“Nice craic”

Why, thank you!

This phrase took me some time to understand. This wasn’t a severely misspelled compliment towards my derriere but a charming little catch phrase about good times in Ireland. Having a blast at a pub, cheers-ing to good friends, good Guinness, and swaying to the pipe of a Irish folk musician? That’s some darn good craic right there.

I assume most travelers come to Ireland to enjoy the scenery and some good ol’ fashioned craic. Our white and green bus shot to the west side of the country, down to the south and around again to Dublin, with every stop centered on the pursuit of lovely views and some lovely good times.

Beautiful Ireland

Each time we stopped along the path towards the Atlantic, the more I believed the weather in Ireland is truly confused. Standing in the rain amidst sheep poop on the Hill of Tara, I thought, “This is really lovely. If only my toes weren’t wet and …messy.” Walking around the Trim Castle, I thankfully basked in the sun of a surprisingly clear sky while meandering around the massive stone structure. And as the mist that coated my camera lens outside the Locke Distillery had me finally uttering, “I don’t get this damn barometric situation! Ah, to hell with it. It’s whiskey time.”

Every day we flew across the clouds and squeezed our big bus between pasture-lined country roads. Once in a while, the mist would cease, and an opening in the atmosphere would reveal St. Patrick’s mountain or a field of white horses. It’s hard to let Ireland’s weather ruin a trip to Ireland, but when the weather is good, it’s gorgeous. Nothing on the trip topped the ultimate vista at the most westerly point of our tour. Atop a cliff covered in purple flowers, I sat and stared at breaking waves and tiny uninhabited islands off the coast. A butterfly landed next to me. I laughed, because it was all so ridiculously poetic.

The Cliffs of Moher luckily emerged from an intense cloud cover only a half hour before we got there and we were able to see where land was sliced by an undulating knife before the Earth popped in the oven. It caused a little existential hiccup to hear we were standing in Ireland’s most popular suicide destination, but thankfully we didn’t witness any travesties of the sort, only the simple elegance of nature.

And with every evening, whether we tucked into a one horse or 2,000 horse town, it was a mission for Guinness, for three-time distilled Irish whiskey, for a moment’s rest from a day of bumping on a bus. And when the mind is filled with the vibrant greens of the day, one can easily conclude Ireland is easy on the senses.

Neon chlorophyll and Guinness…and don’t forget the nice craic.

Before you get your drinking shoes on, it’s a good idea to do a little homework about Dublin in case – let’s just assume – you’ve enjoyed a bit of a drink and want to have your entire trip planned out before you step off the plane.

Here are a few facts you need to know:

• The city of Dublin dates back over 1,000 years
• The Guinness Brewery has played an important role in the city’s economic history
• Dublin was voted the best capital city to live in in the EU in a 2003 BBC poll
• Walking around in a drunken stupor is equally as acceptable (or not-so-acceptable) in Dublin as it is in your hometown

Ok, now that that is on the table, let’s go over what you should include on your itinerary:

Bars/Food

This Way to Happiness

Although you’ll likely find it on a lot of guides like this, the Temple Bar area of Dublin is the place to be. Filled with bars, restaurants and live music venues, you’re pretty much guaranteed to have a good time. Dublin is full of traditional pubs and bars, so you’re bound to find one that suits you. Our two suggestions are Farringtons and Palace Bar. This area is also good for picking up a few local souvenirs without the prices of the more exclusive Grafton Street. (Although you’ll want to check out the street buskers there.)

If you’re looking for a good spot outside of the Temple Bar area, check out Martin B. Slatterys in Rathmines and The Bloody Stream in Howth. Both offer a local feel and a good pint.

Museums

We know, we know – you’re not into that fancy book learning, but these are some pretty cool places that are worth your time, even if just for a quick peak.

The two greatest exports from Dublin are writers and beer, so during breaks of consuming some of the latter, make sure to visit the Writer’s Museum. You’ll be able to see all kinds of memorabilia from William Butler Yeats, James Joyce and Samuel Beckett, including pens, pipes and even Beckett’s personal telephone.

If you don’t have time to visit more than one museum, the National Museum of Ireland should be your choice. With artifacts from prehistoric Ireland, through the medieval period and country life in the 1950s, you will get a complete history of Ireland in one place.

Music

If you’re looking for live music, Whelan’s is the place to be. Some of your favorite bands like Camera Obscura, Jens Lekman and the Arctic Monkeys have played at Whelan’s, so you’ll likely be seeing an act that will make your friends jealous when they hear about them months later.

If you’re looking for something a little more traditional, the Ha’Penny Bridge Inn is a good bet on Tuesday’s for their open mic night with music, comedy and drama performances. If you’d just like to experience what’s local at the moment and a nice pint, The Foggy Dew is a good bet.

Other Stuff to Check Out

You didn’t think we’d leave off the Guinness Storehouse, did you? It’s about $20 to get in – $15 if you are a student – but once you reach the end of your tour, you get a free Guinness at The Gravity Bar, which also offers an amazing view of Dublin.

If you’re like Chris Danner, one of our 2009 World Traveler Interns, you’ll also want to stop by the Trinity College Library to check out the Book of Kells. The Book contains the four gospels of the New Testament and is considered Ireland’s finest national treasure.

The General Post Office is far more than your standard post office. During the Easter Rising in 1916, the Post Office was the base for the uprising’s leaders, which caused it to be attacked by the British and thus was severely damaged. Visitors can check out an original copy of the Proclamation of the Irish Republic inside the Post Office.

Photo Credit: Shadowgate on Flickr