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8 am breakfast Lanyon’s Restaurant
Today we go for the full Irish breakfast taken at a leisurely pace for maximum enjoyment. We thoroughly enjoy the full and hearty breakfast in this quiet dining room – so special, but perhaps better suited to brunch.
9:30 am visit Dalkey
(Irish: ”thorn island”)
A thriving seaside suburb and resort just south of Dublin City. Originally a Viking settlement that became an important port during the Middle Ages. Many writers,entertainers and celebrities call it home: Maeve Binchy, Hugh Leonard, Bono, Van Morrison. We plan a half-day Dalkey trip/visit and catch the DART from Pearse Street Station. Conveniently, DART trains run every 15 minutes and Dalkey is about 8 miles out. We arrive in Dalkey 25 minutes later. The town’s quaint charm is immediately apparent when stepping off the train. From the station we trustingly walk downhill toward the sea but have no idea where the road will take us – but we get lucky!
10:30 am we come upon Dalkey Castle & Heritage Centre
Dalkey is right-sized for people with most homes and buildings one story, sometimes two. The road snakes gracefully through the village. Very green: lawns, hedges, trees. Little gardens, lots of potted flowers, hanging bouquets scattered among Cafes, a bakery, several inns, many shops. Around a bend we are surprised to see a stone fortress – Dalkey Castle & Heritage Centre.
Costumed re-enactors put on a wonderful show as they guide us through the impressive fortifications. We visit a medieval dentist, share a table set with bore’s head, fish, fruit and bread, climb the ramparts for a city view – below us remnants of smaller stone buildings with an ancient graveyard. An educational exhibit pays homage to the Irish literary greats. Enjoyed the fun and the knowledge gained. We continue to explore as we make our way back to the station – this time uphill! – and catch the DART back to Dublin. The long shoreline (low tide) is visible from the train and we follow it as the train moves toward Dublin. It’s been a wonderful morning!
1 pm special dining BANG restaurant
One of the top restaurants in Dublin – delivers exceptional quality and value for money in a friendly, relaxed, informal attractive setting. Head chef and partner Phil Yeung nominated for ‘Best Chef’ in 2014 Irish Restaurant Awards is passionate about food and delivers an exciting seasonal menu based on the freshest available offerings. We start with lightly cured Clare Island Salmon, served with Salted Cucumber, Local Radish, Apple Gel and frozen Horseradish. The presentation makes one lust for the food. Once tasted it stands the test. Our main: Killkeel Hake, crisp on the outside but meltingly tender. Oh my! What delicious food. Dessert, a favorite part of any meal, is always chosen first…the rest of the meal built around it! A spiced Carrot Cake, with Buttermilk Espuma, topped with Pickled Carrot. Beautiful to look at, even better to taste. Very sophisticated dining experience.
Recommended by Michelin Guide, nominated for Irish Restaurant Awards in categories of ‘Best Chef’, ‘Best Service’ and rated in Top 3 Private Dining Rooms in Dublin, offering vegetarian menu and celiac suitable dishes. Eat here to find out first hand why BANG is one of Dublin’s finest restaurants.
3 pm visit National Gallery of Ireland
Established in 1854 by an Act of Parliament, opened in Jan 1864. Free entry. The collection, over 2,500 paintings and 10,000 other works in various media – watercolor, drawings, prints, sculpture represents every major European art movement from the 13th -20th century. It’s modern interior is well lit, with good exhibition spaces. Highlights: works by Vermeer, Caravaggio, Picasso, Van Gogh and Monet.
The Gallery also houses a renowned collection of Irish paintings. It is fun to watch a group of Irish school children visiting with their teacher attentively learning about their artistic cultural heritage. The sketchbooks of Jack B. Yeats are on exhibit during our visit. His personal sketchbooks numbered over 200. They were an integral part of his artistic practice and were used for inspiration, subject matter and composition of his oil paintings. Viewing them is like getting into the heart of the artist. The award winning Millenium Wing can also be visited. There are free tours on weekends, free audio tour guides of the permanent collection, a Gallery store and restaurant.
7 pm dinner The President’s Bar Davenport Hotel
We leave tomorrow morning and have to pack so we decide on light dinner in the hotel. The President’s Bar has a club-like ambience, with bay windows. Quick service, freshly prepared, perfect for our last night. We order typical Irish food for our final Dublin dinner and wish we’d eaten here sooner. The food is marvelous! The President’s Bar is popular with both locals and visitors and serves an excellent snack menu that includes favorites such as homemade soup, steak sandwiches and seafood chowder.
stay Davenport Hotel
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