Bagpipes and breweries

And what is the purpose of your visit to Ireland?" Those were the first words I heard when deplaning in Dublin. As any former visitor can attest, customs control going into Ireland can border on the tedious side if you hold an American passport. Not willing to have any permanent vacationers, Ireland and Britain are careful to weed out people likely to stay behind. Five minutes of intense grilling later, I was able to retrieve my bags and commence "the purpose of my visit to Ireland" -- visiting my sister, who was taking a two-week course in Dublin in conjunction with Loyola University-Chicago.\nTaking the bus into Dublin's city center from the airport, the rapid growth enjoyed by Ireland is evident. \n Construction on infrastructure -- largely paid for by European Union funds -- stretches as far as the eye can see. The city is growing at an explosive rate, and for the first time in Ireland's history, the country is experiencing greater immigration than emigration. After getting settled in my hostel, my sister and I set out to see the sights of Dublin.\nOur first stop was the Guinness Storehouse, an excellent museum and tribute to all things Guinness. The stylishly appointed Storehouse, which sits in the middle of the still-functioning brewing facilities of Guinness, is Ireland's most popular tourist destination. The odor of malt in the air led us to the seven-story celebration of the production and marketing of the inky black stout for which Dublin has earned its fame. Far from being simply a celebration of beer, the Storehouse is a glimpse into Dublin's pub culture and working classes -- and the free pint at the end didn't hurt, either.\nAfter a day of traipsing around Dublin proper, my sister's class -- with me tagging along -- took a side trip to Malahide, a suburb of Dublin, which is home to a castle. We didn't know it when we arrived, but we picked the right day to see the town.\nIt turns out we arrived at Malahide just in time for their annual Festival of Piping and Drumming. We poured out of the train and wandered toward the siren call of the bagpipes, which, coincidentally enough, was in the same direction as Malahide castle. When we stepped onto the grounds surrounding the castle, the sight was nearly unbelievable. As far as the eye could see, there were men and women, boys and girls, dressed in traditional Irish kilts playing the bagpipes. \nBoth Commonwealth and Northern Ireland were represented among the competitors, and the participants were more than willing to explain the intricacies of competitive piping. As one of the participants explained, "Today is something that shows that the North and South can cooperate. We're not here to talk politics, but to make music."\nAfter an enjoyable day of listening to bagpipes and looking at castles, it was back to Dublin for the class. Wandering around Temple Bar with my sister and her classmates, pieces of Dublin history jumped out around every turn. Crossing the Halfpenny Bridge over the River Liffey to go back to the hostel, I was able to catch a glimpse of how bustling Dublin really is. People were crawling the streets and pouring out of pubs. Dublin is a city on the rise with infectious energy, and I am glad I had the chance to see the European Union's smallest capital firsthand.