Arriving in Dublin I decided to stay at an Airbnb for a couple of days before heading on to my next destination. Margaret and her home, in Raheny Village, were the perfect place for me! She was a wonderful host - and after talking to her for about 10 minutes she had already invited me to her granddaughters birthday party over the weekend! She really epitomized everything I had heard, and pictured, of Irish people. Funny, jovial, chatty, full of stories and so kind. I really enjoyed staying with her. And not only was she a great host, her place was in a great location. Raheny Village is a suburb of Dublin, about 30 minutes northeast from the city center. It was small with only a grocery store, a few shops, public library, two churches, and a great little coffee shop (which became a second home). It was also right across the street from St Anne's Park which was a spectacular and huge city park. The park land (500 acres) originally belonged to the Guinness family who lived in a mansion on the property (which was lost in a fire in the 60s). The grounds were very well kept and so green! One day all I did was wander around the park. There were countless soccer fields, trails, gardens, trees, and every single person had a dog. And off leash! I couldn't believe how well trained all the dogs were.
In addition to wandering around Raheny village and doing a walking tour in Dublin city, Margaret suggested a day trip to Howth. Howth is a small fishing village just outside of Dublin about 30 minutes by train. It is a quaint fishing village with shops, restaurants, and of course there's a castle (and people live there!). I started out doing the Cliff Walk, about a two and a half hour loop that takes you up to the highest point of Howth and then up and around through golf courses and then back through the town. I lucked out with absolutely perfect weather - not a cloud in the sky. From there, I wandered around town, checked out the castle, people watched, and got fish and chips at Beshoff's, a famous restaurant.
Overall it was a great introduction to Dublin and fun to see a different area of it - I'm excited to come back to really check out the city with Amanda in just a couple weeks!
Highlights:
- Staying with Margaret! She was the epitome of Irish hospitality.
- My trip to Howth - such a great little village and I really lucked out with the weather.
- The free walking tour I did in Dublin was run by Sandeman's and it was very good. Our guide gave us a ton of information on Irish history and the city of Dublin.
- I was in bed at 9pm each night...just call me Granny.
- St Anne's Park - this park was just stunning!
Lessons Learned:
- Staying in an Airbnb or Bed and Breakfast allows you to really understand the culture. While hostels are great, you really meet mostly other travelers (which is cool in another sort of way). By staying with Margaret it gave me a glimpse into daily life - and she gave me some great tips and places to go I wouldn't have otherwise known about. By the end of my stay I felt like we were old friends and she even drove me to catch my bus on my last day with her.
- Ireland can be sunny! At least some of the time.
- The Irish breakfast has a lot of carbs and a lot of protein, but no fruit!
- I really appreciated being a little outside the city, but with the ability (via public bus) to get downtown. It was a perfect combo.
St Anne's Park.
View from Howth Cliff Walk.
Howth Castle.