My Visit With the Dublin Sole Circle - JT Tales From The Trail

Jill Thomas is a Rambler, traveler, and storyteller with a big laugh who thinks it's funny how life leads you right where you need to be, however the roundabout path.

When traveling to host our first Sole Sister Ramblers Camino travel adventure in Spain, I deliberately routed my journey from Vancouver, Canada through Dublin, Ireland because I wanted to meet our most chatty group of Sole Sisters. Dublin was the birthplace of our very first Sole Circle (how our community connects locally for in person Rambles) nearly four years ago—can you believe it?

When we tested our first social media ads, our Irish sisters joined with unmatched enthusiasm. Back then, we were new at moderating Sole Circles, and I quickly discovered that our Irish Ramblers are a chatty bunch. We were rookies in moderating Sole Circles, and I was tyrannical in my attempts to rein in the chatting, which proved impossible.

We will always appreciate our Irish Sole Sisters for inspiring us to create a separate Chatting Group for every Sole Circle! The Irish are a loquacious bunch, and to this day, there is more chatting in their Circles than in any others. They also love to Ramble, which makes sense given how beautiful Ireland is!

I arrived at my hotel in Central Dublin in the early morning after a red-eye flight, tired, but with with little choice but to store my bag with the front desk, grab a latte in the lobby, and head out for a Ramble.

I was feeling anxious because this was my first solo international trip since my carefree twenties and I couldn't shake the feeling of being an imposter pretending to be intrepid. But the cold spring Dublin morning was awaiting me, and thanks to my husband Stormy's impeccable planning, Trinity College was just minutes away.

So I Rambled to the campus and signed up for a student-led walking tour of Ireland’s oldest university. Our guide, charming and witty, regaled us with stories of notable alumni like Oscar Wilde, Bram Stoker, and Samuel Beckett. Founded in 1592 to educate wealthy British men, Trinity didn’t admit Irish Catholics until 1970. Ironically, 1970 was the same year the Catholic Church lifted its own ban on Irish Catholics enrolling in the university.

Our guide told us about exams called Schols, which are challenging academic tests students take in their second year. The college has held them annually since 1592, and the select few students who achieve a high enough score get scholarships and free accommodation.

The exams are held in the Trinity Exam Hall, an impressive Georgian building built in 1785 that dominates the right side of Front Square, a spot known for its impressive 18th-century neoclassical buildings. Across the square from Exam Hall is another similar-looking building, the Chapel. The Chapel is used for religious services and ceremonies and serves as a place for the Trinity College community to reflect and pray.

Sitting between both buildings sits a statue of George Salmon, a mathematician and theologian who was the Provost of Trinity College Dublin from 1888 to 1904. He was a staunch opponent of admitting women to the university and famously stated that women would only be accepted "over my dead body."

Legend has it that the first female student who enrolled at Trinity was taking the Schols exam in the Exam Hall while the funeral service for George Salmon took place across the square in the Chapel. Our guide quipped, "It seems Isabel Marion Weir Johnston was admitted to Trinity College over his dead body."

After the tour, feeling both tired and inspired, I chose aimless wandering along the riverside and through Dublin's lively shopping and pub districts. I often feel conflicted between seeking out the most popular points of interest when I am in a new city, or allowing myself to stroll without concern for destination. I prefer the latter, but also suffer from a intense fear of missing something.

Today, I was tired and a little anxious, so I decided to indulge myself and Ramble aimlessly along the riverside and through the shopping and drinking districts, and then settle in for a solo dinner of cottage pie and a pint of Guinness in a legitimate Irish pub. I am sure this decision will plague me next time a friend tells me about their trip to Dublin.

The next morning, butterflies filled my stomach as I joined the Dublin Sole Sister Ramblers at the historic General Post Office on O'Connell Street. Meeting new people is intimidating for me. I dislike the "dreaded moment you walk into a room full of people you don't know," as my kids used to describe it—but warmth quickly replaced my anxiety as we greeted each other.

We Rambled once again through Trinity College, this time guided by a Sole Sister alumnus who humorously highlighted the campus pub on the cricket green as one of the cheapest beer spots in town. Our journey continued to Merrion Square, home to elegant Georgian houses and a delightful park featuring Oscar Wilde’s statue, where we paused for cheerful photos.

From there, we explored St. Stephen's Green, another site steeped in the history of the 1916 Easter Rising. Exiting under Fusiliers' Arch, with its bullet-marked façade, I marveled at the depth of history around every corner. I've never seen a bullet hole during one of my at-home Rambles on Salt Spring Island, Canada or any buildings over 50 years old, for that matter.

What struck me most was our Irish Sole Sisters' profound love for their city and its stories. I especially loved hearing about Countess Constance Markievicz, the fearless suffragist and revolutionary who advised women to "dress suitably in short skirts and strong boots, leave your jewels in the bank, and buy a revolver."

She was the first woman elected to the British Parliament. She fought alongside men in the 1916 rebellion and was only spared execution due to her gender.

We finished our afternoon in Dublin with cake and coffee in the Church Cafe, Bar & Restaurant, a gorgeous building and former Church of Ireland building, dating back to the 17th century.

Connecting face-to-face with women on the other side of the world who've found friendship through our community was so incredibly magical for me. Heartfelt thanks to Orla for leading a perfect Ramble, Esther for the lovely handmade souvenir now hanging above my desk as a reminder of my day, and Kate for her invaluable insights from her walking tour-guide training (hire her when you visit Dublin!).

Kate is an amazing guide and you can message her on WhatsApp +335 85 225 7363.

To each Dublin Sole Sister, thank you for making me feel incredibly welcome. I will treasure these memories until our paths cross again, and I hope that happens soon!

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