Tag Archives: Ireland

Dublin: Zombies & Brazenhead.

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While Julie and I were in Galway we read about a Zombie Mob that would be in Dublin about the same time our train was arriving.  We didn’t think we’d be able to make it, unless we lugged all of our luggage to the park where they were starting their mob so we skipped it.  After getting to the hotel we went back into the city to find a place to watch the USA – Ghana World Cup Game.  On our walk we ran dead smack into the middle of the Zombie Mob.  The Zombies were raising money for the Irish Cancer Society.

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Brazenhead:

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After breaking some kind of social rule at a ‘Wild West Themed’ bar we hiked back to Brazenhead where the environment was much more to our liking.  We got seats on the patio before the crowd rushed in and there were a good number of Americans watching the game.  Of course when Ghana won everyone else in the bar cheered but that’s part of being American in 21st Century.

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Side Notes:

* The rest of my Dublin photographs are here on Flickr.
** All of our photographs from our Ireland trip are here on Flickr.
*** I’m pretty sure the second to last thumbnail above is of Harry Caray.

Croke Park: Dublin Vs. Meath.

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The primary reason for heading back to Dublin for an extra night was to see the GAA football match between Dublin and Meath.  There were actually two matches that day, both semifinals with the winner of each playing for the GAA Championship.  The match was at Croke Park which is an 82,000 seat stadium in Dublin.  Getting to the stadium was kind of an adventure as it sits in the middle of a neighborhood where you have blockades setup only allowing people with tickets into the area.  Once inside the stadium you’re kind of limited to the side of the stadium your tickets pertain to.  You can’t get to the upper deck or walk around the whole concourse.  Also, alcohol is not allowed in the seating area.

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The game itself was entertaining.  I’d say Gaelic Football is a combination of Soccer, Rugby, Basketball and Volleyball.  There’s no tackling but pretty much everything else is allowed.  You must dribble the ball (basketball or soccer style) every so many paces.  There’s a goal and uprights, each are worth different points, the object being kicking the ball into them.  Unlike soccer there is was no diving.  I think there was one guy who left the field on a stretcher and we later learned he blew out his knee.  There was ‘stoppage time’ but only about a minute for the whole match.  Meath pulled away from Dublin in the second half. Being that is was the a double header there were fans from all four teams and many didn’t show until the second half of the first game.  Basically it was the Final Four of Gaelic Football.

Side Notes:

* Croke Park was the site of the Croke Park Massacre on Bloody Sunday in 1920.
** The rest of my photographs from the match are here.

Galway, Ireland.

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The best part of our trip in Ireland was the time we were in Galway.  If we could have spent more time there we would have.  The whole vibe was much more laid back that the rest of Ireland.  The old part of the city is much more intact that any of the other places we visited, the bartenders/waitstaff was much more engaging and the entire pace of the city was on a different level.

When we first arrived in Galway we made our way around the city looking for dinner and then we decided on doing our own pub crawl.  I’m not sure how far we made it but we did well.  Julie managed to keep track of the places we stopped and what we drank during our entire trip including this impromptu pub crawl.

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Side Notes:

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* At the The Knigshead we found one of the wider selections of beer in all of Ireland (nearly every bar we went to had all of five bears:  Guinness, Smithwicks, Coors Light, Budweiser, and  Balmers).  They actually had a Pale Ale from Belfast called the Headless Dog which we never came across while in Belfast.  Needless to say it was the best beer I had the entire trip.

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** In addition the Headless Dog beer, the best meal we had the entire trip was also at The Kingshead.  We both ordered the grilled lobster and chips and it was by far the best thing we ate the entire trip.  It took every ounce of moral strength not to eat this twice in two days.  The logic being it would never be as good the second time around.

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*** Potato Chip flavors in Ireland is a topic that must be discussed.  They are offensive and bizzare.  These were a small sample of what is availible:

German Bratwurs Sausage
Argentinean Flame Grilled Steak
English Roast Beef & Yorkshire Pudding

Seriously,  how do they make potato chips taste like pudding?  We’re not even getting into the Shrimp flavored chips.

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**** This guy is the Mad Max of Galway.  When the end comes he will be more than ready for it.  He drank beer on the street and in public the entire time we were there.