Dublin Teambuilding Review

Published: 02.10.08

Over 100 people came with Omega to Dublin this fall, read on for a travel story and many pictures from the visit to the Emerald Isle.

Entering the Emerald Isle

The Irish capital greeted Omega's merry party of 60 with perfect September sunshine upon arrival. As people came in from different corners of Norway, not to mention Lithuania, our Swedish/Swiss/Irish guide for the weekend informed us it had been one of the nicest weeks of the summer season; Having set our expectations high, Dublin did not let anyone down during our weekend stay.

Dublin is one of the fastest growing cities in Europe, and a centre of the booming Irish economy. “The Celtic Tiger” is the term used to describe the fast growth of the Irish economy in the last two decades. Although it has slowed down lately, Ireland enjoys the fourth highest GDP Per Capita in the world. However, Dublin shows traces of both wealth and poverty, making it an diverse and exciting metropolis.

Guided by the Swede

We were lucky to be greeted by our aforementioned guide for the weekend, a well-informed and pleasant lady with countless anecdotes and historical information about her adopted home city. Upon arrival we found our way to the city centre, our hotel was located in the middle of the city. The Gresham is an old-fashioned hotel that immediately made us feel welcome with an excellent and long-awaited lunch. Some of our teambuilding participants had been up since before 6am, and were more than ready to enjoy some fine Irish dining.

With all the participants gathered, Torleif Heggebø could welcome us all and walk us through the schedule for the weekend. We were to have quite a busy weekend if the schedule was to be believed. Luckily, people could pick and choose to make the most of their time in the Irish capital. First off was a trip to the Old Jameson Distillery, where we were presented with the intricate process of whiskey production. Fortunately, Torleif had already warned us of the dangers of smelling the mix before it is bottle-ready (not pleasant), so we were all able to make it in one piece to the tasting. Everyone, of course, had to attest that Irish whiskey was indeed better than its Scottish and American counterparts. While some were tasting whiskey, others were on walking tours with or without music, and explored more of Dublin than the insides of the Jameson museum.

In the evening we all gathered at the riverfront Eliza Blues Restaurant, where our 60-strong group occupied most of the space available. Eliza Blues is located right on the Liffey, the river dividing Dublin in two. After more of the admittedly great Irish food, some of us decided to move on and experience even more of genuine Ireland. A nearby pub had live Irish music, which turned out to be another fascinating experience. Saturday morning was shopping time, and although prices are not much lower than in Norway, the selection and the many interesting shops makes it very worthwhile to shop around.

Saturday was packed with activity, and we soon headed off to the oldest pub in Dublin, the Brazen Head, for lunch. They have been operating since the 1660's, and their roots could be traced all the way back to the late 12th century! Dublin is, of course, a very old town. Founded by Vikings in the 800's, it has been the most important city in Ireland (as our guide insisted on putting it) for most of its history. Thanks to the preservation of many buildings and quarters, the long history is still reflected on the city streets. Thus, we got to eat at a 350-year-old pub. The day continued with a longer sightseeing by bus, which was very interesting. Our guide really knew everything there was to know about the city, and poured her knowledge over us during the two-hour sightseeing. A long bus ride after a heavy lunch isn't ideal, but most of us were able to stay awake and attentive.

The final night

Our destination for the bus trip, after seeing more of Dublin, was the Guinness Storehouse. One of the most successful brands in the world, this stout beer has been brewed at St. James's Gate for almost 250 years. The brewery museum offers five floors of history on the “Black Stuff”, and the Gravity Bar on the top floor gives you a great view of the city. Keeping in mind that Dublin really does not have many tall buildings, the view from the top of the Guinness Storehouse is as good as it gets in this city. The beer gets its characteristically dark colour from the roasted barley used in the production, and we were all offered a taste of the traditional drink to end our visit at the museum.

Our bus continued to the Merry Ploughboys Pub, where we were to spend the rest of the evening. Giving us a genuine Irish experience with a house band and traditional Irish dancers, it served as a perfect closure to our Celtic adventure. Some of us even had the great pleasure of being dragged onto the stage, making it an extra special night. Unfortunately, it was our last on the Emerald Isle, and the next morning we were all off to our various home ports again. We all had a great time in Dublin, and had the chance to meet friends and colleagues and bond across the various branches of our expanding organisation.