Eva Wu, G9 吴佳瑞

I spent my first New Year’s Day in Ireland with my mum on the first day of 2026. Ireland is a country in Western Europe, and its capital is Dublin. Below, I will introduce the places we visited.

Dublin is a city of friendly locals and beautiful scenery. I think the streets of Dublin are full of laughter. Nearly every window along the streets is decorated with flowers. Dublin is famous for its long history and countless bars.

Trinity College Dublin is one of the oldest universities in Ireland. It was established in 1592 by order of Queen Elizabeth I, modeled after Oxford and Cambridge. The university’s buildings are quite old. The main campus is arranged around several courtyards, each with a grassy central area. Forbes magazine has praised it as one of the most beautiful campuses in the world. Its library holds more than six million books and is also a well-known tourist attraction.

We also visited the prime minister’s office — the office of the current Irish Taoiseach (Prime Minister). The complex includes the government building hall, the prime minister’s office, and the cabinet meeting room.

During my trip to Ireland, my favorite activity was strolling freely along Grafton Street in Dublin. The street is lined with boutique and fashion shops — in fact, almost all of Dublin’s fashionable stores can be found here.

Grafton Street is also one of Ireland’s busiest commercial streets, filled with many bars, cafes, and restaurants. Its most famous landmark is the statue of Molly Malone, which attracts many tourists for photos.

The street is also a popular spot for Irish street performers, including musicians, mime artists, and poets. In 2006, an Irish music film was shot here.