Leinster (The East) - Ireland for Tourists - page 23

Guinness Storehouse and the Gravity Bar
The actual Guinness brewery has been moved out of the city center, but the Storehouse now
houses a visitor's center and museum where you can learn all about how Ireland's favorite
beer is brewed. It's a great lesson in history even if you aren't a big beer fan. But if you are
a beer fan, this is a must. After the tour, you'll be given a free drink ticket, which you can
take up to the Gravity Bar on the top floor. This bar offers a 360º view of Dublin, and you
can sip the freshest Guinness you'll ever taste while gazing out at one of the city's finest
views.
Kilmainham Gaol
Not for the faint of heart. This historic gaol (jail) housed revolutionaries and Catholic dis-
sidents, and was the spot where the ringleaders of the Easter Rising (see p. 18) were ex-
ecuted. Its haunting interior is highly evocative of the suffering of these prisoners, and the
tour guides are extremely knowledgeable about the bloody history of 20 th -century Ireland.
The Four Courts at Dawn
(photo by the author)
Walking “Sweet Anna Liffey”
The River Liffey is Dublin's beating heart. The river winds slowly through the center of
town and many important historic sites are located along its banks. One of the most archi-
tecturally arresting is the Four Courts (right), a building that was almost destroyed by ar-
tillery in 1916, but miraculously survived and now houses the Irish national court. “Sweet
Anna Liffey,” as the classic song calls her, is the ultimate emblem of the city's heritage.