Worldwide, some 80 million people claim Irish ancestry. And this year the motherland is calling everyone home. “The Gathering” (thegatheringireland.com) is a yearlong tourism promotion launched to encourage everyone of Irish descent to congregate with their kin.
From the Republic of Ireland to Northern Ireland, from the east coast to the west, gatherings are being created and hosted by all kinds of folks, from corporations to McCarthys to redheads. Non-Irish are welcome, too, of course.
Not surprisingly, many gatherings are taking place in Dublin — home to 1.2 million of Ireland’s 6.4 million population. Many are large-scale events: literary and food festivals, sporting events and lots of music, but some are intimate gatherings. Either way, most every tourist attraction has some sort of promotion.
And if a few days of guided tours in Dublin are any clue to what’s in store, plan to be entertained by the good-humored, often hilarious locals. Just don’t expect any story to be short.
Experience Gaelic Games at Na Fianna GAA Club
Mobhi Road, Glasnevin
Every Irish city has a Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA) club. Established in 1884 to promote culture, language and Gaelic games, GAA is the world’s largest amateur sports organization (the main stadium — Dublin’s Croke Park — seats 82,000). You probably think we’re talking soccer. Nope. The first Gaelic game, hurling — roughly lacrosse meets field hockey (there’s a double-sided, netless stick and a small, hard ball), along with counting (every fourth step must be followed by a pass) — was recorded in 1172. It’s a little scary and very fast. “As long as there’s been a paddy on this island, we’ve been pulling branches [to create sticks] and hitting small balls,” says Cormac O’Donnchú, co-founder of the Experience. Intros to Gaelic football (soccer meets rugby, with counting), rounders (softball-ish) and handball are also part of the day. No previous experience necessary. Official Gathering: 11 a.m., first Saturday of the month, or by appointment. €35 (plus €15 for evening storytelling supplement at local pub). experiencegaelicgames.com
Ride the Dublin Green Bus
The hop-on/hop-off bus runs continuously from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., making 23 stops — including the National Gallery, the Writers’ Museum and Kilmainham Gaol (jail) — in an approximately 90-minute loop. Use as an undemanding tour (they offer about two sentences per site, and you’re sitting); use it to familiarize yourself with the city layout; use it as transportation. €18 for two days. dublinsightseeing.ie/citytour
Perfect a Pint at Guinness Storehouse
St James’s Gate
Ireland’s No. 1 tourist attraction is already on your radar, but did you know there’s much more to the tour than a free taste? The Storehouse has been Guinness central since 1759 and was completely upgraded in 2000. Learn to pour the perfect pint at the Guinness Academy (hold a clean, cool, dry glass at a 45-degree angle, stop when full to the widest point, wait for the surge, top off), trace your Guinness roots (16,000 employee records) and admire Dublin and its outskirts from the seventh-floor Gravity Bar (360-degree views and among the city’s highest buildings). Want more? Sign up for the Connoisseur Bar experience, an intimate guided lesson in drinking (get through the head with each mouthful), appreciating and even the best way to open and serve the new Black Lager, the iconic Draught (1959), the “extra superior porter” Original (1820s) and the grand-daddy Foreign Extra Stout (1802). Sláinte! €16.50, includes a pint (10 percent off if purchased online); €25, Connoisseur Bar. guinness-storehouse.com
Fish and Chips at Leo Burdock
2 Werburgh St., Christchurch
A hundred years of locals and Justin Timberlake’s parents (so says the Hall of Fame sign) can’t be wrong. Dublin’s oldest chipper is a great stop for a quick, satisfying cod and chips, €8.90. Two warnings — the portions are large, and it’s take-out, so you need to find a place to eat (benches are across the street at massive medieval Christchurch Cathedral). If it’s daytime (less crowded), follow your al fresco meal with a five-minute walk for a pint, €5, at Ireland’s oldest pub — the Brazen Head (20 Lower Bridge St.), in business since 1198. leoburdock.com, brazenhead.com
Gravedigger Ghost Tour
Meet at College Green
It won’t surprise you to know that guides on the hilarious Gravedigger Ghost Tour are professional actors (one is currently performing at the highly regarded Abbey Theatre), because this two-hour bus ride is pure theatrical, interactive, adult-oriented genius. You will laugh and scream, even when you’re prepared for the scare. And you will walk off with appreciation of the Plague — “You’ll find it’s hard to shake” — and the widespread havoc it wreaked. 7:45 p.m. nightly, €25, includes a fruity shot from the cemetery-adjacent Gravediggers Pub (a k a John Kavanagh’s). hiddendublinwalks.com
Sunday Buffet Lunch at O’Connell’s Restaurant
135 Morehampton Road, Donnybrook
Like other establishments endorsed by Good Food Ireland, a food promoter with 640 members across the country, this restaurant uses as many Irish products as possible (including mozzarella from Italian buffalo living in Ireland, and its renowned roast rib of dry-aged beef). The buttery cabbage and au gratin potato side dishes will blow your mind. Also: Irish salmon. Galway oysters. Sherry trifle. €26.45, includes buffet, entrée, dessert, coffee or tea. oconnellsdonnybrook.com
Tour and Tasting at Old Jameson Distillery
Bow Street, Smithfield Village
Though production has been in Cork since 1971, the attractive Old Jameson Distillery is where the company began operating in 1779. The experience here is relatively intimate and begins with a film depicting John Jameson and the early days. If you’re lucky you’ll be one of eight chosen to participate in the post-tour Comparison Whiskey Tasting in which you learn to differentiate between Scotch (smoky), American whiskey (sweet) and Irish (just right). €8, includes one drink; €22, reserve premium tasting. Gathering special: If your name is Jameson, your ticket is free. tours.jamesonwhiskey.com
St. Michan’s Church and Crypts
Church Street
Around the cobblestone corner from Jameson is a church built in 1091 that you might skip if you did not know there were exposed mummified remains in the crypts (some coffins busted open reveal the phenomenon attributed to constant temperatures and the magic of limestone walls). One of them allegedly is an 800-year-old Crusader. And you can touch him. “Wearing gloves is cheating,” chides the guide. Even if this somehow does not appeal to you, know it’s considered good luck to shake hands with a Crusader. You’ll likely not have the opportunity again. stmichans.com
Tea at the Merrion Hotel
Upper Merrion Street
You don’t have to “get” art to appreciate its translation into tea, snacks, and dessert at the utterly civilized Merrion Hotel, actually four Georgian townhouses built in 1765. Every day, three pieces from its impressive collection — the country’s largest privately-owned collection — are showcased via pastry chef Paul Kelly’s creative, delicious interpretation (this is no scanned image slapped on cake). €36, €50 with champagne. merrionhotel.com
Sleep at the Morrison Dublin
Lower Ormond Quay
Opened last month after a €7 million renovation, the sleek Morrison Dublin has already hosted the likes of Slash and Cody Simpson (Australia’s Justin Bieber). Music is a theme at this DoubleTree by Hilton property, with song lyrics dotting the walls of the 138 rooms and the elevators. It’s Liffey River bridge-crossing distance from the Temple Bar area, known for its nightlife. Rooms start at €139. morrisonhotel.ie