Julika

Published On: 2013/10/14

You know I don’t mind a little rain while traveling in Europe: There’s rarely anything you can do against it except enjoying for the melancholic beauty it creates. I knew I would have to cope with quite a lot of rain when I booked my trip to Ireland — it has to be called The Emerald Isle for a reason, right?

Drowning "Look right", Dublin, Ireland

I packed my usual “rain uniform”, but actually, it wasn’t all that bad in the end. There were even a few times where I could actually wear my sunglasses. However, rain was always present somehow: People carrying umbrellas, houses reflecting in puddles, raindrops on the bus windows… On one of those days with actual pouring rain in Dublin, I decided to be brave and get the dSLR out to take a few photos of the city in the rain. It’s a bit of a challenge to hold an umbrella with one hand and photograph with the other hand (and every professional photographer would cringe hearing this!), but I really wanted to convey the beauty of a city like Dublin in the rain through photography.

Georgian Dublin in the rain, Ireland

Georgian Dublin in the rain, Ireland

Despite the rain, my friend Clare and I had decided to walk from the TBEX conference venue in Georgian Dublin to Temple Bar — because if anyone could handle this kind of rain, it would be a Brit and a German, right? As it was my first real day in Dublin and I had basically no idea where I was, I was glad Clare was there to lead me through one of her favorite cities passing by several of Dublin’s famous sights.

A rainy day in Dublin, Ireland

Rainy Dublin, Ireland

As soon as we entered Saint Stephen’s Green on our stroll, I knew I had found one of my new favorite places in Dublin: With its benches, playgrounds, and fountains this park is a perfect spot to catch your breath while watching the swans on the little lake – especially with the beautiful backdrop of yellowish shimmering fall leaves.

St. Stephen's Green, Dublin, Ireland

Lake in the rain, St. Stephen's Green, Dublin, Ireland

Fountain in St. Stephen's Green, Dublin, Ireland

Signs of fall, St. Stephen's Green, Dublin, Ireland

Bridge in St. Stephen's Green, Dublin, Ireland

Although Saint Stephen’s Green is considered one of the touristy must-sees in Dublin, in the rain, it was mostly locals taking a short-cut on their way back from work, seeking shelter from the rain by walking underneath the canopying fall foliage. Thus, the monochrome stillness of the lake in the rain was opposed to the colorful umbrellas hurrying by in the prettiest way — and I was instantly enchanted.

Rainy St. Stephen's Green, Dublin, Ireland

Lake in the rain, St. Stephen's Green, Dublin, Ireland

St. Stephen's Green, Dublin, Ireland

St. Stephen's Green, Dublin, Ireland

We passed through Grafton Street, Dublin’s busy pedestrian shopping street, afterwards and we felt a little like walking through a sea of umbrellas: The Dubliners have apparently no problem with keeping up their usual weekday hustle in the rain, and they also proved impeccable skills when it comes to bike riding with an umbrella in one hand.

Grafton Street, Dublin, Ireland

Molly Malone statue in Dublin, Ireland

Dublin in the rain, Ireland

Although a rainy October day like this one doesn’t sound perfect for sightseeing, I couldn’t have asked for a better first glimpse of Dublin: The city felt a little more real and, in my perception, even more beautiful in this moody, gray weather. And as long as you can flee into a cozy, warm pub when you are weary of your wet feet…

Rainy evening in Temple Bar, Dublin, Ireland

What’s your favorite image of Dublin in the rain?