With the All Blacks due to visit Dublin this year, we booked a hotel and flights for Dublin back in Februrary to beat the inevitable price rises, without 100% certainty the preliminary dates for the tour would be right. Lucky for us they were, so we had one of our cheapest rugby weekends yet, completing our very own grand slam of Murrayfield, Twickenham, Cardiff Arms and Landsdowne Road (now Aviva Stadium) in Dublin over three years.
Arriving late on Friday night, we met a friend for a few obligatory pints of Guinness at one of the oldest bars in Dublin, the Stag’s Head on Temple Bar. The rugby wasn’t until 5pm the following day, so we spent Saturday wandering through Trinity College and the streets of the city, seeing some sights including the National Museum of Ireland (well worth a visit for Ireland's history) and taking in the pre-match atmosphere.
The rugby itself was exciting for the first half, but the All Blacks pulled away after half time and we secured another win. The crowd was unique, with plenty of banter and each time someone was preparing to take the kick the crowd would fall into a respectful silence, something we’ve not experienced at any other sports ground in the world. After the game it was another visit to Temple Bar to take in the atmosphere and quench our thirst.
Our flight wasn’t until late on Sunday, so we had plenty of time for more exploring, and then joining our friend again for a tour of the Guinness Factory. This was an excellent tour, informative, well designed, and definitely created to convert non-drinkers into Guinness lovers. We then took in a quick meal and more local beer, including one sweetened with fresh oyster, at the Porterhouse before heading back to London.
