Dublin - Thursday, 5/22/2025

• Wicklow Mountains
• Glendalough
• Kebabs
• Jeanie Johnston Famine Ship 
• Epic Emigration Museum 
• O'Shea's Restaurant
• St Andrews Church and concert
• Vat House Bar

We had to get up early to today to catch our bus tour to the Wicklow Mountains and Glendalough. Paddywagon tours meet at The Spire, a famous central landmark. They run full day and half day bus trips from Dublin. Our half day tour was 1.5 hours south of the city.  Lots of twisting narrow Irish roads up into the mountain. Natalie got motion sickness on the bus. It took a good hour of walking around before she was feeling normal again.

The hiking area at Glendalough ("Valley of two lakes") was very pretty. It's one of 8 national parks in Ireland.  Lots of history with Christianity spreading in the early first millennium.  Part of the park is an abandoned monestary from around 900 AD. Of course, there were some annoying behaviors by fellow passengers on the bus - crinkling snack packages, taking a call on speaker phone, recharging a phone from the ceiling.

After the hike, we returned on the bus and walked back to the hotel.  Between the hiking around the lakes and to/from the hotel we'd already walked several miles.  We're averaging walking  6-7 miles a day on the trip. 

Lunch was kebabs from a local stand, then we walked down to the Jeanie Johnston, a replica famine ship, permanently docked on the Liffey River.  During the great famine (1845-1852), approximately a million people died of starvation/disease and nearly twice that number fled Ireland, many not of their own free will.  It was cheaper for landholders to ship off tenants on famine ships (also called coffin ships) than to pay the king's taxes required per tenant. 

Passage on a famine ship was grim.  A couple hundred people were jammed into the hold for the weeks long voyage. They weren't allowed on deck or to interact with the crew because disease was rampant. Nobody knows for sure how many people died, but estimates are that 25% died while on board.

My own relatives (on my Mom's side) emigrated from Ireland.  I don't know if they made the journey on a famine ship, but I'm glad they made it, otherwise, obviously, I wouldn't be here. 

Our tour guide, Catoriona, was really great. She could spin a good yarn.  She told this story, the baby Nicholas Johnston Reilly, who, against all odds, was born on the Jeanie Johnston and eventually lived in Minnesota.

After the ship tour, we went across the street to Epic, the Emigration museum. It was confounded by the former chairman of Coca Cola along with a number of other famous Irish emigrants.  It was well done but we were pressed for time.  I had considered consulting with them on my Irish heritage but we lacked the time. I might still do it online. 

Back to the hotel for a quick stop and then dinner. We ate at O'Shea's restaurant, a quaint old house in the heart of the city converted into a nice place to eat. I had bangers and mash, which was delicious.  Yelena and Natalie had Irish lasagna, Austin had chicken kiev.

Then walking again to St Andrews Church and Lex's concert.  My only complaint of the church was the pews, undersized and oh so uncomfortable.  I guess you don't want anyone sitting too comfortable when in front of THE LORD!

The orchestra played a few selections from their tour playlist:

• Ralph Vaughan Williams, The Lark Ascending
• Antonín Dvorák, Symphony No. 9 “From the New World,” Op. 95 B. 178
• Igor Stravinsky, Berceuse and Finale from “The Firebird" 

We greeted Lex between the orchestra and jazz band set.   Only a short visit, but it was fun to see him. We snuck out before the jazz band started. 

On the way back to the hotel, we decided to stop for one final Guinness and to hear some traditional music.  The Vat House Bar had a traditional tin penny whistle player teamed with a guitar player. They were great. 

Update - 8.5 miles walked today.

Photos