Dublin
is the capital of Ireland and is a focus for the energy
of a country redefining itself as a European nation.
It is a cosmopolitan, young city, with more than 50%
of its population of 1.5 million under 25 and the relative
prosperity of many of them is making its impact on the
every changing city. There is evidence of this prosperity
everywhere in the emergence of new shops, bars, cafes
and restaurants everywhere, bringing a buzz to the capital
city by day and night.
Dublin is right on the
East Coast and if you approach by ferry boat you will
arrive either at Dun Laoire or at Dublin Ferry Port near
the centre. If you fly into Dublin the airport is located
north of the city along the MI (30 minutes drive) . The
city is divided in two by the River Liffey giving us
what is known as the North Side and the South Side.
The majority of the main
attractions are south of the river, from Merrion Square
and Fitzwilliam, the heart of Georgian Dublin, to St.
Stephen's Green, Trinity College and the heart of the
shopping areas around Grafton Street. North of the Liffey
which is traversed by O'Connell Street is the General
Post office, the Irish Writer's Museum and both the Gate
and Abbey Theatres.
One of the nicest attractions
of being in Dublin is the ability to 'get away' from
the hustle and bustle in minutes. Jump on the DART train
(Dublin's rapid rail system, which runs north to Howth
and South to Wicklow along the coastline) in the city
centre and you will be whisked along the coastline and
away from the madding crowds. Enjoy a stroll on Sandymount
Strand, or walk the pier at Dun Laoire, or have a swim
in the Forty Foot near Sandycove. Walk Killiney beach,
buy fresh fish at Howth harbour when the boats come in,
or just sit and watch the sailing boats and activity
on the water.
Inland are the Dublin Mountains,
and wonderful forest and hill walks right into the Garden
of Ireland, Co. Wicklow.
Places to Visit:
The National
Gallery of Ireland
Merrion Square West & Clare Street,
Dublin 2 www.nationalgallery.ie
The National Gallery of Ireland was established
by an Act of Parliament in 1854 and first opened its
doors to the public in January 1864. Today the collection
boasts some 2,500 paintings and approximately 10,000
other works in different media including watercolours,
drawings, prints and sculpture. Every major European
School of painting is extensively represented. It also
houses a renowned collection of Irish paintings, the
majority of which are on permanent display.
There is a Yeats Museum with works by Jack B Yeats, his father John Butler,
and other members of this artistic family.
Enjoy visiting the National Gallery of Ireland and its award winning Millennium
Wing where admission is free!
GAA Museum & Croke
Park Stadium Tour
Croke Park, St. Joseph's Avenue,(Off Clonliffe
Road) www.gaa.ie
Founded in 1884, the Gaelic Athletic
Association (GAA) is Ireland's largest sporting and
cultural organisation.
Croke Park is the home of Ireland's unique national games of hurling and gaelic
football.
A visit to the GAA museum at Croke Park facilitates an interactive experience
of an integral part of the fabric of Irish life and heritage.
Historic exhibits
and databanks give you an insight into the past. Touchscreen
technology brings you the historic moments, the great
games and names.Specially
designed interactives allow you to test yourself in
the skills of Ireland's most popular games. In addition
to the Museum you may tour Croke Park, the fourth largest
stadium in Europe.
The tour offers an in-depth look at one of the most historic and modern sporting
arenas in the world and includes the dressing rooms, corporate suites, VIP
section, media centre and of course, pitch side.
Abbey Theatre
26 Lower Abbey Street, Dublin 1 www.AbbeyTheatre.ie
The Abbey, Ireland's National
Theatre, first opened its doors on the 27th December
1904.
Founded by Nobel Laureate, William Butler Yeats and Lady Augusta Gregory, the
theatre has played a vital and often controversial role in the literary, social
and cultural life of Ireland. On a wider stage, it has had a significant impact
in securing Ireland's place in the World literary canon. Renowned as a writer's
theatre, the greatest Irish actors of this and previous generations have graced
its boards. The Abbey Theatre consists of two stages: the Abbey and the Peacock.
This year the Abbey is one hundred years old. There is an ambitious programme
of events for 2004 celebrating the Abbey's distinctive repertoire. The programme
promises something for everyone.
Dublin Theatre Festival
44 East Essex Street, Temple Bar, Dublin 2 www.dublintheatrefestival.com
The Dublin Theatre Festival - Europe's oldest specialist theatre festival -
is about to embark on its 47th year. Founded in 1957, it has grown to be Ireland's
premier cultural event, and continues to lead the way in the presentation of
outstanding Irish and international performance. The Irish genius for drama
is recognised worldwide, and for the past half-century, the Dublin Theatre
Festival has been at the heart of this success. The Festival is unique in its
ability to stage major international theatre of scale, and has hosted productions
by the world's most highly regarded artists, while also premiering work by
the giants of Irish theatre.
Dublin Writers Museum
18 Parnell Square North, Dublin 1 www.writersmuseum.com
The Irish literary tradition is one of the most illustrious in the world, famous
for four Nobel Prize winners and for many other writers of international renown.
In 1991, the Dublin Writers Museum was opened to house a history and celebration
of literary Dublin. Situated in a magnificent 18th century mansion in the north
city centre, the collection features the lives and works of Dublin's literary
celebrities over the past three hundred years. Swift and Sheridan, Shaw and
Wilde, Yeats, Joyce and Beckett are among those presented through their books,
letters, portraits and personal items. The museum holds exhibitions and readings
and has a special room devoted to children's literature. The Dublin Writers
Museum is an essential visit for anyone who wants to discover, explore or simply
enjoy Dublin's immense literary heritage.
Guinness Storehouse
St. Jame's Gate, Dublin 8 www.guinness-storehouse.com
A visit to the home of Guinness is the high point of any trip to Dublin. At
the Guinness Storehouse you'll discover all there is to know about the world
famous beer. It's a dramatic story that begins over 250 years ago and ends
in Gravity, the sky bar, with a complimentary pint of Guinness and an astonishing
view of Dublin City!.
Transport:
| It is
customary to say that the way to get to know
Dublin is to walk. This is a practical possibility
given that the city is quite small and compact and
most of the attractions, commercial and leisure areas
are all within easy reach of each other. |
The Dublin
Luas tram system is a state-of-the-art
Light Rail Transit (LRT) system. Luas connects
you to Dublin city centre with high capacity,
high frequency, high speed services. There are
convenient stop locations and excellent levels
of comfort and safety with easy acces at all
stops. Click
here for more info.
The city
bus service is improving dramatically
with the addition of bus corridors and is relatively
cheap.
Taxis are
easy to come by during the week, day or night,
but can be difficult to rely on late at night
in the city at weekends.
The DART,
the Dublin Area Rapid Transport System, which
links Howth to the north of the city with Greystones
to the south in County Wicklow . The service
is quick, clean and easy to use and is worth
taking just to take in the coastline. Problem
is it only serves one line and does not traverse
the city.
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| Trains outbound
to provincial areas, are relatively cheap from Heuston
Station, on the West Side and Connolly Station which
serves the North from the city centre. Tickets return
to many of the other major cities are usually from £20
to £30 return. |
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SANDYMOUNT
Dublin 4
Sandymount is an
area 2 miles south of Dublin city, right on the
coast complete with its own village green. Sandymount
Strand and Martello tower are immortalised in
James Joyce 'Ulysses' and the area still has
a charm all of its own belying its close proximity
to the capital city of Dublin. Today it is one
of the city's most prestigious urban areas with
the most expensive private homes in the country.
Sandymount has everything - a lovely promenade
along the seashore, proximity to the city centre,
Ballsbridge, Blackrock and Dunlaoire, all on
the DART line, the fast train service which runs
north from Howth to Greystones in Co. Wicklow.
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| There are plenty of
shops in Sandymount Village itself, Tesco supermarket,
dry cleaners, off licence, restaurants, pubs and
newsagents. It is also close to the Merrion shopping
Centre, St. Vincent's Hospital, The Royal Dublin
Society. |
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BALLSBRIDGE
Dublin 4
The lovely treelined streets
of Ballsbridge hide the most imposing Georgian
homes in the city, and is known as Dublin's embassy
belt. Here you will find 5 star hotels, restaurants
and multinational companies' headquarters, all
alongside some of the most expensive private
homes in the country. Ballsbridge is just 2 km
from the city centre, a brisk 25 minute walk,
but a short train ride from the DART station
at Lansdowne Road brings you to the city in 7
minutes. This is one of the most sought after
residential and business areas in Dublin and
yet has a 'homely' ambiance for an area so close
to the city centre.
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| There are plenty of
shops, pubs and restaurants with the Royal Dublin
Society and Lansdowne Road Rugby Stadium being two
notable landmarks right in the area. Ballsbridge
lies parallel to Sandymount, just a short walk away,
which brings the coast to your doorstep. |
CITY CENTRE DUBLIN 2
Dublin is a small capital city,
(1 million people)'intimate as a village, sophisticated
as a city and friendly as a pub', so access to
the urban areas around is not too difficult!
The area around Christchurch and St. Patrick's
cathedral and Trinity College are south city,area
and ideal for those who wish to have all of the
amenities on their doorstep. Everywhere is within
walking distance. Over the river at Custom's
House Quay there are new apartments right beside
the Financial Services Centre.
BLACKROCK
County Dublin
Blackrock is a suburb
along the south east of Dublin, right on the
coast and the DART line. This is a lovely area,
with a real coastal atmosphere and the village
is well serviced with an excellent shopping
centre and shops of all types. There are plenty
of restaurants and pubs. This is a great location
particularly for families or for those who
are working out of town a bit, even though
Blackrock is only 5 miles from the Centre of
the city. Further out is Dun Laoire Ferry Port
and Marina where Dubliners love to 'walk the
pier' on long summer evenings. This is also
a good location for those who wish to be close
to Dublin but yet near the coast and the South
East.
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