🇮🇪 Ireland with Dan St. Germain

The trip

• Comedian Dan St. Germain spent five months in Ireland as a 20-year-old study-abroad student at University College Dublin, around 2001–2002, shortly after the U.S. invasion of Iraq.
• He traveled around the country and also visited places including Amsterdam, Brussels, and Italy.
• He recalls the trip fondly, but admits that heavy drinking and frequent blackouts meant he missed or barely remembers parts of it.

Places that stood out

• Dublin: A lively European city, but Dan found it broadly familiar and more metropolitan than uniquely Irish. He stayed outside the city center, near campus.
• Galway: His favorite part of Ireland, especially for its scenery and access to the Cliffs of Moher. He describes the cliffs as dramatic and beautiful, while warning that the exposed edges and strong wind call for caution.
• Belfast: A fascinating but emotionally charged city. Murals and visible reminders of the Troubles reflect the city’s history. Dan avoided political arguments there, especially as an American.
• Giant’s Causeway: Mentioned as another spectacular natural destination near Belfast.
• Dublin cultural stops: Dan recommends Kilmainham Gaol, closely connected with the 1916 Easter Rising, as well as the Francis Bacon exhibition/gallery and Dublin’s theatre scene.

What he noticed about Irish culture

• Dan found people more reserved and guarded than Americans, which he connected to Ireland’s long history and deep local roots.
• Ireland’s artistic culture impressed him: theatre and the arts seemed more established and treated more like working professions.
• He says Guinness in Ireland tasted notably better than what he was used to elsewhere. He also liked Tullamore D.E.W. whiskey, though that’s a matter of personal preference.
• His recollections of Irish hospitality and social life are mixed with self-deprecating stories about being a loud, intoxicated young American.

Travel takeaways ✈️

• Don’t limit yourself to the capital. Dan felt Dublin alone could be covered relatively quickly; Galway, Belfast, and the countryside gave him a broader sense of Ireland.
• Book and confirm accommodation ahead of time. Dan shares that arriving without a confirmed hostel room can leave you scrambling for somewhere to stay.
• Listen before making assumptions. When visiting a place with a complicated history, observe and learn rather than confidently telling locals what their country is like.
• Be considerate and aware of local sensitivities. Dan’s arguments about Iraq in Ireland—and particularly his experience in Belfast—showed him that political conversations can carry more weight than he expected.

Other reflections

• Dan says travel didn’t immediately produce much stand-up material: he processed his experiences and wrote about them after returning home.
• The conversation also touches on his new comedy special, Dance Fatty Dance, which the hosts encourage viewers to watch online.