Off the beaten track, Dublin

Favorite thing: Visit Howth
Learn how to SAY 'Howth' like a local!
Do the Guinness thing (and taste the black stuff!)
Talk to locals.
The Abbey Tavern is, of course, the main reason anyone who is a beer drinker visits Howth.
It's easy to get to Howth - you can take the DART or a bus from Dublin City Centre. I recommend the train - it's quick and simple, and relatively frequent. From the Train station, it's a short hike up a hill to the Pub on a back street - next to the old Abbey ruins, of course!
'Fraid I can't tell you much more about Howth itself, except it has a small picturesque harbour, because I've never got any further than the Pub!
You'll find a warm cozy peat-burning fire on the main level to sit by during the often cool days while you nurse your Guinness. There are two other areas besides the main level bar area, and these serve meals and provide the scene for the famous Abbey Tavern Singers shows.
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Fondest memory: Family is the reason I have visited Dublin recently. However, even though two of my grandsons were born in Dublin, my family is now safely ensconced in Canada, and there is no reason for me to visit this interesting City any more. But I'm always looking for excuses!

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Favorite thing: Ehm... I know, I know, this isn't only Dublin but also other Counties... sorry!
I suggest that you should visit the Cliffs of Moher in County Claire, Powerscourt Waterfall in County Wicklow, The Torc Waterfall in Killarney and the great Kilkenny Castle! (amongst the other things)

Fondest memory: The University College of Dublin... Horse riding and bed-breakfasting in Kinnitty Castle... Staying in Kilkenny's Hilton... seeing the dolphin in Dingle... sorry, there is too many!

Favorite thing: Larger view down Parnell Street. Go west one more block, turn south and you are heading towards the market district. We'll take a walk down there when I get back from tomorrows trip to North Carolina's Outer Banks in July 2004!!

Favorite thing: Directly across the street from the Rotunda and Ambassador Theatre is the Parnell Mooney Pub, a place where we had an extremely good night after the Proclaimers concert. I highly recommend this pub after 10:00 pm. Great people and great Guiness. Damn good place.

If you het lost, the man himself, Charles Stewart Parnell will assist with a helpful point in the right direction!

Favorite thing: Directly to the west and adjacent to the Ambassador, north west (left) of the Parnell Monument on Parnell Street is the Lying In Hospital. This facility was founded in 1745 by Bartholomew Mosse, and has been providing maternity services to Irish women in this location since 1757. VT’s own Marc O’Loughlain, (Locahlainn) came into the world in this hospital back when even he, as incredible as it may seem, was a little tiny infant!!! I have a vision of tiny little Marc, nestled snug in his basonnette, calmly smoking a cig and telling the nurse to bring him another pint....NOW!!!!!

Favorite thing: Here's a darkly lit photo of the Long Hall's interior. I hate interrupting the mood of these grand old girls and typically refuse to use flash lighting. The flash never truly portrays the mood anyway. I didn't take along my SLR Nikon for a timed shot of the interior, so all you get is this hardly discernable digital pic. My apologies. The Nikon's too heavy. I've moved along into the "progress" of the digital age. The old timers now refuse to associate with me for it. Oh well. can't win 'em all.

Favorite thing: One of the great Dublin pubs is "the Long Hall", off South Great George's Street. As you can see in the attacxhed photo, this area of Dublin is undergoing referbishment, as has so many of the central Dublin neighborhoods. Many Dubliners complain that the city has lost its great architectural treasures over time, and has transformed into mediocore homogeneity. I didn't quite see it that way while there and fully enjoyed the flavor of the city. I can see why the old hands would complain though, and would love to have lived there in her grand old delapidated, smoke filled glory.

She's still a grand old gal today though, regardless of the old guard's annoyance with "progress". Take a stroll down South Great George's for an authentic Long Hall pint when you're here. You'll see what the old timers mean about the grand old days.

Favorite thing: Down the street and west from Grogans is the Hairy Lemon. I had spent way too much time in pubs in the area already, so didn't go into this one, and can't say if it's one of the old authentic pubs or one of the newer encroachments.

Favorite thing: J. Grogans, on William Street, is one of the few remaining old guard Dublin pubs, unchanged for decades.

Most of the pubs in Dublin's city center modernize to attract the vitality and money of a younger crowd, to the chagrin of the older purists. After sitting in Grogans for a few hours' of exceptional talks with Marc, I certainly understand why peope want to retain the authentic city center pubs. They connect us to a historic legacy that is lost in the glitz and lights of the modern commercialist pubs.

Fondest memory: There is still a wealth of authentic pubs to be found in the outter suburbs of Dublin. I found several along Phibsboro Road and Glasnevin while walking those areas. There were lots more I saw en route to the airport towards the north eastern side of town as well, so the tradition of Dublin pubs may still survive, although those in the city center are becoming fewer and farther between.

Favorite thing: This is Butler's Chocholate Cafe, the greatest chocholate cafe anywhere. Everything they offer in here is superb, making it a dangerous place if you're interested in maintaining your weight! It's a beautiful, popular little store, filled with people and always busy.

There was a famous, politically powerful familiy of Butlers from the Norman invasion in Ireland up until the late 1700, when they suddenly disappereard. I'll have to find if this store bears a relationship to these famous Butlers.

Fondest memory: William and Wicklow Streets form a good epicenter for this area. The street is always bustling with people either moving to and from their work, a few scattered tourists (like myself) and serious pubbers hurrying off to their hideaway and pints.