A Guinness Each Day

[Vacation4us]

We just returned home from Ireland last night. Had a fabulous trip and just loved all the history of Ireland. DH did all the driving and as expected was awesome with a manual transmission driving on the left.

We purchased an OPW card at our first stop in Trim. We visited at least 13 OPW sites and enjoyed them all. Visited many castles and heard more history on guided tours than I have heard since being in school.

Considering the time of year we visited we experienced great weather. I hope your time in Ireland is a wonderful as ours was.

Enjoy!

 

[Mr._Graybeard]

We visited Galway 30 years ago. The most memorable thing was when we tried to get into an Italian restaurant for an early dinner. The door was locked, so we rang the bell. A wary-looking gentleman opened the door, looked us over and told us to come back in an hour. We went to one of the many pubs nearby and cooled our heels.

Upon our return, the same man welcomed us warmly and steered us to a table. I remember savoring a delightful salmon pasta alfredo and our first taste of tiramisu (the maitre'd called it Italian cheesecake).

Tripadvisor lists an Italian eatery on the Upper Salthill road called Da Roberta's. It might be the same place, maybe not. It looks like the correct location on the map, and Tripadvisor subscribers seem to like it.

 

[target2019]

Day 7 - Dublin

On the 7th day all of Dublin was in view. We ate from a large buffet in the hotel. The food was very good. More examples of rude Americans for the diary. We walked to the Garden of Remembrance, pictured below. The Irish struggle at home and abroad has not been lost with me. A poem about that is on the wall, last picture below.

On our way back to the hotel we found an impressive statue of James Joyce. The nearby museum was not open, however.

At the hotel I had to rest, and woke up with symptoms from an infection. I soldiered on and we went through the EPIC immigration experience. #1 Son took us to the Apotheke for vitamin packets with acetaminophen. That had a soothing effect. Later he brought pizzas to our room and we watched Pixie, an independent movie with good ratings.

We did not see as many sites as desired today, but Guiness again!

 

[NW-Bound]

In my recent trip to the Dolomites, at the dinner one night the next table was occupied by two Irish guys in their early 30s. We struck a conversation with them, and exchanged some stories.

One said that in one trip to mainland Europe he tasted some Belgian beer for the 1st time, loved it and had to buy some to bring it back for his friends. Said Belgian beers were impossible to find in Ireland.

I expressed surprise, and said wow, I had no problem finding both Guinness and Belgian beers, or most international beers in Arizona.

I wonder if what he said about the unavailability of foreign beers in Ireland was true. Or perhaps he lived in some diehard Irish towns.

 

[braumeister]

I wonder if what he said about the unavailability of foreign beers in Ireland was true. Or perhaps he lived in some diehard Irish towns.

In my experience it's common all over Europe. Difficult to find any but local offerings. We're spoiled in this country with the ability to get nearly any beer style from any country.

OTOH, the beer is always at its best when fresh, which is a great incentive to go traveling. They might have limited choices, but what they have is wonderful.

 

[NW-Bound]

In my experience it's common all over Europe. Difficult to find any but local offerings. We're spoiled in this country with the ability to get nearly any beer style from any country.

OTOH, the beer is always at its best when fresh, which is a great incentive to go traveling. They might have limited choices, but what they have is wonderful.

I guess it's because I always ask for a local beer when traveling that I did not notice the lack of foreign beers.

The exception is at Asian restaurants, where they have Sapporo, Kirin, Tsingtao, etc..., even Saigon beer.

 

[target2019]

Day 8 - Dublin

Up earlier, the buffet at Riu Plaza was much smoother. We walked over the O'Connell bridge, 850 meters to Trinity college. We inspected the large sculpture Sphere Within Sphere by Arnaldo Pomodoro.

We walked a short distance to visit Oscar Wilde as he reclined on a rock in Merrion Square.

After a walk through St. Patrick's Cathedral we took a picture as light rain began to fall

In the evening we ate at J.W. Sweetman pub, and you see their craft stout in a pint glass.

 

[target2019]

Day 9 - Dublin to Cork

#1 Daughter and mate arrived very early in the morning. We went for breakie and gave them the room for hours of rest. It was special that five of us could be in Ireland to celebrate the times.

By 12 noon we were in a cab heading for the train to Cork. The trip was a few hours, made longer by Cork traffic which is a continual problem for all. But we did make the hotel well before sunset.

We walked a few streets before dinner, and found a rainbow. Dinner in the hotel (River Lee) restaurant was beyond expectations. The staff and servers were all very professional.

 

[target2019]

Day 10 - Cork and the Cliffs of Moher

We took the PaddyWagon tour to the Cliffs of Moher and Burren Natl Park.
The wind was incredibly powerful that day, and a steady rain made the climb up many steps a challenge.

 

[target2019]

Day 11 - Cork to Dublin

Son and I had a nice talk at breakfast. Daughter went on a tour and kissed the Blarney Stone for me. We walked the streets of Cork one last time. Leaving on 5:00 train was chancey. Only one cab came, so we missed the scheduled train, and left one hour later. We got to Dublin after 9:30pm, and had pizzas and beer in the hotel lobby.

 

[GaryInCO]

I had an overnight in Dublin on the way back from Bordeaux, a bit before Covid. So of course I had to make a pilgrimage to a proper Irish pub and order a proper Irish Guinness.

I was a bit disappointed that it didn't seem any different than the Guinness here.

But what really disappointed me was all the local yobbos in the pub. I was sitting at the bar, right next to where the wait staff entered their orders. I'd guess maybe 1/3 of the orders were Guinness. At least half were ... ugh ... Coors Light. They should turn in their Irish licenses.

 

[caramel]

And on the third day we visited churches. Saint Nicholas' Collegiate Church (1320) was what you'd expect in a medieval church. Built in stages, there were large gravestones throughout the floor. Large columns, carved statues, and a single stone cross at the rear of the church.

Galway Cathedral is the newest cathedral in Europe, dedicated in 1965. Dedicated to Our Lady Assumed into Heaven and Saint Nicholas, the interior is not as expected, being more modern.

After dinner we returned to the hotel. I had a goodnight Guiness.

Absolutely beautiful. Thanks for sharing!

 

[bmcgonig]

I had an overnight in Dublin on the way back from Bordeaux, a bit before Covid. So of course I had to make a pilgrimage to a proper Irish pub and order a proper Irish Guinness.

I was a bit disappointed that it didn't seem any different than the Guinness here.

But what really disappointed me was all the local yobbos in the pub. I was sitting at the bar, right next to where the wait staff entered their orders. I'd guess maybe 1/3 of the orders were Guinness. At least half were ... ugh ... Coors Light. They should turn in their Irish licenses.

When they drink 10 pints before closing time they want to limit the calories …[emoji6]

 

[NW-Bound]

Absolutely beautiful. Thanks for sharing!

+1

A travel thread without photos is like, what, je ne sais quoi.

I was thinking a steak without pepper and garlic, but it is worse than that so can't think offhand of a comparison.

 

[ERD50]

When they drink 10 pints before closing time they want to limit the calories …[emoji6]

10. Guinness Draught

Calories: 125

ABV: 4.2%



8. Coors light

Coors LightCalories: 102

ABV: 4.2%


For an extra 23 calories (also ~ 23%), I'll take the one with flavor and mouthfeel every time!

-ERD50

 

[ERD50]

... So of course I had to make a pilgrimage to a proper Irish pub and order a proper Irish Guinness. ....

So many people have said there's nothing like a Guinness in Dublin, esp on the brew tour.

I honestly didn't notice anything all that different, compared to a properly poured one, at a place with fresh kegs and well maintained taps, here in the Chicago area (and not hard to find).

And the cans with the Gizmo are quite good, I avoided them as a gimmick until a Dublin native said he kept some in his fridge at home in Dublin, if he wanted one w/o going out.

-ERD50

 

[PointBreeze]

On day five my cousin took us three Yanks (our son arrived evening before) around the counties of Longford, Leitrim and Roscommon. Carrick-on-Shannon, and several smaller villages were taken in. We walked through a few cemeteries too (great fun for some of us). We encountered cows being driven back from pastures, and that provided a closeup look of times past for us. The cows were moving quite fast and my cousin set a hard fence with the car, so the cows turned right into the farm yard, as if it were all planned. On the road we also stopped next to oncoming cars and talked about herds and weather.

My grandmother was born in County Leitrim - a small, poor rural county that is rarely mentioned. It made my day to see you mention it in your post!

 

[bmcgonig]

So many people have said there's nothing like a Guinness in Dublin, esp on the brew tour.



I honestly didn't notice anything all that different, compared to a properly poured one, at a place with fresh kegs and well maintained taps, here in the Chicago area (and not hard to find).



And the cans with the Gizmo are quite good, I avoided them as a gimmick until a Dublin native said he kept some in his fridge at home in Dublin, if he wanted one w/o going out.



-ERD50

I bartended in Ireland and that’s the secret to good pints. Fresh kegs and lots of pints flowing. Every morning we poured and tossed 4 or 5 pints before serving our first pint of Guinness. But there’s a “good pint”, and there’s a “perfect pint”, and everything in between. And people will scour a new town for the “perfect pint”. I have friends that will only drink Guinness in certain pubs in Dublin.

In Ireland they don’t complain much about things, except the weather of course, but many people will send back a pint unless they thinks it’s perfect ( to their taste), and it’s pretty much accepted that they’ll get another one.

 

[bmcgonig]

10. Guinness Draught



Calories: 125



ABV: 4.2%







8. Coors light



Coors LightCalories: 102



ABV: 4.2%





For an extra 23 calories (also ~ 23%), I'll take the one with flavor and mouthfeel every time!



-ERD50

Indeed

https://www.thedailymeal.com/healthy-eating/guinness-healthier-your-light-beer

 

[hotwired]

Distraction!

You distracted us from the shot glasses! I want to know what's in those, haha!

 

[target2019]

Absolutely beautiful. Thanks for sharing!

Thank you so much. And I still have ten days or so to post about. It's been 22 days since I typed on a full-size keyboard, and I have a large pile of mail waiting. But posts and friendly banter are very desirable.

Ireland is a beautiful country, and I finally made it to the Emerald Isle.

 

[target2019]

My grandmother was born in County Leitrim - a small, poor rural county that is rarely mentioned. It made my day to see you mention it in your post!

Well, hello then, PointBreeze in Pittsburgh. I discovered Irish cousins in your Pittsburgh area. What was unusual, at least for me, was that the individual was 100% Irish after the ancestors being in U.S. for 175 years.

When you go, Carrick-on-Shannon is partially in Leitrim and Roscommon. Might make a good starting point.

It was mentioned to me that travellers can fly into Shannon Airport, during this time of increased security and inspection lines in Dublin. and then explore the center and west areas.

Just before leaving I was directed to https://www.irelandxo.com/ -- where you can join online parishes and make friends with a local guide. They also may look up records for you.

Other areas of interest in County Leitrim are Bornacoola, Mohill, Drumshanbo, Leitrim Village and on and on...

 

[target2019]

Day 12 - Dublin and Jameson

As a couple we walked through the morning chill along the River Liffey. A dockside coffee and pastry was a special moment. We crossed the Samuel Beckett Bridge, seen below.

At 12 we went through the Jameson Distillery, and sampled several blends. This is a recommended attraction, a must go.

 

[target2019]

Day 12 - Guiness Storehouse

We walked from Jameson to the Guinness Storehouse, a large museum and tourist attraction. I lost count of how many floors we travelled. Eventually you make it to a large room with great views, and of course your Guiness for the day. You'll need more than half a day to fully explore the museum.

 

[Dreamer]

I am also enjoying your posts about your trip and the beautiful pictures. Thanks for taking us along on your trip.

I have wanted to go to Ireland for many years. Hopefully, I will get to go someday.