Ireland: Day 4 — Dublin

[The Stage is on Fire] is a page-turner in which, much like life, there are no easy answers and yet each step of the journey yields insight and hope. This work of heart must not be missed!

Melanie Faith

Creative Writing Teacher, Essayist & Poet.

Katie Steedly’s first-person piece [The Unspeakable Gift] is a riveting retelling of her participation in a National Institutes of Health study that aided her quest to come to grips with her life of living with a rare genetic disorder. Her writing is superb.

The Society of Professional Journalists

In recognition of receiving the Dateline Award for the Washingtonian Magazine essay, The Unspeakable Gift.

I thank you … It is the authenticity of your “class notes”; and it is the delicacy and skill with which you present the nuances of classroom life and the actuality of your students’ and fellow teachers’ lives.

Maxine Greene

Philosopher and Education Scholar

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Ireland: Day 4 — Dublin

Still stinging a bit from losing the football game, we woke up and headed out and about sightseeing around Dublin. (We noticed the understandably subdued nature of Florida State fans the entire day.) We walked to the City Centre and stopped at O’Donoghue’s Pub on Suffolk Street — not the O’Donoghue’s made famous by the Dubliners, which is also a favorite stop — and met a charming guy who told us about his 10 Guinness Saturday and 10 Guinness Sunday ritual. I also talked with two women who were returning home to San Diego after seeing Taylor Swift in London. Once again, the pub was a place to meet people and share stories.

Book of Kells Experience

We headed to The Book of Kells Experience at Trinity College after a pint at the pub. As a lover of words and language, this Experience further convinced me of Ireland’s connection to my heart. The Book of Kells is a 1,200-year-old manuscript written and protected over the centuries by those committed to preserving the Christian faith and the written text. Ornate and beautiful, the Book tells the Gospel story. The Experience includes seeing the actual Book of Kells, a walk through Trinity College’s Old Library Long Room, and several interactive exhibits that bring The Book and the Library’s historically and culturally significant collection to life.

Guinness Storehouse

Everyone told us not to miss the Guinness Storehouse, and they were not wrong. From a beautiful building filled with artifacts from the Guinness operation, an excellent description of how Guinness is made, live music and restaurants, to the best possible views of Dublin, the Storehouse is worth the time. We soaked it all in, made more friends, and tried different Guinness products we had not heard of before this trip.

Sunday Session at The Brazen Head

The Brazen Head is Ireland’s oldest pub. There has been a hostelry in the space since 1198. It appears in documents from 1653, and the building dates back to 1754. We fortuitously made our way to the Sunday Sessions, which occur in the pub every Sunday from 3:00 — 6:00.

This was a peak life experience. Full stop.

Tears flowed as the most outstanding Irish musicians sang and strummed the most authentic and heartfelt songs. (I was not the only person in the room crying.) The Session ended with everyone in the room wrapped arm-in-arm, singing The Monkee’s “Daydream Believer.” I have now lived.

Hawksmoor

Dinner was at The Hawksmoor. We walked into the fantastic space and were greeted with attention and care. When we happened to run into friends, they accommodated a table switch after we had ordered. (We truly appreciated the flexibilitygiven how busy they were.) Our dinner was delicious. We shared a bottle of Sancerre, Domaine la Clef du Recit, Anthony Girard, 2022, roasted currach scallops, and half a native lobster in garlic butter. We enjoyed a Kylemore Caesar, Dublin Bay monkfish, a fillet mignon, Peanut Butter Louis, and strawberry hibiscus cheesecake.