Sights in Dublin
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Guinness Storehouse
; St James's) The most popular visit in town is the beer-lover's Disneyland, a multimedia bells-and-whistles homage to the country's most famous export and the city's most enduring symbol. The old grain storehouse, the only part of the massive, 26-hectare St James's Gate Brewery open to the public, is a suitable cathedral in which to worship the black gold; shaped like a giant pint of Guinness, it rises seven impressive storeys high around a stunning central atrium. At the top is the head, represented by the Gravity Bar, with a panoramic view of Dublin.
From the time Arthur Guinness (1725–1803) founded the brewery in 1759, the operation has expanded down to the Liffey and …
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St Stephen's Green
As you watch the assorted groups of friends, lovers and individuals escaping the confines of the office, splaying themselves across the nine elegantly landscaped hectares of St Stephen’s Green and looking to catch a few rays of precious sun, consider that those same hectares once formed a common for public whippings, burnings and hanging. These days, the harshest treatment you’ll get at Dublin’s favourite lunchtime escape is the warden chucking you off the green for playing football or Frisbee.
The buildings around the square date mainly from the mid-18th century, when the green was landscaped and became the centrepiece of Georgian Dublin. The northern side was k…
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Old Library
To the south of the square is the Old Library, built in a rather severe style by Thomas Burgh between 1712 and 1732. Despite Ireland’s independence, the Library Act of 1801 still entitles Trinity College Library, along with four libraries in Britain, to a free copy of every book published in the UK. Housing this bounty requires nearly another 1km of shelving every year and the collection amounts to around 4.5 million books. Of course, these cannot all be kept at the college library, so there are now additional library storage facilities dotted around Dublin.
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Kilmainham Gaol
If you have any desire to understand Irish history – especially the juicy bits about resistance to English rule – then a visit to this former prison is an absolute must. This threatening grey building, built between 1792 and 1795, has played a role in virtually every act of Ireland's painful path to independence.
The uprisings of 1798, 1803, 1848, 1867 and 1916 ended with the leaders' confinement here. Robert Emmet, Thomas Francis Meagher, Charles Stewart Parnell and the 1916 Easter Rising leaders were all visitors, but it was the executions in 1916 that most deeply etched the jail's name into the Irish consciousness. Of the 15 executions that took place between 3 May …
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Newgrange
From the surface, Newgrange is a somewhat disappointing flattened, grass-covered mound, about 80m in diameter and 13m high. Underneath, however, lies the finest Stone Age passage tomb in Ireland and one of the most remarkable prehistoric sites in Europe. It dates from around 3200 BC, predating the great pyramids of Egypt by some six centuries. The purpose for which it was constructed remains uncertain. It may have been a burial place for kings or a centre for ritual – although the alignment with the sun at the time of the winter solstice also suggests it was designed to act as a calendar. The name Newgrange derives from ‘new granary’ (the tomb did in fact serve as a re…
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National Museum of Ireland – Decorative Arts & History
Known colloquially as Collins Barracks, the decorative arts and history annexe of the National Museum of Ireland is housed in one of the most beautiful buildings in the whole city, built in 1704 on the orders of Queen Anne and at one time the largest military barracks in the world. At its heart is the huge central square surrounded by arcaded colonnades and blocks linked by walking bridges. While wandering about the plaza, imagine it holding up to six regiments in formation. The whole shebang is the work of Thomas Burgh (1670–1730), who also designed the Old Library in Trinity College and St Michan's Church.
Inside the imposing exterior lies a treasure trove of artefacts…
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Dublin Castle
The centre of British power in Ireland for most of 800 years, Dublin Castle sits atop Cork Hill, behind City Hall. It was originally built on the orders of King John in 1204, but it’s more higgledy-piggledy palace than castle. Only the Record Tower, completed in 1258, survives from the original Norman construction. Parts of the castle’s foundations remain and a visit to the excavations is the most interesting part of the castle tour. The moats, now completely covered by more modern developments, were once filled by the River Poddle. The castle is also home to one of Dublin’s best museums, the Chester Beatty Library.
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Trinity College
On a summer’s evening, when the bustling crowds have gone for the day, there’s hardly a more delightful place in Dublin than the grounds of Ireland’s most prestigious university, a masterpiece of architecture and landscaping beautifully preserved in Georgian aspic. Not only is it Dublin’s most attractive bit of historical real estate, but it’s also home to one of the world’s most famous – and most beautiful – books, the gloriously illuminated Book of Kells. There is no charge to wander around the gardens on your own between 8am and 10pm.
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Christ Church Cathedral
Its hilltop location and eye-catching flying buttresses make this the most photogenic by far of Dublin's three cathedrals as well as one of the capital's most recognisable symbols.
It was founded in 1030 on what was then the southern edge of Dublin's Viking settlement. It was later smack in the middle of medieval Dublin: Dublin Castle, the Tholsel (Town Hall; demolished in 1809) and the original Four Courts (demolished in 1796) were all close by. Nearby, on Back Lane, is the only remaining guildhall in Dublin. The 1706 Tailors Hall was due for demolition in the 1960s, but survived to become the office of An Taisce (National Trust for Ireland).
The original wooden church in …
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Fry Model Railway
Ireland’s biggest model railway is 240 sq metres, and authentically displays much of Ireland’s rail and public transport system, including the DART line and Irish Sea ferry services, in O-gauge (32mm track width). A separate room features model trains and other memorabilia. Unfortunately the operators suffer from the overseriousness of some grown men with complicated toys; rather than let you simply look and admire, they herd you into the control room in groups for demonstrations.
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St Patrick's Cathedral
It was at this cathedral, reputedly, that St Paddy himself dunked the Irish heathens into the waters of a well, so the church that bears his name stands on one of the earliest Christian sites in the city and a pretty sacred piece of turf. Although there's been a church here since the 5th century, the present building dates from 1190 or 1225 (opinions differ) and it has been altered several times, most notably in 1864 when the flying buttresses were added, thanks to the neo-Gothic craze that swept the nation. St Patrick's Park, the expanse of green beside the cathedral, was a crowded slum until it was cleared and its residents evicted in the early 20th century.
Like Christ …
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Chester Beatty Library
The world-famous library, in the grounds of Dublin Castle, houses the collection of mining engineer Sir Alfred Chester Beatty (1875–1968), bequeathed to the Irish State on his death. And we're immensely grateful for Chester's patronage: spread over two floors, the breathtaking collection includes more than 20,000 manuscripts, rare books, miniature paintings, clay tablets, costumes and other objects of artistic, historical and aesthetic importance. The library runs tours at 1pm on Wednesdays and at 3pm and 4pm on Sundays.
The Artistic Traditions Gallery on the 1st floor begins with memorabilia from Beatty's life, before embarking on an exploration of the art of Mughal In…
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Dublinia & the Viking World
A must for the kids, the old Synod Hall attached to Christ Church Cathedral is home to this seemingly perennial exhibit on medieval Dublin, complete with models, music, streetscapes and interactive displays. The newly added Viking World tells the story of Dublin’s 9th- and 10th-century Scandinavian invaders and the city they built in their wake. Finally, you can climb neighbouring St Michael’s Tower for views over the city to the Dublin Hills.
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Hugh Lane Gallery
Whatever reputation Dublin has a repository of world-class art has a lot to do with the simply stunning collection at the Hugh Lane Gallery, which is not only home to works by some of the brightest stars in the modern and contemporary art world both foreign and domestic, but is also where you’ll find one of the most singular exhibitions to be seen anywhere: the actual studio of one of the 20th century’s truly iconic artists, Francis Bacon.
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Number 29
Built in 1794 for the widow of a wine merchant, Number 29 reconstructs genteel Dublin home life from 1790 to 1820. Discover how Georgians bathed twice yearly and how ladies used a latter-day mini gym, the leather exercise horse. See the discreet dining-room mirrors that allowed servants to respond to orders without listening in to round-table gossip. The 30-minute tour is a fascinating taste of the city’s social history.
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War Memorial Gardens
By our reckoning, the most beautiful patch of landscaped greenery in Dublin is these gardens, if only because they're as tranquil a spot as any you'll find in the city. Designed by Sir Edwin Lutyens, they commemorate the 49,400 Irish soldiers who died during WWI; their names are inscribed in the two huge granite bookrooms that stand at one end. A beautiful spot and a bit of history to boot.
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Old Jameson Distillery
Smithfield's biggest draw is this converted distillery, now a huge museum devoted to uisce beatha (the water of life). Beginning with a short film, the tour runs through the whole process of distilling, from grain to bottle. There are plenty of interesting titbits, such as what makes a single malt, where whiskey gets its colour and bouquet, and what the difference is between Irish whiskey and Scotch (other than the spelling, which prompted one Scot to comment that the Irish thought of everything: they even put an 'e' in 'whisky').
Then it's straight to the bar for a drop of the subject matter; eager drinkers can volunteer for the tasting tour, where you get to sample whisk…
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St Michan's Church
The macabre remains of the ancient dead are the attraction at this old church near the Four Courts, founded by the Danes in 1095 and named after one of their saints. Incredibly, it was the only church on the north side of the Liffey until 1686. The original church has largely disappeared beneath several additions, most dating from the 17th century (except for the battlement tower, which dates from the 15th century). It was considerably restored in the early 19th century and again after the Civil War, during which it had been damaged.
The very unchurchlike interior – it looks a bit like a courtroom – contains an organ from 1724 that Handel may have played for the first perf…
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Iveagh Gardens
Once known to locals as the Secret Garden, the word is out about the beautiful and ramshackle Iveagh Gardens, situated just behind Newman House. The gardens were designed by Ninian Niven in 1863. Features of the beautifully landscaped gardens include a wonderfully rustic grotto, cascade, fountain, maze and rose garden.
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Merrion Square
St Stephen's Green may win the popularity contest, but this tranquil square is our choice for favourite city park. Surrounding the well-kept lawns and beautifully tended flower beds are some of Dublin's most exceptional Georgian frontages, with fine doors, peacock fanlights, ornate door knockers and foot scrapers (used by gentlemen to scrape mud from their boots before venturing indoors).
Despite the air of affluent calm, life around here hasn't always been a well-pruned bed of roses. During the Famine, the lawns of the square teemed with destitute rural refugees who lived off the soup kitchen organised here. The British embassy was located at 39 Merrion Sq East until 197…
reviewed
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Gallery of Photography
Ireland’s premier photographic gallery, this place has ever- changing exhibits, often with Irish themes, including photographs of Dublin in the ‘rare auld times, ’ as per the popular Dublin ditty.
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National Museum – Archaeology & History
The mother of Irish museums and the country’s most important cultural institution was established in 1977 as the primary repository of the nation’s archaeological treasures. The collection is so big, however, that it has expanded beyond the walls of this superb purpose-built building next to the Irish parliament into three other separate museums – the stuffed beasts of the Natural History Museum, the decorative arts section at Collins Barracks and a country life museum in County Mayo, on Ireland’s west coast.
They’re all fascinating, but the star attractions are all here, mixed up in Europe’s finest collection of Bronze- and Iron-Age gold artefacts, the most comple…
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James Joyce Centre
Denis Maginni, the exuberant, flamboyant dance instructor and ‘confirmed bachelor’ immortalised by James Joyce in Ulysses, taught the finer points of dance out of this beautifully restored Georgian house, now a centre devoted to promoting and preserving the Joycean heritage. Although Jimmy probably never set foot in the house, he lived in the ’hood for a time, went to a local school and lost his virginity a stone’s throw away in what was once Europe’s largest red-light district. We couldn’t imagine a more fitting location for the centre.
The centre owes its existence to the sterling efforts of Senator David Norris, a charismatic Joycean scholar and gay-rights …
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Howth Castle
Most of the town backs onto the extensive grounds of Howth Castle, built in 1564 but much changed over the years, most recently in 1910 when Sir Edwin Lutyens gave it a modernist make-over. Today the castle is divided into four very posh and private residences. The original estate was acquired in 1177 by the Norman noble Sir Almeric Tristram, who changed his surname to St Lawrence after winning a battle at the behest (or so he believed) of his favourite saint. The family has owned the land ever since, though the unbroken chain of male succession came to an end in 1909.
On the grounds are the ruins of the 16th-century Corr Castle and an ancient dolmen (tomb chamber or porta…
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Rotunda Hospital
Irish public hospitals aren’t usually attractions, by any stretch of the imagination, but this one makes for an interesting walk-by or an unofficial wander inside if you’re interested in Victorian plasterwork. It was the first maternity hospital in the British Isles – and once the world’s largest – and was established by Dr Bartholomew Mosse in 1748, at a time when the burgeoning urban population was enduring shocking infant mortality rates.
It shares its basic design with Leinster House because the architect of both, Richard Cassels, used the same floor plan to economise. He added a three-storey tower, which Mosse intended to use for fundraising purposes (charg…
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