The Emerald Isle: Magical and Green Ireland

This St. Patrick’s Day, the citizens of Dublin will gather together for a five day festival honoring their patron, Saint Patrick.  The Gathering Ireland 2013 will be the first time in the capital city’s history where over 8,000 people are invited to display their Irish pride while marching in the parade through downtown.
Irish pride can be felt throughout the world, with 4.5 million people living on the Emerald Isle itself, descendants who claim Irish ancestry number over 80 million. For centuries The Day of the Festival of Patrick was the only time during Lent that restrictions were lifted on what you could eat and drink, and from then on, lifting a pint is as fashionable as tipping your tweed cap.
Located on the River Liffey this picturesque city of Georgian architecture has less than a million inhabitants.  It is also very manageable on foot, if you are armed with a good map for walking.
Life is centered on College Green at Trinity College; the heart of the city. Founded by Elizabeth I in 1592, this new university was modeled after its contemporary counterparts back in England. Today the Book of Kells an illuminated manuscript from 800AD is one of the top attractions to see.
Dubliners take their literary claims very seriously, from the early writings of Saint Patrick that used the shamrock to demonstrate the Holy Trinity to other authors like; James Joyce, George Bernard Shaw, Jonathan Swift and the colorful Oscar Wilde.  These are just a few in the list of many that these rich heritages of authors are honored at the Dublin Writers Museum.
Don’t think that when visiting Dublin you have to bone up on your history of all the writers, because it’s alive and well in most pubs. The pub crawl no doubt had its start here in the city that created Guinness; and why not learn firsthand by visiting any of the countless pubs in Dublin that are mentioned in famous works.
The Brazen Head which claims to be the oldest in the city was mentioned in Ulysses.  The Baily on Duke Street lays claim to where many writers of the time rubbed elbows and shared a pint. This is literary history worth toasting.
Guinness, the Irish Stout, is a worldwide brand that is as identifiable with Ireland as much as the leprechaun. With a modest start Arthur Guinness started in 1759 the St. James Gate Brewery and ten years later exported just over six barrels to Great Britain creating a worldwide taste for this thick and creamy beer.
Today, Guinness is brewed in over 60 countries and is the largest export of Ireland.  Each day tourists visit the original brewery to learn the fascinating world of a stout maker and then are treated to a pint in the Gravity Bar at the end of the tour.
With all this walking about, you have to take time to enjoy some of the scenery of Dublin.  St. Stephen’s Green is the city’s most popular public garden. The park is completely enclosed by walls and can be accessed through any of the many gates.
Inside this verdant park you will find a refuge of urban life where Dubliners come to bask in the sunshine, stroll around an ornamental lake, feed the birds or just people watch. It’s a perfect spot to recharge before breaking out the map again.
There are so many options for visitors, you can’t go wrong with a walking tour of Dublin. The people here are warm and friendly and can be very helpful when searching for that perfect pub or a place to crawl up with a good classic.
If you find yourself in Ireland, look for me.  I’ll be under the maple wearing green and reading Wilde.