubs in Ireland cannot serve alcohol on Good Friday.
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| Gravity Bar at the top of the Guinness Factory |
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| St. Patrick's |
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| St. Patrick's |
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| St. Patrick's |
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| St. Patrick's |
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| Kneeler pad at St. Patrick's |
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| Dublin's oldest pub |
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| Braised Beef and Guinness Pie at the Marchants Arch --Yum! |
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| Yum! |
