Day 54 – July 12, 2025 – Dublin, Ireland

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Day 54 – July 12, 2025 – Dublin, Ireland

So as expected, I did not sleep well at all due to the heat and the noise. The bar across the street had a singer until 1 am, so that didn’t help. John slept better than I did, but it was still disruptive.

We met up for breakfast, which was good, and then headed out for a walk. We headed to Trinity College and walked around the campus. Trinity College Dublin is the oldest and most prestigious university in Ireland, officially known as the University of Dublin, Trinity College. It was founded in 1592 and is located in the heart of Dublin city. Trinity is renowned for its historic campus, including the Long Room Library and the Book of Kells, an illuminated manuscript dating back to the 9th century. Its alumni include famous writers like Jonathan Swift, Oscar Wilde, and Samuel Beckett, as well as political leaders, scientists, and entrepreneurs.

We headed towards where the Guinness tour is located, which was about a 40-minute walk from where we were and then grabbed a quick bite before our 1 pm tour. The Guinness Storehouse is one of the most popular tourist attractions in Dublin, Ireland — often considered a must-visit destination for anyone interested in Irish culture, brewing history, or the iconic Guinness brand.

The storehouse is located at St. James Gate Brewery and opened to the public in 2000. The original building is a former fermentation plant dating back to 1904. It is a seven-story experience built around a giant glass atrium in the shape of a pint of Guinness. It tells the story of Ireland’s most famous beer, Guinness, from its origins to its global status today.

The Guinness Story

  • Learn about the history of Arthur Guinness, who famously signed a 9,000-year lease on the St. James’s Gate site in 1759.
  • Discover the brewing process — water, barley, hops, yeast, and the unique roasting that gives Guinness its signature dark color.

2. Multi-Level Experience

  • Ground Floor: The brewing ingredients and process
  • Second Floor: The history of Guinness advertising and branding
  • Third Floor: Tasting rooms with multi-sensory experiences
  • Fourth Floor: The Guinness Academy — where you can learn to pour the perfect pint
  • Fifth Floor: Restaurants like 1837 Bar & Brasserie serving Guinness-inspired Irish cuisine
  • Seventh Floor: Gravity Bar — a 360° rooftop bar with panoramic views over Dublin and a complimentary pint

This place was amazing, and we were so glad we visited! We stayed almost 3 hours and the time just flew. It was all very well done!

After leaving the Guinness tour, we headed to St Patrick’s Cathedral and looked around. John and I were in Dublin last July on a tour but did not have much time to look inside the chapel. It is the largest cathedral in Ireland and one of the country’s most important religious and historic landmarks. It was originally built in 1191, with major Gothic reconstruction in the 13th century. It was built near the site where St. Patrick, Ireland’s patron saint, is believed to have baptized converts in the 5th century. Jonathan Swift, author of Gulliver’s Travels, served as Dean from 1713–1745 and is buried in the cathedral. The Guinness family funded major restoration work at St. Patrick’s in the 1860s, and several windows were installed or renewed then.

We headed back to the room to freshen up then back out to walk to The Pink Restaurant. It is a Saturday night and Dublin is hopping! People are everywhere and there is lots of drinking. We had cocktails at the restaurant as we sat near the open window and people watched. John and I split a sea bass and broccolini dinner, which was great!

There was a chocolate place Michelle had seen so we headed that way only to find it had closed. We saw some people walking with ice cream/gelato and headed in that direction. We found a place that had gelato so I got one scoop with Dubai chocolate and that was yummy! Unfortunately, there was a drunk guy right outside the shop who started throwing up and we moved to get away from him and it was like he was following us! It was disgusting. So far, I’m not impressed with Dublin, it’s very dirty and too much of a party town for us.

We headed back to the hotel and were going to get a nightcap at the bar, but it was too hot, so we got a glass of wine and took it to the room, where there was at least a fan. Apparently, yesterday and today has been hotter than usual, and they are not used to it. We are, but we usually have A/C, lol! Oh well, it is what it is.

Tomorrow, we plan to head to Phoenix Park where we rented bikes for a couple of hours. It will be nice to get out and ride for a while.

Hoping I sleep better tonight; I’m ready to be out of Dublin……

A stone pedestrian bridge that links Christ Church Cathedral to the former Synod Hall over Winetavern Street.
The flowers here are just gorgeous!!!!
On our walk around town. We plan to stop here at some point.
John’s Lane Church – officially the Church of St. Augustine and St. John – on Thomas Street. It is famous for having one of the tallest church spires in Dublin.
Ahhhhhh…..a cappuccino and pastry!
Trinity College campus
One of the beautiful Trinity College Dublin’s doors – the Roman numerals read 1902, so it’s an early-20th-century doorway.
Looking straight down a path in Trinity College with the Campanile (Bell Tower) in the center. The Campanile was built in the 1850s and this limestone bell tower is one of Trinity’s best-known landmarks.
“Sphere Within Sphere” sculpture by Arnaldo Pomodoro – made in 1982-83 and donated by Pomodoro.
At the National Gallery of Ireland, just down from the college. Love this piece – “Venus and Cupid” by Agnolo Bronzino.
Painted in the 1540s, it’s a Flemish triptych (a three-panel altarpiece) titled “Triptych with the Crucifixion and Donors.”
“The Descent of the Holy Ghost” dated 1518. Loved all of these, especially how the blue background just made them all pop!
We finally made it!!!!
A roller mill from 1906 and “Ganz” refers to the Ganz Works in Budapest, a famous industrial manufacturer. Their technology crushed grain between rotating steel rollers instead of grinding it between stones. In brewing, you don’t want to pulverize the grain into dust—you want to crack malted barley so hot water can extract sugars efficiently in the mash, while keeping husks mostly intact to form a good filter bed.
A heavy-duty reciprocating piston pump used for moving thick liquids around the brewery.
I’d like to be one of the tasters please!
One of the little industrial locomotives that used to run inside the Guinness brewery rail system. Guinness basically had a private industrial railway – miles of track snaking through buildings and yards. It ran up until the 1970s.
An advertising poster designed in 1961. Starting in the 1930s, Guinness ads used animals to make the brand memorable and approachable. The most famous is the toucan.
“Fish on a Bicycle” from the 1990s campaign.
And the quote that goes with it, lol!
A tribute to Guinness’s legendary “Surfer” TV ad from 1999.
One of my favs, the crab, that dates back to the mid-1930s.
Inside the Gravity Bar, the last stop of the tour, which is a glass-walled rooftop bar on the top (7th) floor of the Guinness Storehouse. It has a 360 panoramic view over Dublin while you drink your pint.
Finally!!!!! They are so good and it does not taste the same in the states.
YUMMERS!
Some nibbles with our pints.
This guy was watching the people sitting at the table and was hoping for some scraps.
Then he looked straight at us, lol! Apparently these ledges are frequented quite often due to how dirty the windows look (yuck!)
Carriage ride anyone????
Look at all the flowers, so pretty!
St. Patrick’s Cathedral
One of the cathedral’s big Victorian narrative stained-glass windows and dates back to 1865, with patronage from the Guinness family during their restoration of the cathedral. This is one of the renewed windows.
Depicts the Resurrection of Christ
Memorial plaque to the 5th Royal Irish Lancers who were killed in the Second Boer War (South Africa).
Snapped this as we found a T. Pickard listed in the names.
The Lady Chapel area which sits behind the high altar and was originally built in the late 13th century. The space and glass were heavily restored in the 19th century and again conserved in the 2010s.
Looking down the long nave towards the west end of the cathedral. Love the gothic vaulting!
Inside the choir looking east toward the High Altar.
A stain-glassed memorial to Michael William Balfe, who was one of the most celebrated Irish composers of the 19th century. The figure is “Erin”, a personification of Ireland so the scene reads as Ireland crowning her musician.
Standing in St. Patrick’s Park with a great view of the cathedral.
Dinner time!
Pretty pink drink…..
He was the frontman, bassist, and main songwriter for Thin Lizzy, one of Dublin’s most beloved rock icons. Most have heard “The Boys Are Back in Town” and “Jailbreak”. It is located outside the Bruxelle, one of his favorite haunts and is a living meeting point for Thin Lizzy fans.
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