Ireland and UK Holiday 2015, 4th June

Back to Dublin, drop car.

Time to head back to Dublin to spend the night before getting the fast ferry to Holyhead in Wales. Needed to get the car back to Avis before 10.30am and managed it by 9:30am despite the best efforts of the tragic SatNav to send us in endless confusing circles. Avis kindly held our bags in their broom closet while we did a bit of touristy stuff. First to Kilmainham Gaol to see where my g-g-g-grandfather Francis Byrne spent a few months in 1815 before getting a free trip to Australia. We have yet to find out what his crime was, and may never know as there are great gaps in Irish records due to wars and fires.

Next we wandered to the Guinness Storehouse for their tour, more a puff piece for Guinness but nevertheless interesting. You never get to see any real working factory stuff, it's all museum style with plenty of explanations. The highlight was the bar on the 7th floor where you get a pint (included in the ticket price) and get to see Dublin from a great vantage point.

After that we caught a tram into the city to find our accommodation (for the last night before getting the ferry) and then for a short walk along the Liffey river bank for a few photos.

In the old section cell block where most likely my ancestor spent a few unhappy months.....



In the rock breaking yard where 14 prisoners were executed as a result of the 1916 uprising......



The names, and this event really changed opinion and would lead on eventually to the war of independence  1919-1921.....



Next a more cheerful visit to the Guinness home, a part of the queue for tickets to get in, it is popular..........



Inside the old storehouse, now a museum of sorts, lots of explanatory stuff in the floors above, most way too unphotogenic......



The bar on the 7th floor, truly noisy and a truly good views of Dublin......



Good views, good booze.....



Next the tram to the city and the view from our hotel window in Lower Gardiner street......



A couple of the famine statues on the Liffey river walk......



The Liffey river and the replica famine ship, the Jeanie Johnston, not sure what the building on the left has been drinking....



That's it for Ireland for now, an early start Friday morning to catch the 8:45am fast ferry to Wales and then train to London so next reports from there.