Saturday, 01-Aug-2026
One of the many things I do really appreciate about living in Dublin is the sheer walkability of the city.
I mean… say my brain is melted from job applications, or banjo financials, or who knows what else. What do I do? Just step out the door and start walking. Pretty much anywhere I walk will be vaguely pretty; parks, cute row houses, and pretty doors.
I have my frustrations, no doubt, but… there’s some pretty aspects too.
Thursday, 30-July-2026
I first heard of the Rock of Cashel at the leprechaun museum. Technically, I just saw it on a map, but… you know. Close enough.
It was a marking on a map of important landmarks in Irish history – in a spot that I hadn’t realized there was anything. Looking into it, the Rock of Cashel has a long history with the Irish Clans… though perhaps not as long as one might expect. In 977, the legendary Brian Boro was crowned there, but even before that it was known as the seat of the Irish Kings.
Not that you’d know any of that from the tour.
See, to rant a little bit… The Rock of Cashel eponymizes one of my biggest frustrations with Ireland itself. I know, through my own “what the heck is this?” research that I did when finding directions, that The Rock of Cashel is steeped in ancient Irish history. But the tour I went on focused purely on the church, and modern history… and even then, it was surface-level at best.
To me, this feels like a loss.
I visit these sites hoping to learn about ancient Irish history. Pre-Christian, pre-British. The druids, the clans, what Ireland was before it was invaded. I’ve yet to quench that thirst.
Regardless, though, the visit was fruitful in terms of photography. The Rock itself is a ruined church, which is beautiful in its own right, regardless of history. Nearby is a similarly ruined abbey, equally beautiful if less preserved (the farmer who owns it won’t let it be developed? I think?). Both are set against the traditional bucolic background of rolling Irish hills.
I enjoyed it, mainly as a chance to get out of town and into the Midlands, but I enjoyed it none the less.
And, of course, a sunset to end the post!
Wikipedia link: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rock_of_Cashel
Other Wikipedia link: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hore_Abbey
Wednesday, 29-July-2026
I really needed to get out of the city. I needed a wee day out.
I didn’t quite feel like hunting down a new hike. I didn’t quite feel like renting a car, or dealing with all the tomfoolery that comes with. And I sure didn’t quite feel like stressing or anxiety-ing, or just really any of all that… so instead of overthinking things, I went to Howth.
Now, let’s be clear. Howth isn’t the best hike. It’s not remotely bad, but it’s not world-class or anything. There’s a lot of tourists, it’s not particularly long, and the walk through the town is just kinda bleh.
But you know what?
That’s perfectly fine, because it fit every criteria I needed it to fit.
Specifically: I didn’t have to overthink it, and it made for a perfect wee day out. Just a few hours, but a few hours with the sea air, the salt spray, some good views, and a little bit of solitude once I escaped from the crowds and herds of tourists.
Yeah… and the views were on point today.
