Dublin

[lateshow 1304]

The wife and I are making a trip to Dublin next month. Anyone been? Any recommendations? 

[dark54555 72]

Was there about 5 years ago for a conference.  Guinness and Jameson are a must.  Plenty of cool historical stuff.  I had a few good upscale dinners that I could probably look up, but don't really remember anything being bad.

[Onboard 2.0 9083]

Visit the national museum: lots of gold artifacts, peat bog mummies, Viking shit .

 

[lateshow 1304]

27 minutes ago, dark54555 said:

Was there about 5 years ago for a conference.  Guinness and Jameson are a must.  Plenty of cool historical stuff.  I had a few good upscale dinners that I could probably look up, but don't really remember anything being bad.

We've booked a Saints and Sinners tour. First part of day will be seeing the old cathedrals, in the afternoon will be touring the Jameson distillery. I'm pretty pumped about it. 

[midtown 3345]

Guiness

Jameson

Old bible

Tart with the cart

I didn't find Dublin all that great.  Definitely the least of what makes Ireland a great visit.

[dark54555 72]

37 minutes ago, lateshow said:

We've booked a Saints and Sinners tour. First part of day will be seeing the old cathedrals, in the afternoon will be touring the Jameson distillery. I'm pretty pumped about it. 

When the ask for a volunteer at Jameson toward the end, do it.  I can give you the answers, too, if you want to look like a whiskey junkie.

[South Austin 52450]

Went there in 2009 to see U2. Agreed on the Guinness tour. Grab a pint on the top floor bar and check out a 360 view of the town. Take a tour of Trinity University and see some old shit. The Temple Bar area is okay but a bit touristy in some areas. It's a cool little town, but after two days you've kinda seen it all.

[Shaddie 1651]

Hop on hop off bus is good. (For tourist) Taxi drivers “mostly” are very cool to talk with. Irish bacon. Gotdamn good stuff. 

[mycox 582]

Guinness and Jameson are not close. I wouldn't bother visiting both unless you have time, and if you do I would recommend the Ireland thread. The Guinness brewery is ok, but I would just head to the top floor.

Spend some time in the Temple area and then get the hell out of the tourist spot. Wonder around a bit.

[VinyVango 684]

Go have a beer at the Brazen Head.

There's a pub, O'Neill's, a few block SW of Trinity Univ that has a very good cafeteria on the bottom floor.

chill for a 1/2 hour at St. Stephen's Green and people watch.

Guinness Storehouse is a waste of time unless you like lines and the kitschy theme park vibe... instead grab a Guinness up the Road at Brazen Head or maybe at the Temple Bar.  Do a distillery tour instead.

I forgot the name of the really good chipper (fish and chips joint) I hit in Guinness but I am certain you can find it.

If your feet start hurting, hop on one of those Green tourist buses and get off someplace that peaks your interest.

There's the Irish National Museum just north of St. Stephen's Green that is pretty cool if you are into that kind of thing.

The Book of Kell is cool, and the actual library at Trinity U. is badass.

wander the Temple Bar District and along the river a bit. 

 

[relapse98 634]

16 hours ago, lateshow said:

The wife and I are making a trip to Dublin next month. Anyone been? Any recommendations? 

The Dublin Bottling Works tour isn't bad. I don't think they are currently bottling at the plant (they actually farm it out to a place in Temple), but its cool seeing the hundred year old machines. And their Dr. Pepper Museum is amazing. They have stuff that Dr. Pepper doesn't even have.

Other than that, I don't really remember much of the town, its kinda small.

[MidTexHorn 822]

We really enjoyed a hole in the wall seafood place called Claw for dinner one night. The Dublin Prawns were spectacular.

Everyone else has it pretty well covered. Dublin is fine for a long weekend. Might add in a quick train ride up to Howth or Malahide to get out of the city for a few hours.

[PencilPusher 454]

My Dublin thoughts to add to others. I do think Ireland is best explored beyond its capital city, but 2-3 days in Dublin is great.

If you haven't been to Guinness, worth a trip....if for no other reason then to sip a pint in the 360 observatory. You can actually hit both Guinness and Jameson in a single day...if you do the City bus pass, both are stops on the path. The Jameson tour was redone in early 2017 and was an improvement from the times I had been before. Just note it isn't the actual distillery anymore (that is done in Midleton, near Cork in the south of Ireland)

Trinity U/Book of Kells is a must

One thing that hasn't been mentioned on this thread yet is Kilmainham Gaol, the old prison. Good historic information and it is pretty close to Phoenix Park, which is a really nice and large park in Dublin (both are city bus pass stops)

Lots of really good tours. One good pub crawl is the Literary Pub Crawl which combines drinking and a little history about some of Ireland's great writers. It is pretty well done. Temple Bar does have a lot of the touristy pubs, but there are lots of great pubs around the city. Try O'Connors pub around the corner from the Merrion hotel in Georgian Dublin (near the government buildings). Depending on the night, there can be some impromptu trad sessions there.

Getting out of the city - Malahide and Howth were mentioned on the coast. Few other ideas:

Wicklows - mountains (really hills) just south of Dublin city. You can drive (or take a tour) out to the Glendalough area

Newgrange/Hill of Tara - If you want to learn about prehistoric Ireland, these are two good sites up in county Meath to the north of Dublin

Someone mentioned a chippery earlier, I think it is Beshoff's which have several locations around Dublin and very good fish and chips. Dublin's restaurant scene has definitely gotten more diverse and there are lots of good options around town.

[bigup2dahorns 3343]

I will pass along some advice given to me for wandering around the Temple Bar area in the summer time which is full of “hen parties” (bachelorette) mainly from the UK . . . Watch out for falling fat chicks.

[texfan11 90]

On 7/13/2018 at 10:25 AM, PencilPusher said:

One thing that hasn't been mentioned on this thread yet is Kilmainham Gaol, the old prison. Good historic information and it is pretty close to Phoenix Park, which is a really nice and large park in Dublin (both are city bus pass stops)

 

I second the suggestion on the Kilmainham Gaol prison, I thought it was really interesting and I am glad that we took a tour at the last minute. 

I also agree that the Hop On Hop Off bus tour is an easy and fairly cheap way to both travel around the city and see some of the most popular tourist spots. 

I would also suggest a visit to the St. Patricks Cathedral.

[Chopper 17230]

Thread is dead but bumping it with a nice article from Departures magazine

Where to Eat, Stay, and Explore in Dublin

edit I guess that shit's pw'd

 

Spoiler

DUBLIN CAN FEEL like a city that never changes. Even during the recent pandemic, the spirit of the city remained fully itself. Everyone realized the glories of eating outside in good weather (and how to manage the odd shower of rain), and the demand for outdoor dining ultimately led to the permanent pedestrianization of major thoroughfares like South William Street and Capel Street. The food scene itself is thriving, with new chefs making their mark and a renaissance of Irish cooking using local produce.

The city is known for its old pubs, but Dubliners like to chat over a cuppa too (and all those nights out require a dose of caffeine), so the coffee scene is excellent; you won’t go far without stumbling across a cafe or brew you like. Dublin was once the world’s whiskey capital and there’s been a reemergence of the whiskey distilling scene as well, with four new distilleries and an Irish whiskey museum opening in the last few years. When a glut of new hotels threatened to dim some of the city’s old-world character, locals came out in full force to save bookshops and traditional music pubs like The Cobblestone, which remains a vibrant fixture in Dublin’s nightlife.

Dublin has a rich literary heritage, but I think some of the most moving experiences are those that explore Dublin’s less glamorous past. A tour at 14 Henrietta Street brings you through the life of a Georgian house from eighteenth-century grandeur to nineteenth-century tenement, while the EPIC Irish Emigration Museum and the nearby Jeanie Johnston ship on Custom House Quay tell the moving story of Irish emigration and the mark that various Irish characters have left on the world.

As a local, another aspect of Dublin’s appeal is that it’s on a bay — you can escape the city for a day (or even just half a day) for beach or cliff walks, sea swims, and boat trips. Dubliners love picnics in the park, pier walks, pints of Guinness in cozy pubs, and coffee and cake. Or maybe that’s just me.

Where to Eat and Drink

Irish food has changed in recent years, with a move away from European influences (like classical French cuisine) and a focus on local, seasonal ingredients. I’ve selected restaurants where flavor comes first and chefs are putting together creative combinations with supplies from traditional or artisan food producers, award-winning Irish farmhouse cheeses, smoked fish and meats, and foraged, wild produce.

Variety Jones

Creative culinary excellence in the Liberties.

78 Thomas Street, Dublin 8 Book Now

It has a Michelin star, but don’t expect fancy white tablecloths in this relaxed, low-key restaurant in the Liberties (there isn’t even a sign outside). The focus is very much on the food — a six-course sharing menu might feature a goat’s curd tart with tomato and celery, or a pork chop with buttermilk and nduja polenta. Unique wines are all sourced from small producers; go for the wine pairing for the best experience.

Delahunt

Tasting menu with foraged Dublin ingredients.

39 Camden Street Lower, Dublin 2 Book Now

Not only is Delahunt focusing on seasonal Irish ingredients, but a fair proportion of them are from Dublin itself, with a smattering that are wild and foraged. Dublin-born head chef Chris Maguire forages on the hill of Howth for everything from plums to wood sorrel and wild garlic. The five-course tasting menu features dishes like goat’s curd agnolotti with cabbage broth, or a dessert of peach, hay, and pine. Leave time for pre- or post-dinner drinks in the upstairs Sitting Room.

 

353 1 598 4880

https://delahunt.ie/

https://www.instagram.com/delahuntcamden/?hl=en

The Winding Stair

Local flavors and Liffey views.

40 Lower Ormond Quay, Dublin 1 Book Now

At The Winding Stair, cooking is centered around local flavors — expect to see potted Dingle Bay crab, dillisk (seaweed) bread, hand-smoked haddock poached in milk, or Andarl Farm bacon chops with mustard cabbage. Best of all, the room and setting are full of character — above a bookshop, with wooden floors and gorgeous views of the River Liffey and the landmark Ha’penny Bridge outside.

Where to Shop and Explore

The most enjoyable shopping in Dublin involves finding traditional, unusual, and Irish items — bespoke crafts or collectors’ items — which are great for souvenirs or gifts for family or friends. Many shops will arrange shipping so you don’t have to make space in your suitcase.

Powerscourt Townhouse Centre

An elegant Georgian townhouse.

59 South William Street, Dublin 2

This is one of those places worth visiting for the atmosphere as well as the shops. Set in an elegant Georgian townhouse, overlooking an inner atrium with a lively cafe, and often a live piano player, even the main entrance takes you through a flower shop. Check out the antiques and silver shops on the first floor, with everything from spoons to jewelry dating back to the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries.

 

+353 1 679 4144

https://www.powerscourtcentre.ie/

https://www.instagram.com/powerscourtcentre/

Francis Street

Antiques and Irish art.

43-44 Francis Street, Dublin 8

You could spend hours on Francis Street, Dublin’s antiques quarter, where we writers drool over things like old globes and atlases, rolltop desks and wooden tea caddies, in shops like O’Sullivan Antiques and Patrick Howard. While shops offer international shipping for big purchases, there are plenty of small items like silver or trinket boxes. Don’t miss Gallery Zozimus on the same street, which has Irish ceramic sculptures and art, with colorful pieces by artists like Eileen Singleton and Thomas Wollen, and geometric paper art by Ireland-based Miriam Fitzgerald Juskova.

 

353 1 454 1143

https://osullivanantiques.com/

https://www.instagram.com/osullivanantiques/

Ulysses Rare Books

First editions of Irish classics.

10 Duke Street, Dublin 2

Booklovers will find all the most renowned Irish authors here — Behan, Beckett, Wilde, Yeats, Heaney — with both old copies and first editions of classics, like Irish epic “The Táin” and “Gulliver’s Travels” by Jonathan Swift, to suit all budgets. Collectors will be in heaven. The most expensive book when I visited recently was a copy of James Joyce’s “Ulysses” illustrated by Henri Matisse and signed by both Matisse and Joyce, for 27,500 euros. A first edition of Bram Stoker’s “Dracula” from 1897 will set you back 14,500 euros, but most prices start from around 30 euros.

 

+353 1 671 8676

https://www.rarebooks.ie/

https://www.instagram.com/ulyssesrarebooks_/

Kilkenny Shop

Irish gifts and crafts.

6 Nassau Street, Dublin 2

The Kilkenny Shop on Nassau Street is a Dublin institution — it’s been here since 1976 — and it remains the go-to for contemporary Irish design and crafts, with everything from candles and clothing to jewelry and pottery. Look out for cozy woolen throws and scarves from McNutt of Donegal, quirky statement jewelry with miniature moving pieces from Alan Ardiff, colorful prints of Dublin landmarks by printmaking studio JANDO, or pottery in sea greens and blues from Paul Maloney of County Wexford.

Where to Stay

Dublin has hotels of all types — historic luxury five-stars, modern docklands builds, and cozy boutique hotels in old Georgian buildings. I always favor a hotel within walking distance of the city center and what’s best about these three in particular is not only their super locations but that once you are inside, the rooms themselves are blessedly quiet for a great night’s sleep.

The Merrion

Elegance in the Georgian quarter.

Merrion Street Upper, Dublin 2 Book Now

This is where you can soak up all things Georgian: antiques, open fires, sash windows, gilt mirrors, and cozy bedrooms. The rooms in the main townhouse feature high ceilings, rococo plasterwork, period-style furniture, and original fireplaces. The hotel is also home to the 2-Michelin-star Restaurant Patrick Guilbaud and a short walk from the National Gallery and two National Museums (Natural History and Archaeology).

 

+353 1 603 0600

https://www.merrionhotel.com/

https://www.instagram.com/merrionhotel/

The Marker Hotel

Cool, modern space in the Docklands.

Grand Canal Square, Docklands, Dublin 2 Book Now

Set in the south Docklands and overlooking the waterfront at Grand Canal Square, The Marker is a cool, modern space — factors that will ramp up in early 2023 as the hotel undergoes a revamp to join the Anantara brand. Even though you’re near the city, make time to check out the hotel’s swimming pool, rooftop cocktail bar, and seasonal dining spot The Brasserie.

 

+353 1 687 5100

https://www.anantara.com/en/the-marker-dublin

https://www.instagram.com/themarkerhotel/

The Wilder Townhouse

Boutique hotel near St. Stephen’s Green.

22 Adelaide Road, Dublin 2 Book Now

This is a boutique hotel on a tree-lined road within a few minutes’ walk of St. Stephen’s Green. It’s set in an old Victorian home for governesses and is full of character; each room is unique in both design and size. The colorful breakfast spreads feature tiered trays of pastries, and gin lovers will enjoy post-sightseeing refreshments in the Gin and Tea Rooms, featuring craft Irish gins like Blackwater Barry’s Tea from Waterford or Ha’penny Rhubarb gin, named after the landmark Dublin bridge.

 

Edited November 1, 2022 by Chopper
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