Day 7: Depart for Dublin
And just like that, we were done our group trek for another 2 years. Time flies by as we get older, but even quicker when enjoying time with a group of good friends. Our gang were all headed in different directions, so we took our shuttle into Enniskerry and said our farewells. Dan & Suz and Mike & I headed by bus to Bray and then trained into Dublin. Paul & Lucy and Doug & Kaylon were off to Norway and Mick & Su were continuing on to Scotland.
Once in Dublin we headed to our BnB where we were able to drop our bags off early…. once we managed to find the building! Our walk to the apartment took us past some interesting sites including St. Paul’s church and St. Patrick’s Cathedral. We stayed in a convenient neighbourhood with shops and restaurants around a large square, and public transportation nearby. And quite agreeably, the Jameson distillery was just across the way. We spent some time doing chores – laundry and groceries, but did manage to check out the yummy local donut / pastry shop.
Michael also took the opportunity to do some additional research by heading to the Dublin Ancestry Archives where they offer genealogy services. Michael was looking for birth records of the 2 children, George & Robert, who emigrated with their father Thomas in 1825. The woman there directed Michael to reference church records. That was complicated by the fact that it would not be Methodist as that church was established after Thomas’ departure. Michael came away with more paperwork, but no real answers.
But we weren’t done yet – one more outing for the day. We headed to the local family run pub, The Cobblestone Pub – “a drinking pub with a music problem”. When we walked in, it was buzzing with a hundred different conversations. But when someone (open mic) steps up to perform, calls for ‘HUSH’ permeate the bar and you are treated. It could be a jig, a Celtic ballad, or an instrumental; all were top notch – even on a Wednesday which was aimed at beginner performers. It was a bit distracting at the back of the bar as the daily traditional Irish music lesson was being run in the adjoining space. The pints did taste better with the musical accompaniment!
