Out of all the holidays that exist in the Gregorian calendar, there is none more fun than St Patrick’s day. It’s the only time of the year where you don’t have to worry about being a drunken idiot because EVERYONE is a drunken idiot, right? Well, that’s what I always assumed until I went to Dublin for St Paddy's.
While I have celebrated St Patrick's in Bangkok, London, Hanoi and too many other places to name, Dublin was something I had never anticipated. All the other places had everyone dressed in green, insanely loud music on every street and some drunk guy wearing a “kiss me I am Irish” t-shirt (turns out he was lying). The big difference between the rest of the world and Dublin during St Patrick's is that Dublin doesn’t need to cash in on the gimmicks associated with St Patrick's day, especially since it doesn’t need to prove its Irish authenticity.
If you visit Dublin on this magical day, sure you can expect an impressive parade through the city but it’s the local pubs and the people that really make the day so memorable. The vibe or as they say in Ireland “craic” is electric and unforgettable anywhere you go, with musicians playing traditional folk music, people dancing and singing on tables, and beers flowing like the Amazon. If there is a beer garden, you must take a peek, some of the funniest stories I ever heard were there. On entry to the pub alone, I must have left with about 20 new friends. But the party isn’t confined in the pubs, it’s everywhere. Musicians playing folk music outside on every corner with everyone dancing and singing and clapping along.
After my trip to Dublin, I realized that there was no other place that could do St Patrick’s Day justice more than the capital of Ireland itself.
And a very Happy St Patrick's Day to the two of you gentlemen!!!
Oh the Temple Bar was the first place I went to haha! I loved the small pubs more though, the ones with an open fire and a big armchair to sip whiskey on.
I was in Dublin and Ireland in 2019 but not for St. Paddy's (or the more formal St Patrick's) day. The group I was with commented many times during our trip that every day felt like St Paddy's day, especially with all the trad (traditional) music and beer flowing in the pubs everywhere we went.
We also visited the Guinness Storehouse and the Smithwick's factory during our trip and had great parties at both of those must do tourist spots as well.
Like you, I've experienced St. Paddy's day in other cities including New York City, which has always been a highlight for me. But to experience the real thing in Dublin sounds like something that has to go on my bucket list.
Where else did you visit during your trip or were you mainly in Dublin? And did you make it to the Temple bar?