#touchofflair

While there are numerous reasons to spend several days touring the city, Dublin’s nightlife is incredible and well worth highlighting.

Stopping in for dinner at M.J. O’Neill’s Pub on Suffolk Street is a great way to get your night started.

There you will find a delicious array of well-prepared Irish meals which are reasonably priced and come in massive portions. Grab your hearty dinner and direct yourself upstairs where you will find more bar seating, tables and, up by a fireplace, Irish bands will delight you with classic Irish tunes. Occasionally, fits of dancing break out and everyone in the crowd will be doing a bit of a jig to the melody.

After you have eaten your fill, danced and had a Guinness (or two), take some time to wander down the streets a couple blocks over from the Temple Bar area. Bars are plentiful and come with almost any theme, setting and style imaginable! At one bar you might find yourself in a classy joint, designed and decorated to throw you back to the roaring 20’s; complete with bartenders with bow ties, live instrumental bands and exquisite cocktails. For another, you might find yourself in a very cozy corner pub which is Irish through and through. Here, the choices of drink will be the only perfect necessities, Jameson, Smithwick’s and Guinness.

Without a doubt, you will find that everyone inhabiting the bar quickly becomes your friend! Also, if you’re lucky that night, a few of the locals may take it upon themselves to bring their own instruments and make up a quick little band to entertain the bar goers for the evening.

If you haven’t noticed, the theme for Irish outings will always involve good beer and whiskey; while just as important as the alcohol, you will find an abundance of live music every where you go! (Just a little note to consider, Temple Bar is probably the most famous night life of the Dublin area and, while you should certainly take a stroll down that way, it is most fun to venture off the beaten path and roam where you will find a greater abundance of the local Irish to drink with.)

Another bar which is worth your stop is the Brazen Head near Merchants Quay.

The Brazen Head Pub Outdoor Seating

Brazen Head is Ireland’s oldest pub as it has been in business since 1198. The bar has fabulous food, a great selection of Irish beer and, of course, live music every night! Order the fish and chips or their bangers and mash, you won’t be disappointed!

For one final mention, while you are wandering around Dublin’s streets, looking for a good time, keep your eyes peeled for local comedy clubs. We stumbled upon one club hidden away in a loft above a small bar. The small room was filled to the brim and there was a small bar in the back to serve select beverages. The comedians were hilarious and even provided their own insight into Irish culture which made the experience all the more satisfying!

To summarize, go to Dublin to sing, dance, drink and laugh! Go get lost on the city streets, you can guarantee that your kind, new Irish friends will be happy to point you back towards the direction of your hostel.

Cheers!

Alice Kyteler: Kilkenny’s Witch – Top Ten Sights to see in Ireland

Alice Kyteler was an intelligent business woman, a mother, a wife (four times over), incredibly wealthy and, as the townsfolk of Kilkenny, Ireland would have told you in 1324, Alice Kyteler was a witch.

John’s Bridge in Kilkenny, Ireland

The story begins with Alice Kyteler’s first husband, William Outlaw, whom she married around the year 1280. William Outlaw had a lot of money, providing Alice…

Glendalough is a lovely, quiet Irish town nestled in the Wicklow Mountains. Just 45 minutes driving distance outside of Dublin, it is a very accessible touring stop for many travelers. The town of Glendalough was established because of a faithful Irish monk known as St. Kevin, who, found peace and solitude in the Wicklow Mountains; specifically, in this valley which cradles two small lakes. As he began to accumulate a following of faithful Irish men and women, an abbey was built. Eventually, his population of devotees and pilgrims grew to develop an entire town, the town known as Glendalough.

  Today, Glendalough is a thriving community and most of the abbey grounds are still standing. We would recommend a full day, if you would like to explore all of the twin lakes and abbey; this including hiking around the area and stopping to enjoy the view. If you aren’t interested in the scenic tour, and would rather just explore the abbey, a small portion of your afternoon would suffice. No matter how you choose to spend your time in Glendalough, you will experience the peace and tranquility of the area; finding out for yourself why St. Kevin likely fell in love with this spot so many centuries ago.

For those of you who don’t mind a bit of climbing, we would highly recommend you take the time to climb to the tops of the surrounding mountains. While the hike up to the top of the hillside involves an extensive series of steps, the view of the abbey and the lakes is well worth the hike!

There is a waterfall that you will pass on your way up from the base of the lakes which is deserving of a photographic stop and doesn’t require you to veer off of your trail. From the mountain top you can see up and down the valley and imagine that St. Kevin must have made this trek several times and taken in the same magical view as you.

Glendalough is well deserving of being in our top ten favorite places to visit in Ireland because of its peaceful, untouched scenery and interesting history. You will find yourself stepping back into time as you enter through the abbey gates, imagining what it was like when monks, nobles and even runaways walked the grounds you stand on today. Enjoy the experience and views, we are sure it will be one of your favorite places to visit too!