U2 Experience and Innocence Tour - Dublin November 2018

3rd November 2018

Debbi and I flew in to Dublin airport from different UK airports (I go via the cheapest/best times place, this time it was Glasgow.) We met up at the airport and got the Air Coach into the city as there was a stop very close to our apartment.  We had no problems finding it and it was really nice. We got the shopping in from a nearby Spar, then ordered a Chinese takeaway and had that with wine. It felt good to be back in Dublin, our second home!

4th November

We had been due to go to our friends Ken and Elizabeth's for a meal that evening but Ken had been taken into hospital. But Elizabeth suggested meeting her at an Italian place called Bianconi's on Merrion Road near the hospital instead. It was good to see her again and we had a good chat and the food was delicious too.

Afterwards we got more shopping in at a nearby Tesco's before heading home. Later Debbi went out to meet her friend Paddy, I opted out as I was tired and just wanted to chill.

5th November

First gig today, we arrived at the 3Arena in the late afternoon. We intended having a meal at the nearby Gibson Hotel like we did last time the band played the arena, but they were not letting non-residents in. We ended up having a meal at a place called Ruby's just behind the arena which was cheap and really good.

We went into the 3Arena and our seats were really good, we could see the main stage, b-stage, walkway and hanging screen. Because the arena is so small the walkway was much shorter. The show was good, the Zoo part and the new songs, which fit so well into this show, are my favourite parts. I prefer this tour to the Innocence one as it all gels together perfectly.

The only downer was the crowd. I'd say most stayed sitting down, many more interested in talking or their phones than the show. Very disappointing, especially for a home crowd.

The Beautiful Samuel Beckett Bridge

Afterwards we met up with our friends Declan (who was suffering from man flu,) Jane and Sharon and had a chat for a while, everyone had enjoyed the show. Missed  my friend Dianne who had to cancel coming to Dublin just days earlier. Afterwards we walked up the quay, across the Liffey and back home.

Paddy came round to our flat at 2am! Good job we stay up late after shows. He recently turned 50 and we had set up a little party and gifts for him which he seemed to really appreciate. We had lots to eat and drink and there was lots of laughs and conversation putting the world to rights. Paddy left at 5am and we crashed out afterwards.

6th November

We'd had a very late night so we took it easy today. For this show Debbi had a GA ticket but I had chosen to have a seat as the crowd in Dublin can be a bit "lively." It was another really good seat even though it wasn't a top price one.

What a difference a day can make, the crowd around me were great, up dancing and singing along from the word go. The crowd was loud and the energy between them and the band bounced back and forth. You could tell Bono was really emotional at times, after Get Out of Your Own Way the fans kept singing long after the band has finished and he just stood smiling. It must be especially great for an artist when the audience is singing one of the new songs like that.

I loved the whole show but highlights for me included the great Zoo segment, and MacPhisto's speech where he really let rip about Donald Trump.  This part was also a bit more personal than it had been as Bono said that he saw his dad in him when he looked in the mirror that day and hoped that he would be proud his sons.

It's amazing how different shows can feel. For me this was one of those special ones where the magic happens, where you're on an emotional rollercoaster. And it's after shows like this I know why I have been a fan of this band for 35+ years.


I met up with Debbi outside the arena and she felt the same as me about the gig and loved it. We walked back home and had something to eat, wine and chilled. Our apartment is lovely but there were a couple of strange things there. One, a leprechaun hat (which explains the photo) and the other being a bottle of absinthe that was between two glass panels beside one of the doors!

November 7th

Today was our designated lazy day where we just mooch around where ever we are and have a few bevvies. We had been due to meet up with Jane and Sharon at lunchtime but they had to cancel. We were also due to meet up with Declan that evening but he cancelled as his man flu was even worse. This was the trip of cancellations!

We first went to Sam's Bar but didn't stay long as it was quiet and there was no atmosphere. Next stop was Kehoe's which was great, it's one of our favourites. Our final port of call was  O'Neill's another favourite, where we had their delicious chips and the best onion rings in the world!

November 8th

We took the DART to Dalkey today and had lunch in Finnegan's and then coffee in nearby Queen's. It was raining so we didn't go on to Killiney as we'd planned.

That evening we went all touristy (we've been coming here so long that we don't normally do things like that) and went of the Irish Food Trail. We met our guide, Grainne, at Dublin Castle and were joined by people from Canada, America, England and Iceland who were all really nice.

Our first stop was the Boxty House where we had potatoes three ways. My favourite were the boxty chips, different from normal chips and delicious.

Next stop was Gallagher's where we had the choice of three mains. I chose fish and chips which were wonderful.

Dakota's on the Irish Food Trail

Final place was Dakota's where we had dessert which was a Bailey's cheesecake and very good it was! We also had a bit of fun and made our own Irish coffee, mine didn't really work out lol!

All in all the tour was excellent and good value for money We learned new things about the city and its history and also sampled good food in places we'd never been to before. Grainne was a knowledgeable and friendly guide and I would definitely recommend the tour.

9th November

Nasty weather today, howling wind and torrential rain so we didn't do much during the day. Later we went to a bar near the 3Arena for a meal, which was cheap and filling but not great.

We met Paddy, who had our tickets, outside the arena and went in. For the third time I was able to go in without my bag being searched which I don't think is good in this day and age. Our seats were really good. I got chatting to a lovely woman beside me whose birthday it was. She had been a fan of the band since 1987.

The show was good but spoiled to a degree by security making people sit down! They kind of gave up in the end as people wanted to stand. The woman beside me kept saying about Bono, "Isn't he good?" which he is! When he talked about Brexit and the hard/soft/no border she turned to me and said, "There is no them, there's only us" quoting the song Invisible which I thought was so nice. We got Dirty Day for the first time today which was a bonus.

I felt a bit emotional during One as I wondered if I'd ever see the band live again. Bono looked tired and I think illness and his accidents have taken their toll on him. Plus he's said a few times that they are going away. And of course I'm not getting any younger either, I was very tired by the end of the week.

We met with Declan briefly after the show, he was still suffering from man flu and chatted with him and Paddy before getting a taxi and heading home.

It was the end of our week in Dublin and the tour for us. We had fun as usual, I love the touring life! We were sad it was over and can only hope there will be another tour to enjoy in the not too distant future.

New Year Travels 2 - Dublin, Out into County Dublin and an Heroic Story

January 1st

Another lie-in and we then went out to The Big Brunch in Meeting House Square, Temple Bar. Well it was more like a damp squib! Advertised as part of the city's New Year celebrations it was described as having entertainment, food and stalls, well it had one stall, one food van and a stage with no one on it and a handful of people wandering aimlessly in and out of the square.  We soon gave up on it and went to find somewhere to eat. Normally I can't stand the tourist trap of Temple Bar with its heaving masses, but this day it was so different, a steady stream of people but not manic.

My Brunch at The Shack

Danielle spotted a place nearby called The Shack which we all liked the look of so went in for our brunch.  And a good choice it was too, I had delicious smoked salmon with scrambled egg and salad which was absolutely delicious! The others were more than happy with their meals too. The place too had a good ambiance and the service was very friendly and good.

We then went on a walk along the banks of the River Liffey,it was another mild, dry day so it was very pleasant taking a relaxing New Year's Day walk there.  We crossed the famous Ha'penny Bridge and I noticed there were hundreds of padlocks with
names written on them attached to it. I hadn't heard of them, but Dianne had, they are "love locks" which lovers sign and and attach to bridges throwing away they key, it is a symbol of their never-ending love. Apparently it is a worldwide phenomenon at the moment. Whereas the symbolism is sweet, I thought they didn't look good on this historic, graceful Ha'penny Bridge, and Dublin City Council doesn't like them either and regularly cuts them off, worried about the damage they could cause to the bridge.

Love Locks on the Ha'penny Bridge

After this we went home and relaxed for a while before getting a taxi to Dun Laoghaire.  Our friends Ken and Elizabeth had invited us for a New Year meal and we knew we were in for a treat!

As usual we got a warm welcome and it was good to see them both again.  This is another friendship borne from U2 fandom.  Don't get me wrong, they aren't fans, but we used to rent the house next door to Ken and Elizabeth (which they used to own and used as a holiday let) and so we became friends. They don't let out the house now, but we always see them when we visit Dublin.

Their home at Christmas time is like a Christmas grotto with lights, candles and animated Xmas scenes, it's amazing! Elizabeth had decorated the table beautifully and it was all very Chritmassy.  We sat down for the meal and Elizabeth said we'd have to pull the crackers before we started and put the hats on. Well, my friends, two from the US and one from Canada (who has lived most of her life in the US), looked a bit mystified, not sure what to do. Unknown to me and Ken and Elizabeth crackers are not a Christmas tradition in the US and Canada. So we told them that you get the person near you to pull the cracker until it cracks open and the person with the big side gets to keep the contents, a paper hat, a piece of paper with a joke on it and a little gift. Then you have to put on the hat for the meal and read out the always cheesy joke. They looked bemused at first but followed the tradition and ended up really having fun wearing the paper hats and laughing at the daft jokes as  per the Christmas tradition!

We had prawns, smoked salmon, toast and salad for starters. Then delicious fresh salmon, turkey and ham for the main with all the trimmings. For dessert we had mini eclairs and homemade mince pies with cream.  Again mince pies were new to our New World people, at first they thought - not surprisingly - that they were meat pies.  But once tasted they were given the thumbs up by all!

After the meal the neighbours, who we also knew (and who now live in the house we used to rent) Anna and Moni came round, along with their lovely dog Bobo. We commented on what a multi-country night it was, there were people from Ireland, England, Canada, US and India!  We then had a fun trivia quiz which was a great laugh, I won, but there was no prize boo hoo!

The evening flew by and before we knew it it was time to say our goodbyes and go back home, what a lovely night it was!

Beautiful Killiney Bay, I  never tired of this place

January 2nd

Our last full day in Dublin and we had it all planned out.  Luckily it was a sunny, blue sky day, perfect for our first stop, beautiful Killiney Beach.  We wandered along doing our usual beach-combing, though I am able to restrict my pebble collecting to one per visit nowadays lol!

We then took the DART to Dalkey with the intention of having brunch in Finnegan's, however, it was heaving with people waiting for tables, so we walked down the street to The Queens which had room for us and we had a delicious meal there.

Next and final stop Dun Laoghaire to see the Shackleton Endurance Exhibition at the Ferry Terminal.  For anyone who has heard the story of the failed Antarctic mission and the story of their fight for survival over the following months, you can't help but be full of admiration and awe.  For me it is the most amazing and heroic story, overcoming obstacle after seemingly insurmountable obstacle -  and all survived.

The exhibition is made up of  walls texts, diary excerpts and, most strikingly, photos by Australian Frank Hurley. It tells of the planning of the expedition, the Endurance getting caught in the grip of the pack ice and eventually succumbing to its power. After realising they would not be rescued, Shackleton started the fight for survival, first getting as far as Elephant Island, then he and a small crew went on in the tiny boat the James Caird and in treacherous sea actually managed to get to South Georgia. One last hurdle was that they had to cross a huge mountain range to get to the whaling station, they did the very last part of that trip by hurtling down a glacier sitting on rolls of rope, the only possible way to manage to get there as they were by now very weak. A rescue party was sent to Elephant Island to pick up the rest of the men, who miraculously had all survived too. The ship was called Endurance and that is what the whole story was about, human endurance, great leadership and faith in their leader Sir Ernest Shackleton.

There was a replica of the James Caird in the exhibition and it was unbelievably small. The photos were wonderful, hard to believe they were 100 years old as they were of such good quality. Lots of them very personal, playing with the dogs they had (and eventually had to eat), day to day activities like scrubbing the floors, larking about. Also photos of the death of the Endurance as the ice crushed it to pieces. There were stunning photos of the of the White Continent itself that showed its awesome beauty. One picture I especially remember was one taken on Elephant Island from inside a cave with a round entrance of sheer, daunting cliffs. Frank Hurley's photos really brought the expedition alive and still does, unfortunately photos were not allowed \at the exhibition but you can view some of them on them on the website link above.

A sad fact was that after the extraordinary story of survival was that nine of the expedition members were British army members and on their return were sent to fight in the First World War, within three weeks six of them were dead.

The exhibition lasts until November this year, it has a reasonable entrance fee and is well worth a visit.

We headed home after this, ate in and had an early night as we were setting off for Iceland at crack of dawn (well before crack of dawn actually!)  As ever Dublin was wonderful, I feel so at home there. Hopefully I'll be back there for some U2 gigs if they tour this year!