Days 5 - 7: Belfast - Dublin, the start of a tram system, Grafton Street and an excellent bacon sandwich to go with my Guinness pint.
Hi everyone,
Welcome to Day 5 of my visit to Europe in Summer 2004. It is now Thursday 29th July 2004, and I had stayed two nights in Belfast, and had gone up and down that part of the UK. It is time now to go to Dublin, in the Republic of Ireland. I have breakfast at the rail station, called "Ulster fry", take the international train to Dublin, stopping only at Portadown, and arriving about 10:30 AM in Dublin Connolly. I went on a walking tour from the central post office on to Grafton Street, also viewing the Book of Kells at Trinity College. I took a ride on the LUAS from St. Stephen's Green down to Sandyford and back. The next day I went on a clockwise bus tour of Dublin, walked to Drumcondra, rode the train to Dublin Connolly, took the train to Howth and back, ate supper in Howth, then took a bus back to the hostel to sleep for my next journey on 31st July. Hope you will join me.
Dia daoibh,
Fáilte go Lá 5 de mo chuairt ar an Eoraip i Samhradh 2004. Is é Déardaoin an 29 Iúil 2004 anois, agus d'fhan mé dhá oíche i mBéal Feirste, agus chuaigh mé suas agus síos an chuid sin den RA. Tá sé in am anois dul go Baile Átha Cliath, i bPoblacht na hÉireann. Tá bricfeasta agam ag an stáisiún traenach, ar a dtugtar “Ulster fry”, tóg an traein idirnáisiúnta go Baile Átha Cliath, ag stopadh ag Port an Dúnáin amháin, agus ag teacht timpeall 10:30 AM go Baile Átha Cliath Uí Chonghaile. Chuaigh mé ar thuras siúlóide ón oifig phoist lárnach go Sráid Grafton, ag féachaint ar Leabhar Cheanannais i gColáiste na Tríonóide freisin. Thug mé turas ar an LUAS ó Fhaiche Stiabhna síos go Áth an Ghainimh agus ar ais. An lá dár gcionn chuaigh mé ar thuras bus deiseal go Baile Átha Cliath, shiúil mé go Droim Conrach, mharcaigh mé ar an traein go Baile Átha Cliath Connolly, thóg mé an traein go Binn Éadair agus ar ais, d'ith mé suipéar i mBinn Éadair, ansin thóg mé bus ar ais go dtí an brú chun codladh do mo chéad lá eile. turas ar 31 Iúil. Tá súil agam go mbeidh tú páirteach liom.
Ciao a tutti,
Benvenuti al 5o. giorno della mia visita in Europa nell'estate del 2004. È giovedì 29 luglio 2004, e sono rimasto due notti a Belfast, e ho viaggiato su e giù per quella parte del Regno Unito. Ora è il momento di andare a Dublino, nella Repubblica d'Irlanda. Faccio colazione alla stazione ferroviaria, chiamata "Ulster fry", prendo il treno internazionale per Dublino, fermandomi solo a Portadown, e arrivo verso le 10:30 a Dublino Connolly. Ho fatto un giro a piedi dall'ufficio postale centrale a Grafton Street, visitando anche il Book of Kells al Trinity College. Ho fatto un giro sulla LUAS da St. Stephen's Green fino a Sandyford e ritorno. Il giorno dopo ho fatto un giro in autobus in senso orario di Dublino, ho camminato fino a Drumcondra, ho preso il treno per Dublino Connolly, ho preso il treno per Howth e ritorno, ho cenato a Howth, poi ho preso un autobus per tornare all'ostello per dormire per il mio prossimo viaggio il 31 luglio. Spero che vi unirete a me.
Bonjour à tous,
Bienvenue au cinquième jour de ma visite en Europe cet été 2004. Nous sommes le jeudi 29 juillet 2004 et j'ai passé deux nuits à Belfast et j'ai parcouru cette partie du Royaume-Uni de long en large. Il est temps maintenant d'aller à Dublin, en République d'Irlande. Je prends mon petit-déjeuner à la gare ferroviaire, appelée "Ulster fry", je prends le train international pour Dublin, je m'arrête seulement à Portadown et j'arrive vers 10h30 à Dublin Connolly. J'ai fait une visite à pied depuis la poste centrale jusqu'à Grafton Street, et j'ai également visité le Livre de Kells au Trinity College. J'ai fait un tour en LUAS de St. Stephen's Green jusqu'à Sandyford et retour. Le lendemain, j'ai fait un tour en bus dans le sens des aiguilles d'une montre à travers Dublin, j'ai marché jusqu'à Drumcondra, j'ai pris le train jusqu'à Dublin Connolly, j'ai pris le train jusqu'à Howth et retour, j'ai dîné à Howth, puis j'ai pris un bus pour retourner à l'auberge pour dormir avant mon prochain voyage le 31 juillet. J'espère que vous vous joindrez à moi.
Hallo zusammen,
Willkommen zu Tag 5 meiner Europareise im Sommer 2004. Es ist jetzt Donnerstag, der 29. Juli 2004, und ich habe zwei Nächte in Belfast verbracht und bin durch diesen Teil des Vereinigten Königreichs gereist. Jetzt ist es Zeit, nach Dublin in der Republik Irland zu fahren. Ich frühstücke am Bahnhof, das „Ulster Fry“ heißt, nehme den internationalen Zug nach Dublin, halte nur in Portadown und komme gegen 10:30 Uhr in Dublin Connolly an. Ich habe einen Spaziergang vom Hauptpostamt zur Grafton Street gemacht und mir dabei auch das Book of Kells im Trinity College angesehen. Ich bin mit der LUAS von St. Stephen’s Green nach Sandyford und zurück gefahren. Am nächsten Tag machte ich eine Bustour im Uhrzeigersinn durch Dublin, ging zu Fuß nach Drumcondra, fuhr mit dem Zug nach Dublin Connolly, nahm den Zug nach Howth und zurück, aß in Howth zu Abend und nahm dann einen Bus zurück zum Hostel, um dort für meine nächste Reise am 31. Juli zu schlafen. Ich hoffe, Sie begleiten mich.
On Thursday 29 July 2004, I had been staying at the Belfast YHA hostel. It was time to check out, and go south to Dublin, in the Republic of Ireland. I would take the international train from Belfast Lanyon Place, then called Belfast Central, and ride in first class to Dublin Connolly. The train would stop only in Portadown, just north of the border. I checked out, with my luggage, walked to the Botanic rail station, took a 80 class train to Lanyon Place station, and went upstairs to the cafe for "Ulster Fry". Ulster Fry is not much different from Full English breakfast, except that it has a few more fried items. I had egg, bacon, sausage, a "potato farl", kind of like a hash brown patty, and a fried mushroom. I had one cup of tea, and another of coffee. About 7:50 AM, I went downstairs to the platform where the train to Dublin would depart from. I found my seat in First Class. Somehow I ended up in the dining car, but did not order anything.
The train left about 8 AM. I had my radio with me, on one of the local FM stations, they played "Ninety Miles from Dublin" by Christy Moore. The train made a prerecorded announcement of the train arrival in Dublin Connolly in the middle of the song. Later on, I heard "Lola's Theme" by the Shapeshifters as well as "Inner Smile" by Texas (a Scottish band that started in the late 1980s but did not achieve fame until at least their "White on Blonde" LP in 1997 / 1998). It seemed, from Belfast to Dublin, that it would be impossible to notice the difference between Northern Ireland and the Republic. It was only after the train passed through Drogheda (pronounced "Draw-dah"), that I would notice that I was in the Republic of Ireland. The train did not make any stops between Portadown and Dublin Connolly. The weather was a bit on-and-off rainy.
Most of the Irish railway system is unelectrified. Only from Howth to Bray was there any electrification on the main line, when I last read an article about the Irish railway system. I was surprised, already at Malahide there was electrification. The train was not very far from Connolly station. The train arrived about 10:30 AM on its own track. The exit was gated, so I had to go through the gates to exit the station for the bus to the hostel. I did not see any left luggage area in that station, though I have been told that there is one at the Heuston station due west of Connolly.
Leaving Connolly station, the statin building itself looks like something I might have seen in Northern Italy, kind of like from the Sforza family of Milan. Across the street from Connolly Station is the Busaras, or the central bus station. I asked about how to get to the hostel, but I was told to go to O'Connell Street by Abbey Street Lower and get a city bus from there. Although the LUAS red line tracks were being tested, that line would not go into operation until at least September or October that same year (2004). I had to walk along the sidewalk following the tracks to O'Connell Street. I saw a few light rail vehicles pass by. I knew of the green line, but it would not go farther north than St. Stephen's Green for many years (in 2024 it goes as far as Broombridge).
The Central Post office is at 47 O'Connell Street Lower. In at least one of the six Ionian columns, bulletts were shot into them in the 1920's struggle for independence from Great Britain. Nearby is an obelisque and on the opposite side of the road, towards Connolly Rail Station, is a statue of the writer James Joyce, who wrote "Ulysses". Incidentally, James Joyce was buried in Zurich, Switzerland, which I would visit on 7th August that same year. Only in the early 2020's, did the LUAS green line start operating along O'Connell Street Lower.
When I arrived at the post office bus stop, I found the bus route that went right to the hostel. It was about the corner of Dorset and Wellington Streets. Some time in the 2010s the actual building had been torn down, and has been replaced by university housing. I bought a day pass for the bus, which I think was 4 Euro back then. The bus went past Parnell Square before it made its stop on Dorset Street. I checked into a room with six beds. At the time, I did not see that an actual bed assignment would make any difference. Most of the time, no one minds if the wrong one might be accidentally taken. I would find out very early Saturday morning, that people would make a fuss. But for now, I would charge up my phone and my video camera, and in about an hour's time, walk to the bus stop at Blessington and Dorset, to go into downtown.
After I alighted from the bus at the post office, I walked along O'Connell Street. I made sure I had a good photo of the James Joyce statue. Then I walked past Middle Abbey Street, then along the Liffey to The Famine Memorial, at the Talbot Memorial Bridge. Many of the statues of the Famine Memorial looked lifelike. Then I went back to the O'Connell bridge, crossed the Liffey and stopped by the Mr. Screen cinema. There was nothing playing that I wanted to particularly see, so I walked farther south to College Street and on to Grafton Street. I entered the university at Nassau Street and went north to the library past Fellow's Square. The Book of Kells did not allow any photography. I was able to notice the pages of the bible, written on calfskin using various pigmentations.
Leaving the library, I went along Grafton Street to the St. Stephen's Green rail station. In general, Grafton Street is a pedestrian only passage. I passed by the Bewley's Cafe. They make good toffee sweets. At the time, the LUAS green line did not operate anywhere north of St. Stephen's Green. I walked to FitzWilliam Street Lower, along to Merrion Square. At the northwest end of the park, there was the Oscar Wilde statue. He was sitting, more like lying, on a rock, as if it were a bean bag. I walked by the Leinster House, the current seat of government for the Republic of Ireland, and also one of the ministries, probably for health and human services or similar.
At St. Stephen's Green, I bought a two ride ticket for LUAS. LUAS at the time, did not accept the bus pass, so I had to pay about 5 Euro for a day pass. I validated it, and boarded the next green line LUAS to Sandyford. The train went straight down Harcourt Street, before turning left on Adelaide Road, and turning right onto its own right of way. The LUAS went past Beechwood but somehow I had drifted off to sleep. I think it was still the jet lag. I was inspected by a fare inspector, and they said my ticket was fine. I alighted at Sandyford, the current southern terminus of the LUAS green line, and waited for the next one back to St. Stephen's Green. Once the LUAS arrived at St Stephens Green, I walked up Grafton Street, past the O'Connell Bridge to the post office, took the bus to Dorset Street, then went to the hostel. I think I went to sleep after that. I don't remember doing much else, other than listen to the radio and record local station broadcasts, some in English, some in Irish Gaelic.
On Friday 30th July 2004, it was a much nicer day than Thursday the 29th. I woke up, took a shower, and went downstairs to eat breakfast. The "Full Irish Breakfast" was at an extra charge, where the continental one was included in my stay. I went for the Full Irish breakfast, but it did not contain any black and white pudding, which is like a blood sausage, or a morcillo for those who know about Spanish sausages. I would hope to go into town and maybe have some black and white pudding, but I eventually waited for the next day.
I took the bus to the post office on O'Connell Street Upper, buying a day pass. There was a hop on hop off bus stop, where I could buy a ticket, good for all day transit on the hop on hop off bus. I had to wait until 10:20 AM until the bus departed. The bus went along the route past Parnell Square, the Obelisque, and back again south of the Liffey. The bus went past Trinity College, the house that Bram Stoker of "Dracula" fame once lived, the Molly Malone statue, St. Patrick's Cathedral, St. James Hospital, the Guinness Brewery, Magazine Fort, Heuston Station, and Ha'Penny Bridge. I alighted at Ha'Penny Bridge, and looked for some place to eat. On Anglesea Street just off Fleet Street, I found the Oliver St. John Gogarty pub. It also operated a hostel next door. I ordered a pint of Guinness and a bacon sandwich with fries. It was very good.
I went down the Grafton Street walkway before turning back and taking a bus to the post office. I bought some stamps for postcards at the office. Somehow there after I ended up walking east on Cathal Brugha Street past the Five Lamps to Clonliffe Road. I walked past the GAA Museum at Croke Park. Eventually I would end up at Drumcondra rail station. I could use my Eurail pass to gain access to the train platform for Connolly Station. The section between Drumcondra and Connolly was not electrified in 2004. I was feeling tired after walking so much. I think it was about 4 PM when I caught the train from Drumcondra to Connolly. Instead of the 80 class NIR DMU unit, I was riding on a nice commuter rail train. About where the train crossed Newcomen Bridge, the train came onto the electrified section to Bray/Greystones. At Connolly I transferred to the DART, which also recognized the Eurail Pass. It would be about 4:30 PM when I would board the train for Howth, called Binn Eadair in Irish.
The train to Howth arrived about 4:30 PM. It made about 9 stops before arriving at Howth. Howth is on a peninsula, and on the north side there is a harbor. There is also a shopping area and park close by. I had supper at the Fish Market. I think I had cod and chips along with a salad, and a pint of Guinness. It was really good, cost maybe 15 Euro. About 7 PM I went back to the Howth station to wait for the train back to downtown Dublin. Entering the station, I asked the guard if they would like to see my Eurail Pass, but he said "not particularly" instead of "No". He let me on to the platform. The train did not arrive until 7:30 PM. It departed about 7:40 PM. I stayed on the train until I arrived at Pearse Street. Pearse Street is an elevated commuter rail station. If you look eastward on Westland Row, you might think that you would be seeing a scene of "Glengarry Glenn Ross", where they say "Coffee is for closers". I took the bus back to the post office, and another one of the hostel. Then I went to sleep, at least for a while. Then I was woken up about 5 AM or so. But that's a story for another day.
I hope you will join me in my next journey, from Dublin to Milan. Question: at what airport do I get my passport checked? If you know Ireland's customs union with the UK, it may likely not be at Heathrow, but please stay tuned anyway. See you then!
