How could anything be better than connecting with your homeland?

It is so typical of being born in America for your ancestry to feel distant, diluted across generations, lost somewhere between a handful of identities we carry without fully understanding. A true melting pot. A mix of everything, a dash of this and a smidge of that. Wonderfully diverse, but it leaves you wondering what is really yours.

That was our goal with Ireland. To connect with something that felt like us, even if it existed generations before we did. Andrew and I both knew we had Irish heritage. We had proof, names, records, stories that made it real on paper. But stepping onto Irish soil still makes you feel like a stranger. A visitor. Almost like you are intruding on something that isn’t quite yours anymore.

Our families left during the famine, as so many did. They had to. They moved on and built lives, creating generations that eventually led to us. There is something difficult to reconcile in that. They left out of necessity, while we returned out of curiosity. Out of privilege. I found myself wondering if they ever imagined that someday, someone in their lineage would come back just to see it.

We did not have much time. In our twenties, working full time, time off is limited and precious. We squeezed Ireland into an extended weekend in Dublin, which felt both like a gift and not nearly enough. If I could change one thing, it would simply be staying longer.

Every traveler leaves a place with a handful of “musts.” The things you carry with you and insist others experience the same way. Here are mine, a Dublin travel guide shaped by the moments that stayed with me.

Musts

Howth

Make the day trip. It is beyond worth it.

Hike the Howth Cliff Walk and take your time doing it. The beauty is absolutely unmatched. 

The town itself is one of the most charming places I have ever been. Bright homes stacked along the harbor, the constant sound of seabirds overhead, and seafood that you should absolutely eat as much of as possible before leaving.

It is one of those places where you catch yourself thinking, I could live here. And for a moment, you mean it. Andrew and I did.

Airbnb

Stay outside of downtown. Hotel prices are steep, and honestly, you miss something if you stay too central.

Book a small Airbnb with a 30-minute bus ride into downtown. Get to know the person living there. Enjoy the quiet. Enjoy the sun taking forever to set.

Walk to the local grocery store. Pay attention to the little differences. Laugh when you realize you instinctively look the wrong way before crossing the street.

Go to the pub down the end of the road. Be the only Americans there. Confuse everyone in the room. Have a pint. Stay longer than you expected. Make some friends.

The Wrong Temple Bar

Accidentally walk into a bright red bar that looks exactly like the Temple Bar. The branding checks out. The vibe feels right. You don’t question it. Maybe you should have.

Spend the night there.

Listen to American pop music playing in what you are fully convinced is one of the most iconic Irish pubs. Be slightly confused, but not enough to do anything about it. Order another drink. Laugh it off. Tip your bartender far more than necessary.

Wonder why they were playing American pop music in Temple Bar. 

It is not until you are on the plane home, somewhere over the Atlantic, that it clicks. That was not Temple Bar. Realize you’ll have to visit again to see it.

Drimnagh Castle

Just go. 

The people who work there are fantastic and hilarious, and start your journey off right. You can do a guided tour, we did a self-guided one. Explore the gardens and the castle.

Relish in the idea you are standing in the same spot many have long stood before. Think about just how old this building is. Let it boggle your mind that it is still standing.

Teeling Distillery

Even if you are not a whiskey person, it is worth it.

The tour gives you a deeper appreciation for Irish whiskey and how it differs from what you might know from the U.S. There is history woven into every step of the process.

The tasting is generous, and the bar next door makes it easy to stay awhile. You will probably leave a bit tipsier than expected, and likely with a bottle you did not plan on buying.

DART

Get the weekly pass, especially if you take my Airbnb advice. You will use it more than you think, and you will be grateful for it when you’re heading home later at night.

The ride itself is part of the experience. Clean, efficient, easy. It takes you along the coast, out to places like Howth, and suddenly the city feels much more accessible.

There is something about using local transportation that makes you feel more connected than you expect. You are watching people come and go, heading to work, heading home. 

At some point, you catch yourself looking out the window and thinking, what if this was just… normal? Your daily commute. Your routine. 

And for a moment, it feels tangible, real – maybe one day.

The Brazen Head

Go to the oldest pub in Dublin. Try to go for dinner and immediately realize how crowded this very well-known spot is. You definitely do not have a reservation.

Leave, and come back later.

Order a drink instead. Find a spot. Stay longer than you planned.

We met a couple from Australia that night. We had every intention of bar hopping, seeing more, doing more. Instead, we stayed. Pint after pint, conversation that kept going without effort. It could not have been better.

Lose track of time. Get completely wrapped up in the moment.

Say goodbye at the end of the night without exchanging names or numbers. Just a quick farewell, and that’s it.

Leave with nothing but the memory of great people and a night you couldn’t have planned if you tried.

Glasnevin Cemetery

Do the guided tour. 

It becomes personal in ways you couldn’t have possibly expected. You think about your own lineage, the names that changed, the ones that stayed the same. Andrew learned his family name had shifted when they immigrated. Mine did not.

You hear stories tied to names you recognize. Songs you have heard before. You catch yourself humming one without realizing it.

And somewhere in that moment, standing there, listening, it clicks a little more.

You feel it.

You know you are Irish.

Or at least, a little closer to it than you were before.