Going abroad gives you the chance to have many unforgettable experiences. From the things you’ll learn at your international internship to the people you’ll meet, going to Dublin is a truly life-changing event. One of our former interns in Dublin put together some recommendations for those who are lucky enough to spend a weekend in Ireland.
Here’s the perfect way to spend a weekend traveling in Ireland:
A Friday out in Dublin
One of the things I love about Dublin is there’s always something to see or do. On Friday, I went with another intern to Merrion Square where we saw some fantastic street performers. Merrion Square had a festival going on during the weekend where the Street Performers World Champions did their act. There were showmen from Australia, England, USA, Japan, Sweden, and all over the world. Merrion also had a variety of food booths and rides.
Saturday in the countryside
On Saturday, a group of eleven of us got on an eighteen-passenger van at 6:45 AM and set out for the Irish countryside with our driver, Bud. Bud, the best guide and a true local.
We started our tour with a stop at the Blarney Castle. The castle and land surrounding it were beautiful. After spelunking in the dungeon, we made our way up its winding staircase. There, at the top, I lied on my back and craned my neck to give the rock wall a smooch, in hopes that I will become incredibly lucky and eloquent. I know it may be gross, but I came all this way. How could I not?
Next was a stop in Cork. Bud directed us to a hidden gem restaurant where they serve traditional Irish food. After lunch, we took our time looking through the nearby shopping markets.
We went on to the Rock of Cashel, a breathtaking 4th century castle where Saint Patrick had spent some time living. It was truly awe-inspiring to be standing in a place where people had stood back in the year 400 AD, to touch what they touched, to see what they saw. Outside the castle, there was a graveyard with graves dating back to the early 1700s. As a history buff, this excursion was right up my alley.
Sunday through Ireland
On Sunday, six of us took a thirty-minute train ride out to Howth. It’s a small coastal town just north of Dublin, a beautiful and calming place. We went to a restaurant called Beshoffs, as per Bud’s recommendation, for the best fish-n-chips in all of Ireland. The meal was delicious, and we got to eat it while admiring the sailboats in the harbor.
After eating, we took a stroll out to the pier where a man offered us a scenic boat ride out to a nearby island. On the island, there was a lighthouse from the 16th century that the British had built, along with a few others scattered up the coast, for fear that Napoleon would try to invade.
