I took advantage of cheap airfares to go to Dublin for a few days. It’s always been an ambition of mine, also to walk into a pub an order a pint of Guinness in Gaelic. I managed to do a lot of sightseeing – not all that I’d planned – but that leaves plenty for the next visit – and Dublin is a very walkable city. It was as I was walking to St. Patrick’s Cathedral that I passed, by pure chance, The Constant Knitter. I’d seen it online, so didn’t think twice about entering for a look around.

Rosemary was extremely friendly, welcoming and informative, and also gave a hint on where I might actually be able to order that pint. I could easily have spent a couple of hours there. I guess I’d describe it as a well-stocked shop with everything you’d need, one that invites you to linger while you think of projects to come. Also, no funny looks or even the hint of suspicion for being a male in a yarn shop. I’d whole-heartedly recommend The Constant Knitter as part of any trip to Dublin. Thanks, Rosemary!

I came away with two balls of Donegal Aran Tweed in white and some hand dyed Galway Cheviot fleece in greens and blues for some drop-spindling. That’s Cheviot fleece from Galway, not a cross-breed, we decided. There were other gadgets that I could have acquired, save for security restrictions on pokey, metal things on flights.

And the Gaelic? The guy behind the bar clearly understood me, but answered in English. If you’ve seen No Béarla, you’d understand my frustration. I had a slightly more linguistically rewarding experience in the Gaelic bookshop An Siopa Leabhar, so all was not in vain. I think my request for bilingual books was a little shaky, but is fearr Gaeilge briste, ná Béarla clíste.