Ice cream has always been a distant treat for me. One only enjoyed as a reward for a job well done, in celebration of a birthday, or for simply getting through the week. As a pick-me-up, treat, reward, side, dessert, or nightcap, it sure is a beautiful thing. I don’t know if you can tell, but I love ice cream…like seriously. Alas, its creamy, calorie-filled goodness was limited to me growing up and treated simply as a reward and not the food of gods necessary to my survival as I deemed it to be. T’was not easy abstaining from the love of my life for so long. I jest of course. And when I found out people in Ireland eat ice cream too (I know right, who would have thought!?), I knew it was meant to be!
During my time in Ireland, I promised myself I would live life to the fullest, pursue that which brings me joy, and chase after what I love. I am doing just that, in many ways, including testing out as many ice cream/gelato (not the same but similar) shops as I can.
Ice cream hunting in Ireland has been more to me than meeting my sweet tooth. It has been an opportunity to gather with friends (safely of course), talk about our woes and triumphs, meet for study sessions, explore the city, and simply relax. Ice cream truly brings people together.
Now you may be thinking ”……isn’t it cold in Ireland right now?” and you would be right in making such an assessment. Buuuuutttttt, the ice cream is colder sooooooo it balances itself out? Look I don’t make the rules, I just enjoy the creamy goodness and let the world continue spinning on its axis. C’est la vie and all that. Anyways it can’t ever be too cold for ice cream……right?
And now, what you’ve all been waiting for……..the ice cream/Gelato(s) in question in its many shapes and colors:
Little tangent to Mary’s milk bar in Edinburgh, Scotland right below the castle!
Another pit stop to Zaandam, a city in the Netherlands!
Back to Ireland, we go!
As a very experienced, reputable, and professional connoisseur of ice cream, I obviously had to stop by the famous Murphy’s Ice Cream in Galway! It would be blasphemous to visit Ireland and not try Murphys, especially their Dingle Sea Salt ice cream which “comes straight from the Atlantic Ocean…from Dingle sea water [they] collect at Bín Bán beach.” (Murphys)
Oddly enough, one of my favorites so far, if not my favorite overall, has been from a random coffee cart at Kilkenny Castle in county Kilkenny. Perhaps the wind was hitting just right or some magic overtook my senses, but this chocolate and banana/strawberry mix utterly perplexed me. Like it was not supposed to be so good, but it was? There really is wonder, magic, and discovery in every corner of this country, you love to see it.
And last but not least, the excellent and reliable ice cream cones with sprinkles from Gino’s Gelatos. A staple I have at least 3 times a week!
Eating ice cream across Ireland has been quite an experience. It feels wholly nonjudgmental that I’m eating ice cream in the middle of winter and honestly makes it that much more enjoyable. The smiles of joyful families leaving the shop with handfuls of waffle cones in their hands bring me such a serene feeling. Not just because that means it’s my turn to order, but because it reminds me of the joy ice cream brought me as a child and knowing that it’s giving someone else that feeling.
And I’m not done yet!! Still have to try out some spots in Northern Ireland, a few more Irish counties, possibly some more European countries (coming for you next Italy). Hope to share some of the other cool things I’ve been doing in Ireland soon. Till then, stay safe and keep eating ice cream, life’s too short to not be enjoying it (I’m looking at you €2 Ice cream Pints at Tesco)!
“When I’m no longer rapping, I want to open up an ice cream parlor and call myself Scoop Dogg.” – Snoop Dog
Same Snoop Dog, same.