Ireland With Dumbo Day Three – 9 May 2015

Hearty breakfast at Fitzwilliam, then off to do our own walking tour of Dublin.

First stop, the camera shop, where we got Daisy a pair of binoculars and soft case for her camera.  Then on to the recommended gent shop, Louis Copeland, where Ged got himself properly togged out with trews and belts.  While they were being altered, we did the rest of Grafton Street, O’Connell Street and looked at The Abbey and The Gate theatres, the cathedral and then back taking a short detour to McDaid’s for a quick drink.

Trying to look a bit James Joyce?
Trying to look a bit James Joyce?

We grabbed the swag and dumped it at the hotel and then out again to look at the pictures around St Stephen’s Green – Janie took to Liz Leavey’s work and indeed Liz herself.  Walked to Merrion Square and then back round the other side of Trinity supping coffee outdoors in a nice place and then buying a cardy for Daisy and a scarf for Ged.  We visited at the Sheridan’s cheesemongers before returning to get dressed up for the evening.

Then off to walk to Bernard & Siobhan’s house, which is in the shadow of Lansdowne Road Aviva Stadium, Vavasour Square, southeast of town out towards Sandybanks.   It took about 30 minutes to walk and they seem surprised we’d walked it despite the lovely weather.

We met the little ones and then headed off in a cab for a quick pub stop almost by the Merrion, O’Donoghue’s, and then on to L’Ecrivain restaurant for a fine meal.  Lobster starter (apart from Daisy who had foie gras) then main course of turbot for Ged, pork for Daisy, some other fish for Bernard, chicken for Siobhan – who also had a chocolate desert but the rest of us felt full and just finished our wine.  Cabs from Baggot Street home a full but very enjoyable day.

Photographs from the whole of our trip to Ireland are gathered in an album on Flickr, click here.

Ireland With Dumbo Day Two – 8 May 2015

I’d booked the 11:50 ferry so there was no real rush to leave The Quay.  We aimed for a 10:15 departure, managed 10:30 after a hearty smoked fishy breakfast.

Easy run to Holyhead though and enjoy the benefits of “club class”, being waved through onto the ferry ahead of the rest.  It all seemed very well organised.

All aboard!
All aboard!

Club class threw food and drink at you, not that we needed it – note for our early morning return leg.  A very gentle ride – less sway than a Palladino train – even though it was heaving with rain.

Arrived in very wet Dublin – trusty satnav taking us to the Fitzwilliam quite quickly.  Surprisingly pokey room for the superior price, following a long wait for the room to be made ready – spent 1430 to 1530 chatting with Patrick the concierge. Also freezing cold room and this was explained as eco-policy to keep the heating off until 20:00 – agreed to turn it on at 18:00 and provide us with an oil radiator rather than the poxy fan heater they originally offered. 

Feeling quite miserable, we ventured off in the rain to catch the Book of Kells before closing time.  We wandered back via shops, Brown Thomas for example. 

The radiator still hadn’t arrived by the time we got back, so I got onto the guest relations manager, Jaarko, who ran around sorting some stuff out for us and apologising profusely. 

We took dinner in Citroen, the mezzanine restaurant, where the food was very good.  Daisy had beef (steak-like) with the marrowbone and I had gigantic prawn skewers – no starter or desert – but Daisy had Irish coffee in the bar, while I finished off the wine.  The Fitz insisted on picking up wine bill for our trouble earlier which was nice but we prefer to buy our own wine and have no trouble.

Photographs from the whole of our trip to Ireland are gathered in an album on Flickr, click here.