Brenna Without Borders

In June of 2018 I took my first big adventure since my mission trip. My friend/coworker Emily and I planned a 10-day trip to Ireland. At that time Wow air flew cheap from Pittsburgh to Iceland and then on from Iceland to Ireland. 

I would not suggest flying a budge airline internationally, though at the age of 24 it fit my budget and got me where I wanted to go.  You could purchase food, but otherwise there was no inflight snacks or beverages.  There was zero leg room.  Since this trip, I flew American to Spain and had a completely opposite and pleasant international flight experience.  (Read more about Spain) To make matters worse, when we reached our layover in Iceland, we found out we had accidentally booked two different connecting flights to Ireland.  My flight was in the morning and hers was in the afternoon. Customer service refused to do anything for us.  We asked if she could purchase a seat on my flight, we asked if I should stay behind, only to receive the answer that “nothing was guaranteed. Even though there were open seats on my flight, they refused to let Emily on.  So we flew separate.  When I arrived in the Dublin airport, I posted up in baggage claim and waited for Emily to arrive so we could start our adventure. 

Once she arrived, we exchanged our money and bought a bus pass.  The Airlink Express has two routes, so be mindful of which one you buy, and is specifically for transport to the city centre.  So if you are staying on the outskirts of town, a taxi may be a better option. Buy your tickets here. 

We got off at the stop that appeared to be closest to our hostel and began our walk. Carrying our packs on our backs and our daypacks on our front we walked down the streets of Dublin.

Let me just take a moment to be nostalgic.  I don’t know about you, but when I’m traveling, I move on autopilot, do the next thing. I move through the checklist in order to get where I need to go.  But when I stepped off that bus into the streets of Dublin, it really hit me. This is it.  This is the city that my great grandmother’s family is from. This is the country of my heritage. This is a new place. Somewhere I’ve never been before and I have 10 days to explore it!

Getting around 

Most parts of the city are pretty walkable in my opinion. I find walking to be the best way to learn a city and stumbling upon things I didn’t read about in my research.  Taxis are available and I believe so is ride share.We traveled from city to city by taking the Irish rail.  I would suggest purchasing your tickets beforehand, that way a seat will be assigned to you.  Learn more about the Irish Rail here. 

A Note about Hostels

If you are going to stay at hostels, go all in. Lean into the hostel life.  Hostel’s get such a bad wrap but in all honesty, the hostel experience was my favorite part of my trip to Ireland.  Most of the people utilizing hostels are young backpackers and travelers who are moving about on a budget.  Actually I met a ton of single american men traveling solo (single ladies this is for you). If you are a solo traveler, it’s a great way to make friends to go on excursions with. And if you are traveling with a group, it’s still a great opportunity to meet other people from all over the world (which is a part of traveling). Really embrace this opportunity! If you are introverted and know you are going to need some alone time, book a private room or hotel for one leg of your trip to give yourself that space! (read my post about group travel and being introverted)

Dublin

Where we stayed: 

• Barnacles Hostel Temple Bar – while an excellent location, in close proximity to everything in the city.  This was not the best hostel we stayed in. Being in the city centre, it was frequented by travelers and vagabonders contributing to unkept rooms and disappointing sleeping accommodations.  I am no longer able to even find a website for this hostel.  But I would recommend checking out Hostel World to find one that is the perfect fit for you. This is how I found all of our hostels on this trip.  On Hostel World you can read reviews, view pictures, and see the location of your hostel to all the attractions you want to visit on your trip.  

What we did: 

• Pub tour – One benefit of staying in hostels is the activities that are organized for you through the hostel.  Oftentimes they do day trips to local attractions.  In Dublin, we signed up for the pub tour.  For a set price we got discounted drinks at every pub we visited and free entry.  We also got to know other young travelers like ourselves, from all over the world. 
• Silent disco – Something I’ve only ever seen on social media.  The silent disco is how we ended the pub crawl.  Held on the upstairs floor of Whelan’s Pub (best known as the pub from P.S. I love you) You received a pair of headphones at the top of the stairs.  Once your headphones were on, you heard the disco and could dance it out.  What was weird is if you took off your headphones, it was silent and there was just a big crowd of people dancing to what seemed to be no music. So unique and fun! 
• Guinness Storehouse – this is a “must-do” when in Dublin.  Even if you don’t like Guinness, the storehouse is massive and takes you through the history of Guinness and how it is made. You get the opportunity to learn correct way to pour a Guinness, there is a correct way! And at the end of the tour, at the very top of the storehouse, there is a bar with a 365 view of Dublin. It is at least a half day experience. 
• St. Patrick’s Cathedral – if you are catholic, or even if you aren’t, you will appreciate this massive architectural beauty in the heart of dublin. St.Patrick’s is the national cathedral of the church of Ireland and contains over 800 years of history.  Due to covid, the church is currently open for worship only and plans to resume accepting visitors in the fall. 

Eat:

• M.C. Peaches coffee – this was a coffee shop right down the street from our hostel. It was adorable and quaint.  If I lived in Dublin, it’s the kind of place I would take my laptop and work from. 
• Quays Irish Restaurant – Emily and I got some wonderful traditional irish food here. They also have live music. 
• Spar Grocery store – right around the corner from our hostel.  More of a convenience store, Spar has a ton of made to order food, great for if you are in a hurry to start sight-seeing or catch a train to your next city.  
• The Old Storehouse – Another great option for some authentic Irish cuisine. 

Cork

Where we stayed: 

• Kinlay House, Cork Hostel – this hostel was way better than our first. It was quiet, clean, and located in the cozy neighborhood of Shandon. Which is just a quick walk down the hill to the city centre.  Cork is a completely different vibe than Dublin.  Being a large city, Dublin was very much hustle and bustle, lots of noise, drinking, and carrying on.  Cork is quieter, calmer.  It’s a cozy Irish country-side kind of place. I loved getting the opportunity to experience both.

What we did: 

• Street festival and climbing the Shanden bell tower – just one street over from us was St. Anne’s church.  It just so happens that the first full day we had in Cork, Shandon was having a street festival. They had tons of food vendors and activities for kids. There was live music and people dancing. It was a wonderful local experience to just happen upon.  We also got the opportunity to climb the bell tower and experience the 365 view of Cork from the top. You have to wear ear muffs in case the bells ring as you are walking past. I will warn, it is a bit of a challenging climb of 132 steps to the top. But the view and this experience is worth it.  Learn more about St. Anne’s and the Shandon Bell tower.
• English Market – fresh food market. It’s fun to walk around and get something to eat here from local vendors
• Day trip to Blarney and Cobh – we decided to book a day trip out to the Blarney Castle.  Paddywagon Tours was recommended by our hostel.  They provide an educated driver to walk tourists through the history of Blarney and the Blarney stone.  They provide transportation to and from destinations and entrance to whatever sight you are seeing (in our case the Blarney Castle).
• Kiss the Blarney Stone – the Blarney stone is at the very top of the castle.  Often, the line to kiss the stone, spans the entire way up to the top.  We waited in line, this was one thing I had to do while in Ireland! I was so excited. It is very much considered a tourist trap.  But the legend is that if you kiss the stone, you receive the “gift of gab” or impeccable speech.  Because so many people flock to Blarney every year to do this, you have to be ready to go when it’s your turn to pucker up. Camera ready, jacket off, shoes tied.  You lay on your back, reach backwards and grab the rails on both sides of the stone, then the man working there holds you up, while you extend your head backwards to kiss the stone.  

• Street music – lastly, Cork had some wonderful street music to offer.  While wandering the city, we stumbled upon all kinds of bands or musicians playing for cash. Sometimes large crowds would gather and watch for 20 mins or so! 

Galway

Where we stayed: 

• Galway City Hostel – this was my favorite hostel of all the ones we stayed out. It was right next to the train station, which was a very pleasant surprise. We stayed in a 12 person dorm, which made me alittle skeptical. But it was very clear, had several bathroom stalls, making it alot easier to get ready in the morning.  Like the hostel in Dublin, Galway City offered plenty of activities for it’s guests.  

What we did:

• Hostel Group Dinner – This was a welcome dinner for all the new travelers who had just got to the hostel that day, or anyone that wanted to come. Similar to the bar crawl in Dublin, it allowed us to get to know our fellow travelers. After dinner, this turned into a bar crawl and I wish I could remember all of the pubs we were in and out of, but in true irish fashion, the blended together pretty quickly.
• Cliffs of Moher – some of the friends we made on the bar crawl had rented a car (see benefits of making friends!) and this particular friend had lived in Europe for an extended period of time and felt confident driving. We chipped in for gas and he drove us out to the Cliffs of Moher. There is no question about it, if you go to Ireland, you have to visit the Cliffs of Moher. This natural wonder will take your breath away. The cliffs are so massive and so beautiful.

Note: if you don’t end up making a friend who can drive you out to the cliffs, you could book an excursions through your hostel or a tour company.

• Erye Square – Emily and I had a picnic one day and just sat our in Erye square. There was a man making these giant bubbles and I couldn’t stop watching, it was relaxing and entertaining. 
• Murphy’s Ice Cream – this adorable Irish Cream shop is a must stop when you are in Galway.  The customer service is wonderful and they offer a variety of delicious flavors
• South Park and Nimmo’s Pier – these are classic pictures you see of Galway. This is another great area for a picnic. If it’s warm out, perfect for sunbathing or hanging out with your new hostel friends!

Ireland is the perfect trip for young female travelers. It is safe, welcoming, and there isn’t a language barrier.  If you are first time backpacker looking for a trip to ease yourself into the lifestyle, look no further than Ireland.  

This trip was so amazing for me and I look back on it very fondly.  I cannot wait to go back to Ireland, for such a small country, there is still so much I would love to see and do. 

Where was the first backpacking trip you took? What are your favorite parts of Ireland? Leave a comment and let me know!

A Note About Covid

Currently the Republic of Ireland is accepting tourist with a negative covid test. On arrival you will have to complete a Passenger Located Form. A 10 day quarantine may also be necessary depending on where you are coming from and where you are going. You can view more information about Covid procedures on visiting Ireland here.