About the city of Dublin

The largest city in Ireland, Dublin is a historical and contemporary cultural centre for the island as well as a modern centre of education, the arts, economy and industry.  

Dublin’s official date of establishment was in 988 A.D. although evidence of it’s existence dates back to the second century in which it was named Eblana. Vikings were the first settlers in Dublin and it then became the island’s primary city following the Norman invasion. Dublin is officially known in the Irish language (gaeilge)as Baile Átha Cliath. Translated into English it means The Town Of The Hurdled Ford (Baile = Town, Átha = Ford, Cliath = Hurdle).

In 2007, and again in 2009, Dublin was voted the friendliest city in Europe. It also ranks among the top tourist destinations in Europe and in the last decade there has been an economic boom, which has seen areas of Dublin change dramatically. Many historical areas have been rejuvenated and restored; new shopping centers have arrived along with many restaurants, clubs and bars, making Dublin an exciting place to stay.

The internationally famous area for nightlife is the Temple Bar, just south of the River Liffey, which has become a popular tourist destination of its own.

THINGS TO SEE IN DUBLIN

If you’re looking for a guided tour go to http://www.dublintourist.com/tours/, where you will find a wide range of tours from: bus tours of Dublin city to day tours out of Dublin. Longer and overnight tours are available as well.

For those looking for a self-guided tour, we have suggested itineraries if travelling on foot or by car.

1. Book of Kells
Located at Trinity College, the Book is a transcendent work that defines humanity’s best relations with the Creator. Uniquely amazing, it must be seen up close! The Book of Kells is celebrated for its lavish decoration. The manuscript contains the four Gospels in Latin based on a Vulgate text, written on vellum (prepared calfskin), in a bold and expert version of the script known as “insular majuscule”. http://www.bookofkells.ie/

2. Trinity College
The site of the 2009 PAC World conference, Trinity Collegewas founded in 1592 just before the English Tudor monarchy had completed the task of extending its imperial rule over the whole of Ireland.. Despite its 16th-century foundation, most of Trinity’s buildings that you see today were constructed in the 18th and early 19th centuries. Trinity is located on College Green, opposite the former Irish Houses of Parliament. Trinity College continues to build on its four-hundred-year-old tradition of scholarship to confirm its position as one of the great universities of the world.

3. Irish Parliament Building / Bank of Ireland
The Bank of Ireland in College Green, opposite the main entrance to Trinity College, used to be the original Irish Parliament Building. It was built in 1729. The Parliament of Ireland was abolished at the start of the 19th century (the Act of Union) when Ireland became part of the UK. The building was then sold to the Bank of Ireland. Enjoy the building from the outside first, it is regarded as one of Dublin’s finest. Then head for the customer area (it is a working bank branch after all) and you’ll be in the old House of Commons. Never has entry to a parliament been so easy!

4. Grafton Street Shopping – No Cars Allowed
Right in front of Trinity and the Bank of Ireland is the beginning of Grafton Street, which runs from St. Stephen’s Green in the south to College Green in the north. This is Dublin’s thriving retail heart – and cars are not allowed!

5. Saint Stephen’s Park
At the top of Grafton Street is Saint Stephen’s Park. A wonderful place, complete with gardens, Henry Moore statues, and waterfall.

6. National Museum – History and Archaeology
Parallel to Grafton Street is Kildare Street. Here you’ll find the National Museum with the finest prehistoric gold art collection on the planet. Particularly stunning are the famed Tara Brooch, Ardagh Chalice, and St. Patrick’s Crozier.

7. National Gallery
Walk around the block and you come to the National Gallery with its Vermeer, Monets, Picassos, Jack Yeats’, and Caravaggio. Plus thousands of other lovely works stretching back into the 13th century. Next door is Leinster House where the national Parliament, known as the Dail meets. And next door to that is the finest Victorian style Natural History museum left in Europe.

8. The Street Scene
The whole area is covered with chi-chi restaurants, art galleries, pubs, pizza joints, and book stores. It’s a combination of up-market establishments, university oriented businesses, government buildings, and centre city commercial and retail establishments.

9. Temple Bar
Just south of the River Liffey is the Temple Bar, with its many small art galleries and museums, theatres, pubs and restaurants.

10. Dublin Castle
The English ruled Ireland from this Castle for centuries, and it is still the home of the Irish government. Tours of the public rooms are well worth a visit.

11. Christ Church Cathedral
Go west a few more blocks and you come to Christ Church Cathedral and the attached Dublinia exhibit. Here is an ancient cathedral and modern museum of Dublin history in two connected buildings. The kids love the visit to the crypts beneath the Cathedral.

11. St. James Gate Brewery / Guinness Storehouse
The Guinness Storehouse, "the home of Guinness", is one of Dublin’s most popular tourist attractions. A converted brewing factory; it is effectively a shrine to Guinness, incorporating elements from the old brewing factory to explain the history of its production. Some of the old brewing equipment is on show, as well as stout ingredients, brewing techniques, advertising methods and storage devices. The exhibition takes place over 7 floors, in the shape of a 14 million pint glass of Guinness. The final floor is the Gravity Bar, which has an almost 360° panorama over the city, where visitors can claim a free pint of "the black stuff".

12. Chester Beatty Library
Described by the Lonely Planet as not just the best museum in Ireland, but one of the best in Europe, the Chester Beatty Library is an art museum and library which houses the great collection of manuscripts, miniature paintings, prints, drawings, rare books and some decorative arts and books assembled by a private collector in the 20th century. It includes representative samples of the world’s heritage (artistic, religious and secular) from about 2700 BC to the present century. http://www.cbl.ie/

 

USEFUL INFORMATION

Electrical Current information:
Normal voltage is 220v AC current and 13 A, square-pin plugs are generally used.

Useful telephone numbers
Operator: 10
Directory Enquiries: 1190
Emergency Services: 999 (Free)

Airports
Dublin Airport: http://www.dublinairport.com/index.asp

Up to date information on flight departures and arrivals can be accessed at:
(http://www.dublinairport.com/index.asp)

Dublin Tourist Information
Dublin Tourism official web site: http://www.visitdublin.com/

Dublin Tourism Centre, Suffolk Street, Dublin 2
Tel. 353 1 605 7799
Open: 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday; 9.30 a.m.-5.30 p.m. Wednesday-Saturday

For additional information:
http://www.dublinuncovered.net/