Dublin, Ireland
Officially known as Baile Átha Cliath
'Town of the hurdled ford'
Why
Although small Ireland has the friendliest, ,most sociable people. Dublin is a city full of surprises and such a pure delight that once you’ve been you will most certainly want more.
When to Go
One thing you can be sure of about Irish weather is how little you can be sure of it. It is known for having four seasons in one day. Even during the summer you may find that you are in need of those winter woolies.
And then there’s the rain, lots and lots of rain…..no wonder the landscape is so lush and green giving Ireland the beloved nick name of The Emerald Isle.
In summer, from May to July, the days are reasonably warm and long. At Summer’s peak the sun goes down as late as 10pm. This is the best time to visit though it is also peak tourist season. Loads of people about. And prices at this time are at their highest. Winter can be extremely cold accompanied by snow so not the best time to visit.
Population
The population of The Republic of Ireland as at 2011 is around 4.5 million with around 1.6 million people living in Northern Ireland.
The Irish population was greatly affected by the Great Potato Famine during the years 1845-1852 during which at least a million people died of starvation and at least another million migrated to America. The effects of the famine changed forever the cultural, demographic and political landscape of the country. Today, many more Irish have left the land of their birth due to the economic crises in Europe and at least 10% of the current population are of foreign descent, such as Polish, Pakistani and yes, many, many South Africans.
Things to Do:
Dublin is a city that never sleeps and visiting other towns or places of interest is as simple as hopping on a bus or the efficient rail system.
1. Temple Bar
- Yes, it has developed an unsavoury reputation in the last few years but it certainly has a charm all its own . Beautiful cobblestone streets lined with bars,cafes, art galleries and the most stunning architecture. Sample any of the many bars such as Temple Bar or The Oliver St John Gogarty, yes tourists abound but the Irish hospitality does too. Right at the end of Temple Street is where you will find The Clarence Hotel, owned by none other than Bono…who knows if you’re lucky you might even meet him there. But be warned, The Clarence does not come cheap. Live musicians line the street from early evening so you will be entertained both in and outside the pubs. Be careful of the little shops that sell those cute trinkets you so badly want to take home, Temple Street is the most expensive place to buy them.
2. Drink Guiness at the Guiness factory
– Now this is a tour not to be missed even if just for the view at the top of the building. Discover how the black stuff is made and how Arthur Guiness managed in 1759 managed to secure himself a 9000 year lease.
3. The Jameson Distillery
- Whether a whisky drinker or not this is a MUST – located in Bow Street on the site of the original John Jameson Distillery which was operational from 1780-1971 .This is an excellent way of discovering how’s and why’s of whisky. And if you’ve never tried whisky before you may just be converted afer this experience.
4. Trinity College
– Houses the Book of Kells – One of the finest of a group of manuscripts created by Celtic monks from the late 6th century, containing 4 gospels from the New Testament. Trinity College is a part of the university of Dublin and houses the school of English, ranked 3rd in Europe in the QS World University rankings. Trinity College is a short walk from Temple Bar.
5. Howth Head
– Not far from Dublin and you can easily get here by bus or train, though the train would be cheaper. Stroll around the pretty little seaside village and then take a walk along the cliffs around the summit. Beautiful views of Dublin Bay as well as the mountains of Wicklow.
6. Malahide Castle
– Situated on the North coast of Dublin this exquisite castle was home to the Talbot family for over 800 years, from 1174 when Richard Talbot, a knight accompanied King Henry II to Irlenad and was granted the lands and the harbour of Malahide, until 1975 when Rose Talbot sold it to the Irish government. Much of the family history is preserved and a tour of the castle will take you back to a time long gone and you may even experience one of the many ghosts said to roam the castle walls, such as Puck or Lady Maud Plunkett. But before you leave, be sure to try the amazing homemade scones on offer at the café.
7. Wicklow Way
– 129kms of pure, unadulterated pleasure for those who love hiking. It is a national waymarked trail and the way is marked by a yellow “walking man” symbol and an arrow to show direction. The trail passes through the monastic city at Glendalough founded in the 6th century. The trail can be started at Marlay Park or Clonegal, and runs from County Dublin through County Wicklow.
8. Grafton Street – a must for shopping, running from St Stephens Green to College Green. The ever famous statue of Molly Malone can be found here. A must visit is Bewleys Oriental Café, opened in 1927, and is an institution on Grafton Street. The café was a favourite haunt of many of Irelands famous literary and artistic figures such as Patrick Cavanaugh, the poet, James Joyce , novelist and poet known for Ulysses . Any number of high end stores such as Brown and Thomas can be found here.
But if your budget is tight yet you just gotta get yourself that outfit head for the opposite side of town to Penneys in Jervis Street or Dunnes, on the other side of the River Liffey. Here you will find many stores to choose from with great selections.
9. Watch a game of Hurling – the national sport of Ireland and said to be the fastest sport on grass. Its like a combination of baseball, hockey and la crosse.The game is of Gaelic origin and has been played for over 3000 years. The counties take the game very seriously and all games are well attended. An experience not to be missed.
10. Watch a live comedy at one of the many comedy clubs like Anseo. Anseo, which means “welcome” in Gaelic, is a local pub situated in lower Dublin and not that frequented by tourists. Most certainly one of the best in Dublin. Small but the staff are super amazing and the comedy club upstairs certainly ranks up there. Local comediennes like Aidan Killian doing their thing with that inimitable Irish humour, not to be missed. However, as the place is small you would be wise to buy your ticket in advance and get a feel of Irish entertainment, local style. There is also the Laughter Lounge or the Bad Ass Café. The Laughter Lounge is rated by locals as the best comedy club in Dublin.
11. Have a milkshake you will never forget at Eddie Rockets on Dame Street,Dublin 1. This old school ‘diner’ will transport you straight into the movie Grease. Vibrant, great atmosphere, amazing diner style meals but the one thing NOT to be missed is the Oreo milkshake….in fact any of their milkshakes are worth trying.
Transport to and from airport:
Super brilliant. The bus stop is right outside the airport and if stops right in the city. Most of the stops on the airport bus route will have you within walking distance of your accommodation and the fare is pretty reasonable. You can of course use the taxi, but why should you, the bus is perfect and has place for your bags. You can buy your return ticket for around 12 euros. There are a few bus services on offer such as Aircoach, Airlink and Dublin Bus. And f you’re staying further out of Dublin like in Cork, there is a bus that goes there too. Just consult the timetables and make sure you’re waiting at the correct terminal.
If you’ lucky enough to be in Dublin for the annual St. Patrick’s Day celebrations, they run this year from 14-18 March – Enjoy!! The streets celebrations are legendary. The St. Patricks Day Parade will be on the 17th March at 12:00pm starting at Parnell Square and finishes at St.Patricks Cathedral…… Sláinte
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