dublin

Hello, i was last in Dublin more than ten years ago and i loved it. I will be spending three weeks there between nov. and dec. i would very much appreciate any tips about cultural life there, good irish music pubs ( i know o´donoghes , for example) and any other suggestions that can contribute to my better knowledge of the city, its identity, day and night life , etc . Also, any good restaurants where you can still enjoy the Irish stew ?? I remember there was a pub next to the tourist office where they had an excellent cooking. does it still exist ?
Any suggestions about any other restaurant which is NOT in temple bar , has good cooking and is not a rip-off ? ( it does not need to be traditional )

i have heard that dublin has grown quite a lot, what should i know about these new areas ? are they worth a visit ?

Just a last comment, i used to walk up and down the street where the biggest public library was ( i cannot remember its name) just to hear the accent of the various sellers there, are they still there ?

Thank you all .

The Ireland you knew is long gone, there are still snatches of it here and there but I cannot think where, for example, you could actually buy Irish Stew, you could probably find a lot of Indian restaurants but nothing resembling Irish stew. Pubs are still everywhere but not necessarily 'Irish' in appearance and the ones that are, are horrible tourist traps. As for street sellers, there are some but not many - the laws have tightened up everywhere considerably. There are still many historic buildings around for you to see. Dublin has seen a lot of immigration in the 10 or so years since you visited and that is something you will see almost immediately as you walk around. Be also prepared to shell out a lot of money for basics such as food, drink and accomdation. Most old Irish aspects of Dublin are now dead and it can be quite a cold experience in that respect. If you want a more cultural experience maybe you should try areas of the countryside or the west and south coasts.

Sorry to sound off again, but a city like Dublin hasnt really retained its culture the same way that other countries have - you can walk into areas of Dublin for example where Asian communities live, as you walk around you KNOW that Asian people live there - As you leave this area it is then very hard to distinguish what is so 'Irish' about the streets surrounding it even though you know you are in Ireland. Dublin has become a very 'chic' place and has sold out its soul to up market drinking holes, expensive interior decorating shops and apartments which have price tags Julius Caesar would turn his nose up at.

I wouldn't go as far as #1 and #2. The issues he (I'm assuming it's he) outlined regarding immigration, cost of living and general change are certainly true, but I think he is definitely painting an excessively idyllic picture of the Dublin of ten years ago. It would be interesting to know if he actually lives in Dublin.

1) There are certainly pubs which will serve Irish stew as part of their lunch menu, however it is a case of looking around. You would be hard pressed to find this on restaurant menus, however there are one or two places in Temple Bar which seem might be worth a try, such as the Oliver St. John Gogarty pub.

2) When was Dublin actually a good value destination? I really think that Irish people delude themselves on this. As far as I can recall, Ireland has been a relatively expensive place to visit for a very long time. If Irish people didn't eat frequently in restaurants before the start of the economic boom, it was as much to do with the prices as it was to do with their own financial wellbeing. The pub the OP is referring to is probably O'Neill's on Suffolk St. I don't know if they do evening food but they almost certainly do lunches.

3) You will find Dublin full of visitors, particularly at the weekends, and it's only fair to say that many of those in search of a cultural time find the large English groups a bit hard to take. However, it's all part of what Dublin has become and, like most Irish people, I welcome the fact that we live in a well-off country now.

4) Crucially, you have to bear in mind that Dublin's eating and drinking attractions are as much about catering to a domestic population with high disposable income as they are about satisfying visitor tastes. It's all very fine complaining about not preserving aspects of our culture and history, but actually when many young Dubliners go out, they want the diversity and attractions of a capital city, not a twee Irish theme park. There are plenty of traditional pubs where you'll find me hanging out if I'm in that mood, but equally the city caters for all tastes and all of those who live here, many of whom were not born in Ireland.

Come to want what you find and not to find what you want.

Dublin has indeed changed considerably. But bear in mind that visitors have another conception of Dublin than people who actually live there.

I've been in Dublin for the very first time 12 years ago, and I remember it being a grubby but original place. But that was partly due to my tourist eyes, eager to experience anything different from home. For the record, I'm not Irish but live in Ireland for over ten years now, though initially in the North, now in the west.
Therefore I never experienced Dublin as a place of poverty, only as lack of luxury or the usual western commodities - which didn't bother me. I didn't live there after all.
Now I only go to Dublin to see friends or for pofessional reasons. And for shopping! Which is quite a delight when you live as a culchie in the west.

You still find the "good old" Dublin, though hardly in the city centre. Unless you enjoy the tacky souvenir shops and the usual fast food chains in O'Connell Street. They've been there since I was the first time in Dublin.

The new Dublin is fascinating too. It's hard to recommend anything you, axular, have in mind. But believe me there is a lot to explore and to compare to the Dublin of old. Some things never change, or only marginally. There are the old pubs (my favourites are Kavanagh's, also called Gravedigger, in Glasnevin, or the Cobblestone in Smithfield), but you might find Polish bar staff and loads of tourists in there nowadays.

You'll be pleased about the choice of good restaurants who serve more than Irish Stew and still have something 'Oirish' about them. I especially love the markets, remembering the old one in Moore Street and enjoying the new Farmers Market in Temple Bar with all the artisan food stuff. I don't mind Temple Bar really, but it's imo only nice during the day. Would never go there at night. Though it's a bit of a rip-off, there are still nice and interesting places to find. Try the Film Centre with it's café.

Since you have three weeks in Dublin, you'll have plenty of time to explore the new Big Smoke. My strongest recommandation would be to watch your back and your valuables and be extra careful in dodgy areas - which includes the touristy city centre. Crime grows with prosperity, and my feeling is that as much as the riches of Ireland or especially Dublin went over the top, so did criminality. Sad really, but that's capitalism ...

Enjoy your time!

I woudn't agree with that Carraig, there's far less crime in Dublin than fifteen years ago, let alone twenty when one spot on O'Connell Street was called Handbag Corner and there was smack all over the inner city. Back then most people from outside the area wouldn't even venture down Sean McDermott Street in the daytime, never mind at night. It's just not like that at all anymore.

Best Irish music option in town is Hughes pub on Chancery Street more or less behind the Four Courts.

No, fear rua, I disagree. There was crime since ever, like in every city and in history. But it increased in Dublin in unheard ways. The violence and cheekyness in crime is frightening. It's not only about handbag snatching, it's about getting hurt or bullied by now. But that's another discusssion.

Shame you mentioned Hughes. Was always one of our secrets ... ;-)

Still one of my favourite restaurants is 101 Talbot in Talbot Street.

I agree totally with #3.

If you do a search typing in 'Dublin Restaurants' and check the FAQ's you'll find plenty of information - for example this thread. Irish stew is sold in lots of places, even a fast food place like Nude on Suffolk Street. The most refined version is probably in the Ely wine bar and its various branches. The pub near the Tourist Office you are thinking of is (I assume) O'Neills on Suffolk Street. There are plenty of better places than that. For music, just get one of the free Event Guides - there are still plenty of pubs that do sessions - Cobblestones and Hughes are among the better ones (but don't go to Hughes too early, its pretty grim when its not full of people to hide the dirt). The street you are thinking of with the accents is Moore Street, between Henry Street and Parnell Street. Its still there, but has a much more multiethnic character these days.

The main 'new' area that would be worth a visit is the docklands - but only if you have an interest in urban regeneration schemes. The more interesting bits haven't been built yet, but its worth strolling through the IFSC, across the new Sean O'Casey bridge (or getting the new 2 euro a trip ferry across the Liffey), then down through the Grand Canal Docks to Ringsend. You can also get the Liffey explorer boat tour from Batchelors Walk or the Viking Splash tour that actually goes into the Grand Canal Dock.

I have to disagree with carraig about crime (the rest of her recommendations are perfect). Dublin city centre is far safer than it was in years past, i can remember well when parts were no-go areas even for the police. I live in the north inner city in a street that was once considered the worst in the city - and i work in an area which had a similar reputation and i know very few people here who have actually experienced a significant crime in the last couple of years - while there is plenty of anti-social activity to see on a daily basis, but personal crime is pretty much average for an urban area. It comes and goes with the price and availability of heroin, but there are numerous Dublin places, from Sheriff Street to Summerhill and over to the Liberties where I would not have gone at night (and often would not have gone in the day) 15 years ago, but would happily go any time now. You should take the normal precautions, but the chance of experiencing crime is as a tourist is no higher or lower than any other major capital city.

It would be interesting to know if he actually lives in Dublin.

I do! but am away at the moment : )

Look - I didnt mean to be so cruel about the place and I certainly wouldnt try to dissuade anyone from going, but I remember when it wasnt full of yuppie bars and sandwich shops, There are great places to go in Dublin but lately I have been thinking a lot about what it means to be 'Irish' and whether or not this 'new' Dublin communicates 'Irishness' to the average tourist. A lot of other cultures around the world seem to have preserved their culture, but young Irish people for instance can't speak a word of Irish if they tried yet we have a few nice posh bars to show off to celebrities whenever they're in town. To conclude - DO go to Dublin, but DON'T spend all your time there.

By the way, I actually had no idea that you could buy Irish Stew anywhere, so I stand corrected there!

#8 it's not only young Irish people who can't speak a word of Irish, i don't know anyone of my parents generation that can speak Irish apart from one relative who lives in Meath gaeltacht!!!!

Dublin is incomparable to any capital city in the world. It pales into significance to other capitals such as Paris, Berlin, Madrid etc. It has no Irish culture about it, the only really "Irish" things are the odd O'Carrolls shop. Pubs/Restaurants are way overpriced. There's not really all that much to do and see. I'd spend a night there and then head off to the Wicklow mountains!!!

I've thought about this a bit and as a Dub it can seem mad that people come from all corners of the world, paris, new york, rome etc to see dublin.... why!!??

Not because of the architecture, the authentic old bars etc. even though that's part of it, it's the atmosphere of a small town in a city, the way people seem to vaguely know everyone else ... a family type feeling, the spontaneous banter between strangers, the friendliness .... that's still here and quite unique to dublin, whether your irish born, nigerian, chinese or jamacan. We're to small to divide into totally distinct regions of the city so everyone is part of it all. In fact dublin just gets better the more nation/city grows with other nationalities.

Re restaurants, Indian-The Kyber, Chinese (near grafton st.|)- Charming Noodles, hope house(parnell st.) European all around steven's green, american too, italian of note, da pino-parliament st, pies,mexican- food count liffey st. , turkish-zytoon-parliament st. all reasonable, kyber maybe a little more fancy and expensive but worth it.

Dublin rules!