Dublin.
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Overview

Dublin (Irish: Baile Átha Cliath, "Town of the Hurdled Ford") is the capital city of Ireland. Its vibrancy, nightlife and tourist attractions are world renowned and it's the most popular entry point for international visitors to Ireland.

As a city, it is disproportionately large for the size of the country with a population of over 2 million in the Greater Dublin Region (2022); nearly half of the Republic's population lives in this metropolitan area. The central sights can be navigated by foot, with a few outlying sights, and suburbs sprawling out for miles.

The climate is mild, making Dublin a year-round destination. It's seldom freezing in winter, cool in summer and frequently has light showers. For more information, see County Dublin weather chart.

Understand

History Dublin is in a low-lying, fertile area, not boggy by Irish standards, and with good sea access. It became the core of the Gaelic kingdom of Leinster, and the Vikings established a large settlement by what is now Dublin castle, until ejected by Brian Boru at the Battle of Clontarf in 1014. This set a pattern that Dublin was fought for, not fought in. The Normans colonised the southwest and Leinster from the 12th century, and further out they battled with the Gaels, but Dublin sat snug within the "Pale" — the defensive palisade. Similarly with the Tudor conquests; then the city fell swiftly to Cromwell so his atrocities were elsewhere, and King William marched in unopposed after the Battle of the Boyne. 18th century Dublin was the second largest city in the British Isles, with a tight little Protestant clique ruling the place to London's liking. Industry and culture flourished, and the city acquired its graceful Georgian streets and squares, but Ireland was ruled as a colony. Britain's other colonies watched with great interest as the independence movement gathered pace.

"The Troubles" of the late 19th and early 20th century involved ethnic conflicts, paramilitary gangs, and savage reprisals by the authorities. The outbreak of the First World War seemed to put a brake on this, with tens of thousands of Irishmen marching away to France and Flanders. Surely one big push on the Somme would win this war - but while the generals were planning this, armed insurrection broke out at Easter 1916. The rebels seized the central Post Office on O'Connell Street, read their proclamation of independence, then were bombarded until they surrendered. Initially they attracted little sympathy or support, especially as they were backed by arch-foe Germany, but the authorities snatched defeat from a quick win by the subsequent court-martials and executions by firing squad. Hundreds were arrested and 15 were shot. This and atrocities such as the Croke Park massacre were fatal to the legitimacy of British rule. By 1921, the Irish tricolour fluttered over a Dublin that was capital of a separate state.

In contemporary times, Dublin is a city of paradoxes. A sizable immigrant population has moved in, seeking a better life. But, the city has at the same time been somewhat terraformed by transnational firms seeking tax benefits and an English speaking EU jurisdiction, with offices for Google or Deloitte looming over the city. At the same time, the city has built very little new housing, leading to skyrocketing rents for locals. Dublin is at once somewhere that everyone wants to be because it is a very human city, and yet the level of demand from tourists—and Ireland's recent friendliness to megacorporations—has led to much of the city feeling a bit hollowed out.

Dublin is divided by the River Liffey. North of the Liffey runs O'Connell Street the main thoroughfare, intersected by numerous shopping streets such as Henry Street and Mary Street. On the south bank are Merrion Square, St Stephen's Green, Grafton Street (the main southside shopping area), Trinity College, Christ Church and St Patrick's Cathedrals, the main branches of the National Museum, and many other attractions.

The postal district Dublin 1 is north of the river centred on the Post Office, Dublin 2 is south centred on Trinity College, and so on out to the suburbs. These districts have been incorporated into Eircodes, which cover the whole Republic. Thus D04 followed by four alphanumerics is somewhere around Ballsbridge. These pages state Eircodes wherever possible, as keying them into an online map will drop you onto the exact address. They only apply to addresses that receive mail so a lonely megalithic tomb on a mountainside won't have one, but that's seldom an issue in downtown Dublin.

Electricity is 230V using Type G plugs. Visitors from countries with different plugs will need an adapter.

Visitor info: Several places purport to be tourist information offices, but are simply agencies selling tours. The official source of advice is Visit Dublin, with two walk-in centres: Northside at 14 O'Connell St Upper D01 WP59, 200 yards (180 m) north of the post office, M-Sa 9AM-5PM; Southside at 3 Palace St D02 T277, next to City Hall west end of Temple Bar, M-Sa 9AM-5PM, Su 10:30AM-3PM.

Dublin has a mild climate moderated by the Atlantic, so it is a year-round destination. It seldom snows or freezes hard; summers are cool, around in July and August. The area is not particularly wet - its average annual rainfall of 732.7 mm (28.8 in) is less than London - but light showers are frequent. It's glorious when the sun shines but unless at some point in your trip you've spent 15 minutes sheltering under a shop awning on Grafton Street with cold rain dripping down your neck, wondering if it's too early to go the pub, you haven't really experienced Dublin.

Get in

Between airport and city: bus and taxi are the options, there's no rail or metro link.

Dublin Express runs to city centre and Heuston Station every 10 minutes or so. The last bus to the city is 11PM then the next is 5:30AM.

The two routes are: Bus 16 via Drumcondra railway station, O'Connell St, George's St and out to the southern suburbs of Rathmines and Ballanteer / Kingstown. It runs from morning until late evening. Bus 41 via Drumcondra railway station and O'Connell St, passing near Busáras, to Lower Abbey St. Northbound it runs out to Swords. It runs 24 hours every 20-30 minutes. Stops for the local buses are at Terminal 1 through the car park opposite Arrivals exit and then to the right. Pay with exact coins (bus drivers don't accept cards or banknotes, and don't give change). Alternatively, purchase a prepaid Leap Card (see "Get around") from a convenience store in the terminal or near the bus stops. Luggage space is limited on these local buses, and it's not unknown for drivers to turn away travellers with packs that cannot be stored. See "Get around" for rules on taxis.

Other destinations: most buses to other Irish cities run via the airport, see individual cities' "Get in". Within County Dublin: Bus 101 runs every 20 min to Balrothery, Balbriggan and Drogheda. This bus runs from Dublin Talbot St via Drumcondra but is not available for journeys just between city, airport and Swords. Bus 102 runs from the airport every 30 min to Swords, Malahide, Portmarnock and Sutton near Howth. Drumcondra (Bus 16 & 41) has trains from Connolly towards Maynooth. Aircoach Bus 700 runs to Leopardstown and Sandyford, 702 to Bray and Greystones, and 703 to Dún Laoghaire, Dalkey and Killiney.

Allow 45 min if you need to transfer between Heuston and Connolly.

By bus bus station is just south of Connolly railway station and 300 m east of O'Connell Street. It has Bus Eireann services from most towns in Ireland, such as Belfast (2 hr 30), Cork (4 hr), Limerick (3 hr 30), Galway (4 hr) and Donegal (2 hr 30), all running via the airport. Other operators are Kavanaghs from Limerick and Waterford, and Citylink and GoBus from Galway. Eurolines 871 runs on Saturday evening from London Victoria via Birmingham, Holyhead and the ferry to reach Dublin city centre early Sunday morning; the reverse run leaves Dublin Friday evening. The station has luggage lockers and pay-to-enter toilets in the basement.

Other bus companies don't use this station but leave from stops in the nearby streets.

has ferries from Holyhead in Wales (Stena and Irish Ferries, 3 hr 30 min) and Douglas, Isle of Man (Isle of Man Ferries, 3 hr 30 min). From Cherbourg in Normandy and Pembroke in Wales they nowadays only sail to Rosslare and not to Dublin.

The port is 2 km east of the centre; the number 53 bus connects the port to the bus station by Custom House in central Dublin. The bus usually only accepts Leap Cards. or coins: occasionally a driver will accept payment by notes or cards, but this is the exception. There is no facility for buying Leap Cards at the port. Foot passengers opting to walk to or from the port should avoid Alexandra Road. The M50 tunnel (toll) allows motorists to disembark at Dublin and drive straight onto the motorway without getting snarled in city centre traffic.

The former ferry port of Dún Laoghaire is no longer used. Another ferry route is the short crossing from Cairnryan in Scotland to Belfast, then by road or rail to Dublin.

By car If you're visiting just for a day trip, don't bring a car into the congested centre, use a Park & Ride. From the south, use either Sandyford Luas stop, just off junction 15 of M50 on Blackthorn Rd, or Bray DART stop on Bray Rd. From the west, use Red Cow Luas stop, off junction 9 of M50. From the north east, use Howth DART station.

Get around

You can see much of the city on foot.

By public transport Public transport in Dublin consists of trains, trams and buses. Unlike many other European capitals, the rail network in Dublin is quite limited, so buses are by far the main mode of public transport. Public transport is not run by a single agency, but by a number of state-contracted operators, and most information is provided separately on each operator's website. Trains are run by Irish Rail and trams by Luas, while most buses are run by Dublin Bus, except some local buses in suburban areas which are run by Go-Ahead Ireland.

Transport for Ireland (TFI) is the umbrella brand for public transport in Ireland, although its website primarily just directs you to the individual operators websites for information. However, the TFI Journey Planner is a good way to plan your journey across different modes, and the Live Departures provides real time information for all rail and bus stops. TFI also provides a number of smartphone apps including a journey planner and real time departures. The journey planner app also provides real time departures, so you don't need to download both. The TFI Journey Planner and Live Departures are also integrated into Google Transit and are available within Google Maps.

Tickets and Leap Card You can use the Leap Card (see below) to pay on all forms of public transport in Dublin and most of Ireland. Children under 5 travel for free. You cannot pay using contactless bank cards though this is planned to be rolled out in the future.

On trains and trams, tickets can also be purchased from ticket vending machines at the station or stop prior to boarding. Train tickets are valid for the day of purchase and are sometimes needed to get through the entry and exit turnstiles at stations, though most smaller stations do not have these. Tram tickets do not have to be validated prior to boarding, but must be used within 90 minutes of purchase. Banknotes are not taken, and if you overpay in coins, no change is given.

If you register your card online, it can later be refunded to an EU bank account or a number of charities.

To use your Leap Card on trains or trams, you need to tag-on by holding your card against the turnstile or validator before boarding, and then tag-off again at the turnstile or validator at the end of your journey. To use your Leap Card on buses, hold your card against the validator on the right hand side of the door. Unlike trains and trams, you don't need to tag-off when you leave the bus. It's important to note that if you don't tag-on before travelling, you don't have a valid ticket, so you could be fined if a ticket inspector boards and checks your card. This is uncommon on buses and trains but happens often on the Luas.

Child caps are much lower, about one third of the adult caps.

This can be purchased at arrivals in Dublin Airport (WH Smith and Wrights in Terminal 1 and Spar in Terminal 2) in some city centre tourist offices, or ordered online for delivery. Once your chosen time period expires, you can also top it up with additional time periods at most convenience shops in the city.

Inter-city, commuter and DART trains use the same track, but vary in the stops they make. DART (Dublin Area Rapid Transit) is a suburban line along the coast, from Howth and Malahide in the north to Bray and Greystones in the south, via Connolly and other city centre stations, Dún Laoghaire and Dalkey. Trains run 6AM-11PM and the core section between Howth Junction and Bray has trains M-F every 10 min and Sa Su every 30 min. North of Howth Junction, alternate trains head either for Malahide or for Howth. South of Bray, every third train extends to Greystones. Change at Bray for inter-city trains to Wicklow, Wexford and Rosslare. Commuter trains fan out to towns within an hour or so of the city. - North from Connolly to Drogheda, along the coast via Portmarnock, Malahide, Donabate, Rush, Skerries and Balbriggan. They're hourly, daily, and rush-hour trains extend to Dundalk. Change at Drogheda for Newry and Belfast. - West from Connolly to Maynooth via Drumcondra, Castleknock, Clonsilla and Leixlip. There's a branch line from Clonsilla to Dunboyne and M3 Parkway, which is the P&R for the Navan and Trim area. They're hourly, daily; change at Maynooth for Mullingar, Longford, Boyle and Sligo. Another branch line connects Grand Canal Dock with Connolly and Drumcondra. - Southwest from Heuston to Portlaoise via Park West & Cherry Orchard, Clondalkin, Adamstown, Hazelhatch & Celbridge, Sallins (for Naas), Newbridge, Kildare, Monasterevin, and Portarlington. They're hourly M-Sa and every two hours on Sunday. The branch line from Grand Canal Dock also connects M-F via Connolly and Drumcondra, bypassing Heuston to join the route at Park West & Cherry Orchard as far as Hazelhatch & Celbridge.

Connolly and Heuston are the principal stations, see Get in. Others that visitors might use are on the DART line south from Connolly: - Tara Street just south of the river for Temple Bar and Trinity College - Pearse for Merrion Square and the National Museums - Grand Canal Dock for southside dockland and the start of the canal - Lansdowne Road for the stadium - Sandymount for Ballsbridge

Day return, 1 day, 3 day, 7 day and monthly tickets are also available. (See Rail travel in Ireland for other ticket deals, some of which are thoroughly bad value.) Your ticket is valid for any train, so if, for example, you are waiting for a city-bound DART in the suburbs and an inter-city train happens to come along you can use it (it won't be any faster but likely will be more comfortable).

Luas, Irish for "speed", is Dublin's tram system. Trams are modern and reliable, and run frequently from 6AM to midnight. There are two lines: Red line is east-west, from The Point in the docklands and Connolly Station to Busáras, Abbey Street, Heuston Station, St James's Hospital, Red Cow P&R then either Tallaght P&R or Cheeverstown P&R and Saggart in the southwest of the city. This line passes through many rough areas so please be careful of your belongings. Green line is north-south, from Broombridge to TU Dublin Grangegorman Campus, Marlborough St southbound / O'Connell St northbound, Trinity College, St Stephen's Green, Dundrum, P&Rs at Balally, Stillorgan and Sandyford, Leopardstown, Carrickmines P&R and Brides Glen in the southeast of the city.

The lines cross in the north city centre, with a 100-m walk from the Abbey Street stop on the Red line to the Green lines north or south, a block apart at that point.

You must validate your Leap Card or buy your ticket before boarding: there are machines by all the stops. Day return, 1-day and 7-day tickets are available.

By bus City network An overhaul of the Dublin bus network, known as "BusConnects" across both operators (see below) is ongoing as of mid-2026, and bus routes and numbers are subject to change. A confusing hybrid system is in place, with "old numbers" such as Routes 15 and 27 still active along with "new routes" such as G1 and C2. While all TFI app and online-based material, including Google Maps, is usually up to date, references to bus routes may be out of date.

An extensive network of 150 bus routes serves most parts of the city and its surrounding suburbs. Most buses in the city centre pass through the O'Connell St area (including Mountjoy and Parnell Squares, Eden Quay and Fleet St) and the Trinity College area (including Pearse St, Nassau St, Dame St and College Green). Services vary from high frequency routes running every few minutes all day, to lower frequency routes running every hour or less, to peak-only limited-stop "Xpresso" routes and weekend-only late night "Nitelink" routes.

The bus network in Dublin is run by two companies, with timetables listed on two websites, and displayed at stops in different formats. Dublin Bus operate all cross-city routes, and all routes which run to and from the city centre. The timetables displayed at stops refer to the time the bus leaves the terminus, not the time it will be passing that particular stop, so there is a bit of guesswork required. Best to check on the TFI App or Google Maps. Go-Ahead Ireland operate local routes in the suburbs, as well as orbital routes which avoid the city centre. In contrast to Dublin Bus, all Go-Ahead Ireland timetables displayed at stops refer to the times buses are due to be passing that particular stop. A detailed map of the entire city network, colour coded by frequency is available here (and for the far outer areas see here).

Those paying with a TFI Leap Card can also benefit from unlimited journeys within a 90-minute period, and maximum daily and weekly caps. See Tickets and Leap Card. Children under 5 travel free.

At most stops, an electronic sign lists the next 4 to 6 real-time departures, however these are not always accurate and may not be working. The best way to check real-time departures is the TFI app (see By public transport above). All buses display their route number and destination on the front. When you see your bus approaching, hold out your hand to signal to the driver that you want to get on, otherwise they may not stop. If you have a Leap Card, enter on the right-hand side and tag on by holding your card against the reader. Otherwise enter on the left-hand side to pay the driver.

Inside the bus, small screens display the next stop in both Irish and English, along with an audio announcement in both languages. When you see or hear your stop being announced, press one of the red buttons to signal to the driver that you want to get off.

This information may be out of date due to ongoing changes to the network in 2026!

Cross-city buses are operated by Dublin Bus and ply every 10 minutes M-Sa and 20-30 min on Sundays: Bus 4 from Harristown and Ballymun in the north to Ballsbridge and Blackrock in the southeast. Bus 15 from Clongriffin and Artane in the northeast to Templeogue and Ballycullen in the southwest. It runs 24 hours, every 30 min overnight. Bus 16 from Dublin Airport and Santry in the north to Rathfarnham and Ballinteer in the south. Bus 27 from Clare Hall and Artane in the northeast to Walkinstown and Tallaght in the southwest. Bus 39a from Ongar and Blanchardstown in the northwest to Baggot Street and University College Dublin in the southeast. It runs 24 hours, every 30 min overnight. Bus 40 from Charlestown and Finglas in the northwest to Ballyfermot and Liffey Valley in the west. Bus 41 / 41c operate from Swords, Santry and Drumcondra in the north to Abbey Street in the city centre, with alternate buses (route 41) serving Dublin Airport - this runs 24 hours, every 30 min overnight. Bus 46a from Phoenix Park northwest to University College Dublin, Stillorgan and Dún Laoghaire southeast. Bus 130 from Abbey Street in city centre to Clontarf, Bull Island and St Annes Park to the northeast. Bus 145 from Heuston Station in the inner west to University College Dublin, Stillorgan and Bray in the southeast. Bus C1 / C2 from Adamstown and Lucan to Heuston station, the Quays, Ballsbridge and Sandymount. Together they run 24 hours, every 30 min overnight. Bus G1 / G2 from Spencer Dock to St James Hospital Ballyfermot then either Red Cow tram terminal or Liffey Valley Shopping Centre. Together they run 24 hours, every 30 min overnight.

Several orbital routes skirt the city centre, run by Go Ahead, usually daily every 20-30 min: Bus 17 runs south, from Rialto via Terenure, Rathfarnham and University College Dublin to Blackrock. Bus 17a runs north, from Blanchardstown via Finglas, Ballymun, Santry and Coolock to Kilbarrack. Bus 18 crosses the inner south, from Palmerstown via Ballyfermot, Kylemore, Crumlin, Rathmines, Ranelagh and Ballsbridge to Sandymount. Bus 75 crosses the outer south, from Tallaght via Rathfarnham, Ballinteer, Dundrum and Stillorgan to Dún Laoghaire. Bus 175 takes the same route to Dundrum then heads to University College Dublin. Bus 76 crosses the west, from Tallaght via Clondalkin, Liffey Valley and Ballyfermot to Chapelizod, with a few extending to Blanchardstown.

At night: in summary the 24-hour bus routes are 41 (the only night bus from the airport), 15, 39a, C1 / C2 and G1 / G2.

"Nitelink" night buses run from midnight to 4AM on Friday and Saturday, on 15 routes radiating from D'Olier Street, Westmoreland Street and Aston Quay. They run every hour or two, for instance to Portmarnock, Howth, Balbriggan, Bray and Greystones. Their service is outbound-only.

See also individual towns for their overnight services from the city.

Hiring a bicycle is a handy way to get around if you want to get outside the very centre of the city and are comfortable cycling in traffic. That being said, the city is not very bicycle-friendly, either in terms of quantity & quality of bike paths, pedestrians and drivers honouring the bike paths, road space available where there is no bike path (i.e. numerous narrow roads), or driver attitudes in general.

When cycling in the city centre, be aware that cycle lanes, where they exist, are generally shared with buses, taxis, motorcycles, and parked cars; cyclists should pay particular attention when approaching bus stops where a bus is pulling out. Motorbikes and e-scooters are not allowed to use the cycle lanes, but many still do so. Passing on the left is also allowed only in limited circumstances but is in fact still common. When cycling in Phoenix Park, while there is a dedicated cycle lane on both sides of the main thoroughfare pedestrians also use these.

There are bikes to hire in several locations around the city centre with the Dublinbikes scheme. You can purchase the 3-day pass only at stations which accept credit cards, but once purchased you can use it to rent bikes at any station. Among others, there is a Dublinbikes bike hire place located at the entrance to the Phoenix Park, Dublin 8.

By car Don't drive in the city centre if you can realistically avoid it. For instance, if you plan to see Dublin before touring the country, take the bus in from the airport and return there a few days later to hire your car. For a day-trip, use the city edge Park & Rides.

Multi-storey parking garages are available but incredibly expensive. Check also what the deal is with your accommodation; a central place may not have its own parking.

Dublin's outer ring road is the M50, which starts from the port downtown and tunnels beneath the north city (tolled tunnel) to the airport perimeter, where the M1 continues north towards Belfast while the M50 arcs round the city with access to all western and southern arterial routes. There's another toll between Junctions 6 (N3 to Blanchardstown) and 7 (N4 to Lucan). There are no toll booths to improve traffic flow. You can pay tolls at petrol stations but the easiest way is to pay online either in advance or by 8PM next day. Do not forget as there's a penalty for late payment (to which your hire company and credit card will gleefully add).

The Outer Orbital Route, or M45, is a proposed bypass further out, arcing round from Drogheda to Navan, Enfield and Newbridge. The government keeps confirming this plan but nothing has happened; it would carve through important sites such as Hill of Tara. Meanwhile the same name is also used for the Outer and Inner orbital routes within the M50 semicircle. These are just existing streets interconnecting between the radial roads, confusingly signed and with much zigzagging.

By taxi Taxis in Ireland can be identified by the yellow plate on the roof. Have nothing to do with cars without this, these are unofficial taxis.

Taxis are required to use the meter, to accept credit and debit cards as well as cash, and not to surcharge any card.

See

Dublin's top attractions sell out in summer. Buy tickets online in advance if you know you want to see something, especially for the Book of Kells where even early arrivals may find all the day's slots are filled.

The Dublin Pass gives you free and fast track entry to thirty-some attractions in Dublin. The Pass doesn't include the National Museum sites (free anyhow), the Library and Book of Kells at Trinity College, or any public transport.

GPO Museum. The GPO is the headquarters of the Post Office in Ireland, built in Neo-Classical style 1814-1818. In 1916 it was occupied by Irish rebels led by PH Pearse, who read the Proclamation of the Republic outside the front door of the building. The interior was burnt out by shelling from government forces against the rebels, but the exterior survived. Subsequently the GPO was restored, reopening in 1929, and remains a busy working post office. The museum within it is a multimedia exploration of the Easter Rising.

O'Connell Street is the broad thoroughfare running north from the river. It was smashed up in the 1916 uprising and subsequent civil war, but rebuilt; then in the 1970s the developers made one sorry mess of it. And their assistants: All along O'Connell Street the pieces flew, up went Nelson, and the pillar too... was the ditty commemorating the 1966 IRA bombing of Nelson's Column. Where it stood, next to the GPO, is now the 121-m pin of the Spire of Dublin; close by on North Earl St is the James Joyce Statue. Northbound trams glide up the street: go a block east for the southbound track. As of 2026 the street is best avoided by day and especially by night due to rampant and open drug-dealing and drug-taking leading to anti-social behaviour, even violence. Most locals avoid the street at all times.

St Mary's Pro-Cathedral. Dublin's Catholic cathedral, built in 1825. Catholicism was always the majority religion in Ireland, but its practice was forbidden until the 19th century. The official cathedral is Christ Church, so designated by the Pope in 1300, but taken over by the Protestants in the 16th century. When the laws relaxed, St Mary's was built in neo-Classical style as a temporary or "pro"-cathedral, until such time as the Pope decrees otherwise or the Protestants hand back Christ Church. Neither event appears imminent.

National Leprechaun Museum. The "little folk" appeared in lore around 1300 AD but only flourished from the 19th century Celtic revival, dressed in late Georgian garb in an idealised rural past, mending a shoe. They proliferated into the silliest of 20th century Irish tourism, like greenfly upon the Rose of Tralee, and fell out of fashion. This museum is immersive telling of the stories woven around them, with a daytime and darker night show.

Parnell Square is the north end of O'Connell St, where it bends and becomes Frederick St. Here are the Rotunda Hospital, Hugh Lane Gallery, James Joyce Centre, Writer's Museum and Garden of Remembrance.

Hugh Lane Gallery. Sir Hugh Lane (1875-1915) was one of the first collectors of modern art. He died in the sinking of Lusitania and this public gallery reflects his Will, which involved about as much negotiation, fudge and compromise as the Treaty for Irish independence. The permanent exhibitions are mostly contemporary Irish artists, plus Francis Bacon's studio, relocated from London in 2001. Charlemont House was built in 1763 and in 1929 its gardens were built over to create the gallery, which is wheelchair accessible.

Garden of Remembrance across the street from the gallery and museum commemorates those who died in the struggle for Irish independence. Open daily.

James Joyce Centre. Georgian townhouse with an exhibition of Joyce's life and times. He never lived here himself.

Saint Saviour is a confident neo-Gothic church on Dominick St Lower, west of the Rotunda. Built in 1853, it's the Priory of the Dominican order, who also worship at St Martin's Chapel on Parnell Square.

is the one on all the picture postcards and film locations, a 43 m cast-iron arch spanning the river between Liffey St Lower and Wellington Quay. Officially called the "Liffey Bridge" (Droichead na Life), it was built in 1816 to replace the cross-river ferries, with the right to charge a ha'penny toll for the next century. There were turnstiles at both ends, removed in 1919 after the toll ceased. The bridge was extensively repaired in 2001. Please don't clutter it up with "love-locks" - the last big clean-up removed 300 kg of these, and bear in mind that those repairs were by Harland and Wolff, builders of the Titanic. Downstream from O'Connell Bridge the river broadens into dockland and the open sea, with poignant reminders of the Irish people's relationship with that sea. on Custom House Quay depicts victims of the Great Famine (an Gorta Mór) of 1845-49, when a million died and another million fled the country. Five gaunt figures totter to the docks with their bundles as if to take ship and leave. Or perhaps they hope for scraps from those ships, which during the famine years were briskly exporting food for profit, plenty to feed everyone yet unaffordable to most.

EPIC The Irish Emigration Museum. Over the centuries more than 10 million people emigrated from Ireland; this is the story of why they left, where they went and how they shaped the world.

The Jeanie Johnston. One million Irish people fled Ireland during the famine. 2500 took a gruelling voyage aboard the Jeanie Johnston, and this is a replica. You take a 50 min tour above and below deck.

, designed by Santiago Calatrava, is a harp-shaped cable-stay road bridge of 120 m. It spans the river between North Wall Quay (in Docklands, north bank) and Sir John Rogerson's Quay (near Grand Canal Square, south bank) and the whole contraption hinges through 90 degrees to let ships pass. Daytime it's busy with traffic and is most scenic when floodlit at night. Calatrava also designed the James Joyce bridge upstream.

Green on Red Gallery. Commercial gallery exhibiting Irish and international modern art.

Outhouse LGBTQ+ Centre. Safe space for LGBTQ+ people, with community café, social and cultural events, resources and support services, a queer library, theatre and meeting spaces.

14 Henrietta Street. Many Dubliners lived in buildings like this. Built in the 1740s, its first occupant was Lord Viscount Molesworth and his family, and after him came a series of Right Honorable This and Viscount That and Bishop of Wherever. But the union with England in 1801 drained power and money to London, and the neighbourhood went downhill. Rural folk flocked to Dublin after the famine, so the building was broken up into tenements, with 100 living here. From the 1930s the inner city drained out to new suburbs, and No 14 fell derelict in 1970 before being preserved. Visit by guided tour.

Royal Canal loops around the north city and is navigable to the Shannon.

Most of Dublin's top sights are a short way south of the river, notably Trinity College, the National Museum archaeology collections, the National Gallery, and the elegant Georgian town through Merrion Square to St Stephen's Green.

Trinity College. Trinity College is the fine Georgian campus of the University of Dublin. It's generally open to stroll around in daylight hours, but it is a working university, and most interiors are off-limits to tourists. You can visit the Chapel near the front (west) gate of the College. But the big attraction is the Old Library and Book of Kells. Book online, otherwise buy your ticket from the machines under the Lecky library just south. This is for a timed slot, and at weekends may be booked out. You enter an exhibition hall setting the Book in the context of other monastic writings of its period, circa 800 AD. Next enter the display area: only two pages are displayed at any time, one being richly illustrated with little text (or no text, on the "carpet" pages), and one page being text of the Vulgate Gospels, written in Insular Majuscule Latin. But it's difficult to enjoy, with crowds jostling round the display case. Next, go upstairs into the massive Long Hall of the library, with books and ladders and more books and ladders towering away upwards. No books are accessible to the public. Last but not least, exit through the gift shop, which can be entered without a ticket.

Douglas Hyde Gallery is within TCD next to the Old Library. It displays modern art and is free, open W-Su noon-5PM. Douglas Hyde (1860-1949) was the first President of Ireland. Bank of Ireland opposite the College has a small display of early banknotes and memorabilia. This fine building was Ireland's parliament until that was abolished in 1800. Listen Now Again within the Bank is a free exhibition of the life and worlds of Seamus Heaney (1939-2013). It's open M-Sa 10AM-4PM and runs to the end of 2025.

Irish Whiskey Museum. And not before time.

Temple Bar is the district just west of the College along the riverside, with wall-to-wall pubs and eating places. Its cobbled streets are thronged with merry-makers, and by late afternoon the hen parties and lads' outings are steaming, raucous and upchucking.

is the subject of a 19th-century music-hall ballad, pushing her wheelbarrow and crying "cockles and mussels alive, alive-oh" before dying of a fever. She's entirely fictional, though Dublin had many such street-hawkers, and she's not to be confused with Mary Mallon of Cookstown, the all-too-real "Typhoid Mary". Her kitsch statue dates to 1988 and was installed on nearby Grafton Street, but moved to its present spot in 2014 to make way for tram tracks. She's often mocked as "The Tart with the Cart" or "The Trollop with the Scallop" and her breasts (above an unhistorical low-cut dress) have been well polished by passing hands. Alas amidst these misogynist tropes and gropes, we forget the sad fate of the cockles and mussels themselves.

National Gallery of Ireland. Impressive national collection of Irish and European Art. In January the gallery displays its watercolours by JMW Turner; the original donor specified that they had to be kept out of the light for the rest of the year.

National Museum of Ireland - Archaeology. Amazing display of Ireland's artefacts from prehistory through the Viking era to independence. The standout is the Treasury (with the 12th century Ardagh Chalice and 9th century Tara Brooch), and the prehistoric jewellery: gold and silver beautifully worked and carved.

Leinster House. This opulent Georgian mansion is in the same block as the Archaeology Museum. Designed by Cassels, it was built in 1745 as the residence of the Duke of Leinster at a time when the southside was unfashionable. It proved an "anchor development" and Dublin's centre of power and culture soon gravitated from the northside. From 1922 it became the temporary base of the Oireachtas, the Irish bi-cameral parliament, and like the Ulster border it remains temporary over a century later. Tours are only available if you're sponsored by a TD or senator.

National Museum of Ireland - Natural History. The "Dead Zoo" contains a comprehensive zoological collection presented in a manner unchanged since its establishment in Victorian times.

is a large stately square filled with grassy and shady areas and surrounded by Georgian red-brick houses. At the northwest corner is a life-sized statue of the writer and dramatist Oscar Fingal O'Flahertie Wills Wilde (1854-1900), who grew up at No. 1 here. He's depicted sprawled on the embankment, with a lop-sided smirk, as if totally wasted. (As if! And him with the hollowest legs in London!) Two short marble columns are covered in his quotable quotes. On the surrounding buildings, plaques commemorate other notable residents, such as the Duke of Wellington. The fine architecture continues south, along Mount Street Upper and Fitzwilliam Street Lower. is a pleasant Victorian public park, open in daylight hours. The Fusiliers' Arch was erected in 1907 to commemorate the Royal Dublin Fusiliers who fell in the Second Boer War (1899-1902).

Little Museum of Dublin. Their main building on St Stephen's Green is closed for renovation, so this is a temporary home. It displays the 20th-century social, cultural and political history of Dublin city, with many artefacts donated by Dubliners. Visit by guided tour every hour.

The Mansion House on Dawson Street is the office of the Lord Mayor of Dublin. You can only get in to see it (eg the plush 1821 Round Room) for special events or on occasional open days. Iveagh Gardens are a block south of St Stephens Green: a hidden green space, as they're secluded by buildings.

Irish Jewish Museum. Exhibiting Jewish life in the cities - as in Great Britain, many were emigres from "White Russia". Their best known member is fictional, Leopold Bloom the protagonist of Ulysses.

The Grand Canal marks the southern boundary of the inner city; the Royal Canal similarly loops across the northern city. Both were built in the 18th and 19th century to carry passengers and freight between Dublin and the Shannon and Atlantic. The Grand Canal took 47 years to construct: the expense of crossing the Bog of Allen replicated the prehistoric custom of sinking gold into bogs. And indeed Irish waterways go that far back, as the earliest dwellers could barely get about by land. Waterways Ireland website gives information eg on walks, navigability and fishing on this and the other canals.

West city The original Dublin was in this area, at the confluence of the Poddle (now culverted) and the Liffey. Their peaty waters formed a dark pool, in Irish dubh linn.

Dublin Castle. Former seat of British rule in Ireland. The guided tour takes in the medieval basements and Chapel Royal, then you see the State Apartments in your own time. You can skip the tour and just see the apartments for less.

Chester Beatty Library. Sir Alfred Chester Beatty (1875-1968) was an American mining magnate who amassed a fabulous collection of early books and manuscripts and oriental art. He moved to London and collaborated generously with the British Museum, but in 1950 there was a falling-out and he moved to Ireland. He established the library to avoid his collection being split up; it's now in the Clock Tower in the Castle gardens.

Christ Church Cathedral. A wooden church was built by the Vikings around 1030, and the first stone church was from the 1180s. So this is the oldest building in Dublin, though it underwent a massive restoration in the 1870s. It became Protestant under Henty VIII, apart from a brief Roman Catholic interlude in 1690 when the exiled James II was campaigning in Ireland, and the Vatican still claims it. The oldest part is the large crypt, where amongst the items on display are a mummified cat and rat, which got themselves stuck in the church organ in the 19th century.

Dublinia. Exhibition of life in the Viking settlement and medieval city, child-friendly.

St Audoen's Church on Cornmarket near Christ Church is a 19th century neo-classical church built over 12th-century remains. It's now the RC Polish Chaplaincy for Ireland.

St Patrick's Cathedral. Founded in 1191, it became Anglican at the Reformation, so the Protestants had two cathedrals in the same city while the Catholics had none. It feuded with Christ Church over rights and precedence, until 1871 when Christ Church was nominated the senior church for Dublin and Glendalough and St Patrick's for the rest of Ireland. Jonathan Swift, author of Gulliver's Travels, was dean of St Patrick's from 1713 to 1745 and is buried here, as is his lady friend Stella Johnson. It was rebuilt in the 1860s into a confident pile of Victoriana, and anything that looks medieval is probably a 19th century concoction.

St Michan's Church on Church St north of the river was built in 1686 on Viking foundations. It has fine interior woodwork and an organ used by Handel. The main draw is the mummified remains in the vaults: a 400-year old nun, a crusader, and the ancient Earls of Leitrim. See these by guided tour M-Th on the hour 10AM-noon, 2-4PM.

National Museum of Ireland - Decorative Arts & History. The building is remarkable, a Georgian barracks around a parade square. Displays decorative arts and artefacts over 400 years, from rustic houses through Georgian elegance to "Proclaiming a Republic", the events of Easter 1916 when the interior decor of the Post Office took a sad turn for the worse.

Irish Museum of Modern Art. Modern and contemporary art, housed in the Royal Hospital of 1684. See also the elegant courtyard and formal gardens.

Kilmainham Gaol. This prison was in use 1796-1924; thousands have passed through, including many convicts transported to Australia. It's best known as the place where the rebels from the 1916 Easter Rising were executed. (Several now lie in Arbour Hill Cemetery just north of the Decorative Arts Museum.) Access by guided tour every 30 min, pre-booking essential.

Irish National War Memorial park and gardens are dedicated to the 49,500 Irish soldiers who died in the Great War. They're on the riverside just north of Kilmainham Gaol.

Dublin Zoo. Opened in 1830 and extended in 1997, this Zoo has a dozen habitats and is the largest in Ireland.

is the largest enclosed urban park in Europe, 2.5 km by 2 km, and accessible free 24 hours. It includes Dublin Zoo, the residences of the President of Ireland and of the US Ambassador, the Cross commemorating the Pope's visit in 1979, a monument to the 1882 assassinations here, several sports fields, and a herd of fallow deer. Just beyond is Farmleigh mansion. But no phoenix, the name derives from Irish fionn uisce — "clear water". The closest entrance to city centre is 500 m northeast of Heuston station, or take buses 25/26/66/67 to Parkgate St. President's Residence (Áras an Uachtaráin) can be visited by free guided tour on Saturdays. Pick up a ticket from the Phoenix Park visitor centre, no booking.

Grangegorman Military Cemetery is a leafy, reflective space on the northeast flank of Phoenix Park, opposite the fish ponds. Most of those here were fighting under the flag of Britain, not Ireland. Farmleigh is an Edwardian mansion off White's Road at the west end of Phoenix Park. is the bosky riverside neighbourhood west of Phoenix Park, which as the name implies was market gardens. It's a pleasant area to cycle or stroll, its pubs include Anglers’ Rest, Strawberry Hall and Wren’s Nest.

Ballsbridge is Dublin's embassy district and has Ireland's most expensive properties, especially along Shrewsbury Road and Ailesbury Road. The Royal Dublin Society is based here and promotes many cultural events. Get here on Bus 4 or 7, but it really ought to be an embassy limo. Donnybrook is separated from Ballsbridge by Herbert Park and is prosperous rather than opulent. It's best known for Donnybrook Fair, founded in 1204 and lasting until 1855 by which time it was a byword for drunkenness, fighting and hasty marriages. Yes, the bus will do for this area, the 46a. Ranelagh and Dartry are also worth a look. Ranelagh is small but affluent, reached by the Luas Green line and with several well-regarded eateries. Sandymount, a coastal suburb 3 km southeast of the centre, is an affluent area that was the birthplace of WB Yeats, and features prominently in James Joyce's Ulysses. There is a grand walk from Sandymount across the north end of its beach to the South Bull Wall which reaches a finger well out into the Bay. is now a "city-within-a-city" on Belfield Campus.

Rathfarnham Castle. Built as a fortified mansion around 1583 and prettified in the 18th century, it fell derelict in the 19th but has been restored as a museum.

Pearse Museum. Patrick Pearse (1879-1916) saw Irish culture and language as essential for national independence. His one and only case as a barrister was his unsuccessful defence of a Donegal tradesman for using an "illegible" sign, and the verdict effectively made Irish signage illegal. He set up a language school in 1908, which moved here in 1910. He was also a leading Republican, reading the proclamation of independence on the GPO steps in the Easter Rising of 1916. He was court-martialled and shot nine days later.

The Royal Canal bounds it to the south: this has a good towpath and is navigable all the way to the Shannon. (Remarkably, its backers lost even more money than those of the Grand Canal.) On its east side is Croke Park, the centrepoint of Gaelic sports. To the west it runs into Glasnevin, which has the National Botanic Gardens, Glasnevin Cemetery and good restaurants. Many bus routes come this way, and commuter trains towards Maynooth stop at Drumcondra.

Glasnevin Cemetery. This opened as an RC cemetery in 1832, in an era when the Catholics weren't allowed their own parish churches, and their burials were begrudged affairs in Protestant ground. Glasnevin has grown and grown, expanding south across Finglas road into the St Paul's section, but the famous names are north side. You can visit the cemetery free, but to make sense of it go to the visitor centre (daily 10AM-5PM, closed M Tu in winter). Walking tours visit the graves of Daniel O'Connell, Charles Stewart Parnell, Michael Collins, Eamonn De Valera and many others of historic or architectural interest. A back gate connects to the Botanic Gardens.

National Botanic Gardens. Extensive gardens favouring alkaline-loving species. The great Palm House was where Wittgenstein often came to warm his lugubrious backside. A gateway leads into Glasnevin Cemetery adjacent. The gardens also manage the arboretum at Kilmacurragh near Wicklow Town.

Clontarf is a suburb on the north shore of the Tolka estuary. Here on 23 April 1014 was the battle at which Brian Boru defeated Leinster and their Viking allies but was killed himself. Clontarf has a 4.5-km promenade, traversed by Buses 104, 130 and 32X from the city, so it's a popular seaside outing. (Don't take the train, which runs inland.) St Anne's Park was the estate of the Guinness family home, and has ponds, follies, walks and a Rose Garden. Clontarf Island has disappeared beneath the waves, but in 2004 archaeologists were astounded by a Moai or Easter Island statue that now stands near the pier, until they read in the newspapers that it was a replica gifted by the government of Chile. is reached by two causeways. The South Bull and North Bull were sandbanks, and a confounded nuisance for navigation into Dublin; works to clear them began in the 18th century but the sea always won. In the 19th century a wall was built that funneled the estuary outflow, scouring the channel so the South Bull washed away while the North Bull grew into the present island. So it's not short of sand, and the 5 km Dollymount Strand is Dublin's best beach. The southern half of the island is a birdlife reserve and the north is St Anne's golf course. The south causeway from Clontarf, the "Wooden Bridge", was built in 1819 as a temporary access while the wall was built, but they decided to keep it: it's a single lane, traffic-light controlled. Causeway Road is the broader highway to mid-island.

Do

So Padraig comes for a job in construction, and the hiring boss says "So can you tell me, what's the difference between a joist and a girder?" "Sure, everyone knows that. Joist wrote Ulysses and Girder wrote Faust."

Guinness Storehouse. Guinness is brewed in 49 countries and Ireland just happens to be one of them. The St James Gate brewery is still in production, now part of Diageo, and this vast storehouse has become an exhibition (self-guided) on the drink and the Guinness family. Outside, touristy-trappy horse-drawn carriages ply for hire, but a stretch limo for the 2 km ride back to city centre might be cheaper.

Teeling Distillery. Distillery opened in 2015, primarily for whiskey but with small amounts of poitín.

Jameson Distillery. Jameson whiskey was produced in Dublin from 1780 to 1976, when the business relocated to Midleton near Cork. So the old Bow St distillery no longer makes whiskey but has been converted into a museum about the process and industry.

The Lazy Bike Tour Company. Two-hour bike tours of the major sights and off the beaten track, with informative guides.

Walking Tours. Dublin city is famous for its characters. A great way to experience and live the city is by learning about it from people who are characters themselves - Dublin Tour Guides. Tours can vary from one to four hours in length and include, as well as the standard sightseeing tour, tours on topics like the paranormal and ghosts, music and song, literature, historical, 1916 Rising, and even Irish mythology. There are various walking tour companies and freelance tour guides available in Dublin. Anyone interested in geeky history should try the Ingenious Dublin tours, that cover history of medicine, Irish inventions (yes, there are lots!), great Irish scientists (lots of those too). They have walking tours and self-guided MP3 tours.

Dublin Literary Pub Crawl. This is the most ingenious crash course in Irish literature, history, architecture and pub bonhomie yet devised... It combines street theatre with the 'craic' that makes Dublin pubs the liveliest in Europe. It is a highly enjoyable evening that gives you the pleasant notion of replacing brain cells as you drown them. The tour is a kind of rough guide to the cultural, religious and political life of the city. Performances by professional actors are central to the experience, not forgetting a fun-filled quiz with prizes for the winners. Can be a bit formal at times but this one's been going a long time and is well worth the experience for such an unusual tour. There's just enough time to stop in each pub for a pint as well.

Abbey Theatre. Opened in 1904, and always at the centre of the Irish drama scene, the Abbey is a good venue for catching local playwrights' work but with a global repertoire. It's intended to replace the current building with two new theatres fronting onto the Liffey. This will mean a lengthy closure, but the work has not started.

Gaiety Theatre. Founded in 1871 so this is the oldest continually operating theatre in Dublin. It hosts popular musical shows, opera, ballet, dance and drama.

Gate Theatre. This has a focus on European and American theatre ranging from classics to modern plays. It was established as a theatre company in 1928 by Hilton Edward and Micheál MacLiammóir.

National Concert Hall. This offers classical concerts. Frequent performances by the resident orchestra, the RTÉ National Symphony Orchestra. The main auditorium seats 1200 and there are three smaller spaces. It was built in 1865 for a trade fair then became an entertainment venue then the core of University College Dublin. It became a concert hall from 1981 when UCD moved to the Belfield campus.

Bord Gáis Energy Theatre. The theatre offers a wide range of shows featuring ballet, musicals, family shows, drama, concerts, comedy and opera. With a 2100-seater auditorium, the building was designed by Daniel Libeskind and completed in 2010.

The Helix. Event venue and theatre located in the northern suburbs of the city, built in 1996. Hosts a wide variety of talks and performances.

International Dublin Gay Theatre Festival is held in May, celebrating the contribution of gay people to theatre, past and present. The event was founded in 2004 to mark the 150th anniversary of the birth of Oscar Wilde in his native city. It has an emphasis on new International and Irish works with a broadly gay theme or relevance.

Gaelic Games: Croke Park Stadium. This stages Gaelic football and hurling for Dublin County GAA and national competitions, with a playing season April-Sep. The stadium has a capacity of 82,300 yet you may struggle to get tickets for big games. Tours of the stadium and GAA museum are also available, including a chance to try out these sports. You can also take the "skyline walk" across the stadium roof.

Rugby union: Leinster Rugby. Leinster play in the United Rugby Championship, the professional European league, and often win it. The stadium has a capacity of 18,500 and big games sometimes transfer to Aviva stadium.

on Lansdowne Rd D04 W2F3 is Ireland's national stadium, capacity 51,700. International rugby, soccer and other big events are hosted here. It's a mile southeast of the centre, take the DART train to Lansdowne Rd or buses towards Sandymount or Ballsbridge. Football: the soccer season in the Republic is March-November, with games usually on Friday evenings at 7:45PM.

Shamrock Rovers. They play in the League of Ireland Premier Division, the top tier. The stadium (capacity 10,500) is on N81 two km west of M50.

Shelbourne FC also play in the Premier Division. Their stadium (capacity 5700) is Tokla Park in Drumcondra, 5 km north of city centre.

Leopardstown Racecourse. This has regular meetings throughout the year, flat-racing in summer and jumps in winter. There's a "Pay as you Play" golf course within the racecourse grounds, as well as bars, restaurants and a nightclub.

Golf: some two dozen golf courses ring the city. Best known is the Royal Dublin on the links of Bull Island. Cricket: Ireland plays international matches at Malahide, northeast edge of the city.

Other Cinema: the most central mainstream cinemas are north side: Savoy on O'Connell St, Cineworld on Parnell St, and Lighthouse by the Jameson Distillery.

Irish Film Institute. Arthouse cinema for independent Irish and international movies.

Conradh na Gaeilge. Cultural centre where Irish is the first language. They organise events and classes.

Buy

Dublin is not cheap, but visitors from outside the European Union can obtain a refund of VAT on some goods, which in 2024 is 23%. Ask the shop for details: the refund is usually applied at point of sale, or you may be issued a voucher to claim it on leaving the country. Visitors from Great Britain are eligible, but not those from Northern Ireland. More on VAT refunds can be found on the Irish Government website.

Grafton Street is the principal shopping street. It courses south from Trinity College (junction with Temple Bar) for a block to the corner of Nassau St, and beyond it's pedestrianised to St Stephen's Green.

Brown Thomas. Dublin's best-known and expensive department store.

Nassau Street branches east from Grafton St to form the south boundary of Trinity College. It retails giftware such as Waterford Crystal, Belleek Pottery, Aran sweaters, and other craft items. Easons at #24 is a well-stocked bookstore.

Kilkenny Design. Clothing, jewellery and giftware.

Dawson Street branches off Nassau St to run south parallel to Grafton St. It has clothes, music and book shops, restaurants and Mansion House the Lord Mayor's residence.

Hodges Figgis. Well-stocked large bookshop, part of the Waterstones chain.

Powerscourt Centre. Attractive shopping centre in a beautifully restored 18th-century townhouse, with clothes, cafes, galleries and jewellers. You're paying premium prices for the elegant location.

George's Street Arcade. A covered red-brick shopping arcade, with vintage clothing, fabrics, unusual accessories, vinyl and club wear. It also has some small cafes.

Fresh is a gourmet grocery chain with nine city outlets. The most central south-side are on Grand Canal Square and on Lower Camden St. Temple Bar has small independent shops along Temple Lane, Crow Street and Fownes Street. Markets are held on Saturday on Temple Bar Square and Meetinghouse Square, mostly food items. Cow's Lane Design Market is held on the street on Saturday. It's west edge of Temple Bar approaching Christ Church.

Shopping north of the river is focussed in the quarter bounded by O'Connell Street to the east (for green line trams), Parnell St to the north, Jervis St to the west and Abbey St to the south (for red line trams). Henry Street runs east-west through the quarter, and off it is Moore Street, with a fruit, vegetable and fish market.

Arnott's. A large department store with a long history.

Jervis Shopping Centre. Shopping centre with some 50 stores.

Ilac Centre. This shopping centre has some 40 stores. The city Central Library is on the first floor.

Chapters Bookstore. Huge selection of books at keen prices, as well as a large secondhand section.

Talbot Street runs east from this quarter to Connolly railway station. Lots of little nicknack stores.

Elsewhere The Liberties are in the west city, with small stores and market stalls around Thomas Street and Meath Street. Further out are edge-of-city malls. The largest are at Blanchardstown (off N3), Liffey Valley (junction of M50 and N4), The Square Tallaght (off N81), and Dundrum Town Centre (south on Luas green line).

Eat

Cuisines such as Indian and Chinese were slow to appear as Dublin only had small ethnic communities, but they now have a good presence especially north of the river. Indian food is generally North Indian. Chinese food in Ireland has become something of its own thing, with the omnipresent "Spice Bag" an idiosyncratic new food of 21st century Ireland. Vegetarian, vegan and GF options are also now readily available.

Bewley's Café. Grand stylish coffee shop, a Dublin institution. It's had some famous regular customers, from Joyce to Geldof, but they'll make you feel just as important.

Butlers Chocolate Café. Chain of chocolate-themed cafes, Wicklow Street is the original outlet. There are three others in city centre, plus airside in T1 and T2 at the airport. They also ship orders.

Lemon Crèpe & Coffee Company. Good value filled crèpes, they also do waffles and sandwiches.

Govinda's. Hare Krishna-run vegetarian restaurant. Filling portions, only order their Special if you're really hungry.

Leo Burdock is a chain of fish & chips takeaways. Central outlets are Crown Alley off Temple Green and Werburgh St by Christ Church Cathedral, open daily 12:30-10:30PM.

Pablo Picante. Small friendly Mexican eatery, eat in or take away to nearby St Stephen's Green. They also have outlets at Clarendon Market and Dawson St.

Zaytoon. Casual Persian restaurant. They also have a fast-food cafe in Temple Bar (corner of Parliament St and Essex St).

Bad Ass Café. Modern pub and entertainment venue for US-themed food, plus trad Irish beer and live music.

Balfes. Lively seafood restaurant with outdoor terrace.

Bar Italia. Good value Italian with great atmosphere.

Cornucopia. Smart modern restaurant for vegan and other wholefood options.

Dunne & Crescenzi. Smart trattoria, rightly popular so get there early.

Caketopia. Artisan home-made cakes for any occasion for collection or delivery all over Dublin and surrounding areas.

FX Buckley Steakhouse. Quality steaks in a friendly and comfortable restaurant. Plus other meat and seafood, but not much for veggies.

Gallagher's Boxty House. A boxty is a traditional Irish potato pancake filled and rolled up. Also try the Irish stew and the chowder. Small, friendly, traditional Irish decor.

Elephant & Castle. Famous and popular for its chicken wings, you could have a long wait for a table Saturday lunchtime. It's now a national chain but this is the original outlet.

Peploe's. Excellent basement wine bar and bistro.

Salamanca. Good value, tasty and substantial tapas, sized more like raciones.

TP Smiths. Good pub food, handy if you're shopping around Henry Street.

Bang Restaurant. A great cosmopolitan menu. Not cheap, but food and presentation is excellent.

Brasserie Sixty6. Large, stylish modern European restaurant gets good reviews for food, service and atmosphere.

Fire Steakhouse. Casual dining restaurant in the former Supper Room of the Lord Mayor.

L'Gueuleton. Pricey but highly-rated and popular place.

Kites. Chinese, predominantly Cantonese, also in Szechuan, Peking and Thai style, gets great reviews.

Restaurant Patrick Guilbaud. Expensive but outstanding restaurant.

Purple Sage Restaurant is within Talbot Hotel Stillorgan, see Sleep.

Roly's Bistro. Lively bistro offering set menus.

Drink

Water in Dublin is fresh and clean from the Wicklow Mountains. The water of Vartry reservoir at Roundwood is commended in Joyce's Ulysses but the characters go boozing instead. Poulaphouca at Blessington was built later, and Sally Gap is the scenic road between the two catchments.

Pubs: it's reckoned that Dublin has over 600. You can but make a start.

Pubs are generally open Su-Th to 23:00 and F Sa to 01:00 or later. Hours were curtailed during covid, the plus (which will likely remain) was that pubs increased their food offering, which meant they were "restaurants" and permitted to stay open - "You must try our pizza!" became a legally enforceable invitation. Smoking is illegal within all Irish pubs but many have a beer garden or similar outdoor smoking area.

Temple Bar was named for the sand bar and mud flats along the south bank of the Liffey, reclaimed for building in the 17th century. "Temple" was both the name of the landowners, and of the Temple Bar district in London, with Essex St and Fleet St in the same respective positions. It's nowadays a tourist strip of cobbled alleys, drinking places, restaurants, more drinking places, shops, even more drinking places . . . it's very central so those stag and hen parties are probably just in for a quick one before heading to the Book of Kells or the big museums. Take care, but the sheer number of people on the streets gives you a measure of safety.

Peadar Kearney's. Named for Peadar Ó Cearnaígh (1883-1942) who penned Amhráin na bhFiann, Ireland's national anthem, and was uncle to the three Behans, authors and prolific drinkers all. The pub is a great spot for pre- and post-gig drinks next to Olympia Theatre, with a young crowd and live music from up and coming Irish trad bands. Mostly tourists here but a nice spot to talk to other visitors.

The Cobblestone. They describe themselves as "a drinking pub with a music problem" and have nightly trad sessions.

Frank Ryans. This pub and pizzeria has friendly bar staff and a mixed crowd of students, law types, trendies and locals. Expect weekly trad nights interspersed with Rockabilly, Country and Soul on the jukebox.

O'Donoghue's. With two bars across a courtyard, it's famous for impromptu live music, and where folk group The Dubliners were formed. They have rooms.

The Barge. Friendly trad pub with four areas, good food and great decor.

Hartigan's. Popular student bar, good choice after international rugby matches.

The Brazen Head. Surely the oldest pub in Dublin, founded in 1198 - Ireland's oldest, in Athlone, is from 900 AD. Wonderful on warm, dry summer nights. Live trad music and friendly atmosphere. One of the bars is covered in signed currency notes, there's quite a collection but lacking any bitcoins.

Ned O'Shea's. Decent food and live music and dancing. Ned O’Shea (1937-2018) was a famous trad musician from Kerry.

John Fallon's. Small friendly local pub.

The Oval. Good for drink and food, does an excellent Irish stew. Attracts a mixed age group. Lots of pictures of old Irish celebrities with a tribute to the Quiet Man.

John Kavanagh's. Mournfully authentic pub from 1833 and little altered, where you toast the departed in the next-door cemetery.

Bowe's Lounge Bar. Victorian pub with a huge selection of whiskey.

Mulligans. Busy pub with great Guinness and plenty of history, having been frequented by James Joyce among others.

Nancy Hands. Family-friendly restaurant and bar by entrance to Phoenix Park.

Ryan's. Beautiful Victorian pub, part of Buckley Steakhouse chain. A good place for a pint or meal before getting a train out of Heuston.

Palace Bar. Trad bar with interesting decor complete with "snug" (small private booth). Live music upstairs.

The Long Hall. Atmospheric bar with Victorian decor, one of the last "long hall" bars in Ireland.

Kehoe's. An excellent spot for a pint or a meal after a days' sight-seeing or shopping. Several snugs downstairs.

Kennedy's. Trad-style pub serving good food and drink with plenty of friendly atmosphere.

O'Neill's. Excellent atmosphere in a Victorian style pub. They have great food with weekend lunchtime carvery.

The Stag's Head. Trad Victorian pub, no TV, just great ales and conversation.

Dawson Lounge. Probably Dublin's smallest pub - 20 customers and it's packed.

McDaids. This trad pub was a regular place for Brendan Behan and Oscar Wilde to ponder life.

Grogan's. Wonderful trad pub, no music or TV. Great Guinness and a mixture of tourists and locals, with a hotchpotch of interesting art on the walls.

The Bailey. Contemporary bar with tapas, presided over by a portrait of James Joyce. Nice outdoor seating, very busy on summer afternoons and evenings.

The Lotts. Cafe bar, elegant interior with chandeliers, a marble bar and comfortable leather seating. Live music many nights. Small outside seating area.

Market Bar. Spacious bar and tapas restaurant with a good value menu.

The Odeon. This attractive bar at the top of Harcourt St is in a converted railway station.

Pygmalion. Busy bar and restaurant with Med food, best book if you hope to eat.

Café en Seine. Swish megapub on 3 floors, pricey.

Against the Grain. Owned by a Galway brewery, this has a wide variety of Irish micro-brews and world beers. No generic commercial beers on tap. A vibrant pub with an eclectic clientele.

Bull and Castle. Gastropub and beer hall with a large selection of micro-brewed and international beers. Part of Buckley Steakhouse chain.

JR Mahon's. Spread over two stories, they produce a very good stout quite different to Guinness, fresher and more complex, plus their own ale and lager. Also has good cafeteria-style lunch.

Porterhouse. Indigenous brews including an oyster stout, plus an extensive Belgian and international beer list. Also does reasonably priced food. Has sister pubs on Grafton St and in Bray and Phibsboro.

The Foggy Dew. Popular central Victorian-styled pub.

Bruxelles. Lively pub founded in 1886. Spread over 3 bars the music is loud and the atmosphere is buzzing. Outside is a statue of Phil Lynott, from Irish rock band Thin Lizzy. For metal, rock and indie music go downstairs.

The Duke. Great after-work bar and Fridays it's packed to the door.

O'Donoghues. A comfortable bar with live music and TV sport. It's also a hang-out spot for some of the city's most well-known musicians, actors and DJs.

Fibber Magees. A heavy metal bar, handy for Rotunda Hospital.

O'Reillys. Victorian Gothic pub beneath the DART station, with Hell Club Saturday late-night music.

Button Factory. One of Dublin's top clubs and live venues. Main venue has 550 capacity, Crowbar is both a theatre bar and a 60-person venue itself.

The Workmans Club. From 1888 to 2003 this was the city's Working Mens Club, turning into a live entertainment venue in 2010. It's on two floors, the main live room is 300 capacity and beside it is the venue bar. It's friendly, relaxing and well-run.

The Academy. This is primarily a live performance venue, and Friday and Saturday are clubbing nights.

Copper Face Jacks. Legendary club, a post-pub meat-market. Over 20s only, some of the clientele hoping to cop off are going on 120. Rooms available for private events.

The George. The oldest gay bar in Dublin, with late-night drag shows, karaoke, bingo and DJs.

Sleep

Camping Dublin is not well-served for camping or caravaning. The nearest to the city centre is beyond the M50 to the southwest.

Camac Valley Caravan and Camping Park. Friendly well-run site on bus route to city.

Budget There are a huge number of youth hostels, bed & breakfasts and hotels. Cheaper accommodation is north of the river, around the Busáras bus station; south of the river is more expensive.

Abbey Court Hostel. Clean well-run hostel just off O'Connell St.

Ashling House. Basic accommodation in leafy Drumcondra. Decent rooms but it's not a B&B.

DCU Summer Rooms. Dublin City University offer spare accommodation to the public all year, with most availability June - September. Their three campuses are Glasnevin, All Hallows in Drumcondra, and St Patrick's in city centre.

Latroupe Jacobs Inn. Nice, clean budget hostel with keycard security. Ensuite shower and bathroom as well as an additional washroom at the end of each hall. The bunks are pods so there's extra privacy.

Lyndon House. Basic but clean B&B near the James Joyce Museum and the Custom House.

Travelodge Dublin City Centre. Reliable chain 3-star, clean and efficient. There are three other Travelodges in the city and one at the airport.

Premier Inn Gloucester Street South. Value-for-money chain hotel. There are three other Premier Inns in the city and one at the airport.

Trinity College. TCD accommodation is available May-Sep in single, double or apartment rooms, some en suite. There is limited access to the campus after midnight, which can result in a long walk from the main gate to some of the residences.

Generator Dublin. Smart hostel. Open social spaces but also a bar and a café to its guests. There are male and female shared rooms that come with all facilities, plus private rooms. Group bookings and private hires available.

Albany House. Good central 3-star, some noise in street-facing rooms. Shower and taps take 5 min to run hot, keep running and have faith.

Ariel House. Comfy welcoming B&B near Aviva stadium. No dogs.

Baggot Court Townhouse. Decent 3-star Georgian townhouse.

Belvedere Hotel. Swish hotel in a Georgian townhouse.

Clayton Hotel Ballsbridge. Splendid hotel in 19th-century school building, 3 km south of centre. They have three other hotels in town and one at the airport.

Buswells Hotel. Cosy Georgian hotel, small rooms but friendly staff, good location.

Castle Hotel. Welcoming Georgian hotel with 130 bedrooms all en suite. Restaurant & bar with live Irish music every weekend.

Dublin Citi Hotel. Friendly hotel in a busy central spot, all rooms en suite, with Trinity Bar.

Handel's Hotel. Central hotel in the west end of Temple Bar, cleaning could be better.

Fitzwilliam Townhouse. Georgian house with many original features. All room en-suite with free Wi-Fi. Decent place, you're paying for the great location.

Fleet Hotel. Central hotel, most rooms comfy, some a bit worn.

Leonardo Hotels. Mid-range chain with two locations: Christchurch, facing Christ Church Cathedral and Temple Bar, and Parnell St, junction with Granby Row.

Maldron Hotel Parnell Square. Clean welcoming hotel, the area is a bit rundown. Maldron have three other hotels in the city and one at the airport.

Morehampton Townhouse. Creaky old building with all 22 room en suite, wi-fi, car parking.

Sandymount Hotel. Slick friendly hotel in Ballsbridge 200 m southeast of Aviva Stadium, sizeable rooms and good bar.

Talbot Hotel Stillorgan. Upmarket hotel with spa, restaurant, bar and free car park.

Clarence Hotel. Owned by Bono and The Edge from Irish band U2, buzzing happening sort of place... code for, you may get a lot of noise from Temple Bar, and "cool" means the showers are a tad lukeish. Overall it's a good central 4-star for 5-star prices: you're paying for the rock associations.

Waterloo Lodge. 3-star in quiet area. All 20 rooms are en-suite, free car parking.

Waterloo Townhouse. Pleasant B&B in a quiet area. No dogs.

Aspect Hotel Parkwest. Edge of city hotel next to Park West & Cherry Orchard railway station and near Exit 9 of M50. Comfy, good service.

Premier Suites Sandyford. Serviced apartments available for short stays.

Maldron Hotel Smithfield. Pleasant modern hotel just north of distillery. 92 rooms including family rooms, sleeping up to 6 people.

InterContinental Dublin. Great reviews for comfort and service.

Hampton by Hilton. Boxy modern place in the legal quarter.

Hilton Dublin. Pleasant, modern hotel 1 km south of centre, clean and quiet.

The Morrison. Comfortable stylish hotel, central for sights. Part of Hilton chain.

Radisson Blu Royal Hotel. Business-type hotel in a modern building, swish comfy interior and good location.

Radisson Blu St Helen's Hotel. Upscale hotel in grand old mansion in southern suburbs, on bus route to centre.

The Morgan. Stylish accommodation in standard rooms, suites or penthouse apartments. All characterised by clean, modern design.

The Shelbourne. Plush hotel overlooking St Stephen's Green, part of the Marriott chain. Fine old building from 1824.

Alex Hotel. Gets great reviews for comfort and dining.

Spencer Hotel. Chic, luxurious five-star hotel in the docklands. The quay outside is busy, rooms at the back are quieter.

Mont Hotel. Slick central hotel, some street noise.

Green Hotel. Comfy spacious hotel at the west corner of St Stephen's Green.

Davenport Hotel. Great reviews for this elegant hotel at the heart of Georgian Dublin.

The Leinster. Ugly boxy modern building, but great reviews for comfort and service.

Dublin Airport is north of the city near the town of Swords. Hotels listed here are so close to the airport that you'd travel that way to reach them, even if you weren't flying, and many inter-city buses run via the airport. Those closer to Swords town centre are listed on that page along with other amenities: they're much cheaper than their airport or city centre equivalents.

Radisson Blu Hotel Dublin Airport. Comfy accommodation within the airport complex just minutes from the passenger terminals.

Clayton Hotel Dublin Airport. Convenient mid-range hotel with free shuttle to the airport.

Holiday Inn Express next to the Clayton in 2024 is refugee accommodation.

Carlton Hotel. Bar-food menu and a restaurant on the top floor.