Dublin, the capital and largest city of Ireland is on the mouth of the Liffey River in the province of Leinster on the east coast. The Greater Dublin area has a population of 2 million. Originally settled by Vikings, the city became part of the British Empire and grew rapidly in the 17th century. In 1922, Ireland was partitioned, and Dublin became the capital of the Irish Free State, which was later renamed to simply Ireland.
Dublin has a lot to offer its visitors from ancient Viking sites and historic buildings to lively pubs and renowned museums; there is something for everyone. Many of the city’s highlights are located in the old part of town, south of the Liffey, so it’s easy to explore most of these attractions on foot. Sites that are further afield can easily be reached with public transportation or with the Hop-on hop-off tour bus.
The international airport of Ireland is a close 15-20 minute drive from the city and there are plenty of places to stay on the outskirts of the city center. We found that while convenient to stay in the middle of the action, the cost of the hotels and the cost of parking (never mind the hassle of driving in city traffic) all contributed to us choosing to stay in Clontarf, which is a small suburb of Dublin. From here, a local bus took us into town in 10 minutes, or a 10€ taxi ride would get us there even faster.
Exploring South of the Liffey
Usually visiting educational institutions isn’t on our list, but bypassing Trinity College was out of the question. Founded in 1592 by Queen Elizabeth I, it’s the oldest university in Ireland. Walking through its courtyard, I was thinking that this would have been a fine place to attend classes.
The main attraction is the Old Library; the collection of books is extensive as Trinity College is entitled to a copy of all the books published in Ireland and the UK. It houses many ancient manuscripts including the exquisite Book of Kells, a work of art and patience. The details are amazing. I wish I had a photo to show you but since those were prohibited in order to protect it, I didn’t take one. This is a rule I always respect and wish others did too!
From here it’s an easy walk to Christ Church Cathedral. Originally a Viking church, this imposing cathedral is well worth the visit. The original wood church was erected on this site a thousand years ago. In order to climb the bell tower, joining a tour is a must. We did, and learned a few interesting facts including that there’s no law prohibiting the ringing, for no apparent reason, of church bells in Dublin, so we obliged and rang the bell! The rooftop view was worth the climb.
Other highlights included Stongbow’s Tomb who was the Norman conqueror that captured Dublin in 1170 and the ornate Bridge to Synod Hall that connects the church to the Dublinia exposition next door. The latter depicts the life of Medieval Dublin and is definitely worth the visit.
From here a short walk south leads to St Patrick’s Cathedral, going north leads to the Liffey or backtracking east takes you to Dublin’s Castle. Having visited St Patrick’s the day before, we opted for the castle and visited the Royal Apartments. The castle was commissioned by King John and dates back to the 13th century. It became the most important fortification in Ireland and served as the siege of political and military affairs for almost 800 years. It is still being used today for special official functions.
Running out of time to visit anything else before closing time, we peeked into the Chester Beatty Library and Gallery before heading out for dinner. It seemed that everything was closing early (often 4 pm for the last tour) compared to other European cities we had visited in the past.
St Patrick’s Cathedral as it looks today dates back to 1220 and is also known as the “Peoples Cathedral”. The original church was made of wood and built on top of an early Christian site where it is said that St Patrick was baptized. He, himself, baptized many converts at a well nearby. Some highlights include the Minot Tower, the nave and well-manicured gardens where many come to relax and take in a few rays of sun.
Ha’Penny Bridge was built in 1816 to link the north and south sides of the Liffey and it’s still in use today. It used to cost a halfpenny to cross – now it’s free and popular!
Walking around Temple Bar, exploring narrow cobblestone alleys or strolling along the banks of the Liffey are all excellent ways to discover Dublin.
Looking around and noticing old medieval plaques indicating names and location of businesses of centuries past or noticing some other interesting detail are all things that are too often overlooked when rushing from one attraction to the other. Taking time to immerse ourselves in our surroundings will always reward us with new discoveries.
There is so much to do in the city: art lovers will get their fill at the National Museum and at the National Gallery of Ireland, history buffs will likely enjoy the Dublinia and Custom House and those interested in literature will appreciate the Dublin Writer’s Museum and the Trinity College Library.
Some might prefer to indulge in a drink or two and might enjoy a visit to the Guinness Storehouse or the Old Jameson Distillery. However, there are over 7000 pubs in Ireland and Dublin has its fair share – Temple Bar is a good place to start.
Also, pubs are a much cheaper alternative according to our taxi driver who told us: “Why pay 25€ for a free pint on the factory tour when you can get one for 4€ at a pub?”
Tip: Pubs are also a great place to find good traditional hearty meals at a fair price.
Greater Dublin
Further out there’s the Kilmainham Gaol, we had heard that we shouldn’t miss it, but miss it we did! Our guidebooks and Google research did not warn us about the fact that reservations are essential to visit the old jail.
Tip: It’s a popular attraction and must be booked days or weeks in advance.
One morning we stopped and visited the Custom House, which is located on the banks of the Liffey River. It’s a building with a long history for those interested in the Irish affairs of the colonial and native administration. This wasn’t for us, but we found that the outside of the 18th century building had a certain appeal to it and this is what lured us in.
Phoenix Park looked like a lovely area for roaming around. The park is huge and spreads over an area of more than 1750 acres. Our time in Dublin didn’t permit a stop, so we had to content ourselves with the view from our open-top bus.
Further afield
The Malahide Castle was one of my favorite attractions; maybe it had something to do with the mystery and the tales associated with the castle. Apparently, it’s the most haunted places in Dublin and the tour guide was happy to share some of these ghost stories with us as well as some other interesting facts.
When sitting in front of the fireplace, ladies needed to sit behind a screen, without which their face would ‘melt’ from the heat of the fire and their attendant would say: “Madam you are losing your face” and place the screen in front of them to block the heat. In order to hide smallpox scars, ladies needed to wear heavy makeup. In fact, it was made from a mixture of bees’ wax, iron, arsenic and mercury among other things! Was this the price of beauty?
The moss-covered castle is stunning and belonged to the Talbot family for almost 800 years. Taking a tour is the only way to visit the inside of the castle. The apartments are furnished and decorated with 18th and 19th century artifacts and furniture. The grounds spread out over 268 acres and make for a lovely place to take a stroll. Other period buildings are scattered here and there. The Malahide Abbey ruins are located by the entrance and are easily accessible. The Victorian House and the Bell Tower are located in the Walled Garden.
Bull Island, located north of Dublin has a National Park with hiking trails and a beach on the Irish Sea. At the southern end we could see the Cruise Port, so this might be a good place to watch cruise ships go by.
Nearby is the small fishing village of Howth with restaurants serving fresh seafood and the catch of the day. And the harbor is a great place to watch the sun go down!
Martello towers are fairly common in the area; these served as small defensive forts to protect the coastline.
I’m sure there’s plenty more to see and do in the area but the next morning we were heading out on our Castle Hopping Adventure through Ireland.
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