We started our Ireland/UK adventure in Dublin. The Guinness was flowing and the city was painted green, giving us the promise of good luck. We even saw a leprechaun! This Dublin trip however, was unlike any other that we've taken... because we went with a group of our friends! These are the guys we hang out with most. Unfortunately, our couple from Tennessee couldn't make it, so they were sorely missed. It was an awesome trip and we had our first fish n' chips here!
A bit about Dublin and Ireland:
Dublin was first established in 988 AD by the Vikings, later being captured by the Danes and then by the Anglo-Normans with Henry II in charge. Ireland was ruled by England for most of existence, and mostly gained independence in 1922.
St. Patrick's Cathedral, 1191 AD
Us in front of the cathedral
Lindsey and Andrea
St. Anne's Church, 1720 AD
Happy friends with full bellies
Ryan's magnificent vision of french fry art brought to life
The group in the Temple Bar area
Statue of a woman who revealed too much
First pub in Dublin. We went here one night and heard a live band play some country music. This is the closest we got to hearing live traditional music in a pub.
Liffey River
Statue of James Larkin, who started a workers union and unsuccessfully negotiated with the transport companies, which led to 25,000+ starving people without jobs and 3 fatalities before the workers gave up defeated.
Day trip to the Wicklow mountains and Glendalough, which is an early medieval monastic settlement founded in the 500's, located in a glacial valley. The grounds are filled with graves. As of March 2009, there are only 6 more people who are allowed to be buried here. The graves date back all the way to the 6th century.
Stream in the Wicklow Mountains, Gaby, Ryan and Miguel
This bridge was filmed for a scene in
"P.S. I love you"
Valley overlooking Guinness Lake-the Guinness family owns a lot of land!
and here is our leprechaun!
Trinity College, established by Queen Elizabeth in 1592
Miguel and Kurt learning the 6 steps to pouring the perfect Guinness pint
The girl who poured this beer drew a clover using the tap
