Our First Year in Ireland in Pictures

Robert Cox

04 Jul 2024 — 11 min read

We brought Zeke and 6 duffel bags to start our new life in Ireland.

We arrived on July 4, 2023, and kept moving.

First Year Highlights:

Basilica Santa Maria Maggiore in Rome
West Belfast Black Taxi Tour
Meeting Cardinal Dolan at St. Peter’s Basilica in Vatican City
Elvis Costello at the National Concert Hall in Dublin
Churchill War Rooms in London
Kilmainham Gaol in Dublin
Europe Rugby Cup Semi-Final at Croke Park, Leinster Rugby v Northampton
Bruce Springsteen at Croke Park
Rugby World Cup at Stade Bordeaux, Romania v Ireland
Pearl Jam at Marlay Park
Taylor Swift at Aviva Stadium
Krapp’s Last Tape with Stephen Rea at the Project Arts Center
Colosseum (including Underground) in Rome

Attractions in Ireland: Kilmainham Royal Hospital/Irish Museum of Modern Art (2), Kilmainham Gaol (2), Guinness Storehouse, National Botanical Garden, Glasnevin Cemetery (2), Trim Castle, Phoenix Park Zoo, GPO Museum, Glendolough, Kilkenny Castle. Richmond Barracks, Molly Malone Statute, St. Audeon’s Park (many), Christchurch Cathedral, Howth Cliff Walk, Howth Castle, Howth Martello Tower, Cliffs of Moher, the Burren, Grafton Street (many), St. Stephen’s Green (many), Iveagh Gardens (many), Phoenix Park (many), Herbert Park (many), EPIC Immigration Museum (2), Giant’s Causeway, Jameson Distillery in Dublin (many), West Belfast Black Taxi Tour, Dunluce Castle, Arbour Hill, Airfield Estate, Croke Park, RDS, GAA Museum, Michael Collins Birthplace, Michael Collins Ambush Site, 40 Foot, James Joyce Museum/Martello Tower, Leo Burdock Chipper.

Places in Ireland: Galway, Cork. West Cork, Wexford, Belfast, Trim, Kilkenny, Drogheda, Kildare.

Bars & Pubs: The Cobblestone (many) Guinness Open Gate Brewery, Kavanaugh’s/ Gravediggers Pub (many), Brazen Head (many), Johnny Fox’s Pub.

Events: Dublin GAA Victory Celebration, Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann 2023, Royal Dublin Horse Show, Royal Irish Academy Lecture on Irish Stamps, Notre Dame Mass at Dublin Castle, Smithfield Fleadh, Ireland Uncensored, Irish Times Rugby World Cup Panel, Dublin History Festival, Irish Times Rugby Six Nations Panel, Easter Rising Commemoration at GPO, Luke Kelly Festival,

Sports: Ireland v England Rugby World Cup Warmup (Aviva Stadium), Notre Dame v Navy Rugby (Trinity College), Notre Dame v Navy Football (Aviva Stadium), Romania v Ireland Rugby World Cup (Stade Bordeaux), Leinster Rugby v HollywoodBets Sharks (RDS), FC Barcelona v Deportivo Alaves (Estadi Olimpic Lluis Companys), Leinster Rugby v Stade Francais (Aviva Stadium), Leinster Rugby v Benetton (RDS), Leinster Rugby v Bulls (RDS), Leinster Rugby v Leicester (Aviva Stadium), Leinster Rugby v Stade Rochelais (Aviva Stadium), Leinster Rugby v Northampton (Croke Park), Leinster Rugby v Connacht (RDS), Leinster Rugby v Ulster (Aviva Stadium).

Concerts: Glen Hansard and Markéta Irglová of The Swell Season (Vicar Street), Elvis Costello (National Concert Hall), Björk (Accor Stadium Paris), Haircut 100 (Vicar Street), José Mercé (Palau de la Música Catalana), Glen Hansard (Vicar Street), The Big Busk (Outside Gaiety Theatre), Rhiannon Giddens (Vicar Street), Lucinda Williams (Olympia Theatre), Eric Clapton (3Arena), Bruce Springsteen (Croke Park), Rod Stewart (Kilmainham Royal Hospital), Sting (Musgrave Park), Blondie (Musgrave Park), Pearl Jam (Marlay Park), Taylor Swift (Aviva Stadium), Russell Crowe (Gaiety Theatre), Van Morrison (Iveagh Gardens),

Theatre: Mother of All Behans with Imelda May (Olympia Theatre), The Quare Fella (Abbey Theatre), Krapp’s Last Tape with Stephen Rea (Project Arts Center), The President with Hugo Weaving (The Gate Theatre).

Opera: Faust (Irish National Opera at Gaiety Theatre), Zoraida di Granata (Wexford Opera Festival), Cavalleria Rusticana / Pagliacci (Royal Opera House at Covent Garden), Salomé (Irish National Opera at Bord Gáis Theatre), La Traviata (Irish National Opera at Gaiety Theatre).

International Travel: France, Spain,, England, Canary Islands, Italy.

France/Paris: Accor Arena

France/Bordeaux: Place de la Bourse, the Water Mirror, St. Andrea Cathedral, Pont de Pierre, Esplanade des Quincoces, Monument aux Girondins, Place de Parlement, Hotel de Ville de Bordeaux, Cité de Vin.

Spain/Barcelona: Pyrenees, La Rambla, Plaça de Catalunya, Mercat de la Boqueria, John Adams' Anthony & Cleopatra at Gran Teatre del Liceu, Parc Guell La Casa Museu Gaudi, Lunch with Chachi, Casa Batlló, Sagrada Familia, L'Arc de Triomf, Parque de la Ciutadella, La Ribera, Picasso Museum, Massage Spa, Sant Jaume Square, Ciutat

Vella/Barri Gotic,Jewish Quarter, Palau de la Música Catalana, Barceloneta Beach, Estadi Olimpic Lluis Companys, Plaza Reial.

Spain/Montserrat: Aeri de Montserrat, Basilica de Montserrat, Black Madonna, Museu de Montserrat.

Spain/Tenerife: Hard Rock Hotel.

England/London: Leicester Square, Churchill War Rooms, Tate Modern, Tower of London, The British Museum (The Rosetta Stone, Elgin Marbles), Royal Opera House at Covent Garden.

England/North of Ireland: Black Taxi Tour of West Belfast, Titanic Museum, Dunluce Castle, Giant’s Causeway.

Italy/Rome: Pantheon, Bernini Four Rivers, Basilica Santa Maria Maggiore, Spanish Steps, Via Conditti, Trevi Fountain, Vatican Museum, St. Peter's Basilica, The Basilica of Santa Maria in Trastevere, Capuchin Museum & Crypts, Catacombe di Domitilla, Basilica di San Nicola in Carcere, Jewish Ghetto, Palantine Hill, Roman Forum, Colosseum Underground, Colosseum, Teatro dell'Opera di Roma.

Italy/Pompeii: Pompeii

Italy/Amalfi Coast: Positano