A fresh perspective on the Emerald Isle : DubaiEye103.8

A fresh perspective on the Emerald Isle by Sanooj Sherif

Dublin had never featured on my travel wish list, but the launch of Emirates Airline’s inaugural flight to the Irish capital, was my perfect excuse to visit the Emerald Isle and boast of my first trip to Europe.

The word Ireland always brought to mind images of rolling green hills, literary figures and leprechauns, but I decided to approach this trip without preconceived notions or high expectations.

I was quite apprehensive about the winter weather which I’m not accustomed to. In fact my impending visit was greeted with forewarnings of the freezing conditions, starting from the lady at the Irish Visa Office in Dubai, all the way to my colleagues, friends and even the chauffeur who dropped me at the airport.

The excitement and buzz surrounding the launch of the new route was quite evident as we touched down at Dublin Airport. The maiden flight was greeted with a warm welcome and in the words of Declan Collier, Chief Executive of Dublin Airport Authority, “It was something positive at a time when good news was hard to come by in Ireland”.

I got my first glimpse of the city while heading to the hotel along with our seven-member media contingent. The first thing that struck me was the dedicated lanes for bicycles. Our tour guide Mary Phelan explained that the city was actively trying to promote the use of public transport and the efforts seemed to have paid off with a much improved public bus and tram network.

Having spent most of my life in Dubai and parts of India, I was immediately in awe of Dublin’s old-world charm and the Georgian architecture. As a first-timer to Europe, I found myself embracing the sights with childish excitement. As we whizzed past the airport towards the city centre, Mary reminded us of the city’s turbulent past, the glory days of the Celtic Tiger and the tough economic climate that followed.

After an eight-hour long flight, our first stop was the Shelbourne Hotel, a national treasure dating back to 1824, overlooking St. Stephen’s Green, Europe’s largest garden square. The iconic hotel brimmed with the weight of being a silent witness to the changing phases of Dublin and the pride of hosting the likes of John F Kennedy, Grace Kelly, Elizabeth Taylor, Orson Welles and other towering personalities. It came to be such a central part of Irish life that the country’s Constitution was actually drafted in one of the hotel’s conference rooms in 1922.

Room No. 642 was lying in wait, eager to host me for the next three days, and probably waiting to etch my humble name in the hotel’s long list of distinguished guests J

The hotel’s close proximity to St. Stephen’s Green and the famed Grafton Street was a huge plus point, and I decided to explore my immediate surroundings on foot, decked in my rarely-used winter gear.

Grafton Street’s neatly lined rows of boutiques and department stores had a unique charm, but for a high-end shopping district, the area wasn’t at all busy, which I presumed was partly due to being a weekday and the post-Christmas “monetary blues”. But walking along the cobble-stoned street, it’s the perfect place for window shopping and people gazing, with plenty of places to rest your weary feet.

I found my way to Temple Bar, the city’s cultural quarter, with its well-preserved medieval street pattern, art galleries and design studios. The area is known for its lively night life, with buskers and fiddlers spilling onto the streets.

Accustomed to our region’s rather punctual sunrise, it took a while for me to come to terms with the sun coming up at half past eight in my new surroundings. Our first stop of the day was the famed Trinity College, which is Ireland’s oldest university dating back to 1592. Walking along the institution’s lawns and past the Trinity Bell, my thoughts wandered back in time, imagining the likes of Jonathan Swift and Oscar Wilde trudging along the same path, albeit in different eras.

The college library which is on the must-visit list of most tourist itineraries, houses the Book of Kells, a 9^th century gospel manuscript, regarded as a national treasure. The Library’s Long Room preserves 200,000 of the university’s oldest books in the best possible condition. Its long hallways and oak book cases transport you back in time and is a pleasant escape from the usual city-centric sights.

We were later taken on a panoramic tour of Dublin, stopping by the Liffey Water Front where Ha’penny Bridge meets Wellington Quay, a place where you feel is the heart of the city. The Phoenix Park, located north of the River Liffey is one of the largest city parks in Europe and is a sanctuary for many birds and animals, particularly the Fallow Deer whom I spotted grazing in the open. In addition to many historic buildings and monuments, the park also houses the official residences of the President of Ireland and the US Ambassador.

Driving past Dublin’s Georgian quarters with its impressive row of period houses, tree-lined squares and avenues, Mary the guide briefed us about the city’s tryst with the Vikings, the dark days of the Great Famine and the generosity of the Guinness Family.

Later, as we left the traffic behind us and headed to county Wicklow, the urbanscape gave way to green fields and cute cottage houses. Our destination was the Powerscourt Estate which houses a 13^th century castle that changed hands during different periods in history and even survived a massive fire before it was renovated in 1996. We were given a tour of the Ritz Carton Hotel located within the estate, a majestic property offering stunning views of the surrounding greenery and the mountains beyond.

Other main attractions on the estate grounds include the Tower Valley, Japanese & Italian gardens and the pet cemetery, whose tombstones carry touching messages, dating back to hundreds of years. It was absolute bliss wandering around the estate inhaling the crisp winter air and a light drizzle to keep me company.

Dinner that night was at a joint quite close to Temple Bar, which gave me yet another excuse to explore the area, this time in greater detail with a healthy dose of music and Irish folk tales keeping us entertained till late in the night…

Our last day in Dublin saw us head to a little known gem of a library or rather museum, I should say, housing a rare collection of manuscripts and artworks left to the nation by mining magnate Sir Alfred Chester Beatty. Once again we were greeted with warm words of welcome in Gaelic and looking back, that’s been the case at all the places we visited. It was heartening to see the enthusiasm with which the traditional language was preserved by the Irish.

The Chester Beatty Library’s rich collection offers a glimpse into the artistic treasures of various cultures and religions, ranging from Byblical Papyri to Islamic and Far Eastern artifacts to Mughal manuscripts. Despite housing some of the rarest of rare artworks and not charging an entrance fee unlike most of the other attractions, I was told by one of the volunteers that the Chester Beatty still remains off the track of regular tourists to Dublin.

Kildare, home to the state-owned Irish National Stud Farm was the last official stop on our itinerary.

An hour’s drive from the city centre, the 1,000-acre facility is considered to be the heartbeat of Ireland’s thoroughbred industry and is the place where some of the country’s best horses are conceived and cared for. It also runs an equine training programme which prepares youngsters for a career in an industry valued close to one billion-Euro.

Added attractions are two distinct landscaped gardens with trickling streams, miniature waterfalls and woodland, offering a fitting tribute to Ireland’s natural beauty.

Heading back to the hotel, we made a quick stop at the Kildare Village Outlet Shopping, known for its branded offerings and year-long discounts. The stylish boutiques, located in a relaxed open-aired environment, capture the charm of the region and scripted the perfect climax to our time in Ireland.

Our last dinner in Dublin, was by far the most complicated, owing to the elaborate and quirky menu, but it gave us plenty of time to sum up our sojourn and to extend a warm goodbye to our friend Mary, who helped us take in the sights and sounds of Dublin.

As I boarded the flight back home the next morning, I looked back with fond memories at the time spent in the Emerald Isle, a place which wasn’t on my travel agenda, but surprisingly ended up being my first tryst with Europe.

Emirates’ Inaugural Flight at Dublin Airport

Temple Bar, Dublin

The Ha’penny Bridge at Night

At Kildare Village Outlet Shopping

Liffey Waterfront

View of the Gardens from Powerscourt Estate

St Fiachra’s Garden at The Irish National Stud

Stallion Stables at the Irish National Stud

The ‘Invincible Spirit’ with his handler at the Irish National Stud

Dublin Audio:

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A fresh perspective on the Emerald Isle by Sanooj Sherif

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