Thursday 14th March saw me board a short flight across the Irish see to the home of my Grandfathers family, our neighbour Ireland. Thankfully I did not have to adopt the brace position as it would of been difficult due the lack of space you are given! Dublin was dreary and unpleasant upon landing, with grey cloud and light showers, however the terminal was a sea of green and I was welcomed by green balloons and shamrocks.
The short bus journey from the airport took me by the port and down the banks of the River Liffey to the Spire in O’Connell Street. I met one of my friends who had landed from East Midlands at 07:30 and it was now 16:15. To avoid paying for any luggage he had decided to wear 5 tee shirts and 3 pairs of trousers, crazy. We headed straight for the world famous temple bar for our first Guinness, meeting another friend after he finished working.
St James’ Brewery was on Fridays agenda and we set out on a mission to become connoisseurs of Guinness, perfecting the art of pouring and tasting.
The 6 steps to pouring Guinness:
- Find a clean branded glass.
- Hold the glass at a 45 degree angle to the pump
- Aim the spout towards the top of the harp on the glass and allow the Guinness to flow into the glass. As the Guinness approaches the harp, tilt the glass to an upright position and cut of the flow as it reaches the top of the harp.
- Place the pint down and allow it to settle and serge, allowing the nitrogen bubbles to cascade and watch it become alive!
- Return to the pump and push back on the leaver for a slower flow, filling it to the brim of the glass.
- Serve and enjoy!
The Storehouse is a great day out and you follow Guinness’ story through 6 floors before being presented your complimentary pint at the Gravity Bar which offers a 360 panoramic view of the city.
On Friday evening we joined fellow St Patrick’s Day revellers in the heart of Temple Bar for live Irish music and dancing, which can be found every night in the area. It’s well worth a visit for a foot tap, live music and Guinness tasting.
On Saturday I got caught in a hail storm on an open top bus ride of the city and surrounding areas. I would recommend visiting Phoenix Park that sits on the outskirts of the city. Unfortunately I did not have time to have a look, but it’s massive and is home to the Irish President. It is one of the biggest parks in the world with a 7 mile circumference and it also hosts Dublin Zoo.
Snow, hail and rain greeted us on the Sunday morning as we left the house at 09:00 for the St Patrick’s Day Parade. 500,000 people flocked to the streets of Dublin to welcome the parade. It was a great spectacle and well worth a watch before hitting the bars and watching the Guinness flow.
Dublin is well worth a visit and is rich in history and culture. Make sure that you take plenty of Euros as it is expensive!
Sláinte!
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