How to Spend 5 Hours in Dublin, Ireland
When people hear “Ireland,” they usually think of its two main cities: Dublin and Belfast.
Fun fact for those that don’t know: These cities are in completely different countries. Belfast is in Northern Ireland, which is part of the UK across the Irish Sea. Dublin is in the Republic of Ireland, which is the dominant country in terms of area and familiarity.
We’re not here to discuss the differences between the Irish countries, though. We’re here to discuss what to do with five hours in Dublin.
I came to Dublin at the end of a very fun but very long week in Ireland, from attending The Outing Festival in Shannon to crashing my car in Galway and to reconnecting with my ancestors at Trim Castle.
If it were up to me, I’d have given myself an extra day in Dublin, but when Fáilte Ireland and Tourism Ireland are sponsoring the trip, you go where you can and when you can and be grateful along the way.
The Trinity City Hotel
I arrived in Dublin at half past two in the afternoon and promptly checked into my room at The Trinity City Hotel. The 4-star hotel is conveniently located in downtown Dublin, though I’m grateful I dropped off my car prior to and didn’t have to drive down here to get there.
The hotel itself is also immaculate, and my room had a private balcony that let me overlook downtown Dublin. The immediate views of the buildings were great, but the views of the mountains off in the distance were skewed by the ever-present clouds that followed me along the whole trip. That just added to the dramatic flair of the European winter, which has its own place in the story.
Breakfast was also included for me here at the hotel, which was great, but my taxi driver showed up 15 minutes early and ultimately cut it short.
I will say, though, I had the best night’s sleep in all of Ireland at this hotel, which was extra lovely due to the fact I had to wake up at 5 am the next morning to go back to the airport.
The Book of Kells Experience
Outside of where to stay, let’s talk about what you should do while in Dublin.
Whether you’re on a tight budget for time or not, you absolutely must pay a visit to The Book of Kells Experience at the Trinity City College.
The Book of Kells itself is an ancient transcription of the tale of Christ as told through the main gospels of the New Testament. The room that actually holds the book is barred from any type of photography, but the display before it gives the run-down on everything from the translation to the images to how the ink and paper were created.
Above the room that houses The Book of Kells is the Old Library Project, which is a library that looks like it belongs in Harry Potter and let me live out the fantasy of high bookshelves with a ladder needed to get in between them.
At the end of the Long Room in the library rests Gaia, this massive illuminated globe of the earth that hangs from the ceiling and gently spins to mimic its orbit. The images are utilized from NASA’s detailed pictures of the Earth’s surface, and it truly is a sight to see.
Elsewhere, the experience continues to include more of a 3D adventure, complete with “talking” and “blinking” statues and animations that continue to give the feel of the Wizarding World (even though Ireland has nothing to do with Harry Potter.)
The 3D experience includes an immersive video that takes you through the journey of the Book of Kells, including what it went through to land where it did in the college.
Chester Beatty Museum
If free museums are more your speed, you should definitely check out the Chester Beatty Museum in the Dublin castle.
Known as one of the “greatest collectors in the twentieth century,” the museum is run by volunteers looking to keep his collections alive. He gave a lot to the Irish people during his time living there, and the exhibitions detail his varying interests across different cultures and religions.
At the moment, one of the more impressive and temporary exhibits is looking at the Netsuke Japanese Zodiac of animals. Often, we think of the Chinese variation, and although they’re similar, this exhibit highlights Beatty’s carved netsuke that contains the twelve animals.
There are also very old and very rare editions of the Quran, as well as some artwork and clothing from ancient China and Egypt, the latter of which is one of my favorite cultures.
The exhibits here change relatively frequently, so be sure to check out their current list prior to your visit.
Dinner at Cleaver East
I had a great dinner at Cleaver East, whose menu consisted of everything local and whose meal I chose to dine solely on the vegetarian side of things, of which I was not disappointed in the least.
On the appetizer side of things, I cannot recommend the Maple & Soy Roasted Squash enough. It comes on a bed of hummus with a chimichurri sauce and Gremolata, and it was an appetizer I could eat every day and not get tired of it. Squash is already one of my favorite vegetables as it is, and the maple & soy glaze it was roasted in was out of this world.
I finished off the meal with the spinach and ricotta tortellini, which had sage and pumpkin in the sauce base with pumpkin seeds to round out the flavor. I was actually nervous that eating only from the vegetarian menu would leave me hungry at the end, but it was actually one of the most filling meals I had on the entire trip.
Round Two Bucket list: Guinness Storehouse
If there’s one thing I wish I could have done, it’s the first thing on my list if ever I’m in Dublin again: The Guinness Storehouse.
This place is the home of Guinness and where it’s brewed. You can go in for an experience and have your face printed in the froth on top of a pint. I mean, how cool is that?! It takes you on a tour of one of the most recognizable beers in the world — love it or hate it — and it’s totally an experience I would have done if I had the chance.
In fact, if they didn’t close at 5, I’d have gone to do this after The Book of Kells instead of going to Chester Beatty. Alas, as noted, this is the first thing on my bucket list for next time. It gives me a reason to go back, which I’ll never say no to.
