Day 16: Saturday (6/22/2013)

Kilmainham Gaol has been used in
several TV show and movies.

Got up early and caught a cab over to Kilmainham Gaol.  This is a fantastic tour of one of Dublin's most notorious prisons, active through the 18th century (1700s-1924).  It housed many famous political prisoners (including Éamon de Valera), and saw the executions that triggered the successful Black and Tan revolution for Ireland.  It's not something you do to put yourself in a good mood, but the tour is absolutely worth it.

We grabbed a quick bite before catching a taxi over to the Guinness Storehouse--by now, it was pouring rain.  The Guinness Storehouse is the former location of the Guinness Brewery.  It's since been turned into a glitzy tourist attraction with a self-guided tour, plenty of propaganda, and of course, "free" Guinness.  (No, it's not free--this is a very expensive site at around $30 for two if you book online.)

Mary tries her first Guiness!

There are two highlights in the Guinness storehouse--honestly, you could probably just skip everything else.  These are:

1. The display on coopers--i.e., the folks who used to make all those oak barrels.  What a fascinating process, clearly explained by a video shot in 1950 before Cooping disappeared as a profession.

2. The Sky Bar, a circular room with floor-to-ceiling windows at the top of the storehouse.  Here you'll get your free pint and enjoy spectacular views of the city.

From the Storehouse we grabbed a quick bite at the Queen of Tarts.  This was a fantastic little place specializing in baked goods.  We didn't sample enough for a full review, but what we did try--the carrot cake and the chicken tart--was fantastic.  I'd definitely eat there again.

After lunch, we headed to the National Art Gallery, just outside of Trinity College.  This houses an interesting collection of Irish paintings along with a smattering of the masters.  I'd call this museum "sparse, but spirited"--worth a look if you love art (we do), but certainly no Louvre or even the Chicago Art Museum.

Dinner was at Patrick Guilbaud, the best French restaurant in the city, and possibly the best restaurant in Ireland.  This was our finale for the trip.  An absolutely fantastic meal.

After dinner, we packed up, and with a heavy heart caught our 3 hours of sleep before heading to the airport.

We love Ireland... we'll be back!