2010 September | Got baddog

Archive for September, 2010

Photos from Dublin’s All Ireland Football Finals

All Ireland Football Finals

Photos From Dublin

Sunday was the GAA’s All Ireland Football finals at Croke Park, featuring Cork vs Down. About 83,000 people attended, and it made for a definite party atmosphere in the Dublin area. Since we did not have tickets to the game, we started the day off by visiting Trinity College and checking out the Book of Kells. Although no photos were allowed in the library it was very cool and if you ever make it to Dublin, it is worth the visit.

After the game started, we walked over to Croke Park and got some photos of the stadium and the surrounding area. We then headed over to Gills, which is the pub one block away from the stadium to have a pint or two, and watch the game. Cork beat Down 16-15 and it was a great game. As I make this entry I can still hear the partying in the streets.

Photos from the Guinness Brewery

Photos From Around Dublin

A Visit To the Guinness Brewery and More

Saturday, we got a late start, due to my error with the alarm clock. Oh well, guess we needed the sleep. After grabbing some coffee and a bagel at the local O’Brien’s we arranged for transportation and sights to see. We started off at the Guinness Brewery where we got a couple pints and learned to pour the perfect pint.

We then jumped on a tour bus and kept our eyes peeled for somewhere to eat. After we finished dinner we walked back to the B&B we are staying at for the duration of our visit to Ireland. The streets of Dublin are getting loud and crowded as the Irish pour into town for the GAA Football All-Ireland Finals. I have a red t-shirt on and will be headed out to O’Connell Street to join the festivities shortly.

Photos of the ride from Killarney to Dublin

Photos From Killarney to Dublin, Ireland

The Third Day of Our Tour of Ireland

On Thursday, we received notice that a cruise ship was coming into Cork on Friday morning. This meant that upwards of 20 tour buses would be descending on the Blarney Castle, which was to be our first stop Friday morning. Our driver, Don, decided that in order to beat the crowds we would hit the road at 8:00 AM. Another early day. It turned out to be a great idea as there was only one other tour bus there when we arrived.

After a couple hours at the Blarney Castle we worked our way back to Dublin, stopping at a couple ruins along the way. I have no regrets about the decision to use Paddy Wagon Tours for the first part of our journey. I would advise anyone following in out footsteps to inquire about using a bed and breakfast for the evenings as hostels are the default nighttime stay. If you want to relive your college years that might work, but I am past that.