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Dublin, Ireland
City Guide
Check our Discount Rates / Book a Room at Dublin
Features of this Destination
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Dublin is unique among the capital cities of Europe. It is on the sea with a bay of harbors and swimming areas; it lies nestled among hills and mountains; and it contains Phoenix Park, the largest park on the European continent. Dublin’s streets have been described as bustling and lively. They have also been called congested. As all of these descriptions are accurate, the excitement of the city can best be enjoyed by moving from point to point via the comfort and convenience of local bus and rail service. |
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Within half an hour of Dublin’s city center there are mountain walks, historic homes and gardens, sandy beaches and fishing villages. Within Dublin are countless places of interest to explore. It is a city steeped in history and tradition, but it is also youthful. Of the one and a half million people in greater Dublin, about half are under 25. It is a city that welcomes visitors of all ages. Activities for the family include enjoyment of the nature preserve, the grazing deer, the 700 animal zoo, and the well tended, formal gardens of Phoenix Park. There is a hands-on center where children can design and produce pottery pieces. Other family possibilities are horseback riding, sailing and the thrill of the interactive Dublin Viking adventure that recreates the sights, sounds and smells of Dublin as it was 1000 years ago. Dublin began as a Viking trading post called Dubh Linn (Dark Pool), which soon merged with a Celtic settlement called Baile Átha Cliath (Town of the Hurdle Ford) – still the Gaelic name for the city. Because most of the early city was built of wood, only the two cathedrals, part of the castle and several churches have survived from before the seventeenth century. Much of the “newer” construction is from the Georgian period of the eighteenth century. Recent modernization has worked in harmony with the beauty and grandeur of the past. Fine museums and art galleries recall Dublin’s long and colorful history, while the pubs and cafes buzz with traditional Irish entertainment. Trinity College, St. Patrick’s Cathedral, Dublin Castle, Christchurch Cathedral are all at the top of almost every visitor’s list. Dublin’s many other attractions range from sea world, museums and art galleries to the prestigious Guiness Brewery and theTemple Bar, which is the center of restaurants and nightlife. Dublin is Europe's leading center for computer software, with more than 100 international companies and a growing home market. It is also a thriving center for culture and is home to the great literary tradition of Shaw, Yeats, Joyce and Beckett. It is the source of musical talent in groups ranging from the Dubliners and the Chieftains to U2. Street-side cafes and pubs are alive with animated conversations, and visitors can easily find themselves included in the discussions of sports, music, politics, and literature. Dublin’s economy is the fastest growing in Europe with 40,000 businesses employing over 525,000 people. Recent years have brought an upsurge in the growth of the city’s population and an air of excitement as renovations and improvements to the city’s housing and service sector have taken place. Dublin provides the visitor with countless opportunities for learning, for remembering and for relaxation which appeal to every taste and age group. |
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Area Attractions
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Note: Dublin is bisected by the River Liffey, with most of the attractions being located south of the river.
Custom House |
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Custom House Quay 878-7660 Mar.-Oct. 10-5 Mon.-Fri. 2-5 Sat., Sun. Admission charged.
The Custom House, the most magnificent building in
Dublin, was planned in secret by local merchants who were eager to keep the
ships coming all the way into the commercial heart of the city after the old
building had been outgrown.
The foundation stone was laid quietly in August of that
year, in spite of mobs hired by the opposition to attack the builders and their
work. The architect, James Gandon, received threatening letters and found it
advisable to carry a sword when he visited the building site. The site
contained little more than sand and mud, and Gandon’s elaborate foundations
caused some head-shaking at the time. Despite the death of Gandon’s wife early
in the work, and a fire in the partly completed building, the new Customs House
opened in 1791. Gandon, stayed in Ireland for the rest of his life. He later
designed the Four Courts and the Kings Inns.
Four Courts
Inns Quay
872-5555
Admission Free.
Home to the Irish law courts since 1796 and also on the
north of the Liffey, they were designed by Custom House architect, James
Gandon. The four law courts were those of Chancery, King’s Bench, Exchequer and
Common Pleas. Despite political intrigues and a history of blockages and
objections, the building was opened in 1796 and completed in 1802.
In 1922, at the outbreak of Civil War in Ireland,
anti-treaty forces occupied the Four Courts. After a siege of two months,
Government forces opened fire with field guns, causing massive damage. The scars
of the encounter are still visible on the columns of the portico. The three-day
battle ended with a huge explosion and fire which destroyed the dome and the
nearby Public Records Office with its irreplaceable contents. Many of Ireland’s
historical records, including wills and other official deeds, were destroyed .
Since then, the building has been beautifully restored.
Inside is a magnificent central hall, sixty-four feet
across and usually busy with lawyers in their traditional wigs and gowns. To the
right of the entrance is a panel with more detailed information about the
building and its history. There are fine views of the city from the upper
rotunda of the central building. Open only when the Courts are in session.
Trinity College and Dublin Experience
Dublin 2
677-2941
Old Library and Book of Kells open 9:30-5 Mon.-Sat. 9 and
noon-4:30 Sun.
Admission charged. Children
Free.
Dublin Experience open 9:15-5:45 daily May-Oct.
Admission charged
Trinity College is uppermost in the list of attractions
south of the river. It is wise to arrive early in the day to avoid crowds.
Founded by Elizabeth I in 1592, the university complex contains a campanile and
many glorious old buildings. A major attraction is the library containing the
Book of Kells: an illuminated manuscript of the Gospels dating from
around 800 AD, making it one of the oldest books in the world.. The library
houses some three million books in buildings constructed between 1712 and 1732.
Bank of Ireland and House of Lords
2 College Green Dublin 2
661-5933
10-4 Mon-Wed, Fri. 10-5 Thurs.
Guided tours Free . Admission Free.
Originally built to house the Irish Parliament, the fine
wood paneling and vaulted ceiling add an air of grandeur to the House of
Lords. Eighteenth century tapestries depict scenes from Irish history. The
Parliament was abolished in 1800 with the Act of Union and Francis Johnston
converted the buildings for use as a bank.
Dublinia
Christchurch, DUBLIN 8
Tel: 6794611
Bus Number 50 from Eden Quay; Bus Number 78A from Aston
Quay
April - September 10- 5 daily; October - March: 11 -
4 ; Monday to Sat., 10 - 4.30 Sunday and Bank
Holidays
Admission charged.
Dublinia has been developed by The Medieval Trust to
recreate the formative period in the city's growth from the arrival of the Anglo
Normans in 1170 to the closure of its monasteries by Henry VIII in 1540. It is
situated in a beautifully preserved building in the heart of the old city, next
to Christchurch Cathedral, to which it is linked by abridge.
Journey through time and experience the drama and magic in
life-like displays of memorable episodes in Dublin's history over 400 years.
A scale model of the city, shows the location of public
buildings and the layout of the streets. Life-size reconstructions illustrate
the city environment of the Middle Ages.
As a finale to the exploration of Dublin’s past, climb the
17th century St Michael's Tower for a unique panoramic view of modern Dublin.
St Patrick's Cathedral
Patrick’s Close; Lower Dublin 7
475-4817
9-6 Mon.-Fri. April-Oct.; 9-11AM and 12:30-3PM Sat.
Admission charged
Services: 8:30 daily and 11:45AM Sunday.
St. Patrick’s is the oldest Christian site in Dublin. It is
said that it was built on the grounds where St Patrick baptized converts during
the 5th century. The present building dates from 1190 (or possibly
1225). Writer Jonathan Swift was dean here from 1713-1745, and his tomb is in
the church. The cathedral choir school dates back to 1432, and is still in
existence.
Dublin Castle
Dame Street
677-7129
Bus 49; 50; 54A; 77; 77A
10-5 Mon-Fri. 2-5 Sat; Sun.
Admission charged
More a palace than a fort, it was originally built on the
orders of King John in 1204. The state chambers contain a large collection of
antiques. The castle has been rebuilt, renovated and extended. Deep scars in
the stone work can be seen in the Guardroom at the main entrance. They are the
result of bayonet sharpening by the guards during the 950 years of British
rule. Many of the state apartments are open to the public. The Chapel Royale
is an elaborate area designed and decorated in 1814 in the neo-Gothic style.
It contains some 90 carved heads of famous historical figures. The interior
has lavish plaster vaulting and carved oak galleries.
Temple Bar
An area that has been renovated in recent years and now
contains many restaurants and pubs that have become the center of Dublin’s
nightlife. It is located behind Dame Street and offers excellent views of the
River Liffey. In addition to the restaurants and pubs there is also the Irish
Film Center which shows a wide range of rare films and the Art House, a
multimedia center where one can surf the Net
The well known Irish rock band U2 performs at The Kitchen
nightclub in the Temple Bar area. Rounding out the offerings are a number of
trendy shops, book stores, antique shops and boutiques.
The National Museum of Ireland in association with
Dublin Bus has available a bus service linking the 3 Museum sites in Dublin. Hop
on the 'Museumlink' bus to visit any of the locations of the National Museum of
Ireland.
National Museum
Kildare Street Dublin 2
677-7444
DART Pearse Station/ bus 10,11,13 or Museumlink.
10-5 Tues.-Sat. 2-5 Sunday
Admission: Free
This is one of Dublin’s most popular attractions. It is
split between the 19th century building on Kildare Street and the
newer section at the restored Collins Barracks (see below)
The Kildare Street site concentrates on archeological
material and artifacts relating mostly to Ireland. There is a permanent display
of Bronze Age Irish gold and another of metalwork from the Iron Age to the
Middle Ages. There are also displays of artifacts from prehistoric and Viking
Ireland and from ancient Egypt.
National Museum of Ireland, Collins Barracks
Collins Barracks
Benburb Street, DUBLIN 7
Tel: 677-7444
Buses: 90 (from Busaras, Connolly and Tara Street DART
station) , 25, 25A, 66, 67 (from Middle Abbey Street)
Open: Tuesday to Saturday 10 - 5, Sunday 2 - 5
Closed Good Friday
On display are artifacts ranging from weaponry, furniture,
folk life and costumes to silver, ceramics and glassware.
Natural History Museum
Merrion Street, DUBLIN 2
Tel: 6777444
Buses: 7, 7A, 8 (Burgh Quay). Nearest DART Station: Pearse
Station (Westland Row) or Museumlink.
Tues.-Sat. 10 - 5, Sunday 2 - 5 . Closed Good Friday
Admission: Free
The Natural History Museum which is part of the National
Museum of Ireland, is a zoological museum containing collections illustrative of
the wild life, both vertebrate and invertebrate, of Ireland. Skeletons of two
whales found stranded on the Irish coast are suspended from the roof.
National Gallery of Ireland
Merrion Square West, Dublin 2
661-5133
Fax: 661-5372
DART Pearse station/ bus 5,6,7,7A and 10
10-5:15 Mon-Fri., Sat. Thurs. 10-8:30 Sun. 2-5
Admission: Donation
Ireland’s National Gallery houses a premier collection of
European and Old Master works from the 14th – 20th
centuries. George Bernard Shaw was a major benefactor. There is also an
excellent collection of the work of Irish masters. Jack Yeats, Roderic
O’Connor, William Arpen, Nathaniel Hone and Walter Osborne are all represented. Caravaggio’s “The Taking of Christ” is on permanent
display. There is a multimedia center where the collection can be researched
via computer.
Heraldic Museum
2 Kildare Street
677-7444
Bus 10,11,13
10:00-8:30 Mon.-Wed. 10:30-4:30 Thurs.,Fri. 10:30-12:30
Sunday
Admission: Free
The museum is an integral part of the National Library, and
is housed in a colorful mid-nineteenth century building, the former Kildare
Street Club. Decorative birds and monkeys playing billiards and musical
instruments form the window carvings. Modern banners of Ireland’s ancient
chieftains hang from the ceiling.
Visitors seeking to trace their Irish ancestry and family
history can make inquiry at the Consultancy Service at the National Library
itself which is located just a few doors away.
Dublin Civic Museum
58 South William Street
Dublin 2
679-4260
All cross city buses
10-6 Tues.-Sat. 11-2 Sunday.
Admission: Free.
The highlights of this small museum for history buffs are:
Charles Brookings’s 1728 map of Dublin and a set of James Malton aquatints from
1793 that show Dublin at the height of it Georgian development.
Rotunda Hospital
Parnell Street
The founder of the hospital, Dr. Bartholomew Mosse, took up
midwifery in Dublin in 1742 and launched a campaign to provide a suitable
hospital for mothers to promote safety in pregnancy and childbirth. He and his
committee acquired the Parnell Square site in 1748 and invested as a fundraising
venture. The ceiling of the chapel, decorated by the stuccodore Barthelemy
Cramillion, has gained an international reputation. The woodwork of the pews,
paneling and fluted columns is of mahogany and the gallery has some intricate
ironwork. Mosse died at the age of 47 in 1759, three years before the Chapel was
opened.
National Wax Museum
Granby Row
Parnell Square, DUBLIN 1
Tel: 8726340
Monday to Saturday 10am - 5.30pm, Sunday noon - 5.30pm
Admission charged
Buses: 11, 13, 16, 22, 22A from Westmoreland Street
Discover a world where fantasy and reality combine and
heroes of the past and the present come alive before your eyes.
The Children’s World of Fairytale and Fantasy is a display
that especially appeals to children as they wander through the Kingdom of
Fairytales to find the magical lamp and the all powerful genie!
The main section of the wax exhibition broadly reflects the
historical and cultural development of Ireland. Here are found life sized
figures of heroes such as Robert Emmet, Wolfe Tone, Robert Parnell, the 1916
leaders and the Presidents; together with leading literary figures: Joyce,
Yeats, and their contemporaries.
A particularly attractive feature is the life-size replica
of Leonardo de Vinci's 'Last Supper'. Displays have an informative and
educational narrative which can be heard at the touch of a button.
The Municipal Gallery of Art
The Hugh Lane Gallery
Parnell Square, Dublin 1
874-1903
Bus 3,10,11,13,16,19,22
9:30-6 Tues.-Fri. 9:30-5 Sat. 11-5 Sun.
Admission: Free
The museum which now occupies the building, was established
with the presentation in 1905 by the connoisseur Sir Hugh Lane of his valuable
collection of Impressionist paintings to Dublin Corporation on condition that
they would be housed in a suitable building.
The museum also features an exhibit of art nouveau stained
glass panels by Harry Clarke. Additionally, there is a collection of works by
international and local contemporary Irish artists. Free Sunday concerts are
held on premises. (Call for schedule)
The Dublin Writers Museum
18 Parnell Square
Dublin 1
475-0854
Fax: 872-2231. Ten minutes walk frim DART Connolly
Station.
Bus 10,11,11A,11B,13,13A,16,16A,19,19A.
Dublin is famous for four winners of the Nobel prize for
Literature: George Bernard Shaw; William Butler Yeats; Samuel Beckett and Seamus
Heaney and for many other world-famous writers who were born or lived in
Dublin. This museum was established to interpret the tradition and the lives,
works and literary heritage of its writers over the past 300 years.. The
building itself is a fine example of eighteenth century craftsmanship, with
ornate plasterwork, an impressive central staircase and a magnificent gallery on
the first floor.
Guinness Brewery and Hopstore
Crane Street, Dublin 8
Bus 21A,78A,123
453-6700
Mon.-Sat. 10-5:30 Sun. 2:30-5:30
Admission charged
The Hopstore is a Guinness Museum within the brewery that
chronicles the process of producing Guinness stout, the world-renowned thicker,
darker beverage that is unrivaled for its consistency and taste. Admission
includes a pint of the famous stout.
James Joyce Center
35 North Great George’s Street, Dublin 1
878-8547
DART Connolly Station
Bus 3,10,11,113,16,19,22
9:30-4:45 Mon.-Sat. 12:30-5 on Sunday.
Admission charged
The setting of the Center in an 18th century
house amid other restored red brick Georgian residences just off O’Connell
Street is further authenticated by the fact that tours are conducted by members
of Joyce’s family. There is an extensive library, exhibits and information
about James Joyce and his work. There are even cassette tapes available which
offer the opportunity to hear Joyce reading from Ulysses and
Finnegan’s Wake.
The Garden of Remembrance
North end of Parnell Square
The Garden was opened in 1966 on the fiftieth anniversary
of the Easter Rising of 1916 and was dedicated to those who gave their lives in
the cause of Irish freedom. The mosaics on the floor of the central pool depict
broken and discarded weapons as a sign of peace. At the end of the garden is a
large bronze sculpture by Oisín Kelly depicting The Children of Lir, who
according to an ancient Irish legend were transformed into swans.
St. Mary’s Catholic Pro-Cathedral
Marlborough Street, Dublin 1
874-5441
DART – Connolly Station
Although Dublin’s population is predominantly Roman
Catholic, its two cathedrals are both of the Protestant faith. St. Mary’s,
dedicated in 1825, became known as the Pro-Cathedral and is still ‘standing in’.
One of Dublin’s most noted neo-classical buildings, its Greek Doric design is
based on the church of St. Philippe-le-Roule in Paris.
National Print Museum
Old Garrison Church
Beggars Bush
Haddington Road , DUBLIN 4
Tel: 660-3770
May to –Sept. Mon – Fri. 10. - 12.30, 2.30 - 5.00
Saturday, Sunday and Bank Holidays 12 - 5.
Built in the 1860's, the National Print Museum houses a
unique collection of artifacts and machines from all sectors of the printing
industry in Ireland. The emphasis is on industrial printing.
The Beggars Bush building was originally a barracks and the
central garrison building houses the Irish Labour History Museum .
Irish Jewish Museum
3-4 Walworth Road
Portobello, Dublin 8
453-1797
Bus 16,16A,19,19A,22,22A
May-Sept. 11-3:30 Tues., Thurs.,Sun.
Oct.-April 10:30 Sunday.
Other times: Call for appointment.
Admission: Donation
The collection of documents and artifacts relating to the
Jewish community in Dublin includes a replica of a turn of the century Jewish
kitchen from a Jewish neighborhood. A synagogue preserved with ritual fittings
is also present. An exhibit chronicles the pogroms against the Jews in Limerick
in the 1920’s. Rabbi Herzog, Irelans’s first chief rabbi is commemorated by a
plaque, as is Ireland’s most famous Jew of fiction, James Joyce’s Leopold Bloom.
Kilmainham Gaol
Inchicore Road
Dublin 8
453-5984
Bus 51,51B,78A,79
9:30-6 daily (April-Sept.)
9:30-5 Mon-Fri. (Oct. – March) 10-6 Sunday
Guided tours only.
Admission charged
Kilmainham is the best known and most notorious of Irish
prisons. It was here that the leaders of the 1916 Easter Rising were executed.
Displays chronicle events of Ireland’s uprisings from 1800 on. Other displays
show conditions in 19th century prisons.
Note: Some exhibits such as the one that shows the process
of death by hanging in detail are extremely graphic. Parental discretion is
advised.
General Post Office
O’Connell Street
Dublin 1
705-7077
DART Connolly Station
All cross city buses
8-8 Mon.-Sat.
Admission: Free
The General Post Office is one of the last great public
buildings of the Georgian era. Built between 1815 and 1818, it was designed by
Francis Johnston, who had already overseen the construction of Nelson’s Pillar
nearby. Its great Ionic portico with six fluted columns contains three stone
figures representing Mercury (the messenger of the gods), Hibernia and Fidelity.
The GPO holds a special place in Irish history as the
headquarters of the Irish Volunteers in the Easter Rising of 1916. The Rising
began on Easter Monday when armed detachments of the Irish Volunteers and the
Citizen Army, commanded by the patriots Patrick Pearse and James Connolly,
seized and occupied the building. Other strategic locations in the city were
also taken over. The Proclamation of the Irish Republic outside the building by
Patrick Pearse is commemorated by a tablet on the wall. In 1922, after eight
centuries of occupation, an independent Irish State was established.
Reconstruction of the gutted GPO began in 1925 and the interior was splendidly
restored.
CEOL Irish Traditional Music Center
Smithfield Village Ireland
Dublin 7
817-3820
9.30 am - 6.00 Mon- Sat. 12.- 6 Sundays all year.
Admission charged
Buses 25, 25A, 67, 67A from Middle Abbey Street, 68, 69,
79, from Aston Quay, 90 from Connolly, Tara and Heuston Stations.
Ceol, the Irish word for music, pays homage to the
greatness of past musicians and performers as it celebrates Irish music of
today. You can listen to the fiddle, pipes , accordion, concertina, flute,
whistle, and the whole range of traditional instruments. The emotional
experiences of the Irish People are captured in songs that tell of their
victories and their defeats.
Dance is central to Irish traditional music. Examples of
the three major forms: set dancing, ceili dancing, and the performance tradition
are presented.
Christchurch Cathedral
Christchurch Place, Dublin 8
677-8099
10-5 Mon.-Sat. Sunday Service: 11 AM
Parts of the cathedral date back to the original wooden
building constructed in 1038 and to the 1172 replacement built for Ireland’s
first invader, Richard deClare. Edward VI was crowned king of England here in
1487 and 100 years later King Henry VIII burned the church, after which it was
turned into law courts. The church is high, gray and dark inside with stone
sculptures. A huge crypt spans the length of the building under the church. A
bridge leads into what was the Synod Hall and is now Dublinia.
Saint Michan’s Church
Church Street
Lower Dublin 7
872-4154
10-12:45 and 2-4:45 Mon.-Fri. 10-12:45 Saturday
Admission charged
St. Michan’s was for five hundred years the only parish
church in Dublin north of the River Liffey. It was founded in about 1095 by
residents of the Danish colony in Oxmanstown. The present structure dates from
1685 when it was completely rebuilt. The church contains a magnificent organ,
on which Handel is believed to have played while composing ‘The Messiah’. A
remarkable panel on the organ gallery, carved from a single block of wood
portrays a collection of musical instruments in high relief. There is a
Penitent’s Stool (the only one of its kind in Dublin) and an eighteenth century
pulpit and font. Among other treasured items is a chalice dating from 1516.
St. Michan’s is especially famous for its vaults and the
mummified bodies which lie there, preserved by the limestone in the ground which
keeps the air absolutely dry. Some of the bodies, in a fine state of
preservation, are on view to the public.
St. Mary and All Angels
Church Street
This Roman Catholic Church belongs to the Franciscan
Capuchin Fathers and has an impressively decorated interior. Some of the altars
and sculptures are by James Pearse, father of the 1916 national leader, Patrick
Pearse.
St. Saviour’s
Dominick Street
St. Saviour’s is a Dominican church that was built
1852-1861 to the designs of J.J. McCarthy and is considered to be one of the
most beautiful churches in the city. One of the stained glass windows in the
south aisle commemorates Thomas Burke, an undersecretary in Dublin Castle who
was one of the two victims in the infamous Phoenix Park murders of 1882. |
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