Vacation in Dublin HELP!!

lightening

A Disgrace wrote: »

it used to be a sausage factory

OOPS! I thought it was an old shoe factory!! What are all those shoe moulds or forms on the wall?

A Disgrace

I think they're the shoes that they used to keep the sausages in.. strange times indeed.

offwego

Kilmainham Jail is one of the best museum/historical sites I've visited, it's superb what they've done there considering how it was left to ruin for decades, as well as being of great historical significance. You get a guided tour and get to see the actual prisoners where many famous, and not so famous, Irishmen were incercerated. Then afterwards have a pint in Donoughue's.

If you want something truly different- go see the mummified bodies at St. Michams on Church Street. The church itself is fairly ordinary, barring an organ that might have been played by Handel, but get the rather odd caretaker to take you below the church into the crypt where you'll get to see creepy old stacks of coffins in family burial chambers and well preserved remains dating back 400-500 years. Then afterwards have a pint in Sin E.

Dublin Castle is pretty interesting as the former seat of English power in Ireland. Get a tour of the main building then have a wander around the Chester Beatty gallery, admire all the Oriental and Islamic art and have a breather at the garden on the roof. Don't visit the Tax Museum but check out the Chapel Royal, which regularly shares screen space on TV with Jonathan Ryes Meyers in The The Tudors. Then afterwards have a pint in the Lord Edward.

Guinness Brewery is fairly good but from what I remember there's about 7 floors to go through before you get the pint at the admittedly breathtaking bar at the top of the tower. It's a bit overrated. When you've seen your third manufacturing process you'll be wondering where the lift is though. The 360 degree view from the top and the section dealing with Guinness advertising make it worthwhile. Then afterwards have a pint in The Clock.

The National Gallery is free into and I guarantee is better then you would first think it would. I think it's a nice place just to walk into and have a wander around away from the noise of central Dublin. Don't try to see everything, just wander aimlessly- it's the best way, and check out the area dedicated to Irish artists. You can combine it with a picnic and a walk in Merrion Square or have a stroll around nearby Trinity College- check out the Book of Kells by all means but make sure you see and go into the Geography building before you leave (ask a friendly passing student and they'll point it out to you.) and have a picnic in the adjoining rose garden. Then afterwards have a pint in the Lincoln Inn.

snowey07

can I recommend going to the Gravediggers for a pint.

http://www.indublin.ie/Venues/Pubs/Kavanaghs_-Gravediggers-.aspx

Look for the ghost, have a guiness in the old bar then a stroll around the cemetry.

Also go the St Michans church and visit the crypt. The tour is excellent and you get to touch the reall mummies :eek:

http://www.irelandforvisitors.com/articles/mummies_of_st_michans.htm

offwego

snowey07 wrote: »

can I recommend going to the Gravediggers for a pint.

http://www.indublin.ie/Venues/Pubs/Kavanaghs_-Gravediggers-.aspx

Look for the ghost, have a guiness in the old bar then a stroll around the cemetry.

As visited by AA Gill for the Sunday Times:

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/food_and_drink/eating_out/a_a_gill/article6509986.ece

How Strange

Lollymcd wrote: »

If it's a nice (warmish) day the Iveagh Gardens behind The National Concert Hall on Earlsfort Tec off St Stephens Green is a nice secluded park to go for a picnic. (Not sure when you're coming, it could be freezing!!!)

+1 for this. OP, if you're around the Grafton St area try to check this park out. It's like an oasis of calm and most Dublin people don't even know where it is.

OP a bike ride to Howth would take an hour or hour and a half depending. If it's anyway windy then maybe take the dart as the wind will be in your face all the way out. On the plus side it will be at your back on the way home.

VABbum

Dick Turnip, thanks for all the input! We're interested in catching 'Victor and Gord' at the Projects Arts Centre. We'll also catch Meeting House Square for the market.

Twee., we are food lovers. If it smells good we have to try it. We're actually curious if there might be a delicious Indian restaurant somewhere during our travels?

A Disgrace, I did some research and I am very excited about Marshes Library!

Offwego, thanks for the list! Below is a list of things we have decided to go on during our trip.

snowey07, that sounds just awesome! Creepy, but awesome!

How Strange, nice to know about the park.

Here's a quick list of things we've decided to do:
IMMA, Cliffs of Mohr, Connemara, City Cork, Blarney Castle, Dingle, get Murphy's ice cream, Trinity College, Gaol, Nat. Museum, St. Patrick's Cath.

I still need a very romantic day planned for Sunday Feb 14. We'll be traveling from Killarney to Dublin, but with it being Valentine's Day I need to make it romantic. Any suggestions?

I can't believe it's only a week from our big trip!

Thanks to all!

Thoie

VABbum wrote: »

I still need a very romantic day planned for Sunday Feb 14. We'll be traveling from Killarney to Dublin, but with it being Valentine's Day I need to make it romantic. Any suggestions?

Not for the claustrophobic, but you could stop off at the Mitchelstown Cave along the way. Alternatively The Rock of Cashel could be nice (depending on the weather).

amdublin

Go on a bike ride around Dublin!

Check out www.dublinbikes.ie

Econoline Van

If you want to see some hurling, Newtownshandrum from Cork are playing Ballyhale Shamrocks from Kilkenny on the 14th in Thurles, Co. Tipperary at 2:30. It's an All-Ireland Senior Club Hurling Championship semi-final.

It's worth the effort for a number of reasons. Thurles is the best place to watch hurling by a mile. It's two great teams featuring not just some of the best hurlers currently playing but some of the best to EVER play. There should be a great atmosphere and you'll get a good insight into what Ireland is about outside Dublin city. A club game is only 60 minutes so you'll be done and dusted by 4 and the train station is just a few minutes walk away. You can get the train from Killarney to Mallow and then on to Thurles, I believe.

VABbum

Thoie, thanks the Cashel idea is perfect!
AmDublin2, we should have enough time for the bike ride and I think my gf would love it!
Econoline van, is the hurling game at Semple Stadium? The location and time is perfect with our Cashel visit!

Thanks!

Econoline Van

VABbum wrote: »

Thoie, thanks the Cashel idea is perfect!
AmDublin2, we should have enough time for the bike ride and I think my gf would love it!
Econoline van, is the hurling game at Semple Stadium? The location and time is perfect with our Cashel visit!

Thanks!

Yep, it's at Semple Stadium, which is called "The Home of Hurling" for a very good reason. Look out for Henry Shefflin, the Ballyhale forward, he's one of the greatest players of all-time.
For no particular reason other than it's completely awesome, here he is being matched on a rare occasion by probably the best save I've ever seen:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sZ4w--xNV5c

Enjoy the game and the trip!

Rb

OP, if you find the time you should go for a drink in O'Neills Bar in the city centre, it's near Temple Bar so would be ideal for the day you're having a look around there. Check out its history too, it's a fascinating building and there's always a good atmosphere, never too packed. Think they've Irish music on at most weekends too.

NMoore

This is a great thread. Thanks for asking the question, and many many thanks for all the great answers! I'm going to Dublin with my husband for the 1st time in 10 years this weekend, and now I have a great list of things to do!
Here's a kind of odd, but romantic one to add though:
Visit St Valentine's relics, at Whitefriar Church in Dublin city centre...

Econoline Van

So....how was the trip??
The suspense is killing me.

Lollymcd

+1


Can't wait to hear how it went.

VABbum

Sorry everyone on my delayed response. We had a great time, besides our plane needing to replace one of its hydraulic pump systems, which set us back 4 hours from getting to the Emerald Isle.

Galway was beautiful and our treks to Connemara and Cliffs of Moher made us realize how beautiful the island was right away.
After two nights in Galway, we left for Killarney, but visited Blarney Castle and spent the afternoon in Cork. We walked a ton around Cork - got lost and had a great time doing it. Long story short, we parked at Cork City Hall's public parking and we were trying to find the English Market, but ended up climbing N Mall St. and stumbled onto some really nice (and expensive) condos.
Killarney was a nice shopping experience and my gf fell in love with Orla Kiely purses...

We visited Dingle and had to visit Murphy's ice cream while we were in town and visited the Ancient Beehives along with the natural fort. If I had the money, I'd buy a place around Dingle in a heartbeat.

Finally, our trip ended in Dublin and we tried to see as much of the city as we could. We ate at Queen of Tarts and were impressed with their menu. We caught a show at the Projects Arts Centre (The Cube) off Essex St. and that was great! We grabbed a drink at O'Gargarty's before (just down the St.) and we saw the rowdiness you warned about at night in Temple Bar. Still a good time. We loved the "painted faces" public art (on Thomas St., I think). We tried to visit the IMMA, but it was closed (Monday), but we had the world's greatest cupcake in their cafe, if you haven't tried it I'd recommend it!

On our way back from Kilmainham Gaol I fell in love with what I called, "The Mini-Dubai" office development. With the cranes still up and my vantage point playing on the angles and height I had to snap it and the picture is one of my favorites from the trip.

One thing we regret is not seeing Howth. All of our cab drivers said we have to go see it. The more embarrassing thing is that we were staying in Clontarf so we were very close... Clontarf was a very nice neighborhood in Dublin, we were most impressed. I took my gf to The Stockyard for Valentine's Day dinner and the menu was great, but there were a lot of kids out that night.

Not sure if I can post pictures in this thread, but I would love to share some, if I'm allowed. Please ask any questions as I'm sure I'm leaving a lot out.

Thanks for all the suggestions on the trip and please ask questions!
You were all great and so helpful!

Many Thanks!!

Africa

even if you post em up to photobucket and link, that'd be sweet. Sounds like a really amazing trip - most of us that spend all our lives here dont get to do all you did!!

VABbum

I'll post a few each day, that way I can keep the thread's interest up... haha. I hope you all enjoy!

VABbum

VABbum

I love this 'Mini-Dubai' development. When we were walking from Kilmainham to IMMA I had to take this picture.

dan1895

Pretty sure thats my appartment block in the bottom right of that pic :-)

love the pics btw

VABbum

VABbum

dan1895- Thanks for the kind words. I walked around that entire development and loved how it came together and the apartment/lofts seemed to flow right with it. That's a great part of town!

anto2

admiralofthefleet wrote: »

first thing: avoid temple bar, its vastly overrated and very expensive.

get the dart (local train) to howth, its a very nice seaside village north of the city
there are a good few 'local' pubs in the city centre where normal dublin people go like the bachelor inn, windjammer, longstone, longhall, fitzgeralds and the flowing tide.

im sure other people will be along to offer you other opinions, enjoy your time here

You are having a laugh .Normal people do not live in Howth .LOL !

Its beautiful in landscape and houses but full of the Rich politicans and Wall street type traders who caused Irelands current demise .

yermanoffthetv

Wow that pic of the cliffs of Moher is epic!

VABbum

tricky D

anto2 wrote: »

You are having a laugh .Normal people do not live in Howth .LOL !

Its beautiful in landscape and houses but full of the Rich politicans and Wall street type traders who caused Irelands current demise .

Tripe

WindSock

tricky D wrote: »

Tripe

No no, tricky. Riff-raff is the word

Love your pics, OP. I like your persepective

tricky D

WindSock wrote: »

No no, tricky. Riff-raff is the word

Quite right. I'll alert passport control at the cross.