Nov4

Ben’s wee day out in Howth

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Ben’s wee day out in Howth

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.

Nov2

The Dublin Leprechaun museum

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Monday, 20-July-2026


Sticking with the theme of “going to touristy places that Ben wouldn’t otherwise visit”, we have our third installment in the series – this one being the biggest, “ohh my lord why is he going there?” of the bunch.

Hear me out, though – I thought the Leprechaun Museum would be kitschy… but the reviews were surprisingly positive. Like… seriously unexpectedly positive, talking about how well the “museum” did with offering guided tours through Ireland’s ancient history.

Fits with the theme now, doesn’t it?

We went, we expected a marginally interesting visit, and we got a decidedly solid tour. Heck, it even pointed me in the direction of a new spot to visit!


In short, it’s less of a museum and more a guided experience. Excellent visual displays, a solid tour guide, and a well-reasoned and firmly-planned circuit took us through a handful of detailed and interesting rooms that were more akin to set pieces.

The high-level stories of Ireland were told: some of the myths, some of the technical history, and a bit of the background, such as why Leprechaun’s wear green (it’s from a Disney movie, and isn’t remotely accurate to legends, to the surprise of no one).

I’d heartily recommend, a solid 8/10.


Ohh, and afterward we got stew and saw pretty architecture. So double win!