Jingle Bells and Jameson: Christmas the Irish Way
Karen Relates:
Christmas Markets
I’ve never been to the iconic Christmas markets in places like Austria or Germany, but the ones we visited in Ireland had their own quaint charm. They added something special to the overall experience of visiting during this time of year.
The Galway Christmas Market is set up on Eyre Square, directly in front of the Hardiman Hotel. We stayed there and had a perfect view of all the twinkling lights and festive decorations. The Hardiman was an ideal spot, not just because of its central location, but also for its easy access to both the train and bus stations. Gauging at how busy the hotel was, it seemed like it was a popular place for families and friends to gather, whether staying the night or just meeting up to enjoy the market together.
The market itself offered all the classics: Glühwein, crêpes, hot chocolate, candies, souvenirs, and a couple of amusement rides. In the evenings, it was packed with people. At times, we could barely move through them.
But in those moments, I couldn’t’t help but notice how many people were simply there to spend time with family and friends. It gave me a real sense of warmth and togetherness. The market felt like more than just an event. It was a place to reconnect and celebrate what matters most.
The Christmas market at Dublin Castle is smaller in scale compared to Galway. It still has plenty of food and drink, but we noticed more variety of local artisans selling handmade goods than what we saw in Galway.
We stopped at a jewelry stand and met the jeweler who designed and crafted every piece on display. What made it especially meaningful was hearing where his inspiration came from. In my opinion, that adds so much value and character to the work.
Dublin Castle itself is decorated for the holidays. This time around, we didn’t make it inside the castle, but I really wish we had. On a previous trip, we toured the castle, and it’s absolutely beautiful. I can only imagine how stunning it must look when it’s dressed in garland, lights, and Christmas trees throughout.
Vintage Tea Trips Dublin
If you’re a hot chocolate fan, don’t miss the Cadbury hot chocolate. It’s delicious. Classic Irish soup is served in a drink cup, fresh scones are passed around, and a double-tiered platter on the table is filled with decadent cakes, sweets, sandwiches, and wraps.
Christmas music played throughout the ride, and our tour guide chimed in now and then to point out buildings or light displays as we passed. It was such a fun way to take in the city’s holiday lights, enjoy great food, and just eat, drink, and be merry.
Shannon Relates
Whenever I think about the communal atmosphere of a bar, my mind always goes to Cheers. I know I’m dating myself with the reference—and I probably missed plenty of jokes and innuendos at the time—but even at a young age, I understood the kind of experience a bar could offer.
When Yeats said, “There are no strangers here; Only friends you have not met yet,” to describe an Irish pub, he hit the nail on the head. Afterall, you want to go where everybody knows your name.
I’ve visited my fair share of pubs while traveling through Ireland, and while the environment is always lively – full of laughter, stories, and people of all ages enjoying the craic – there’s something truly enchanting about being in an Irish pub during the Christmas season. Between the shimmer of indoor Christmas lights, the buzz of work parties, and the familiar sound of ‘Fairytale of New York’ echoing from live performers, a night out during the Christmas season is sure to put even Scrooge in the Christmas spirit.
In Galway, organizing your own pub crawl is effortless – most establishments are just steps apart. Dublin offers a similar experience, depending on the neighborhood. Fortunately, we were based in the Temple Bar District, one of the city’s most pub-dense areas, featuring stops like The Temple Bar, The Oliver St. John Gogarty, and The Auld Dubliner.
This area is known for being more tourist-driven but many people would and could argue that going to The Temple Bar is almost a rite of passage when one is in Dublin. The time had come to re-visit a place I was convinced was not worth my time.
Temple Bar
My skepticism about The Temple Bar was quickly confirmed the moment I stepped inside the very first time years prior. A flood of American accents filled the space, and the price of a Guinness was nearly double what you’d pay elsewhere in the city. Karen and I didn’t linger, we walked straight through the bar and out the other side.
But on this most recent trip, something unexpected happened. Maybe it was the influence of my third Jameson and ginger, or perhaps a Christmas miracle was brewing, but on a quiet weekday night, we found ourselves heading into the city’s most notorious pub.
The place was filled with the Christmas spirit. Garland draped several bars, friends were buying rounds of drinks and Karen and I found the space in our hearts to give this place a second chance.
Were the drink prices frustrating? Absolutely. But when you’re on vacation, sometimes it’s worth loosening the purse strings for the experience. And experience we had.
Two gentlemen were playing live music, a mix of festive favorites and traditional Irish tunes, some of which were new to me. It didn’t matter; every song inspired dancing, clapping, and questionable sing-alongs.
Before we knew it, the lights came on – the universal cue that the night was over, and though you didn’t have to go home, you certainly couldn’t stay there. I was wrong. While I’d been fortunate to experience Ireland through a more ‘local’ perspective in past visits, it didn’t make me any less grateful for the full range of experiences she shared this time around.
