Ireland day 1093. Wednesday 25 September 2024- Visitors 10cc

Today’s summary	In the morning, took our guests on a short walking tour of Malahide. In the afternoon, drove into Dublin and dropped our friends off at Kilmainham Gaol. We parked the car and had a coffee while they went round. Afterwards, walked through Kilmainham Hospital then took the bus to Dublin Castle and had a look round via the Dubh Linn garden. Had dinner at Chez Max then walked to Vicar St to see 10cc in concert. they were excellent with all their best known hits. Drove back to Malahide afterwards and in the flat by about 11:30
Today’s weather	Overcast but dry in the morning, heavy rain all afternoon. Light northerly wind. Appx 13c

Today’s overview location (The blue mark shows the location of our route)		Close-up location (The blue mark shows where we walked) (No GPX today)

Commentary

(Summary blog only. Last full blog was Day 0368).

Wednesday was a pretty jam-packed day of activity. Quite tiring by very well worthwhile.

We have two friends staying with us for a couple of days, so on Wednesday we decided to push the boat out a bit and do some Dublin exploring. But first, before setting off, we took then on a short guided tour of Malahide, to give them idea of where we have been living for the last three years. It was somewhat on the cool grey side, so not looking quite at its most sparkling, but plenty to see nevertheless.

Our guests had wanted to take a look round Kilmainham Gaol, so had got tickets for a 2pm tour. To make transport arrangements easier, I drove us all into town and dropped them off at the Gaol then went off to park the car and get a coffee while they went on the tour. Val and I had already been round a few months ago so decided not to go again.

By the time the tour had finished and the four of us had reconvened, it was pouring with rain. So rather than walking all the way to our next destination – the castle – we only walked half way, just to take a look at the Kilmainham Hospital and garden, then took a bus the rest of the way.

We got to the castle just before 4pm then had a quick look round the Dubh Linn garden and then took refuge in the grandiose surroundings of the castle interior, while it continued to pour outside. Afterwards, it was just a short walk to our early and leisurely dinner at Chez Max, which we finished enjoying just in time to walk to the main attraction of the day – the Vicar St Theatre – just in time for the doors opening at 7:30.

On the agenda tonight was 10cc – a band I remembered from the 1970s. They were playing a set of their greatest hits, and despite only one of the original line-up still actually being in the band today, they were pretty good. Worryingly, I remembered almost all the hits from when they were originally in the charts half a century ago, which instantly made me feel old. We all really enjoyed the show, and the venue was welcoming and not too vast (but very hot). They eventually finished just before 11pm.

It was at this point that I was very glad to have driven in. Trying to negotiate our way across Dublin and then out to Malahide by public transport and in the rain late at night would have been miserable. Instead, it was only a five minute walk to the car and a thirty minute drive back, so we were in the flat well before midnight and just time to enjoy drinks and snacks before calling it a day and retiring to bed.

It’s been something of a whirlwind the last few days, and I think both Val and I are looking forward to putting our feet up for a bit now!

Today’s photos (click to enlarge)


In Christchurch Q-Park. I always have to take a photo so I can remember where I parked the car!	Crossing over to head up the tree-lined avenue to Kilmainham Hospital. The rain was pouring down by this point

Part of the Dub Linn Garden – just outside the main walled-in section	Georgian finery around the Castle courtyard

A big sweeping staircase leads up to the first floor of the castle	The Castle drawing room

Approaching the Vicar St venue – looks better at night than by day, ironically