Northshore magazine showcases the best that the North Shore of Boston, MA has to offer.
Issue link: http://read.uberflip.com/i/1090027
NORTHSHOREMAG.COM 42 MARCH 2019 FAC E S + P L AC E S Gaelic language) and English, and he traveled the countryside promoting the importance of keeping the ancient language alive. I imagine him sitting here, pen in hand, writing in his native tongue. Today it is still spoken as the first language in areas of the country. After I drop my bags, I head to the spa for a soothing facial—much needed after my transatlantic journey. Another five-star experience. e treatment rooms are soothing and the relaxation room offers chaise lounges to soak in the tranquil ambiance. I head back to my room and dress for cocktails and dinner, hosted by Yvonne and general manager JP Kavanagh. Marketing manager Roisin O'Malley also joins the group. A delightful storyteller, she describes life as a young woman in the city of Dublin. She reminds me of the Irish exchange students that stayed with my family when I was a teenager. I can't resist volunteering when JP asks if anyone would like to uncork a bottle of champagne with a sword. After I give full disclosure that I am left-handed, he hands me the rapier and I strike. e glass bottle lip and cork come off in one swift movement. Pleased with the outcome, I decide I've earned my glass of champagne. Dinner is served in the Saddle Room by candlelight, with offerings of seafood and prime cuts of steak. e evening continues with our enchanting hosts, who share the history of the hotel and Dublin's culture while we dine and indulge in expertly prepared dishes. e next morning, after a full Irish breakfast, we meander through the cobbled stone passageways of Trinity College to see e Book of Kells, Ireland's greatest cultural treasure and the world's most famous medieval manuscript. e ornate ninth- century book was created in a Columban monastery and depicts the four Gospels of the New Testament using calligraphy and illustrations. I'm left in awe of the rich color and intricate designs on the pages, and I am more than happy to spend the rest of the day indulging in my first love—Irish literature and poetry. I head to the Dublin Writers Museum, located in an 18th-century Georgian mansion on the city's north side. e collection includes works by George Bernard PHOTOGRAPHS BY SHUTTERSTOCK Shaw, Oscar Wilde, James Joyce, and William Butler Yeats, among others. First editions, letters, portraits, and personal items fill the glass cases. Seeing Yeats's personal artifacts carefully laid out sparks my imagination of him composing the love poem "When You Are Old"—one of my favorites. I then join the rest of the group for a sneak peek of the Museum of Literature Ireland (MoLI), a new literary museum embodying a partnership between the University of Dublin and the National Library of Ireland. Opening this summer, it plans to offer interactive experiences as well as performances, lectures, research facilities, and more. After soaking in Ireland's literary culture, I can't wait to share all I have discovered with my bibliophile friends back home. at night, we dine at Delahunt—a hip, relaxed eatery in an old apothecary. Home curing and smoking as well as slow-cooked braises are specialties at this Michelin Bib Gourmand–awarded restaurant. eir house- made Guinness bread is a must, as are the traditional potato soup and main dishes such as roast loin of lamb with sheep's milk yogurt, plus dishes a bit further afield such as hake with squid ink rice pak choi, crab tempura, and shellfish foam. We grab a nightcap at the Vintage Cocktail Club—with a drinks selection that reaches back to the 1400s and a living room vibe, this is a fun place to experience cocktails through the ages. I settle on a "Banshee," a concoction made of Irish whiskey, Celtic Honey liqueur, apricot, apple, rhubarb Angostura, and Swedish bitters poured over a block of ice with a sprig of mint. Or, quite simply, heaven in a glass. Malahide Castle dates to 1175. Below, The Library at Trinity College Dublin.