It’s a low-key kind of day so here’s a “low-key” playlist, courtesy of Spotify, featuring the best of Ireland’s indie artists. Also fitting for sunday mornings…
Dublin is often referred to as the city of villages. If you’re wondering why, start anywhere in the city and just walk in a single direction. Your route will take you through various neighborhoods of Dublin, each with their own flavor. If you start in Stoneybatter and walk in a southeasterly direction towards Ranelagh, it’s possible to zig and zag through Smithfield, Capel Street, Temple Bar, Georges Street, South Williams St, Portobello, and Rathmines, all unique areas by their own rights.
In this entry of A City of Villages, we’ll feature Portobello, a brilliant neighborhood adjacent to the Grand Canal.
Dublin is vibrant, full-of-history, beautiful, blah, blah, and all that jazz. You’ve heard all of that before. But what’s an ideal day in Dublin like?
Well, it’s different for everyone so we decided to have a bit of fun and ask everyone at Stint HQ about their ideal day in Dublin.
First up, our founder and managing director, Melanie McDowell! Over to you, Mel…
There’s something magical about walking around a sea of people, under the summer sun (fingers crossed), surrounded by chatter and laughter. Ice cream and beer. Tents and stars. Music. Music. Music.
Luckily, festivals are aplenty in Ireland.
At this point in the spring, most of the summer festivals have finalized their lineups. Recently, Electric Picnic, one of the biggest music festivals in Ireland, announced their lineup featuring the recently reunited Outkast. Big news!
Longitude is looking to make a splash in South Dublin again as it enters its second year. And, after a subpar showing in 2013, the future of Oxegen is currently unknown. No worries though! There are various other festivals that will suit anyone’s needs from surf parties on the beach to weekends packed with independent and local artists.
On Friday, after a stroll through the George’s St Arcade, my mates and I walked down South William Street and happened upon a bunny. This bunny was 6 feet tall and had a sign that said “Dance for the chocolate.” As a chocolate lover, I was determined not to let my limited repertoire of dance moves stand in the way of obtaining a FREE CHOCOLATE BUNNY. Before I dazzled Dublin with “the shopping cart” or “the sprinkler” – I hadn’t decided which yet – I handed my iPhone to one of my mates who refused to partake in this ridiculousness. The following ensued…
If I happened upon a fork in the road, I wouldn’t take the road less traveled, nor would I pocket the fork. Who cares about roads? I’d walk straight into the forest and do some trailblazing!
That’s how I found myself in the presence of the Wormhole. Having hiked through boulders and a few cliffs, it was an especially rewarding moment when the Wormhole came into view, peaking out from an alcove in the cliff face. The natural phenomenon is a pool, rectangular in shape, directly cut from the limestone, into which water ebbs and flows.
I must have sat there, just staring at this wondrously cyclical scene, for ages. First, the ocean waves are too weak to overcome the limestone walls, then they slowly gather strength until finally the water spills over the edge and trickles into the limestone walls. The waves immediately following those are even more powerful, crashing directly into the pool. The Wormhole fills up, overflows, and starts to drain. The process starts over again. It is mesmerizing. It is peaceful. The repetition is like the beating of a heart. Nature’s heart.
