"My home town" Top 5 Page for this destination County Dublin by Kulprit

County Dublin Travel Guide: 6,793 reviews and 10,265 photos

Dubliners reading on a rare sunny day - County Dublin

A changing city

I´ve travelled widely but always returned to the place of my birth. Dublin is a unique spot. It marries the legendary friendliness of the Irish with the cultural savvy of a capital city.
The celtic tiger economy has propelled us from a country where my generation had to move abroad to have any career prospects to one where young people from all over the world are flocking to secure a good future. Not only has this brought relative wealth to the average Irish pocket but it has brought a welcome boom to our culture. Gone are the days when a cappuchino meant Nescafe with a blob of cream. The overcooked veg and leathery meat of my youth is, thankfully, a thing of the past. The lack of any real Irish cuisine provided a blank canvas for the world´s chefs to paint a range of foods which embrace the entire world.
We are now one of the most expensive cities in the world but, for Irish people, earning their wage in Dublin, this means a powerful currency to spend abroad. The Irish have always travelled but, in the past, with little money and often through necessity. Now we are a nation of leisure travellers.
Ireland has become an expensive destination for many travellers but spend can be minimised if you know where to go. In my tips section I´ll try to guide you through the growing multicultural metropolis of Dublin whether you´re looking to live it up or get by on a budget. Also, feel free to email me with any request for information and I´ll try to help.

The Spire

Dublin's Spire as seen from Talbot Street

A recent addition to the Dublin cityscape is The Spire or, as Dubliners have fondly termed it, 'The Stilhetto in the Ghetto'. O'Connell Street, on Dublin's north city centre, is main thoroughfare (although Grafton Street on the South Side is a much more lively and affluent rival). For many decades a tower dedicated to Lord Nelson dominated the street. Visitors could ascend Nelson's Pillar, as it was called, and obtain a fine view of the city. However, in the '70s an early morning explosion, carried out by the IRA, tumbled the pillar to the ground. In the early years of the current 'troubles' the column was seen, by the republicans, as a symbol of British occupation. It wasn't until the heady days of the recent Celtic Tiger that the city fathers decided that Dublin needed a new towering symbol. A competition was arranged and the shiny, elegant Spire was selected. It was unveiled last year to mixed reactions. Personally I like it. It soars upward with graceful, tapering lines like a personification of Ireland's cultural and economical upsurge. My one gripe, however, is that a web cam was not put at the top. A revolving camera would provide a spectacular web broadcast which could be seen at any time from anywhere in the world.
The accompanying picture is of the Spire as seen from Talbot Street.

Pros and Cons

Pros:Legendary friendliness and an optimistic feel
Cons:Expensive for those with less bouyant currencies
In a nutshell:A ´must see´destination

Last visit to County Dublin: Dec 2004
Intro Updated Mar 10, 2005
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Reviews (5)

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Comments (15)

ettenaj Apr 13, 2007 at 9:02 AM Report Abuse

Dublin is a must for everyone!
irishgalmtl Sep 10, 2006 at 12:30 PM Report Abuse

Hi there Declan, Greetings from Montreal I enjoyed your Dublin tips thank you very much....Donna.
Shibiru May 16, 2005 at 12:50 AM Report Abuse

I loved ur pictures!!! I hope my plans to go to DUblin will work :-) Take care and I'm waiting for more useful tips :-)
tvdm Apr 3, 2005 at 11:28 AM Report Abuse

Reading these little bits of info give me a feeling of nostalgia - and I've only been gone for about 3 months now :) The Big Smoke just has that kind of effect on people, I guess...
matcrazy1 Mar 30, 2005 at 5:00 AM Report Abuse

Great and very interesting info. You make me crazy to visit Dublin for the first time... maybe even this year for a short time.
benazer Mar 28, 2005 at 3:24 PM Report Abuse

One of my fav cities is Dublin ,very nice been there a long time ago. Thanks for advice by the way. Az.
mizzzthanggg Mar 27, 2005 at 11:42 PM Report Abuse

Following a recommendation by Jenniferchin here. Great info in yr tips, Declan! Hope to see more photos. Checking out Italy next ;))) - Cheers from Malaysia, MiZZie
EllenH Mar 26, 2005 at 2:34 PM Report Abuse

I'm thinking our next trip to Europe is going to be Ireland. Might just take you up on those budget travelor tips.
shashasharon Mar 17, 2005 at 3:40 AM Report Abuse

happy st patrick's day..sharon
jenniferchin Mar 9, 2005 at 10:28 PM Report Abuse

oh YUM !!! Good readings here :-)