Dublin was never high on my travel bucket list. As a non-drinker, I was slightly put off by some of its top attractions. This famous brewery, that historical pub… I don’t care! 😃

But then, Carly Rae Jepsen announced her 2023 tour, and guess where she was going to launch it! First time seeing Carly live, and visiting a new country (my 19th)? Suddenly, a weekend in the Irish capital seemed like a perfect getaway.

Apart from doing what sightseeing was possible during this quick trip, I had no expectations from Dublin. Not least stumbling upon political manifestations and… having my flip flops stolen!

Good first impression

I was positively struck by the omnipresence of the Irish language, starting with all signposting at the airport. Yes, I admit that I used to think of it as near-dead. How ignorant of me! But as a language nerd, I was delighted to see that it’s preserved and celebrated in this way.

Street signpost with directions in Irish and English, in front of a brick building

I also gave it a shot and asked for an entry stamp in my passport. The officer pointed out that I’m in the wrong queue (I was meant to use the self-service gate). But when I explained why I went out of my way, she smiled and gave it without a problem. I love that the Irish stamp is green and a bit different from the standard EU template.

Ha’penny Bridge

The good impression continued as the bus from the airport reached the city centre. Moving along the River Liffey, I admired Dublin’s pleasant character and its many different bridges.

The most famous one no doubt is the Ha’penny Bridge. It dates back to 1816, and its name comes from the “halfpenny” fee once charged for crossing. Today, with its elegant curve and the iconic ironwork, the bridge is a symbol of Dublin and a tourist magnet.

Curved bridge above water, against a pink and purple sunset reflected in the river below

Cloud Nine

From the top end of the Ha’penny Bridge you’ll see an eye-catching café/dessert place Cloud Nine. Its décor is as sweet as its menu: waffles, crêpes, ice creams. The bright pink walls and the loud music can give you a sensory overload, but I did enjoy my time there. So much so that I went there twice! As you would expect, this quirky place attracts many, and getting a seat is not easy. Cloud Nine has a second branch on the other side of the river, but I doubt it’s any quieter.

I must say I was struggling to find a place with appealing vegetarian food, but eventually stumbled upon Govinda’s Restaurant below a Krishna Temple. I can always rely on Indian cuisine, which I love anyway, and that was just what I needed.

The Spire

You might frown, but out of all Dublin’s “must-sees”, this is the one I was most excited about. The Spire of Dublin, also called the Millennium Spire or the Monument of Light, was installed in 2003 in the revamped O’Connell Street, Dublin’s busiest. You can’t miss the 120-metre tall, stainless steel construction. Although simple in its design, it looks weird and surreal. As if a giant needle was coming out of the ground, about to shoot up into the sky!

The Spire from a distance …and up close! (Photo: The Irish Road Trip)

On my way to The Spire, I walked past a group of Kurds protesting against the Iranian government’s oppression of women. A few metres further, members of the Chinese religious movement Falun Gong were staging a manifestation. One of the activists spoke to me, and although I don’t support their views, I made a separate post about our conversation.

Later, I spotted anti-refugee protesters parading down the street… Didn’t expect so much political activity to be going on in Dublin, especially conservative.

St Andrew’s Church

Carly Rae Jepsen live

I’m not hiding that this was the sole reason of my trip to Dublin. We all have different motives for travelling, right? 😄

The concert was at the Olympia Theatre, a short walk down from my hostel. I liked that the floor was slightly raised, so no one in front of me was obstructing the view. (It happens too often as I’m “only” 175 cm/5′9″ tall.) I also liked that the main room has a door that opens directly onto a side street. You can disembark so much quicker than from other venues.

As for the concert itself, I wrote about it in detail here.

Sunday morning walk

The next day, I woke up early and went out to tick some Dublin attractions off my list. All of them were south of the river. I started with Dublin Castle, or rather just the garden. I was the only one strolling on its circular path, which didn’t surprise me on a freezing morning in early February. Then I moved on to St Patrick’s Cathedral, but again, didn’t go in. It was too pricey and I’m not interested in cathedrals anyway.

But I liked the medieval arching bridge above Winetavern Street, connecting the Dublinia museum and Christ Church Cathedral. So cool!

I headed towards Trinity College, but only explored as far as its courtyard. Walked up and down Grafton Street, one of Dublin’s main shopping hubs. The near-deserted city on a sleepy Sunday morning was such a change from the night before, when the streets were full of drunk people.

Where I stayed

Speaking of drunk people… Back at my hostel I noticed that my flip flops were missing. Turned out that the bunch of rowdy drunkards staying there had nicked them before leaving! I was angry, but then, how sad of them was to do such a thing? They gave everyone a hard time. I felt bad for the staff, because they were the loveliest, and it’s otherwise a really nice place to stay. Reasonably priced for a very central location. If you want to give it a try, it’s Abigails Hostel.

Leaving Dublin

I went to RóCo for a late breakfast. It’s a small café, but I managed to get a seat upstairs before it got busy. I was eating, reading and cosying in the corner for about an hour.

Photo: RóCo Café

I’m restrained when it comes to souvenirs, and only collect fridge magnets – as long as I find one I really like, and only if I enjoyed the trip. So, I bought one with a sheep and a four-leaf clover on it. And I couldn’t say no to a ridiculous green jumper with sheep all over it! I always wear it on Easter.

Hope you liked reading about my rather unorthodox trip to the Irish capital! Did I enjoy it? Yes, more than I expected. Would I go back? Yes… But only if I had a reason.