Coppers

My adventures with my English friends continues.

After going to Cafe En Seine, we headed to the International Bar. There, they were having an open mic night, so we were able to listen to a variety of music. Most of the music was very calm and soothing, which is fine, but I was really tired and I needed something up beat.

The bar closed a little after midnight and the boys still wanted to do something. I told them that in Ireland bars close at midnight and after the only place to go is to a club. They said they were up to going to a club. That meant I had to show them a club.

The only club that I knew of was Coppers. I was hesitant to take them there because one of my American friends had told me that Coppers had a seedy reputation for people going there only to hook up. But honestly, what club has a good, clean and innocent reputation? And isn't that the whole point of going to be a club is to act like someone who you are not normally?

I have gone to Coppers a few times in the past and I have always enjoyed myself. I never saw anyone really having sex on the dance floor or anything. I just hung out with my friends and had a fun time.

So, after walking up and down the street a couple of times, I decided just to take my friends there.

Coppers is right past St. Stephen's Green. It is somewhat hard to find because it is in a Georgian House and they all blend in from the street. But you know it is Coppers because you will see a line of people waiting to get in. We stood in this line and I was very nervous about getting in. Back home in the States, you have to be dressed to impressed in order to even get into the club. Luckily, in Ireland they really don't care about your style.

At the entrance of Coppers, security guards will check your I.D. before you enter. Usually when I go to Coppers I enter through the main door that opens to the first floor. This time I had to go through the bottom level entrance.

Every time I have gone to Coppers I have paid different amounts for entrance fees. The first time I went I had to pay 10 Euro. One time I got in for free and this time I had to pay 5 Euro. I believe that since it was during the week, the admission was cheaper. The 10 Euro entrance fee is for the weekends. When I didn't have to pay to get in, I was there before midnight. So my recommendation is if you don't want to pay an entrance fee, then get there before midnight.

After paying our fees we entered the bottom level. Whenever I have gone to Coppers, I have always spent the majority of the time on this level. It is a huge dance floor with a major bar. The music is a wide variety, but good dance music is always playing. I love it because they usually play some 90's music that brings you back to the good old days of N'SYNC!

We spent some time here then we went upstairs. Today there was a rock band playing. I was really happy because this is the kind of music that I like and it was so much better than the calming music back at the International Bar. My friends and I were up there for a while listening and enjoying the music.

This was the first time that I had seen a live band at Coppers. Whereas downstairs there is a lot of dancing going on, I have always felt that upstairs is where people go to get drinks and do more talking and only a little dancing.

We also did some exploring of the upstairs. Right by the stairs to go downstairs, there was this outside place where people go to smoke or enjoy some "fresh" air. There seemed to be all these lights everywhere and it made it hard to see what was actually going on.

Once the band was over, we headed back downstairs to keep enjoying the music and we stayed until the place closed around 3:30 am.

Don't worry about calling a cab. There is always a line outside of cabs waiting for people.

Though some people going through Dublin might hear that Coppers have a sketchy reputation, I believe that you make the experience. If you really want a sketchy experience, you can find it at Coppers, or anywhere else, for that matter. But if you want to have a great evening of dancing and hanging out with friends, then Coppers will not let you down! Like I said, I have gone there multiple times and I have always enjoyed myself!

Cafe En Seine

Entrance to Cafe En Seine on Dawson Street.

Inside Cafe En Seine.

Right now I am in the middle of taking you on a spur of the moment pub crawl that my newly found English friends and I did.

After we went to The Long Hall, our next stop was to Cafe En Seine.

Cafe En Seine is located near Trinity College and St. Stephen's Green, so like The Long Hall, it is centrally located in Dublin. It took us a couple times walking up and down the street to find it. Don't really know why, because it some what stands out from the street.

This place is the total opposite of a traditional Irish pub. From the name you know it is going to have a French influence, and boy does it!

When I entered I immediately thought of those high society clubs in the 1920's, where money is not a concern in the world!

The place was very overwhelming at first. The decorations of the place make it "busy" to the eye. When you enter, the first room seems to be some sort of seating area. We went to the left and there was another room with a bar, but it seemed very crowded and we didn't like the vibe of the room.

We turned around and kept going straight. There was this major bar on the left and some seating on the right, where we decided to stay.

This part of the place had a different vibe then the other room that we briefly checked out. It was really romantic. The lighting was very dim, with candles around. I felt kind of awkward being with two guys in this romantic setting. It seemed as if there were all these couples around us on a date and I felt a little out of place.

There was plants all around, so I felt like I was in a jungle. I felt like I was suppose to be near the banks of the Seine River before civilization really flourished.

I hadn't eaten all day and I was really hungry! I ordered some clam chowder and the boys got some chips. The menu was large with many different options. There was also a bar menu. We got mixed drinks and I was so happy! I am getting sick and tired of just having beer!

The service wasn't that great at all. We ordered our food and after a while the food hadn't arrived yet. Not only did we have to remind them again for our food, but they forgot one of the boy's orders, but luckily he had changed his mind. But what service in Dublin is great? I didn't eat much of the soup, though it tasted fine.

While eating, I noticed that the place had an upstairs, but it was closed off.

After eating whatever food we got, we decided to check out the live band that was playing. We walked passed the bar and the room changed again. This time there was a designated dance floor, and at the end of the dance floor, in front of this grand stair case, the band was playing. There was seating on the perimeter of the dance floor, but the majority of people were standing.

I don't know the band's name, but they were pretty good. They played mostly pop rock songs and it was enjoyable listening to them.

I enjoyed my time at Cafe En Seine. I would recommend people go here if they are looking for something different from the traditional Irish pub scene. If you are missing your favorite cocktail from back home, go here to treat yourself.

I know I don't classify myself as a bar person and this place is classy. It caters to the higher end of Dublin society. So, if you are looking to class up your after work hours, then Cafe En Seine is the place for you!

Go to their website to learn more about the place: www.cafeenseine.ie

The Long Hall

In my last post I mentioned that I took some English friends to the National Museum of Ireland. Since they were visiting Ireland, they wanted to try some pubs that they heard about and invited me to tag along with them.

The first pub we went to was called The Long Hall. It is found on South Great George Street, which makes it right in the heart of Dublin. Great place to go if you are in the city center and need a pint ;)

Back in the 18th century, The Long Hall was known as a republican pub. The person working the pub was a "member" and people could leave word with him and it was safe. The more "modern" pub was built in the late 1880's and the artifacts the decorate the ways remind people of its rich history.

During its hay day, it was a house painters union pub. Today, it stills draws workers in after a days work or tourists after a long day of exploring the city.

Like many traditional pubs in Ireland, The Long Hall doesn't have any flashy signs to get your attention. The people in the know, know where to go. Because we had not been there before, it took us some time to find it. The outside is mostly red, with white accents.

We entered the pub and it was dark. But what pub in Dublin doesn't have the lights dim low?

The pub seemed to be stuck in the past. Just like red dominated the entrance, the color red dominated the room. It made the inside seem very dramatic.

There was a strange gate, if you will, that you had to enter in order to get to the space in the back. I felt this to be a little awkward.

I ordered Smithwicks. I just stick with the basics because you really can't go wrong. You know it tastes good; it is from Ireland and the pub is sure to have it. Also, The Long Hall, with other pubs in Ireland, have a very "busy" bar. They have displays of various bottles of alcohol. This tends to be a little overwhelming to me, so I just don't pay too much attention.

We took some seats in the back and chatted for a while. The pub was not busy, because we were there on a Wednesday in the early evening. There was a particular couple that kept getting my attention. How they were dressed, it seemed that they might be of some importance and seemed out of place at the bar.

My experience at The Long Hall was good. Would I recommend it to others? Sure, why not. Nothing in particular grabbed my attention about the place. I would say that it is not my kind of pub. It seems that it is more of a guys' place. If a person is to go there, I think they would enjoy the experience. If one chooses not to go there, then they would not be missing out. If someone is interested in having a nice pint with friends after work, I believe that this would be a great place to go and relax.

In Love With The National Museum of Ireland

One of my favorite museums in Dublin, and one that I have visited often, is the National Museum of Ireland. Today I showed some English friends the joys of the museum.

If you are a lover of history, I would highly recommend going to the National Museum. It is brilliant! The museum is huge, with two large floors filled from top to bottom with artifacts from the ancient world.

At the entrance of the museum starts the history of early Ireland. This tells of the early people in Ireland and how they lived. You can even see a boat that they used for transportation.

And if you are talking about Ireland, you can't forget about the Vikings. The museum has a whole section dedicated to Viking Ireland, even with an informational video. In this section you can see a Viking grave with a skeleton. You will also learn about the trade of the Vikings.

One of my favorite sections is the history of Christianity. This display is on the second floor of the museum and has many artifacts from churches and tells of their significance. All the pieces are beautiful and are displayed well.

One thing that I have become very interested while I have been in Ireland is the Hill of Tara. This place plays such an important role in Irish mythology as well as the history of Ireland. At the National Museum of Ireland, there is a small section dedicated to the history of the Hill of Tara. Whether you can go to the Hill of Tara or not on your stay in Ireland, you should check out this section to learn more.

The Bog Bodies were definitely one of my favorite things about the museum. I learned about Bog Bodies at my time working at an Ancient Egyptian museum by my house. These people were naturally mummified by bogs that are found around Ireland and in Northern Europe. These people were buried in the bogs and over time, the bogs naturally preserved the bodies by keeping out moisture. It seems that most of these people did not meet a peaceful death. The museum has 4 Bog Bodies on display. YOU MUST SEE THEM!

My favorite section of the National Museum has nothing to do with Ireland. The museum has a small Ancient Egyptian section. The Ancient Egyptian section is on the second floor of the museum and it is very dark, which is good because it is for the betterment of the artifacts. There you will see two mummies in their coffin as well as displays of jewelry, pottery, shabtis (servant figures), learn about their language and various other items from Ancient Egypt.

The museum has an excellent gift shop, which you see once you enter. You can get something from each section of history that you visit. Admission is FREE, so there is really no reason why you can't go :). For a cheap price, they have guided tours of certain sections of the museum that you can go on to learn more.

I can't recommend this place enough. I have gone multiple times and each time I enjoy myself! Certainly a place for history lovers!

Bog Body

Bog Body

1916 Rising Tour Photos

Here are some pictures from the 1916 Rebellion Tour that I took! :)

Dublin's City Coat of Arms and motto. This is a mosaic on Dublin City Hall's floor. This coat of arms have been used for over 400 years. The image at the center has three burning castles. These represent the three entrances into Dublin during Medieval times. Around these castles are two female figures each holding an olive branch. The city motto translates to "the obedience of the citizens produces a happy city".

Statue inside City Hall.

The dome ceiling of City Hall.

Flag of Connact, western province in Ireland.

Ireland's flag.

A flag to honor both Dublin and Ireland. The blue section represents Dublin City and the green, with the harp, represents Ireland.

Mosaic art in City Hall. This is of the harp that is the national symbol of Ireland.

Ulao province flag.

Flag of Munster province in the south west of Ireland.

Inside City Hall.

City Hall. City Hall was occupied during the 1916 Rising.

Dublin

Plaque were some Irish fighters would meet. This is near the Temple Bar area. The building is now a Quaker meeting house.

Dublin

Millennium Bridge

Dublin along the River Liffey.

Cool building.

Cool Building.

Dublin

Millennium Bridge

Dublin

Ha'Penny Bridge

Walking along the river.

Statue in honor of Daniel O'Connell. This sits at the center of O'Connell Street towards O'Connell Bridge. And yes, it is the same person in which the street is named after. He is often referred to as The Liberator. He was an Irish political leader in the 19th century and he campaigned for Catholic Emancipation and the repeal of the Act of Union, which combined Great Britain and Ireland.

Statue to O'Connell.

Angle of the statue. There are four angels, or victories, around the statue. Each represents a virtue attributed to O'Connell- patriotism, courage, eloquence and fidelity.

One of the angels. This is probably courage.

She is missing her sword which was blown off during the 1916 Rising.

Statue of William Smith O'Brien. He was an Irish Nationalist and Member of Parliament as well as the leader of the Young Ireland movement. He was convicted of sedition for his part in the Young Irelander Rebellion of 1848 and was sentence to death. Instead, he was deported. He didn't return to Ireland until 1856 when he was pardoned.

O'Connell Street

O'Connell Street

Statue to Sir John Gray. He was an Irish politicians with nationalist ideas. He supported O'Connell, Parnell and the repeal of the Act of Union.

O'Connell Street

Statue to Jim Larkin. He was an Irish trade union leader and socialist activist. He is best known for his rule in the 1913 Dublin Lockout.

The General Post Office. This is the main meeting place of the leaders of the 1916 Rising. It was occupied during the Rising and was the last place to fall to the British.

Bullet hole from the fighting on the post office.

This statue was sculpted in 1911 by Oliver Sheppard and now stands in the post office in honor of the 1916 Rising. The sculpture depicts the death of the mythical hero Cuchulainn.

Inside the post office.

1916 RebellionTour

One of the things that I find fascinating about many different countries are their stories of rebellion. Most of the time these rebellions happen because the people do not feel free. I guess in the end humans are more similar then they are different.

Today I went on the 1916 Rebellion Walking Tour that begins at the International Bar. I had learned a lot of the rebellion from my time in Ireland, but it was still confusing to me. And to be honest, what rebellion is not confusing? Nothing in life is black and white and that applies to rebellions for sure.

The 1916 Rebellion, or the Easter Rising, took place during Easter week in 1916. Irish took up arms to get rid of British rule. There was many different groups involved like the Irish Republic Brotherhood, Irish Volunteers, Irish Citizen Army, Cumann na mBan, among others. Just like there was many different groups of Irish, there were just as many different beliefs about the rebellion. Some wanted just wanted home rule while others wanted to establish a republic. This added to the confusion of the rebellion.

From history, most people know that Ireland "won" and established its own republic. But it wasn't the glorious fight and victory that a Hollywood movie would make it out to be.

Not all Irish supported the rebellion. Because of this, the rebels didn't number much. Only a couple hundred Irish were willing to take a stand.

But the couple hundred made a very powerful statement. Since it was a sacred holiday and since no action had taken place on the date that the Irish said something would happen, the British left Dublin not that secured. The Irish saw this and made it to their advantage. They stormed and occupied Dublin Castle, City Hall, The Four Courts, the General Post Office among other buildings throughout the city. British soon got word of this and sent reinforcements.

Over the next week fighting took place all over the city. It was so intense that most of Dublin was destroyed. The last place to stand was the General Post Office. Soon that too fell to the British.

Today, most Irish would consider the rebels heroes, but that wasn't the case at the time of 1916. Most of the Irish didn't support the rebels, but the British changed that. They treated the imprisoned rebels inhumanely and it was this poor treatment of the prisoners that won the support of the Irish to the rebels. That is why today they are heroes.

The 1916 Rebellion Tour takes people around the city, showing them the sites that were key points in the rebellion. These sights include, Dublin Castle, City Hall, Four Courts; a walk along the River Liffey and finally stopping at the General Post Office.

Like stated before, the tour starts at the International Bar. This is a great place to get a cup of coffee before the tour starts. It costs 12 Euros and takes around 2 hours. It might seem like a long time, but the history and the nice pace of walking make it go by fast.

The tour is based on the book, "The Easter Rising- A Guide to Dublin in 1916" by Lorcan Collins and Conor Kostick. Usually the author Lorcan gives the tour, but when I went there was a different person, still very knowledgeable!

I would highly recommend the tour to anyone wanting to learn about the rebellion. It is a great way to see the city and get a picture of what happened during that dramatic week. The tour really helped me make more sense of the rebellion.

Visit www.1916rising.com for more information about the tour, including tour schedules.

Tomorrow I will post some pictures from the tour :)

International Bar

The International Bar. Cozy and entertaining.

Irish pubs are famous around the world. So, of course when you go to Ireland, you have to try many different ones.

Tonight I went to the International Bar. This was not my first time at the pub. I found the pub through some research I was doing about a month ago. I wanted to try some new pubs and suggested to my friends that we check out the International Bar. Our first experience wasn't the best. The bar tender harassed my friends and I by saying some very inappropriate things. This really impressed one of my friends for some reason, but the rest of us were offended. Needless to say, after that encounter, I really didn't frequent the pub. But my friend was hanging out there, so I joined her to spend some time before she left the country to go back home to America.

The International Bar is located on Wicklow Street, off of Grafton Street. The pub has been there for two hundred years. It is mentioned in James Joyce's "Ulysses" and the Irish Socialist Brigade held their meetings here before the Civil War in 1937.

The pub is also the meeting point for the 1916 Rising Tour. This tour takes people around Dublin and talks about the Rising of 1916 and how the Irish got their independence.

But history is not only was draws people to the pub. Every Wednesday, the pub hosts the Comedy Cellar, which started in 1988. The show draws famous comedians from around Ireland and Europe. There is a small fee to pay, but it seems to be worth it since the shows are usually in full attendance.

The pub has two floors. You enter on the ground floor. There is one bar counter to serve the floor. The bar takes up the whole wall and on the opposite wall is seating. The room is very small and there is not much seating or any standing room, for that matter. There are some chairs outside, but again, not many. On the right of the bar, there is a stairwell to go upstairs and that is where the comedy shows takes place.

On the left of the bar are stairs that lead to the bottom floor. Again, there is only one bar down there to service the room. You can give a dollar, in any currency, and you will be able to pour your own pint. They will then take your dollar and put it on the wall behind the counter. There is an interesting collection. Downstairs there is more setting. On select nights, different activities take place down there.

The whole pub has that traditional Irish pub feeling. Wood dominates all floors and there are unique decorations that will keep your eyes entertained. The lighting is good and the whole atmosphere as a cozy feel.

It seems that there is a mix group of people that visit the pub. There you can meet people from all over the world, or run into some locals. There always seems to be a group of regulars at the pub.

Of course you can get your pint of Guinness there, but you can also get food. The pub has a great Irish stew and toasted sandwiches. My favorite is the ham and cheese toastie.

To be honest, the International Bar is not my favorite place and I would not go out of my way to go there. My main issue is that there is not much room in the place. If you don't get there early enough, you will not find a seat and there is no standing room. Wherever you stand, you will be in the way. I don't like that.

But it is always crowded and between comedy shows, tours and special events, there is always something going on and something will be able to draw you in.

Visit their website at www.international-bar.com

And visit www.1916rising.com for more information about the tour.

Grafton Street: A Nightmare of Good Shopping

Grafton Street. Main shopping street in Dublin.

Grafton Street at night.

Since I mentioned Grafton Street in my last post, I decided that I should talk more about it since it is a major tourist attraction in Dublin. Also, I have a love/ hate relationship with the street.

Grafton Street is a major shopping area in Dublin. This red brick street houses a variety of stores. Even off Grafton Street or more shops and pubs which tourist and locals can enjoy.

At the end of Grafton Street is the St. Stephen's Green Shopping Center. This is the largest shopping center in Dublin, with at least 3 different levels of shops.

The area around Grafton Street is very nice. Right across the shopping center is St. Stephen's Green, which is a great park to get some coffee and take a stroll in. In terms of coffee, Bewley's, O'Brien's, and Insomnia are all coffee places on Grafton Street.

Off of Grafton Street are many famous pubs, especially some that were second homes to many famous Irish writers. These include The Duke, The Bailey, McDaid's, and many others.

Like I said, I have a love/hate relationship with the street. I love the street because there is always something going on. On any given day, there are a variety of street performers entertaining crowds. These are always fun and interesting to watch.

You are also able to hear very interesting conversations from people all over the world. People watching is also very good on the street.

If you need some retail therapy, Grafton Street is your prescription. Like stated before, there are a variety of stores. These include tourist shops, music stores, a Disney Store and some nice clothing store.

If you need some physical activity, a walk down Grafton Street to St. Stephen's Green is perfect!

But just like I enjoy the fact that there is always something going on, that is the main reason why I hate the street. It is always crowded and people just don't know how to walk. This makes walking down the street not always enjoyable, especially if you have places to go. The best time to enjoy the street is in the morning or in the evening, after majority of the shoppers are gone.

But in all seriousness, if you are in Dublin, you have to go to Grafton Street. You never know what is going to happen :)