Part of the FEMBA Global Access Program involves some international travel, and as
my team is working with an Irish company, I went to Dublin (the capital of the
"Celtic Dragon"). The meetings were
productive, and I got a quick tour of the city (from my school peer Kieran).
It appears as though the city has grown very fast (given some of the traffic
problems, it may have grown faster than its infrastructure), but there were many
interesting historical sites to see.
Kieran and I had two very good dinners. We ate at
Eliza Blues restaurant, in the Temple Bar district. It had a great view of the
river, and the food was quite good. The next day, after meetings in
Malahide (a
sea-side village just north of Dublin), we drove down the coast to Howth, and ate
at Aqua, which is on the Howth pier. More excellent food and
wine, along with spectacular views of the sea and sailboats.
It is unfortunate that I only had three days in Dublin (and in Ireland), but I resolve
to return for a more extensive visit later.
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Dublin is the capital of the Republic of Ireland. These are the offices of the
Taoiseach (the Irish Prime Minister).
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A statue on the edge of Saint Stephan's Green. I'm not sure who it is, but it may
be a revolutionary of some sort or another. Nearby is a statue for victims of the
potato famine.
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Obedient citizens make for a happy city. This is the coat of arms for the city.
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We took a look at Christchurch Cathedral (and the Dublinia museum), but the only
picture that turned out was this shot of the floor. Dublin was settled by Vikings
and Catholic monks.
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A trip to the Guinness brewery is, of course, critical. It was a decent tour, and
ended with a lovely pint at the Gravity Bar. Situated at the very top of the brewry,
the Gravity Bar has a good view of the city, and with a very interesting and
diverse crowd. The beer has meant so much to so many.
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