Well…
Our final full day in Ireland.
I’m really not quite ready to say that.
We started the morning with breakfast and took our time getting ourselves moving. We had reservations for a tour of Kilmainham Gaol, and since we’d already discovered that Dublin traffic is horrendous and parking isn’t exactly easy to come by, we decided to walk.
It took us almost an hour to get there, but thankfully it was a nice day and we managed to make the entire walk without getting rained on.
A small Irish miracle!
Kilmainham Gaol opened in 1796 and over the years held thousands of men, women and even children. Some were imprisoned for ordinary crimes, while others were there because of their involvement in Ireland’s fight for independence.
Many of the most important figures in Irish history spent time within these walls, and after the 1916 Easter Rising, fourteen of its leaders were executed by firing squad in the prison’s Stonebreakers’ Yard.
The prison eventually closed in 1924 and years later was restored and preserved as a national monument.
After spending the last couple of weeks traveling around Ireland and learning bits and pieces of its history along the way, it was really interesting to see a place that played such an important role in so much of it.
I think we all really enjoyed the tour.
Afterward, we spent some time walking through the museum before heading back outside.
And what did we find?
SUNSHINE!
It was absolutely beautiful out.
We decided we’d take our time walking back toward the hotel and follow the river for part of the way.
A nice leisurely walk through Dublin on our last day.
Perfect.
Except…
Have we learned NOTHING about Irish weather?
Of course it rained.
But not to worry.
We’re not made of sugar. We didn’t melt.
By this point in the trip, a little Irish rain wasn’t going to bother us.
Eventually we made it back to Wren, where cocktails seemed like the appropriate reward for all that walking.
We had a drink and then headed upstairs to relax for a little while because we had been looking forward to tonight’s dinner.
We were going to a speakeasy.
And not just any speakeasy.
The Blind Pig.
Luckily, it was right around the corner from our hotel, so after a little rest we headed back out.
Finding it is part of the fun.
You don’t walk up to a big sign announcing THE BLIND PIG.
That would sort of defeat the whole speakeasy thing.
Instead, you head inside through the disguised entrance and make your way downstairs, where you find a pig’s head.
And what do you do when you find a pig’s head in a restaurant?
Apparently…
You pull it.
So we did.
And a secret door opened.
How cool is that?
On the other side is this cozy, dimly lit underground restaurant and bar that really does feel like you’ve stepped back into the Prohibition era.
Dark wood.
Low lighting.
Vintage touches.
Little tables tucked into corners.
And just enough secrecy to make you feel like maybe you’re somewhere you’re not supposed to be.
Definitely a fun choice for our last dinner in Ireland.
We settled in, ordered some wine and had a lovely meal.
And then, once again…
Early night.
I think Ireland has finally worn us out!
It’s hard to believe this trip is almost over.
But after another full day, we were all pretty happy to head back to our little nests for one last night.
Tomorrow morning we’ll pack everything up one final time and head to the airport.
Sadly…
We’re headed home. ❤️
See you down the road!
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