Weekend in Dublin, Ireland

Its holiday week at the boy's school so we took off to Dublin, Ireland for the weekend. Only a 1 hour flight away, it was nice to see a little of Ireland. Dublin is the capital and the most populated city in Ireland. It is known for its largest walled park in Europe and highest free-standing piece of sculpture in the world. Dublin is home of the Book of Kells and Guinness Brewery. It is famous for its Georgian Architecture, its many musicians including U2, and its pubs.

We spent the weekend sightseeing and visiting popular areas in the city including O'Connell Street, Trinity College and the Book of Kells, St. Stephen's Green, Temple Bar area, Guinness Storehouse, Grafton Street (shopping), and Howth (a fishing village outside of Dublin). We even took a Viking Splash Tour of the city in which our tour bus turned into a boat and went into the river for a tour. This was a lot of fun for Trent and Landon.

Aerlingus plane from Aberdeen to Dublin - T & L couldn't wait to ride on the green shamrock airplane!!

 We stayed at an awesome place, the Contarf Castle Hotel. We loved the atmosphere of the hotel, it was a great mix of old historic and new. 

Entrance to the hotel

Bar in Temple Bar area

Temple Bar Street

Hotel Lobby area

Hotel 

Hotel Lobby area - relaxing by the fire

Custom House

Cute Pub

Guinness Storehouse

Barley used in Production of Guinness Beer

Gravity Bar (Top of Guinness Storehouse) Best view in Dublin

Drinking a Pint of Guinness

Views of the City

Little Tourists

The O'Connell Monument - O'Connell Street

Spire of Dublin - World's Tallest Sculpture

Trinity College Dublin

We viewed "The Book of Kells" at Trinity College Library - a book written over 1000 years ago containing a lavishly decorated copy, in Latin, of the four gospels. I could not take pictures inside the library but it was amazing. There are books on 2 levels in the Old Library and it houses around 200,000 of the library's oldest books. There is also a harp on display, the oldest to survive from Ireland and probably dates back to the fifteenth century. It is constructed from oak and willow with brass strings.

Had to get our picture with an Irish Leprechaun

Statue on Grafton Street?

He moved!!

Great music band on the street

Beer for the Adults and Cokes for the Kids at this Irish Pub

Outside our hotel

Irish Whistles -  So Sorry Neighbors in the hotel room next door!! 

Vikings on the Tour bus - from land to water

AAARRRRR!!!!

St. Patrick's Cathedral

Liffey River

Driving into the Water!!!

Trent driving the Bus/Boat!!!

U2's original recording studio 

Feeding the Pigeons at St. Stephen's Green

Cute hotel - We watched ex-President Clinton motorcade leaving this hotel as we were standing there, he stayed here this weekend. 

Seals in the harbour at Howth

Dinner at the Hotel