The only tradition my Irish family has for St. Patrick’s Day is finding “Irish potatoes” for my mom. This sugary sweet Philadelphia candy is definitely not from Ireland nor does it have any connection. I don’t know when or why my mom, who generally hates candy, became addicted to the annual candy. She will hurt you if you try to take one of these coconut creme candies covered in cinnamon from her. For the rest of the world who celebrate St. Patrick’s Day it’s a day to celebrate being Irish and often involves a parade, sharing a drink with friends and traditional Irish music and dancing. Even if you aren’t Irish, for one day you can pretend to be because it’s fun. The pandemic has halted many celebrations for the second year and while Chicago did dye the river green as a surprise, and New York will hold a small version of their parade which dates back to 1762, the rest of us are home this year. Lockdowns continue in the U.K. so there will be no pints pulled at the pub while the US has a hodgepodge of cities and states with various levels of open bars and restaurants to celebrate.
So if you need your dose of Ireland, here are a few fun events happening (virtually of course):
Irish Times List of St. Patrick’s Day events (note the times as the US sprang forward but Europe did not)
Visit Ireland’s Day at Home Events for St. Patrick’s Day
Guinness Recipes and Pairings for at home celebrations
Not keen to go on another zoom today, then keep reading and start planning your trip to Ireland once the world opens its borders again. Ireland has always been such a lovely place to visit for me and has always had a story to it.
The one thing the pandemic has taken away is the certainty of when we can visit Ireland again but it hasn’t taken away the dreams and armchair planning we can do so we are ready to explore Ireland.
First Trip to Ireland
My first trip to Ireland almost didn’t happen as I realized the night before the flight that my passport had expired. Thankfully I live in Philadelphia and at the time could do a same day emergency passport renewal at the office in the city. I traveled to Ireland with Villanova University alumni and the Irish Studies professor so this trip was chock full of history, information and everything I didn’t know I needed in my mid 20’s. We were the youngest on the trip of alumni but everyone was the same age at the pub in Dublin, Galway and everywhere in between. We danced to the Irish music, marveled at traditional dancing and enjoyed more than a pint or two at the pub. In Galway, we picked up the local professor from the college who gave us in depth tour of the city (can’t beat that!).
Solo Trip to Ireland
My next visit was a few years ago and to be honest everything felt the same as if time hadn’t passed. The Ha’penny bridge and the river was the same focal point as was Trinity College. My excursions out of town were lush and green just as before although this time I was solo and older. I no longer had to preserve my film camera options and could take digital photos to my hearts content. I could also appreciate the history a bit more.
Plan your trip to Ireland
Ireland is an easy country to visit solo and has a good mix of city and country life to explore. Young or old, there’s something to enjoy in Ireland. I still have to go back to visit Northern Ireland and the Giants Causeway. Hopefully I can take mom on this long anticipated trip to Ireland in search of her ancestors (her grandparents were first generation from Ireland).
Flying U.S. to Dublin
Prior to the pandemic, there were many daily direct flights from the East Coast (Boston, NYC, Philadelphia, etc.) on Aer Lingus to Ireland. Other carriers had seasonal service and more preferred a connection in Europe, often London or Reykjavik. I used my British Airways Avios points to redeem a flight on Aer Lingus in Business Class. Chase is a partner of BA as is American Express and Marriott so you can transfer points from all programs to redeem on Aer Lingus. BA does redemptions based on flight distance whereas other US airlines based on zones. You may need to play a bit to find the best award option. Read my review of Aer Lingus Business Class.
Affordable Luxury Hotels in Dublin
Dublin has a great mix of hotels and alternative lodging options for all budgets. My last trip I stayed in two affordable luxury hotels in Dublin.
The Morrison Hotel, a hip boutique property by Doubletree. I didn’t know they had boutique hotels but happy to see the iconic cookies were available at the front desk. The hotel is along the Liffey river and steps from the Ha’penny bridge for easy access to the Temple Bar area.
The Westin Dublin, a classic hotel located across from Trinity College and about a block from the river and along the main thoroughfare for bus transit. My upgrade to the Writer’s Room was a surprise and so memorable once I figured out access outside to the balcony.
Day Tours Dublin
So many tours and options – stay in the city or hop a bus or train to explore outside the city? It’s up to you to build your Irish experience, there’s no right or wrong in travel.
In Dublin
The Guinness Storehouse tour and tasting room
The Jameson Whisky tour (fee and you might luck out with free tasting like I did)
The River Liffey City of Dublin Photo Tour
Trinity College and the Book of Kells
Bike Tour Dublin (note they drive and bike on the other side)
Outside of Dublin
South Coast of Dublin Photo Tour
This is just a taste of your trip to Dublin, Ireland. You can craft your own tour, add a package tour to your airfare, hire private guides or join a multi-day tour group like my first alumni group tour where you travel and do everything together. Just make sure to plan what’s best for you and your family. The last year has shown us that memories matter no matter how small so don’t try to pack in a whole checklist, take your time to savour the experiences.
So no matter how you celebrate St. Patrick’s Day this year, Slainte!