Ireland - Day 3
Our itinerary today was to visit the town of Howth and check out the Howth Market, go on a coast cruise to Ireland’s Eye, take a bus to Summit Hill for lunch, do the Cliff Walk, stop at the Bloody Stream for a pint and finally head back to Dublin for dinner at The Celt. Howth has been inhabited since prehistoric times, with evidence of Neolithic tombs and standing stones on Howth Head. Its name comes from the Old Norse Hǫfuð (“head” or “headland”), reflecting its Viking history. In the 1800s, it became a fishing port and today it’s a blend of working harbor, tourist destination, and residential area. It is known for its cliff walks, seafood, and maritime heritage. We were expecting the Howth Market to be similar to Borough Market in London, but it was much smaller and less impressive. Just a few artisans and handful of food vendors. Most were not even open when we got there, so we took a walk about while we waited to catch our cruise to Ireland’s Eye. We did find a cute food truck called Baily Bites where we had a delicious breakfast pastry.
We took off at 11:15 for our coastal cruise to Ireland’s Eye - a small, uninhabited island just off the coast of Howth with a rich history. Photos will be in the photos and videos section of the site. The island was originally home to an early Christian monastery founded around the 6th century and like many monastic sites, Ireland’s Eye was attacked by Vikings in the 9th century. During the cruise, we also learned that in 1852, the island became infamous when artist William Kirwan was accused of murdering his wife, Sarah Maria Louisa, during a day trip there. Today, the island is uninhabited and protected as a bird sanctuary. It hosts thousands of nesting seabirds, including gannets, puffins, guillemots, kittiwakes, and razorbills.
After our cruise, we took a bus up to Summit Hill to have lunch at The Summit Inn. If was a beautiful day to sit out on their patio. The lunch was fine. Jimm did get some oysters, but otherwise it wasn’t anything spectacular. Next we did the Howth Cliff Walk and were able to get some nice views of the lighthouse before heading back down to town to go back to the Howth Market. By the time we arrived everything was open so we were able to walk through the market and shops. Before heading back to Dublin we stopped at the Bloody Stream, a pub located below the train station. The pub is named after a stream that once ran through Howth village, which, according to tradition, was stained red with blood during the Battle of Howth in 1177. In that clash, forces loyal to the Norman knight Sir Almeric St. Lawrence fought off a raid, and so much blood supposedly flowed into the stream that it earned the grim nickname. Today, it’s famous for its live music and seafood. Because it sits right at the train station, it has long been a first or last stop for visitors heading to or from Howth.
We returned to Dublin and our flat for a quick rest before heading back out for dinner at The Celt, just 15 minutes away. The Celt looks small on the outside but is quite large on the inside with several different bar areas and a central area with tables reserved for dining. It is quite eclectic and cozy. We had planned to stay for the live music but learned it didn’t start until 9:30PM. We decided we would save that for another day and headed back to flat. All in all, a really fun third day.