Seven go to Dublin

Seven go to Dublin (Non-naturist)

Well, seven intrepid travellers were all set to make a day trip for a whirl wind tour of Dublin on Saturday 9th August 2008.
Bookings were made online with bmi and all documents printed so that there was no waiting at the airport.
Ian (windsoruk) and Mark were going to the airport by taxi and William (Admin), Philip, Tricia, Brenda and myself were setting off by car, so it was up by 5 am ready for the off for check in at 6 am.
Under grey skies we parked the car and got on the bus to get to the terminal building where we met up with Ian and Mark.
Desperately needing coffee we got ourselves booked in with our pre-printed boarding passes and hunted down a coffee bar.
Our flight left at 7 am and we arrived on time in a grey, drizzly Dublin. It turned out it was going to be a coats on / coats off day.
We picked up our pre-booked Dublin Passes (a pre-paid attractions admission card, so no queuing), City Tour Hop On Hop Off bus passes, Dublin Pass Guides and Aircoach tickets and were off on the coach for the 20 minute journey into Dublin City.
Being a whirl wind tour William had set us an itinerary so we could make the most of our day.
So, off the coach in O’Connell Street where the millennium Dublin Spire is, aka Stiffy on the Liffey. Cameras out and photos taken we went to find our breakfast location.
We found the shopping mall earlier then we expected and our plans for breakfast at Brazilla were scuppered as it was not open. Tracing our steps back we stopped at the first open eatery and had satisfying breakfasts varying from a full Irish to scrambled eggs, with plenty of toast and tea or coffee.
Back on the open top bus we headed for Dublin Castle. The bus drivers give a very witty commentary on the passing attractions we pass along the route.
We arrived at the Castle just before 11 am only to find that on Saturdays it does not open to visitors till 2 pm (11 am on weekdays). So we wandered around snapping away with the cameras at the interesting architecture and statues.
Next planned attraction was to be St Patricks Cathedral but we happened to come across Christ Church Cathedral, Dublin’s oldest building, as we wandered and went inside. The Cathedral dates back to the eleventh century and has an amazing Mediaeval Crypt.
Gathering together again we decided it was time for more coffee or maybe lunch but as our planned itinerary was not running to schedule we had to decide where to go next.
We decided to hop on the bus again and aim for the Guinness Storehouse where we headed for the coffee shop first then off on the trek up the seven floors dedicated to the history of the “Black Stuff” reaching The Gravity Bar at the top with a 360° view across Dublin and a complementary pint of Guinness. It was a first tasting of the stuff for me, and yes I enjoyed it.
Back on the bus and on to Kilmainham Gaol where we waited about 10 minutes for the next guided tour (entry by guided tour only). After a short video presentation in the gaol chapel (not very good acoustics) by our guide Liz, we were off on the tour around the cool, limestone built Gaol.
Liz was very well versed in the gaol history but we found it was too much to take in in the time and were flagging a bit by the end of the tour so we headed for the tea rooms for more sustenance of tea, coffee and pastries.
Time was getting on now and we thought we should find somewhere to get a meal before returning to the airport. We made our way back to where we thought we had seen some eateries when we had passed the statue of Molly Malone on the bus earlier.
It had now started to rain quite heavily and we needed William’s map reading skills to find Molly. The rain got heavier so we found the first eatery just round the corner from Molly and were ushered to a table on the first floor.
We all decided on our choices from the menu and as we ordered we asked the waiter to bear in mind we had a plane to catch (it was now 4.40 pm and we had to check in at 6.55 pm).
We could see the street from our table and the rain was coming down in inordinate proportions.
Having been fed and watered we were pleased that we did not have too far to go get the Aircoach back to the airport. Just outside the restaurant and a few yards along the road. We got rather damp as the rain was still pouring down but the coach arrived at about 6 pm and we got on for the 20 minute journey to the airport.
Including us there were about 20 people on the coach all pleased to be out of the rain.
Off we went up the road, round the corner and stop.
Well, that was a far as we got. The traffic was at a standstill. We crawled along, if we moved at all.
We watched the minutes ticking away.
It happened that on this Saturday there was a football quarter-final and it also happened on this Saturday that the rain was by now causing flash flooding and roads were being closed as impassable. The roads turned into flowing rivers with manhole cover fountains. Blue lights and sirens becoming a common occurrence.
We watched the hours ticking away.
Thank God for mobile ‘phones. Frantic calls were made to the airport and when we realised the chances of catching our flight were diminishing rapidly plans were needed to feed/water pets, advise others at home of our predicament and find out how we were getting back to Blighty.
A couple of hardy young chaps got off the coach at different points deciding to try to make their own way to the airport but the rest of us had to resign ourselves to sitting it out on the coach, going round diverted routes, dodging broken down cars, hearing that the motorways were at a standstill too and had been closed and various roads to the airport had been closed as well..
We decided that if we got to the airport and could get any flights who, out of the 7, most needed to get home and who could stay over if necessary.
As time still was passing us by and the situation worsening we were relieved that the pets that would need attention had been sorted (a very good friend with a house key) and a text message sent and would hopefully be picked up in time to advise of a delayed visit on Sunday.
With this sorted we now needed to get flights home as our booked flights were long overdue. We then heard a rumour that the airport had been closed but as we crawled along the approach road we could see planes landing.

William had called a friend who booked us on line for the next available flight back home which was not till 6.40 am Sunday morning with Aer Lingus.

We finally got to the airport 4 hours 20 minutes after boarding the coach. It was now 10.20 pm. First stop was the loo. Then the coffee shop.
We found a quite spot in Area 14 to settle down for the night on hard metal seating. Our peace disturbed now and then by loud talking mobile phone users and wide awake kids. No sleep was forthcoming but a bit of dozing now and then, passing the time with trips upstairs to the loo and on the hunt for drinks. Most vendors were closed for the night.
As soon as possible we checked that we had got bookings for the Aer Lingus flight, got our boarding cards and headed for the departure lounge only to find the same hard metal seating and no vendors open.
Just after 4.30 the nearest vendor opened and we were there getting coffee and sandwiches.
At last it was time to board our plane and once seated sleep overcame us.
Back in Heathrow there was a hurried departure as Ian and Mark headed for the taxi rank and we went to get the airport transfer bus to the car park with thoughts of home.

Well, what an adventure. Would I do it again – YES.
A brill day with good friends but next time I hope it is not in the rainy season
Lots of photos were taken during the day and once we have shared with each other I will post some of the best.
edit -13/8/08 - have posted a few pics in my album, Dublin. Hope to post a few more soon.

From Irishtimes.com
A total of 76mm (three inches of rain) fell on Saturday in east Leinster, but most of that came in torrential downpours from 4pm onwards, causing flash flooding.
Both Dublin City Council and Dublin Fire Brigade reported more than 600 calls between 4pm and midnight on Saturday as homes and businesses were flooded.
Between 5pm and 7pm, when the rain was at its heaviest, gardaí were receiving an average of four to five calls a minute.
A spokesman for the council said the conditions were unprecedented and unlike anything experienced before.