When walking around Kilkenny we stopped at a pub called Paris Texas. One of the reasons we stopped was because of their name. We had actually been to the town of Paris, Texas and we had to see what this was all about. It truly was a Texas themed restaurant because their entire menu was Texas BBQ. While it smelled delicious when we walked in we were not going to get Texas BBQ in Ireland. We wanted to stick with local food.
We did hear that they offered the best Irish Coffee in Kilkenny. So that is what we all ordered. They were made with such care. There was a perfect balance of coffee and whiskey. There was a homemade cream on top that was sweet and oh so creamy. The coffee when down smoothly. It was almost scary how fast I was able to drink it.
If you are in Kilkenny and you want a great Irish coffee Paris Texas is the place. But they are also known as one of the leading Gastro pubs in the Southeast of Ireland. Check them out at www.paristexas.ie
We were heading southwest towards the charming town of Kilkenny. Along the drive it was amazing to see the old churches and structures that are still standing. It helps bring history to life as Ella would tell us stories about what we saw.
Kilkenny is a medieval city that is also known as the Marble City because of its distinctive black marble.
This was one of my favorite stops on the trip. As we rode through the town, I could not help but notice the blend of medieval structure with modern day conveniences.
We did not have enough time in this town. Almost everyone on our tour agreed. While this is the downside of being on a tour, it is perfect for when I come back. I know exactly where to go.
One of the must visits in Kilkenny is the Kilkenny Castle. It is just a few Euros, but it is worth it. What made this so interesting is how much history is in these walls. One family lived in it for over 600 years.
The paintings located throughout the great halls helped create a picture of the generations that roamed the halls.
The tapestries were awe-inspiring. They were huge and encompassed entire walls. It is amazing knowing that these were made by hand.
The dining rooms were renovated with great care. They actually were able to track down the original makers of wallpaper and carpets. As an American I was astonished by this because some of these companies are over 200 years old, which are older than our country.
The staircases were completely made of carved wood. They are like something out of a movie. The workmanship is spectacular. Even the walls were made of carved wood. We do not see this in modern day construction.
When you are in this castle, don’t forget to look out the windows. There are breathtaking views of the grounds and the gardens.
When we finished the castle tour, we were ready to get an Irish coffee. It was recommended that we check out Paris Texas; they are supposed to have the best Irish coffee in town.
Walking the streets of Kilkenny we popped into several of the local shops. It is an easy town to walk around. The blend of old and new made the town unique.
We came to Smithwick’s Brewery which started in 1710. You are able to take a brewery tour and then do a tasting at the end. They do an amazing job teaching everyone about the history of the brewery and how their beers are made.
The tasting room is large to accommodate everyone. You have the option of getting a pint of one of their many beers or you can take a flight.
It was time to get back on the bus and head to our next stop. It was a 2 hour drive and we were able to stop for a quick bite at McDonald’s to enjoy on the bus.
We started off the morning with an Irish breakfast at the hotel. They had traditional American dishes like eggs, bacon, oatmeal, and hash browns.
Then they offered unique European dishes. I wanted to make sure I tried some of these. The baked beans we interesting to me, not because of the beans themselves, but that they were being offered for breakfast and not lunch/dinner when they normally would be offered in the States.
The beans did not have that BBQ taste. They are in a tomato sauce that was sweet and simple. It did not overpower anything else that I was eating for breakfast. I ended up really enjoying these each morning.
The Black & White Pudding are sausage patties. They have an interesting texture and are really dry compared to traditional breakfast sausage. These were not my favorite, but I am glad that I tried them.
After breakfast we met with our tour guide Ella from Exoticca. She gave us a quick rundown of the daily activities and then we were on our way.
Our first activity was a walking tour of Dublin. I love walking tours because you get to understand and learn your way around a city, while learning about all the history.
Our first stop was at the statue of Countess Constance Markievicz. She was one of the leaders in the Irish Revolution in 1917. She sacrificed her wealth and station for a vision of a better Ireland.
The Steine (or long stone) was a point that the Vikings marked when they inhabited Dublin in the 10th and 11th centuries. This was the original location of the shoreline of the River Liffey during the time of the Vikings.
Trinity College is the oldest university in Ireland. It is home to the Book of Kells. This book is full of rich ornamentation that dates back to 800 AD. This ancient book depicts Celtic and Christian traditions that were captured by Irish monks.
To see the Book of Kells, it requires a separate tour ticket. We did not have time on this trip to experience this but I have it on our list for our next visit to Dublin.
St Ann’s Church located on Dawson Street cannot be missed with the big red doors. It was constructed around 1707. There is amazing gothic architecture. It had really nice dedications to soldiers who served in WWI and WWII.
As we walked down Dawson Street we came to the Mansion House. This is the home to the Lord Mayor of Dublin and has been that way since 1715. It is the oldest free-standing house in Dublin.
Temple Bar is the cultural center of Dublin and is home to an array of colorful pubs. Temple Bar is the name of the area as well as an actual pub. In addition to the pubs, there are also several restaurants and shops.
Two pubs that are a must visit when in Dublin are:
Temple Bar – always jam packed with people, wonderful live music
Oliver St. John Gogarty – named after the famous Irish poet and playwright. They offer pints, food, and live music
Christ Church Cathedral has stood at the heart of Dublin for almost 1,000 years. It was originally a Viking church before it became part of the Irish church.
St Audoen’s is the only remaining medieval parish church in Dublin.
Once the walking tour was done, we headed back to the hotel and got onto our tour bus, which would be our mode of transportation for the remainder of the tour. This is when we met Mike, our driver. What a character – and a true Irishman. He had a heavy accent, made funny jokes, and told amazing stories. Most of all he was friendly and helped us throughout the entire trip.
As we headed out of Dublin into the countryside of Ireland, I was amazed by how green it was. I have seen it in pictures, but I always just assumed it was summertime. Here I was at the end of February, beginning of March and it was green all over. It was magical for sure.
If you are looking for a cozy coffee shop in the heart of Dublin, then check out Beanhive.
They are famous for their coffee art on top of each cup. It was really special. Looking at the art helped start conversations with other patrons that were at the shop.
Inside the Travel Lodge Plus hotel is a nice restaurant called Mossco. It is a perfect spot to grab a quick bite to eat.
I tried an Irish cider called Orchard Thieves. This was different from most ciders I have had before. It was crisp and sweet. It was delicious. The pour of the cider is huge, and they are always served in a branded glass. It helps me remember what I was drinking when I take the photos.
I was not super hungry since we had been eating all day. I ordered the mushroom soup. The soup was pureed so it was creamy. It had a nice savory flavor. I put creamy Irish butter on the fresh soda bread that came on the side. The butter helped add some moisture to this bread, which I enjoyed.
If you want some traditional Irish food, check out Bruxelles. Originally established in 1886, it was called The Gafton Mooney until 1973.
We walked in and there was a soccer game on all the TVs, so the place was packed. Because we were there to eat, the waitress actually asked some patrons to move from a table to the bar since they were just drinking. It was really nice, and the patrons had no issue moving. They were really friendly about it.
I ordered the Bruxelles Seafood Chowder. This was one of their signature dishes. The creamy white wine broth contained huge pieces of Alaskan salmon and cod, and muscles (still in the shells). It was rich but not too heavy.
They served Guiness soda bread on the side. If you have never had soda bread before, it is bread that is prepared without yeast. It usually just has 4 ingredients: flour, baking soda, salt, and buttermilk.
This one was unique because they added Guiness beer into it. It made the bread a dark color. It had amazing flavor – almost like a pumpernickel. I ate a lot of different soda breads during the trip but this was my absolute favorite.
A great way to enjoy the chowder is to wash it down with a pint of Guiness beer. Interesting fact I learned, Guiness in Ireland has a lower alcohol content than in the States. And it does taste different, it is not as heavy.
One the side we munched on Truffle Mayonnaise and Parmesan Fries. Another great dish to enjoy with Guinness.
Check out Bruxelles located on Harry Street ( bruxelles.ie )
If you want a great place to get a cup of coffee or a pastry check out Bewley’s. Its history goes back to 1927 when the building was two townhouses. The original fireplaces are still inside, welcoming patrons every day.
One of the main attractions on the inside are the beautiful stained glass windows and the mosaics that adorn the walls.
When we got to the restaurant there was already a line out the door. And as we waited in the line it continued to grow around the block. This was a popular place.
Bread 41 offers fresh breads, many kinds of pastries both sweet and savory, plus an array of coffees. They had fresh croissants, homemade pop tarts, cinnamon buns, danishes, and something called a “craffin” which is a cross between a muffin and a croissant. Everyone seemed to be ordering these.
I ordered a Custardo. This reminded me of the pastel de nata’s that I enjoyed in Lisbon, Portugal. These were a little larger. The creamy custard was very sweet and went well with the latte that I ordered.
We also ordered a Pain Au Chocolat. This was a croissant with creamy chocolate in the middle. The croissant was simple but fresh and flaky. It paired well with a fresh cappuccino.
We did order a savory item, a sausage roll. The pastry was very crispy on the outside but soft on the inside, where it wrapped around the sausage. The flavor of the sausage was amazing. It was savory and juicy. Plus the size of the sausage was larger than your typical breakfast sausage.
Whether you eat there or get it to go the food was worth the wait. Make sure to check out Bread 41 located at 41 Pearse Street ( bread41.ie ).
After landing in Dublin at 5:00am in the morning, we headed to the hotel to check in. It only took about 20 minutes to get there. The staff was all ready for us when we arrived. We were able to get into our room and freshen up so that we could hit the town.
Our first stop was to find somewhere to get breakfast. We found Bread 41 not far from our hotel.
After breakfast it was time to start exploring Dublin. Even though the official tour started the next day, we wanted to get an idea about the city. We wanted to start enjoying everything Dublin had to offer.
The architecture of the buildings around the city was beautiful. It was a combination of old and new.
There were pubs on every corner, just like I was expecting. Each front was a different color! It helped them stand out.
There were several churches along the way. I stopped into St. Teresa’s Carmelite Church. It was hidden down the alley between the other buildings. It was founded in 1792. When you walk in it is nice and bright. The colorful stained-glass windows glowed.
There is a statue that is a must visit to everyone who visits Dublin, the Molly Malone Statue, located on Suffolk Street. Molly Malone is a semi-historical, semi-legendary figure. There is a song about her called “Cockles & Mussels”. Clearly you can tell where all the good-luck photos are taken.
While walking around Grafton Street, it was a little chilly, so we decided to warm up with a cup of coffee. We stopped at Bewley’s Oriental Cafes. We enjoyed sipping our coffee and listening to the street performers as we continued walking around.
I was amazed how many flower vendors were on the streets. They had such lovely flowers in every color.
If you are into music history the birth of Irish music happened right on Harry Street. And the bar Bruxelles played an important role. Bands like Skid Row and Thin Lizzy got their start here. Plus, it is a great place to go to get traditional Irish food.
Earlier this year a group of us went to Ireland. Our first stop was in Dublin. We stayed at the Travel Lodge Plus. This was a great location. It was only about 20 minutes from everywhere you want to visit.
The staff is extremely friendly & helpful with everything from directions to helping arrange taxis.
We had breakfast every morning. It was a buffet that offered everything from eggs, sausage, oatmeal, fruit & yogurt to blood sausage and baked beans.
The rooms were a little small, but it is what you would expect from a city hotel. The beds are really comfortable & the showers had amazing water pressure.
