Dublin Things to Do Tips by Jefie Top 5 Page for this destination

Jonathan Swift's Cathedral St Patrick's Cathedral Review

St. Patrick's Cathedral is the largest church in Ireland. Although many additions have been made over the years, especially during the 19th century when the cathedral was almost entirely restored thanks to a generous donation by the Guinness family, the building originally dates back to the end of the 12th century. It is of course a beautiful church, but what really made the visit interesting for me was the great display on the life and writings of Jonathan Swift, author of "Gulliver's Travels" and Dean of the cathedral from 1713 until his death 1745. Swift was buried in the cathedral next to "Stella", his life-long friend and muse, and both their graves can be seen. Another interesting feature is the Celtic cross that is believed to have marked the spot of the well from which St. Patrick himself drew water to baptize new converts. The grounds around the cathedral are also quite beautiful.

St. Patrick's Cathedral is open to visitors daily. There are no guided tours available, but there are free brochures that describe the highlights of the cathedral. Tickets: 5.50 Euros.

Address: St Patrick's Close

Directions: Downtown Dublin

Phone: +353-1-453 9472

St. Audoen's Church, the oldest church in Dublin

Dating back to 1190, St. Audoen's Church is the oldest surviving church in Dublin. It is located at the heart of what used to constitute Medieval Dublin, and it is still surrounded by fragments of the city's old walls. On the side of the church, a few steps lead down to St. Audoen's Arch, the only remaining gateway of the old city. Because of the declining number of parishioners, St. Audoen's fell into disrepair in the 18th century, and a decision was even made to remove the roof for fear it would collapse. The church has now been restored and the graveyard that used to surround the church has been converted into a nice little garden. I didn't get the chance to visit St. Audoen's because I was there too early in the season, but I did enjoy walking around the gardens and seeing what's left of Dublin's Medieval fortifications.

St. Audoen's Church is open daily from 9:30 am to 5:30 pm, from May to October.

Address: High Street

Directions: Downtown Dublin

Phone: 353 (01) 677-0088

The beautiful Iveagh Gardens Iveagh Gardens Review

In 1862, Benjamin Guinness bought Nos. 80-81 St. Stephen's Green and combined the two houses, turning them into the stately mansion that is Iveagh House today. It is now home to the Department of Foreign Affairs' headquarters, and therefore cannot be visited. However, just behind the house, you'll find the beautiful Iveagh Gardens, and these are open to the public. Designed in the 1860s, they offer a combination of the French and English garden styles, so while in some areas you'll find a cascade surrounded by natural landscapes, in others you'll find grand statues and fountains. The park was very quiet when we were there, there only were a few people walking and playing with their dogs (I even made friends with one of them!). In fact, it was so quiet and beautiful that I had to doublecheck to make sure I had not just walked into a private garden! So if you feel like taking a break from the city noise, this is definitely the place to go.

Address: Clonmel Street

Directions: Downtown Dublin. There's also an access on Earlsfort Terrace and another one on Hatch Street.

Other Contact: info@heritageireland.ie

Phone: 353 (01) 475-7816

Where those who fought are peacefully remembered Garden of Remembrance Review

The Garden of Remembrance is located in the middle of Parnell Square, on the same spot where several leaders of the 1916 Easter Rising were held overnight before being sent to Kilmainham Gaol. It opened in 1966, on the 50th anniversary of the Easter Rising, and it is dedicated to "all those who gave their lives in the cause of Irish Freedom". A large, cross-shaped pool stands in the middle of the garden, and at its top there is a sculpture by Oisín Kelly called "Children of Lir". The Children of Lir is an old Irish legend about a jealous step-mother who turns her husband's children into swans. It symbolizes the rebirth and resurrection of Ireland and those who died to give it a new life. It is a quiet and very peaceful memorial.

Address: Parnell Square

Directions: Downtown Dublin, north of the Liffey

Don't miss Francis Bacon's studio Hugh Lane Municipal Gallery Review

The Hugh Lane Municipal Gallery is located at Parnell Square, just down the street from the Dublin Writers' Museum. Admission to the gallery is free, which makes it worth stopping by if you happen to be in the area. The gallery was created in 1908 by Sir Hugh Lane, an avid art dealer and collector, making it the world's oldest public gallery of modern art. The permanent collection features several impressionist pieces that were part of Lane's own private collection, but it has now grown to include several hundred pieces by Irish and International contemporary artists. I thought that some rooms were more interesting than others, but the highlight of the gallery clearly is Francis Bacon's chaotic Reece Mews studio, which was entirely and painstakingly reconstructed within the Hugh Lane Gallery. It includes hundreds of paint tubes, paintbrushes, fabric pieces, magazines, and a whole bunch of other knickknacks that the Dublin-born artist used to compose his paintings. Looking at the paint-covered walls of the studio, which was obviously very meticulously recreated, gives the visitor an incredible insight into the life and art of one of Ireland's most famous contemporary painters.

Address: Charlemont House

Directions: Parnell Square North

Other Contact: info.hughlane@dublincity.ie

Phone: 353 (01) 222-5550

Website: http://www.hughlane.ie/

Walking along the River Liffey The River Liffey Review

Like the Seine in Paris or the Thames in London, the River Liffey flows right through the heart of Dublin. There is a really nice boardwalk on the north side of the river (photo #3), but in general the view is better from the south side. Perhaps the two buildings that are the most often photographed by visitors walking along the river are The Custom House and The Four Courts (both are located on the north side and are therefore best seen from the south side).

The Custom House (photo #2) is located between Butt Bridge and the Talbot Memorial Bridge. This magnificient neoclassical building dates back to 1791, and though it was built to serve as Dublin's Custom House, it actually only did so for about 10 years. In 1921, the IRA set fire to the building, which was then seen as a symbol of British imperialism. The building was very badly damaged and it took several decades before it could be fully restored (it now houses government offices). Also of interest just in front of the Custom House is the very moving Famine Memorial designed by Rowan Gillepsie (photo #5). The long, emaciated figures are portrayed as carrying what little they have left in the world on their way to an emigration ship. Plaques bearing the names of several well-known citizens who have made a contribution towards the erection of this monument can be seen (I spotted the names of Dolores O'Riordan, Daniel Day Lewis, Pierce Brosnan and Gabriel Byrne), and I was pleased to see one for the former Canadian Prime Minister that read "In memory of the victims of the Great Famine, and for their descendants who have done so much to build Canada".

The Four Courts building is located at Inns Quay, about a 20 min walk along the River Liffey from the Custom House. It is home to Ireland's Supreme Court, High Court, Central Criminal Court and Dublin's Circuit Court. It was designed by James Gandon, the same architect who had worked on The Custom House, and completed in 1796. However, this building also suffered extensive damage during the Irish Civil War when it was almost entirely destroyed by an explosion in 1922. It was rebuilt and reopened in 1932, and though Gandon's design was slightly modified, it remains one of Dublin's most beautiful and easily recognizable buildings.

Directions: Downtown Dublin

A commercial street with an historical twist O'Connell Street Review

O'Connell Street is the biggest street in Dublin - in fact, it's even one of the largest streets in all of Europe! It's mostly a commercial street, but even if you're not the least interested in shopping, it's still worth walking up O'Connell street to see some of its landmarks. First and foremost, of course, is the General Post Office. The GPO dates back to 1818 and it became part of Irish history when the leaders of the 1916 Easter Rising decided to use it as headquarters and Patrick Pearse read the "Proclamation of the Irish Republic" standing on its front steps. Although the building was almost entirely destroyed during the fight that ensued, its facade and portico somehow survived the heavy bombardment, making it possible to eventually rebuild the GPO behind them and thus preserve an important piece of Ireland's history.

The median space that runs down the centre of O'Connell Street is home to several statues and monuments, including those dedicated to Charles Stewart Parnell and Daniel O'Connell. There also used to be a monument dedicated to Lord Nelson, but it was bombed in 1966 by former IRA members. In 2003, a new monument was built in its place: the spire of Dublin. It is a 120 m high stainless steel needle, and its top is illuminated at night and can be seen from all over the city - which, as someone pointed out to us, makes it very convenient to find your bearings when you've been pub crawling and have had one too many drinks!! As every monument in Dublin, the Spire has been dubbed with a number of nicknames, but I think my favourite one is "The erection at the intersection" :o) And speaking of statues with nicknames, just a few steps away from the Spire on North Earl Street you'll find a statue of James Joyce depicted as leaning on a cane. This one has of course become "The prick with the stick"!

Address: O'Connell Street

Directions: Downtown Dublin, north of the Liffey

Dublin's most famous landmark Ha'penny Bridge Review

Although there are over 20 bridges crossing the River Liffey, none is as popular as the Ha'penny Bridge. Built in 1816 and made of cast-iron, this narrow pedestrian bridge stretches elegantly over the River Liffey in downtown Dublin. It derives its name from the amount you had to pay (half a penny) to cross it when it was originally put into place - it remained a toll bridge until 1919. It is estimated that over 20,000 people cross the bridge daily and though most are people on their way to or from work, there is also a good amount of visitors getting their picture taken on the lovely white bridge. On the south side of the river, the Ha'penny Bridge leads to the Merchant's Arch, which is perhaps the nicest way to walk into the Temple Bar area (you need to make your way through a short, narrow alley which ends right in the middle of all the action at Temple Bar Square).

Directions: Downtown Dublin

A man's passion Chester Beatty Library Review

The Chester Beatty Library was named European Museum of the Year in 2002, and though I wouldn't say I was exactly that enthusiastic about it, it really was an interesting visit - and of course, it doesn't hurt that it was completely free! Sir Alfred Chester Beatty, born in New York City in 1875, made a fortune in the mining industry. Some of the money he made went towards building an impressive book collection that also includes some rare manuscripts, miniature paintings, prints and drawings. The items in his collection come from all over the world and cover over 40 centuries of writings. In his quest to increase his collection, Chester Beatty was always on the lookout for richly illustrated material, fine bindings and beautiful calligraphy. Without completely being disregarded, the content of the books he purchased was not necessarily as important as their aesthetic and historical value.

In 1950, he moved his collection to Dublin, where he was to live until his death in 1968. The present Chester Beatty Library opened in 2000 and its collection is presented in two exhibitions called "Arts of the Book" and "Sacred Traditions". I really enjoyed the first one which presented beautifully ornated pieces, along with some information on the various techniques used throughout the years to create such exquisite works of art. The second exhibition focused on religious texts, especially on the numerous versions of the Qur'an and New Testament Chester Beatty acquired over the years. To me it wasn't quite as interesting as the first one, but it was still worth looking at.

Before you leave, don't forget to go up to the roof garden for a really nice view of Dublin Castle and the surrounding area :o)

Directions: In the gardens of Dublin Castle

Phone: 353 (01) 407 0750

Website: http://www.cbl.ie

Whitefriar Street Carmelite Church Whitefriar Church Review

Although it doesn't really look like much from the outside, Whitefriar Street Carmelite Church is actually one of the biggest churches in the city, along with St. Patrick's Cathedral and Christ Church Cathedral. It is located near the spot where the original Carmelite church, dating back to the 13th century, used to stand. The present church dates back to 1827 and it remains an active place of worship, especially because of its shrines dedicated to various saints. The most famous one is dedicated to St. Valentine and it contains the relics of the patron of love and happy marriages. There is a notebook where people can leave their prayers to St. Valentine, and some were very moving to read. Another notable shrine is that of Our Lady of Dublin, a 16th century oak statue that was rescued from St. Mary's Abbey after its dissolution in 1539 and eventually brought to Whitefriar Street Church. Its survival is perceived as a symbol of persevering faith, and many parishioners stop by every day to light votive candles in its honour.

Whitefriar Street Carmelite Church is open to visitors daily, and admission is free.

Address: 56 Aungier Street

Directions: Downtown Dublin

Other Contact: whitefriars@eircom.net

Phone: 353 (01) 475-8821

Website: http://www.carmelites.ie/ireland/Whitefriar%20St/whitefriarstreet.htm