Travel
24 Hours In… Dublin
Dublin IntroEveryone has a picture of Dublin in their head. It’s influenced by music, literature and art, and continues to fire a centuries-old yearning to capture the poetic soul of the city. The Irish capital has endured hardship many times over, has seen conquerors and colonisers, economic boom and bust come and go, without ever losing its taste for the good things in life. Come and join the craic for a day!
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Travel
24 Hours In… Dublin.
SunriseSunrise: Watch The City Awaken – You won’t be shocked to hear that there’s a good chance you may not be able to see the sun through the rain, clouds and mist. Check the forecast before you plan an early start to see the sunrise, and be aware that daylight hours vary widely between seasons. On a fine day, the best places to view daybreak are the suburbs overlooking the Irish sea, but the DART commuter trains don’t run early enough for a summer sunrise. In the centre, head down to the river Liffey and watch the city come to life as the changing colours are reflected in the water. visitdublin.com/dublin-dart-adventures [Photo: Marc Quinlivan/Flickr]
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Travel
24 Hours In… Dublin.
8 am tea8am: Have A Cup Of Tea – The best place for an early morning breakfast is Bewley’s Oriental Cafe on Grafton Street, recently reopened after extensive refurbishments returned the establishment to its former glory. The full Irish fry would definitely be the traditional choice, but in case you don’t feel like a massive plate of greasy food this early in the morning, there are plenty of other options that will go nicely with a nice cup of Irish Breakfast Tea. bewleys.com [Photo: Miguel Mendez/Flickr]
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Travel
24 Hours In… Dublin.
Book of Kells9am: Check Out A Book – Beat the crowds and see one of Dublin’s most popular attractions first thing in the morning. The world-famous Book of Kells is on display in Trinity College’s old library. The storied cobblestoned campus feels like a calm oasis amongst the city-centre bustle, even when teeming with students and tourists queuing up to view the ornate 9th-century manuscript. If you think an entire exhibition about one book is boring, you will have changed your mind by the time you exit the exhibition into the spectacular Library Long Room. tcd.ie/visitors/book-of-kells/
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Travel
24 Hours In… Dublin.
O'Connell10am: Pay History A Visit – Cross the increasingly blurry line that once divided the city into a leafy South and gritty North Side by walking across O’Connell Bridge. The Hugh Lane Gallery’s modern and contemporary art collection is housed in elegant Charlemont House just past the top of O’Connell Street. Its secret highlight is Francis Bacon’s studio, which was transposed in its entirety from London upon the Dublin-born artist’s death. hughlane.ie [Photo: Wikimedia Commons]
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Travel
24 Hours In… Dublin.
The Green11am: Stroll Through The Green – Catch the brand-new cross-city LUAS (from late 2017) to St. Stephen’s Green, where you will find locals basking in the sun on a fine day – or rushing through under the cover of an umbrella if it’s raining. Either way, the Victorian park offers an urban nature escape for all seasons, with its towering trees, green lawns, meandering paths and lush flower beds. Familiarise yourself with the layout so you don’t miss the many monuments and statues commemorating significant historical events and honouring great Irish figures like William Butler Yeats, James Joyce and Constance Markievicz. visitdublin.com
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Travel
24 Hours In… Dublin.
Almost Alfresco1pm: Almost Alfresco Lunch – After a quick spot of (window) shopping along Ireland’s premier pedestrian high street, head for the quieter alleys and side streets off Grafton Street. A unique spot for an indoor lunch that feels alfresco no matter what the weather can be found in the soaring covered courtyard of the Powerscourt Townhouse. The imposing Georgian house was once a private residence, but has served as a boutique shopping and cultural centre since the 1960’s. powerscourtcentre.ie
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Travel
24 Hours In… Dublin.
Molly Malone2pm: Meet Molly Malone – Pop around the corner for a brief tête-à-tête with sweet Molly Malone. The fishmonger’s daughter from the famous song about “Dublin’s Fair City, where the girls are so pretty” currently wheels her wheelbarrow in front of the Suffolk Street tourist information (located inside a former church). Carry on towards Dame Street, humming “alive, alive-o” under your breath. visitdublin.com [Photo: Jennifer Boyer/Flickr]
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Travel
24 Hours In… Dublin.
Roam The Castle3pm: Roam The Castle – Dublin Castle allows visitors to trace significant events of almost every period of the city’s history. From the Dubh Linn (literally “dark pool“) that gave the city its name, via the first construction of a Norman fort, through centuries of British rule, to the Easter Rising and Irish independence. Take a tour to get a well-rounded picture of the pivotal events that took place here. dublincastle.ie
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Travel
24 Hours In… Dublin.
Go To Jail5pm: Go To Jail – Kilmainham Gaol serves as a bittersweet reminder of the much-admired Irish ability to remain hopeful in the face of adversity. The decommissioned prison is best known for housing political undesirables, from rebel leaders to moderate republicans, starting with the rebellion of 1798, right up to the 1916 Easter Rising. It was closed down shortly after Ireland became a Republic, the goal many of those incarcerated had fought for. kilmainhamgaolmuseum.ie
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Travel
24 Hours In… Dublin.
Enjoy The Black StuffSunset: Enjoy The Black Stuff – The Guinness Storehouse is one of Ireland’s biggest tourist attractions, not only because many put “enjoying the black stuff” right at the top of their holiday checklist. The sprawling visitor centre is more like a multi-media amusement park for beer aficionados than a regular brewery tour, so plan to spend at least an hour here, plus a little extra for a pint at the Gravity Bar. The high point – both literally and figuratively – of the visit offers sweeping views across the entire city. guinness-storehouse.com
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Travel
24 Hours In… Dublin.
Grab Another Pint8pm: Grab (Another) Pint – There’s a reason why Irish pubs could be considered the country’s most successful export. It’s impossible to narrow down the city’s countless wonderful pubs to just one suggestion. Instead, ask a local for their favourite watering hole, or trust your own instincts and see where they lead you. If you want to veer off the tourist trail, dine and drink with the hipster foodies in rapidly gentrifying Stoneybatter, where L. Mulligan. Grocer leads the way with a craft beer gastropub that is just cosy and local enough to not feel like an obnoxious takeover of the neighbourhood. lmulligangrocer1.weebly.com
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Travel
24 Hours In… Dublin.
Hear the Music10pm: Hear The Music – Resist the lure of the folksy Temple Bar venues catering to tourists, stag and hen dos. Instead, check the listings for venues like Whelan’s of Wexford Street (live music seven nights a week) and the Olympia Theatre (an ornate theatre featuring an eye-popping mix of local heroes, big-name international acts and headlining tribute bands). You’ll also find some of the city’s few late-night bars in this area. whelanslive.com, olympia.ie
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Travel
24 Hours In… Dublin.
UlyssesRead Before You Go – Between its four Nobel laureates and countless other world-class authors and poets, this UNESCO City of Literature has brought forth more than its fair share of great stories. Many would argue that Ulysses is the ultimate Dublin novel (watch out for plaques in the pavement quoting sections from James Joyce’s masterpiece as you explore the city), while others point to more contemporary works like Roddy Doyle’s Barrytown Trilogy or more lowbrow stuff like Maeve Binchy’s Dublin 4. dublincityofliterature.ie
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Travel
24 Hours In… Dublin.
ListenListen Before You Go – Likewise, there’s a huge number of internationally successful Irish bands, singers and popular songs when measured against the country’s small population. Musicians from U2 and Boomtown Rats to the Dubliners and the Chieftains have serenaded their home town. However, no other band captured the city’s transition from conservative island backwater to modern-day European capital more effectively than Thin Lizzy. Get in the mood for your trip to Dublin by listening to Phil Lynott, then pour one out for the late singer at Bruxelles Pub, where he has been immortalised as a bronze statue. irishrocknrollmuseum.com/museum/thin-lizzy [Photo: Wikimedia Commons]
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Travel
24 Hours In… Dublin.
WatchWatch Before You Go – Hopefully you won’t be exposed to Dublin’s seedy underbelly of crime, drugs and violence on your trip, so observe it from a safe distance by watching black comedy Intermission, featuring a who’s who of Irish actors sporting their best North Dublin accents, or – for a more thorough and way less lighthearted exploration of that scene – catch up on hit series Love/Hate. youtube.com
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Travel
24 Hours In… Dublin.
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