Dublin

After Belfast, I caught a bus down to Dublin with another old friend from the Ulster Project, Andrew Mullan. He is in his last year at Trinity College, and offered to host and show me around during the tail end of his winter break.  Andrew is one of those people who never cuts corners-it would have been generous if he had offered a room and a map or brought me to one or two sights. But, in above-and-beyond fashion, we hit Dublin running and only stopped a few times so I could go to the toilets.  Among the highlights of the 40 hours were into the future Prime Minister of Ireland twice in one day (on the street and in a pub), stopping at everything named for a famous writer (statues, cafés, parks: Yeats, Joyce, Wilde), and the book of Kells (from which the intricate patterns on millions of irish dance costumes are apparently taken). And as the reality of of the duration of my trip began to set in, it was encouraging to hear about his study abroad experience and be assured that mine would be great, too. 
Photos:

Guinness factory! Puts Miller brewery to shame, really. Luckily I made a fool of myself in Belfast in regards to how to drink a Guinness so at the factory I looked like a pro. 

Fish and chips! The only food that can really fill Moolan, ie the mark of an Irishman. Served with baby food style peas. Mmm. 

This arch is in the movie Once! Where Glen Hansard chases the man who stole his guitar case. 

W. B. Yeats exhibit at the National Library. Brilliant. 

This is the back of the future Prime Minister of Ireland (left), according to a fourth year law student. Also dull as dishwater, apparently. We'll see how he fairs in the election. Except that I don't remember his name.    

A pub with a bookshelf nook. Cheers. 

So now I've been to Ireland, North and South! I'll have to call my grandma Carol and chat about our long removed country of descent.