Dublin:  Grimmy, real, a wee bit dirty, exciting, lively, historic, stunning architecture, beautiful, Guinness, Temple Bar, River Liffy, pubs and more pubs, captivating!

We visited a young friend of ours who is getting his masters at the University of Dublin and is playing basketball with a local pro team.  With him we went to Parliament and had lunch with Eamon O’Cuiv (a member and grandson to the first president equivalent of Ireland).

We day tripped to the town of Ballinasloe to look for records about my great grandfather who was born there in 1875 and lived until he immigrated to America in 1911.  Ballinasloe is famous for being the home of the oldest fair in Europe – the horse fair which we missed this year by one week.

Stopped by Guinness which started in 1759 at St. James Gate Brewery where it continues today. We’re now Guinness pros!