Other sights in Dublin
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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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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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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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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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Berkeley Library
To one side of the Old Library is Paul Koralek’s 1967 Berkeley Library. This solid, square, brutalist- style building has been hailed as the best example of modern architecture in Ireland, though it has to be admitted the competition isn’t great. It’s fronted by Arnaldo Pomodoro’s 1982 sculpture Sphere Within Sphere. George Berkeley was born in Kilkenny in 1685, studied at Trinity when he was only 15 years old and went on to a distinguished career in many fields, particularly philosophy. His influence spread to the new colonies in North America where, among other things, he helped to found the University of Pennsylvania. Berkeley, California, and its namesake univ…
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Chapel
Clockwise round Front Sq from the Front Gate, the first building is the chapel, built in 1798 to plans made in 1777 by the architect Sir William Chambers (1723–96) and, since 1972, open to all denominations. It’s noted for its extremely fine plasterwork by Michael Stapleton, its Ionic columns and its painted (rather than stained-glass) windows. The main window is dedicated to Archbishop Ussher.
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Marlay House & Park
Marlay Park, 9km south of the city centre, is a wonderful 83-hectare open space, with 17th-century buildings, wooded areas, duck ponds, abundant wildlife, a walled garden, sculpture trail and craft centre. Kids will especially love the fairy bridge, massive playground, BMX cycle track, skateboard park and, in summer, the minitrain (3pm to 5pm May to September) that jostles around a field track.
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National Gallery of Ireland
The collection at the National Gallery is made up of nearly 13,000 paintings, sketches, prints and sculptures, including such highlights as Caravaggio’s The Taking of Christ and the impressive Beit Collection, made up of a huge inventory of masterpieces by Vermeer, Velázquez and Goya. Our favourites, however, are the paintings by William’s brother Jack B Yeats.
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James Joyce House of the Dead
The restoration of the setting for James Joyce’s story The Dead has been a labour of love for barrister Brendan Kilty. As a museum there aren’t many actual artefacts (besides touring exhibitions) but walking through the crumbling rooms that are almost as they were when Joyce spent Christmases there with his aunts is very special.
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Dining Hall
Next to the chapel is the dining hall, originally designed in 1743 by Richard Cassels (aka Castle) but dismantled 15 years later because of problems caused by inadequate foundations. The replacement was completed in 1761 and may have retained some elements of the original design. It was extensively restored after a fire in 1984.
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Airfield Trust Gardens
Once the home of eccentric philanthropist sisters Letitia and Naomi Overend, the Airfield estate is now held in trust for public use. Though the house is closed to the public (except for the excellent cafe), the lovely 16-hectare grounds with walled gardens, pet farm, vintage car museum and medicinal garden are great for a stroll.
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Ordnance Survey Ireland
At the northwestern end of the park near the White’s Gate entrance are the offices of Ordnance Survey Ireland, the government mapping department. This building was originally built in 1728 by Luke Gardiner, who was responsible for the architecture in O’Connell St and Mountjoy Sq in north Dublin.
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Graduates’ Memorial Building
The 1892 Graduates’ Memorial Building forms the northern side of Library Sq. North of it are tennis courts in the open area known as Botany Bay. The legend behind this name is that the unruly students housed around the square were suitable candidates for the British penal colony at Botany Bay in Australia.
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National Museum of Ireland
Designed by Sir Thomas Newenham Deane and completed in 1890, the star attraction of this branch of the National Museum of Ireland is the Treasury, home to the finest collection of Bronze Age and Iron Age gold artefacts in the world, and the world’s most complete collection of medieval Celtic metalwork.
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Contemporary Music Centre
Anyone with an interest in Irish contemporary music must visit the CMC’s national archive where you can hear (and play around with on an electronic organ) 5000 samples from composers of this and the last century. There’s also a good reference library where you can attend courses and meet composers.
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Science Gallery
The city’s newest gallery offers a refreshingly lively and informative exploration of the relationship between science, art and the world we live in. Exhibitions are of the hands-on, in-your-face variety, urging you to question your normal surroundings and the assumptions you have about everyday things.
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Sunlight Chambers
On the southern banks of the Liffey, Sunlight Chambers stands out among the Georgian and modern architecture for its beautiful art nouveau frieze-work. Sunlight was a brand of soap made by Lever Brothers. The frieze shows the Lever Brothers’ view of the world: men make clothes dirty, women wash them.
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Origin Gallery
A relaxed space on the 1st floor of a Georgian terrace, Origin functions primarily as a showcase for artists who’ve stayed at the gallery’s County Kerry retreat, Cill Rialaig, and emerging artists putting on their first show. In a similarly encouraging spirit, buyers can pay in instalments.
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Dillon Garden
Gardening enthusiasts will enjoy a visit to award-winning gardener Helen Dillon’s own dramatic garden at her 1830s home. Inspired by Granada’s Alhambra, the walled garden is inventively landscaped with an impressive canal feature and colour-coded exotic borders. Children are not admitted.
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Iveagh Gardens
One of Dublin’s most beautiful parks is the landscaped Iveagh Gardens, directly behind Newman House and reached via Clonmel St, just off Harcourt St. The imposing walls give the impression that they are private gardens, but they are one of the nicest places to relax on a summer’s day.
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Friends Meeting House
The Dublin branch of the Society of United Irishmen, who sought Parliamentary reform and equality for Catholics, was first convened in 1791 in the Eagle Tavern, now the Friends Meeting House. (This should not be confused with the other Eagle Tavern, which is on Cork St.)
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Bad Art Gallery
This tongue-in-cheek gallery for emerging students and contemporary Irish artists specialises in big, bold and affordable art. Deborah Donnelly paints brash, colourful portraits of cows, cakes and circus tents. Get there for opening nights when the room is flamboyantly dressed.
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No 1 Thomas St
In the Guiness Storehouse, at No 1 Thomas St, a plaque marks the house where Arthur Guinness lived. In a yard across the road stands St Patrick’s Tower, Europe’s tallest smock windmill (with a revolving top), which was built around 1757.
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Kerlin Gallery
Hidden behind a nondescript door in a dingy little lane, the Kerlin Gallery is the ultimate statement in cool. Inside, the minimalist space displays mainly conceptual and abstract art from some of Ireland’s leading lights, including Sean Scully and Jaki Irvine.
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