Dublin, Ireland
Dublin is unique among the
capital cities of Europe. It is on the sea with a bay of harbors
and swimming areas; it lies nestled among hills and mountains;
and it contains Phoenix Park, the largest park on the European
continent. Dublin*s streets have been described as bustling and
lively. They have also been called congested. As all of these
descriptions are accurate, the excitement of the city can best
be enjoyed by moving from point to point via the comfort and
convenience of local bus and rail service.
Within half an hour of Dublin*s
city center there are mountain walks, historic homes and
gardens, sandy beaches and fishing villages. Within Dublin are
countless places of interest to explore. It is a city steeped in
history and tradition, but it is also youthful. Of the one and a
half million people in greater Dublin, about half are under 25.
It is a city that welcomes visitors of all ages. Activities for
the family include enjoyment of the nature preserve, the grazing
deer, the 700 animal zoo, and the well tended, formal gardens of
Phoenix Park. There is a hands-on center where children can
design and produce pottery pieces. Other family possibilities
are horseback riding, sailing and the thrill of the interactive
Dublin Viking adventure that recreates the sights, sounds and
smells of Dublin as it was 1000 years ago.
Dublin began as a Viking trading
post called Dubh Linn (Dark Pool), which soon merged with a
Celtic settlement called Baile Átha Cliath (Town of the Hurdle
Ford) 每 still the Gaelic name for the city. Because most of the
early city was built of wood, only the two cathedrals, part of
the castle and several churches have survived from before the
seventeenth century. Much of the ※newer§ construction is from
the Georgian period of the eighteenth century. Recent
modernization has worked in harmony with the beauty and grandeur
of the past.
Fine museums and art galleries
recall
Dublin*s long and colorful history, while the pubs and
cafes buzz with traditional Irish entertainment. Trinity
College, St. Patrick*s Cathedral, Dublin Castle, Christchurch
Cathedral are all at the top of almost every visitor*s list.
Dublin*s many other attractions range from sea world, museums
and art galleries to the prestigious Guiness Brewery and the
Temple Bar, which is the center of restaurants and nightlife.
Dublin is Europe's leading center
for computer software, with more than 100 international
companies and a growing home market. It is also a thriving
center for culture and is home to the great literary tradition
of Shaw, Yeats, Joyce and Beckett. It is the source of musical
talent in groups ranging from the Dubliners and the Chieftains
to U2. Street-side cafes and pubs are alive with animated
conversations, and visitors can easily find themselves included
in the discussions of sports, music, politics, and literature.
Dublin*s economy is the fastest
growing in Europe with 40,000 businesses employing over 525,000
people. Recent years have brought an upsurge in the growth of
the city*s population and an air of excitement as renovations
and improvements to the city*s housing and service sector have
taken place. Dublin provides the visitor with countless
opportunities for learning, for remembering and for relaxation
which appeal to every taste and age group.
Population : Metropolitan
Area: 1,000,000+
Greater Dublin Area: 1.4 million.
﹛
Area: 44 square miles
﹛
Time Zone: Greenwich Mean
Time: 5 hours ahead of Eastern Standard Time in New York.(6
hours ahead of central time in Chicago, etc.)
International Dialing Code:
to place telephone calls outside Dublin but within
Ireland, add
&01* to the front of the number. From outside Ireland,
use Ireland*s international code as a prefix: 353.
Dublin*s city code is 01. Calling cards can be purchased
at news stands and post offices in Ireland to use in placing
calls from public or private phones. To call the operator: dial
1190.
Emergency ( police; fire;
ambulance): 999.
﹛
Currency: euro (EUR). Credit
cards are accepted at larger restaurants, but cash is still the
preference in Dublin. The easiest method of securing cash at the
best exchange rate is to make withdrawals using a US credit card
from the ATM machines found at the major banks.
﹛
Customs Regulations:
Telephone: 1 855 4045 in Dublin for information.
﹛
Average Annual Temperatures
|
Temperature Range
|
High |
Low |
|
January |
46 |
34 |
|
February |
47 |
35 |
|
March |
51 |
37 |
|
April |
55 |
39 |
|
May |
60 |
43 |
|
June |
65 |
48 |
|
July |
67 |
52 |
|
August |
67 |
51 |
|
September |
63 |
48 |
|
October |
57 |
43 |
|
November |
51 |
39 |
|
December |
47 |
37 |
Weather forecast: 1 550 123 854
﹛
National Holidays:
Jan. 1 New Year*s Day
Mar. 17 St. Patrick*s Day
Good Friday and Easter Monday (dates
vary each year - Mar. or April)
1st Mon. of May May Day holiday
Whit Monday (late May or early June)
1st Mon. of August August holiday
Last Mon. of Oct. October holiday
Dec. 25 Christmas day
Dec. 26 St. Stephen*s day
﹛
﹛
Electricity: 220 volt A/C.
Most hotels have 110V shaver outlets. Plugs have 3 square pins.
Visitors with disabilities:
Disability Federation of Ireland will assist with suggestions
and publications: 295 9344.
﹛
How to get around: Buses are
the main form of public transportation. Dublin Bus operates
Mon-Sat 6 AM - 11 PM and Sun. 10 AM - 11:30 PM. (exact fare
needed) 873-4222. Schedules and prepaid tickets are
available at Dublin Bus office and some news stands.
﹛
Dublin Area Rapid Transit
(DART) is a light rail service running from Howth in the north
to Bray in the south. Trains run every 15 minutes - every 5
minutes during rush hour.
﹛
Taxi stands can be found
outside hotels, train and bus stations.
﹛
Air Travel: Dublin Airport is
7 miles north of the city. There are taxis and an Airlink
express bus service to the city center that operates 6 AM -11:30
PM with departures every 20-30 minutes. The cost is minimal.
﹛
Rail Service: There are two
mainline rail stations in Dublin. For rail information call
Irish Rail at 836 6222.
﹛
Ferries from the United
Kingdom sail into the ports of Dublin and Dan Langhaire (9 miles
south of the city)
﹛
Note: Traffic drives on the left
side of the road in Ireland.
Note:
Dublin is bisected by the River Liffey, with most of the
attractions being located south of the river.
﹛
Custom House/
Custom House Quay
878-7660
Mar.-Oct.
10-5 Mon.-Fri. 2-5 Sat., Sun.
Admission
charged.
The Custom
House, the most magnificent building in Dublin, was planned in
secret by local merchants who were eager to keep the ships
coming all the way into the commercial heart of the city after
the old building had been outgrown.
The
foundation stone was laid quietly in August of that year, in
spite of mobs hired by the opposition to attack the builders and
their work. The architect, James Gandon, received threatening
letters and found it advisable to carry a sword when he visited
the building site.Despite the death of Gandon*s wife early in
the work, and a fire in the partly completed building, the new
Customs House opened in 1791. Gandon, stayed in Ireland for the
rest of his life. He later designed the Four Courts and the
Kings Inns.
﹛
Four Courts
Inns Quay
872-5555
Admission
Free.
Home to the
Irish law courts since 1796 and also on the north of the Liffey,
they were designed by Custom House architect, James Gandon. The
four law courts were those of Chancery, King*s Bench, Exchequer
and Common Pleas. Despite political intrigues and a history of
blockages and objections, the building was opened in 1796 and
completed in 1802.
In 1922, at
the outbreak of Civil War in Ireland, anti-treaty forces
occupied the Four Courts. After a siege of two months,
Government forces opened fire with field guns, causing massive
damage.
﹛
The scars of
the encounter are still visible on the columns of the portico.
The three-day battle ended with a huge explosion and fire which
destroyed the dome and the nearby Public Records Office with its
irreplaceable contents. Many of Ireland*s historical records,
including wills and other official deeds, were destroyed . Since
then, the building has been beautifully restored.
Inside is a
magnificent central hall, sixty-four feet across and usually
busy with lawyers in their traditional wigs and gowns. To the
right of the entrance is a panel with more detailed information
about the building and its history. There are fine views of the
city from the upper rotunda of the central building. Open only
when the Courts are in session.
﹛
Trinity
College and Dublin Experience
Dublin 2
677-2941
Old Library
and Book of Kells open 9:30-5 Mon.-Sat. 9 and noon-4:30 Sun.
Admission charged. Children Free.
Dublin
Experience open 9:15-5:45 daily May-Oct.
Admission
charged
Trinity
College is uppermost in the list of attractions south of the
river. It is wise to arrive early in the day to avoid crowds.
Founded by Elizabeth I in 1592, the university complex contains
a campanile and many glorious old buildings. A major attraction
is the library containing the Book of Kells: an illuminated
manuscript of the Gospels dating from around 800 AD, making it
one of the oldest books in the world.. The library houses some
three million books in buildings constructed between 1712 and
1732.
﹛
Bank of
Ireland and House of Lords
2 College
Green
Dublin 2
661-5933
10-4 Mon-Wed,
Fri. 10-5 Thurs. Guided tours Free . Admission Free. Originally
built to house the Irish Parliament, the fine wood paneling and
vaulted ceiling add an air of grandeur to the House of Lords.
Eighteenth century tapestries depict scenes from Irish history.
The Parliament was abolished in 1800 with the Act of Union and
Francis Johnston converted the buildings for use as a bank.
﹛
Dublinia
Christchurch,
Dublin, 8
6794611
Bus Number 50
from Eden Quay; Bus Number 78A from Aston Quay
April -
September 10- 5 daily; October - March: 11 - 4 ; Monday to Sat.,
10 - 4.30 Sunday and Bank Holidays
Admission
charged.
Dublinia has
been developed by The Medieval Trust to recreate the formative
period in the city's growth from the arrival of the Anglo
Normans in 1170 to the closure of its monasteries by Henry VIII
in 1540. It is situated in a beautifully preserved building in
the heart of the old city, next to Christchurch Cathedral, to
which it is linked by a bridge. Journey through time and
experience the drama and magic in life-like displays of
memorable episodes in Dublin's history over 400 years. A scale
model of the city, shows the location of public buildings and
the layout of the streets. Life-size reconstructions illustrate
the city environment of the Middle Ages. As a finale to the
exploration of Dublin*s past, climb the 17th century St
Michael's Tower for a unique panoramic view of modern Dublin.
﹛
St Patrick's
Cathedral
Patrick*s
Close; Lower Dublin 7
475-4817
9-6 Mon.-Fri.
April-Oct.; 9-11AM and 12:30-3PM Sat.
Services:
8:30 daily and 11:45AM Sunday.
St. Patrick*s
is the oldest Christian site in Dublin. It is said that it was
built on the grounds where St Patrick baptized converts during
the 5th century. The present building dates from 1190 (or
possibly 1225). Writer Jonathan Swift was dean here from
1713-1745, and his tomb is in the church. The cathedral choir
school dates back to 1432, and is still in existence.
﹛
Dublin Castle
Dame Street
677-7129 Bus 49; 50; 54A; 77; 77A
10-5 Mon-Fri.
2-5 Sat; Sun.
Admission
charged
More a palace
than a fort, it was originally built on the orders of King John
in 1204. The state chambers contain a large collection of
antiques. The castle has been rebuilt, renovated and extended.
Deep scars in the stone work can be seen in the Guardroom at the
main entrance. They are the result of bayonet sharpening by the
guards during the 950 years of British rule. Many of the state
apartments are open to the public. The Chapel Royale is an
elaborate area designed and decorated in 1814 in the neo-Gothic
style. It contains some 90 carved heads of famous historical
figures. The interior has lavish plaster vaulting and carved oak
galleries.
﹛
Temple Bar
An area of
the city that has been renovated in recent years and now
contains many restaurants and pubs that have become the center
of Dublin*s nightlife. It is located behind Dame Street and
offers excellent views of the River Liffey. In addition to the
restaurants and pubs there is also the Irish Film Center which
shows a wide range of rare films and the Art House, a multimedia
center where one can surf the Net The well known Irish rock band
U2 performs at The Kitchen nightclub in the Temple Bar area.
Rounding out the offerings are a number of trendy shops, book
stores, antique shops and boutiques.
﹛
Note:
The National Museum of Ireland in association with Dublin Bus
has available a bus service linking the 3 Museum sites in
Dublin. Hop on the 'Museumlink' bus to visit any of the
locations of the
﹛
National
Museum of Ireland.
Kildare
Street Dublin 2
677-7444
DART Pearse
Station/ bus 10,11,13 or Museumlink.
10-5
Tues.-Sat. 2-5 Sunday Admission: Free
This is one
of Dublin*s most popular attractions. It is split between the
19th century building on Kildare Street and the newer section at
the restored Collins Barracks (see below)
The Kildare
Street site concentrates on archeological material and artifacts
relating mostly to Ireland. There is a permanent display of
Bronze Age Irish gold and another of metalwork from the Iron Age
to the Middle Ages. There are also displays of artifacts from
prehistoric and Viking Ireland and from ancient Egypt.
﹛
National
Museum of Ireland, Collins Barracks
Collins
Barracks Benburb Street,
Dublin 7
677-7444
Buses: 90
(from Busaras, Connolly and Tara Street DART station) , 25, 25A,
66, 67 (from Middle Abbey Street)
Open: Tuesday
to Saturday 10 - 5, Sunday 2 - 5 Closed Good Friday
On display
are artifacts ranging from weaponry, furniture, folk life and
costumes to silver, ceramics and glassware.
﹛
Natural
History Museum
Merrion
Street, Dublin, 2
6777444
Buses: 7, 7A,
8 (Burgh Quay). Nearest DART Station: Pearse Station (Westland
Row) or Museumlink.
Tues.-Sat. 10
- 5, Sunday 2 - 5 . Closed Good Friday
Admission:
Free
The Natural
History Museum which is part of the National Museum of Ireland,
is a zoological museum containing collections illustrative of
the wild life, both vertebrate and invertebrate, of Ireland.
Skeletons of two whales found stranded on the Irish coast are
suspended from the roof.
﹛
National
Gallery of Ireland
Merrion
Square West, Dublin 2
661-5133 Fax:
661-5372
DART Pearse
station/ bus 5,6,7,7A and 10 10-5:15 Mon-Fri., Sat. Thurs.
10-8:30 Sun. 2-5 Admission: Donation
Ireland*s
National Gallery houses a premier collection of European and Old
Master works from the 14th 每 20th centuries. George Bernard Shaw
was a major benefactor. There is also an excellent collection of
the work of Irish masters. Jack Yeats, Roderic O*Connor, William
Arpen, Nathaniel Hone and Walter Osborne are all represented.
Caravaggio*s ※The Taking of Christ§ is on permanent display.
There is a multimedia center where the collection can be
researched via computer.
﹛
Heraldic
Museum
2 Kildare
Street
677-7444
Bus 10,11,13
10:00-8:30
Mon.-Wed. 10:30-4:30 Thurs.,Fri. 10:30-12:30 Sunday
Admission:
Free
The museum is
an integral part of the National Library, and is housed in a
colorful mid-nineteenth century building, the former Kildare
Street Club. Decorative birds and monkeys playing billiards and
musical instruments form the window carvings. Modern banners of
Ireland*s ancient chieftains hang from the ceiling. Visitors
seeking to trace their Irish ancestry and family history can
make inquiry at the Consultancy Service at the National Library
itself which is located just a few doors away.
﹛
Dublin Civic
Museum
58 South
William Street Dublin 2
679-4260
All cross
city buses 10-6 Tues.-Sat. 11-2 Sunday.
Admission:
Free.
The
highlights of this small museum for history buffs are: Charles
Brookings*s 1728 map of Dublin and a set of James Malton
aquatints from 1793 that show Dublin at the height of it
Georgian development.
﹛
Rotunda
Hospital
Parnell
Street
The founder
of the hospital, Dr. Bartholomew Mosse, took up midwifery in
Dublin in 1742 and launched a campaign to provide a suitable
hospital for mothers to promote safety in pregnancy and
childbirth. He and his committee acquired the Parnell Square
site in 1748 and invested as a fundraising venture. The ceiling
of the chapel, decorated by the stuccodore Barthelemy
Cramillion, has gained an international reputation. The woodwork
of the pews, paneling and fluted columns is of mahogany and the
gallery has some intricate ironwork. Mosse died at the age of 47
in 1759, three years before the Chapel was opened.
﹛
National Wax
Museum
Granby Row
Parnell Square, Dublin 1
8726340
Monday to
Saturday 10am - 5.30pm, Sunday noon - 5.30pm
Admission
charged
Buses: 11,
13, 16, 22, 22A from Westmoreland Street
Discover a
world where fantasy and reality combine and heroes of the past
and the present come alive before your eyes. The Children*s
World of Fairytale and Fantasy is a display that especially
appeals to children as they wander through the Kingdom of
Fairytales to find the magical lamp and the all powerful genie!
The main section of the wax exhibition broadly reflects the
historical and cultural development of Ireland. Displays have an
informative and educational narrative which can be heard at the
touch of a button.
﹛
The Municipal
Gallery of Art
The Hugh Lane
Gallery Parnell Square, Dublin 1
874-1903
Bus
3,10,11,13,16,19,22 9:30-6 Tues.-Fri. 9:30-5 Sat. 11-5 Sun.
Admission:
Free
The museum
which now occupies the building, was established with the
presentation in 1905 by the connoisseur Sir Hugh Lane of his
valuable collection of Impressionist paintings to Dublin
Corporation on condition that they would be housed in a suitable
building. The museum also features an exhibit of art nouveau
stained glass panels by Harry Clarke. Additionally, there is a
collection of works by international and local contemporary
Irish artists. Free Sunday concerts are held on premises. (Call
for schedule)
﹛
The Dublin
Writers Museum
18 Parnell
Square Dublin 1
475-0854 Fax:
872-2231.
Ten minutes
walk frim DART Connolly Station. Bus
10,11,11A,11B,13,13A,16,16A,19,19A.
Dublin is
famous for four winners of the Nobel prize for Literature:
George Bernard Shaw; William Butler Yeats; Samuel Beckett and
Seamus Heaney and for many other world-famous writers who were
born or lived in Dublin. This museum was established to
interpret the tradition and the lives, works and literary
heritage of its writers over the past 300 years.. The building
itself is a fine example of eighteenth century craftsmanship,
with ornate plasterwork, an impressive central staircase and a
magnificent gallery on the first floor.
﹛
Guinness
Brewery and Hopstore
Crane Street,
Dublin 8
Bus
21A,78A,123 453-6700
Mon.-Sat.
10-5:30 Sun. 2:30-5:30
Admission
charged
The Hopstore
is a Guinness Museum within the brewery that chronicles the
process of producing Guinness stout, the world-renowned thicker,
darker beverage that is unrivaled for its consistency and taste.
Admission includes a pint of the famous stout.
﹛
James Joyce
Center
35 North
Great George*s Street, Dublin 1
878-8547
DART Connolly
Station Bus 3,10,11,113,16,19,22 9:30-4:45 Mon.-Sat. 12:30-5 on
Sunday. Admission charged
The setting
of the Center in an 18th century house amid other restored red
brick Georgian residences just off O*Connell Street is further
authenticated by the fact that tours are conducted by members of
Joyce*s family. There is an extensive library, exhibits and
information about James Joyce and his work. There are even
cassette tapes available which offer the opportunity to hear
Joyce reading from Ulysses and Finnegan*s Wake.
﹛
The Garden of
Remembrance
North end of
Parnell Square
The Garden
was opened in 1966 on the fiftieth anniversary of the Easter
Rising of 1916 and was dedicated to those who gave their lives
in the cause of Irish freedom. The mosaics on the floor of the
central pool depict broken and discarded weapons as a sign of
peace. At the end of the garden is a large bronze sculpture by
Ois赤n Kelly depicting The Children of Lir, who according to an
ancient Irish legend were transformed into swans.
﹛
St. Mary*s
Catholic Pro-Cathedral
Marlborough
Street, Dublin 1
874-5441 DART
每 Connolly Station
Although
Dublin*s population is predominantly Roman Catholic, its two
cathedrals are both of the Protestant faith. St. Mary*s,
dedicated in 1825, became known as the Pro-Cathedral and is
still &standing in*. One of Dublin*s most noted neo-classical
buildings, its Greek Doric design is based on the church of St.
Philippe-le-Roule in Paris.
﹛
National
Print Museum
Old Garrison Church Beggars Bush Haddington Road , DUBLIN 4 Tel:
660-3770 May to 每Sept. Mon 每 Fri. 10. - 12.30, 2.30 - 5.00
Saturday, Sunday and Bank Holidays 12 - 5.
Built in the
1860's, the National Print Museum houses a unique collection of
artifacts and machines from all sectors of the printing industry
in Ireland. The emphasis is on industrial printing. The Beggars
Bush building was originally a barracks and the central garrison
building houses the Irish Labour History Museum .
Irish Jewish
Museum
3-4 Walworth
Road Portobello, Dublin 8
453-1797
Bus
16,16A,19,19A,22,22A
May-Sept.
11-3:30 Tues., Thurs.,Sun. Oct.-April 10:30 Sunday. Other times:
Call for appointment. Admission: Donation The collection of
documents and artifacts relating to the Jewish community in
Dublin includes a replica of a turn of the century Jewish
kitchen from a Jewish neighborhood. A synagogue preserved with
ritual fittings is also present. An exhibit chronicles the
pogroms against the Jews in Limerick in the 1920*s. Rabbi
Herzog, Irelans*s first chief rabbi is commemorated by a plaque,
as is Ireland*s most famous Jew of fiction, James Joyce*s
Leopold Bloom.
﹛
Kilmainham
Gaol
Inchicore
Road
Dublin 8
453-5984
Bus
51,51B,78A,79 9:30-6 daily (April-Sept.) 9:30-5 Mon-Fri. (Oct. 每
March) 10-6 Sunday Guided tours only.
Admission
charged
Kilmainham is
the best known and most notorious of Irish prisons. It was here
that the leaders of the 1916 Easter Rising were executed.
Displays chronicle events of Ireland*s uprisings from 1800 on.
Other displays show conditions in 19th century prisons. Note:
Some exhibits such as the one that shows the process of death by
hanging in detail are extremely graphic. Parental discretion is
advised.
﹛
General Post
Office
O*Connell
Street Dublin 1
705-7077
DART Connolly
Station All cross city buses
8-8 Mon.-Sat.
Admission: Free
The General
Post Office is one of the last great public buildings of the
Georgian era. Its great Ionic portico with six fluted columns
contains three stone figures representing Mercury (the messenger
of the gods), Hibernia and Fidelity.
The GPO holds
a special place in Irish history as the headquarters of the
Irish Volunteers in the Easter Rising of 1916. The Rising began
on Easter Monday when armed detachments of the Irish Volunteers
and the Citizen Army, commanded by the patriots Patrick Pearse
and James Connolly, seized and occupied the building. Other
strategic locations in the city were also taken over. The
Proclamation of the Irish Republic outside the building by
Patrick Pearse is commemorated by a tablet on the wall. In 1922,
after eight centuries of occupation, an independent Irish State
was established. Reconstruction of the gutted GPO began in 1925
and the interior was splendidly restored.
﹛
CEOL Irish
Traditional Music Center
Smithfield
Village Ireland Dublin 7
817-3820
9.30 am -
6.00 Mon- Sat. 12.- 6 Sundays all year.
Admission
charged Buses 25, 25A, 67, 67A from Middle Abbey Street, 68, 69,
79, from Aston Quay, 90 from Connolly, Tara and Heuston
Stations. Ceol, the Irish word for music, pays homage to the
greatness of past musicians and performers as it celebrates
Irish music of today. You can listen to the fiddle, pipes ,
accordion, concertina, flute, whistle, and the whole range of
traditional instruments. The emotional experiences of the Irish
People are captured in songs that tell of their victories and
their defeats. Dance is central to Irish traditional music.
Examples of the three major forms: set dancing, ceili dancing,
and the performance tradition are presented.
﹛
Christchurch
Cathedral
Christchurch
Place, Dublin 8
677-8099
10-5
Mon.-Sat. Sunday Service: 11 AM
Parts of the
cathedral date back to the original wooden building constructed
in 1038 and to the 1172 replacement built for Ireland*s first
invader, Richard deClare. Edward VI was crowned king of England
here in 1487 and 100 years later King Henry VIII burned the
church, after which it was turned into law courts. The church is
high, gray and dark inside with stone sculptures. A huge crypt
spans the length of the building under the church. A bridge
leads into what was the Synod Hall and is now Dublinia.
﹛
Saint
Michan*s Church
Church Street
Lower Dublin 7
872-4154
10-12:45 and
2-4:45 Mon.-Fri. 10-12:45 Saturday
St. Michan*s
was for five hundred years the only parish church in Dublin
north of the River Liffey. It was founded in about 1095 by
residents of the Danish colony in Oxmanstown. The present
structure dates from 1685 when it was completely rebuilt. The
church contains a magnificent organ, on which Handel is believed
to have played while composing &The Messiah*. Among other
treasured items is a chalice dating from 1516.
St. Michan*s
is especially famous for its vaults and the mummified bodies
which lie there, preserved by the limestone in the ground which
keeps the air absolutely dry. Some of the bodies, in a fine
state of preservation, are on view to the public.
Dublin Writers Museum
18 Parnell Square
DUBLIN 1
Tel: 475-0854
Fax: 872-2231
Five minutes walk from O'Connell
Street. Ten minutes walk from DART Connolly Station. Bus Numbers
10, 11, 11A, 11B, 13, 13A, 16, 16A, 19, 19A
January to December: Monday -
Saturday 10.00am - 5.00pm
Sunday and Public Holidays: 11.00am
- 5.00pm.
Late opening June, July and August:
Monday - Friday 10.00am - 6.00pm.
Admission charged
The museum holds exhibitions and
readings and has a special room devoted to children's
literature. Tara's Palace is one of Ireland's largest doll
houses and is located here, built entirely by Irish craftsmen,
with furniture assembled from all over the world.
﹛
﹛
Dublin Zoo,
Phoenix Park
DUBLIN 8
Tel: 6771425
Buses: 10 from O'Connell Street, 25
& 26 from Middle Abbey Street
Mon 每 Sat. 9.30- 6. Sundays 10.30 -
6.00
Admission charged
Caf谷 / Restaurant / Gift shop
Located in Phoenix Park, the zoo is
set in 30 acres of landscaped grounds around ornamental lakes
where over 700 animals and tropical birds from around the world
can be seen. A daily "Meet the Keeper" and feeding program
provide the opportunity to learn about the many rare and
endangered species that live in Dublin Zoo. In addition, there
are always new babies and also animals on breeding loan from
other Zoos and Wildlife Parks to be seen.
﹛
﹛
Dublinia
Christchurch
DUBLIN 8
Tel: 6794611
Bus Number 50 from Eden Quay; Bus
Number 78A from Aston Quay
April - September 10.00am - 5.00pm
daily
October - March 11.00am - 4.00pm
Monday to Saturday, 10.00am - 4.30pm
Sunday and Bank Holidays
Admission charged
A scale model of the city, shows the
location of public buildings and the layout of the streets.
Life-size reconstructions illustrate the city environment of the
Middle Ages. As an exciting finale to the exploration of
Dublin*s past, climb the 17th century St Michael's Tower for a
unique panoramic view of modern Dublin.
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Dublin's Viking Adventure
Essex Street West
Temple Bar
DUBLIN 8
679-6040
Tuesday - Saturday 10 - 4.30 (last
tour at 4.30pm)
Closed Sunday and Monday
Closed 1 - 2. November - February.
Admission charged
An exciting, live and interactive
experience of life in Viking Dublin A Norse guide leads journey
through a Dublin of long ago. Walk the narrow streets of the
Viking town of 'Dyflin' and chat with the locals, observe their
daily work and even experience the sounds and smells of the
city.
Viking city, the Viking adventure,
also houses an extensive collection of artifacts discovered
during the excavation of this site, considered to be the most
important of its kind outside Scandinavia.
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Hey doodle doodle
Dublin 2
14 Crown Alley
Temple Bar
Dublin 2
672-7382
Open seven days a week
Hey Doodle Doodle is Ireland*s only
paint it yourself Ceramic Studio. Pick your own ready to paint
piece (tile, mug. dish etc) and then stamp stencil or paint it
your own way. Pieces are then fired and glazed in kilns .
Collect your masterpiece a few days later or have it mailed it
to you.
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National Wax Museum
Granby Row
Parnell Square
DUBLIN 1
Tel: 8726340
Monday to Saturday 10am - 5.30pm,
Sunday noon - 5.30pm
Admission charged
Buses: 11, 13, 16, 22, 22A from
Westmoreland Street
The Children*s World of Fairytale
and Fantasy is a display that especially appeals to children as
they wander through the Kingdom of Fairytales to find the
magical lamp and the genie.
A particularly attractive feature is
the life-size replica of Leonardo de Vinci's 'Last Supper'.
Displays have an informative and educational narrative which can
be heard at the touch of a button.
The Chamber of Horrors is optional.
For those who don't enjoy the sound of clanging chains and blood
curdling screams, there is a separate entrance that bypasses the
Chamber and goes directly to the Hall of the Megastars. Here
visitors will meet the stars of the glittery world of rock and
roll in the form of: Michael Jackson, Madonna and all time great
Elvis Presley.
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Natural History Museum
Merrion Street
DUBLIN 2
Tel: 6777444
Directions:
Buses: 7, 7A, 8 (Burgh Quay).
Nearest DART Station: Pearse Station (Westland Row) or
Museumlink.
Open: Tuesday to Saturday 10am -
5pm, Sunday 2pm - 5pm
Closed Good Friday
Admission: Free
The Natural History Museum which is
part of the National Museum of Ireland, is a zoological museum
containing collections illustrative of the wild life, both
vertabrate and invertebrate, of Ireland. There is also an
extensive African and Asian exhibition.
Skeletons of two whales stranded on
the Irish coast are suspended from the roof.
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Newbridge House
Co. Dublin
843-6534
April - Sept : (Closed Mon.) Tues.-
Sat 10am - 5pm
Sun & Public Holidays 2 - 6. Closed
for lunch from 1 - 2. Coffee Shop remains open.
Oct- March: Sat, Sun and Bank
Holiday: 2 - 5.
Admission charged.
Twelve miles north of Dublin City on
the Belfast road. Bus 33B from Eden Quay. Suburban rail from
Connolly station.
An 18th century manor set on 350
acres of park land, twelve miles north of the city center,
Newbridge House has one of the finest Georgian interiors in
Ireland. Each room open to the public has its own style of
antique and original furniture The house appears much as it did
150 years ago.
It is surrounded by a dairy, estate
worker's house, carpenter's shop and a blacksmith's forge, all
displaying nineteenth -century tools and implements.
The grounds also contain a
twenty-nine acre traditional farm, complete with farmyard
animals, a delight to young visitors.
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The Chimney
Smithfield Village
Dublin 7
Tel: 676-9575
Fax: 676-9518
Buses 25, 25A,67, 67A From Middle
St.
68,69,79 from Aston Quay, 90 from
Connolly,
Tara & Heuston Stations. All buses
stop at merchant's Quay except for the bus from Heuston Station
which stops at Arran Quay
Mon- Sat 9.30-6 Sunday 10.30-6.
Admission charged
Discover Dublin from above by taking
a trip skyward to the top of Dublin's only observation platform
offering 360-degree panoramic views of the city. The existing
distillery chimney, built in 1895, has been redeveloped to
provide Dublin with a major viewing point, 220ft high. The
Chimney has a two tiered glass enclosed observation platform at
the top, which is serviced by a glass panoramic elevator running
up its side.
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Children*s Season (Theater
Festival)
Ark Children*s Cultural Center
11A Eustace Street Temple Bar
Dublin 2
670-7788
All cross-city buses
Admission charged
Runs with the Dublin Theater
Festival and provides performances for children by international
and domestic theater companies. Mime, animation, music and
puppets are all featured.
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Lambert
Puppet Theater
5 Clifton Lane
Monkstown Co. Dublin
280-0974
DART Monkstown or Salthill Bus
7,7A,8
Box Office: 9:30-5 daily
Show: Sat. 3:30pm and in summer on
Sun. also at 3:30pm
Admission charged
A year round children*s theater that
offers imaginative and enjoyable retelling of all the old fairy
tales.
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The Fry Model Railway
Malahide Castle Demesne
Tel: 8463779
Bus number 42 from Beresford Place
(near Busaras). Suburban rail from Connolly station to Malahide.
April - Oct: Mon- Sat 10. -5.; Sun
and public holidays:2-6.
Nov- March: Sat, Sun and public
holidays: 2. - 5.
Closed for tours from 1.-2 all year.
Admission charged
The Fry Model Railway is a unique
collection of handmade models of Irish trains, from the
beginning of rail travel to modern times. Not only Ireland's
largest miniature railway, the exhibition is unique in that it
is a working railway covering an area of 2,500 square feet.
Situated in the beautiful grounds
surrounding Malahide Castle.
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The GAA Museum
Croke Park, Dublin 3
Tel: 836-3222
Fax: 836-6420
May to Sept: Mon 每 Sun. 9.30 - 5.
(last admission 4.30pm)
Oct to April: Tues. 每 Sat. 10. - 5.
(last admission 4.30pm)
Sunday 12 - 5.00
Closed Mondays.
Admission charged
Croke Park is the headquarters of
the Gaelic Athletic Association, Ireland's largest sports
organization and the home of Ireland's national sports of
Hurling and Gaelic Football. The GAA Museum, which is the
biggest sports museum in Ireland, is located on the ground floor
of the New Stand in Phase 1 of the Stadium Development.
Annual Events
January
New Year's Eve / Day
celebrations.
Salmon and Sea Trout Season -
January-September
February
Five Nations
Rugby Tournament - February to April, Ireland plays against
England, Wales, Scotland and France.
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March
Mid-March
Celtic Flame
a national festival
of contemporary and traditional music, song and dance
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March 17
St. Patrick's Day
Festival
celebrations and a
parade
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Mid-March
Temple Bar Fleadh
three-day festival
honoring St. Patrick.
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Late March
Feis Ceoil
classical musical
festival
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April
Early April
Colours Boat Race
a rowing race along
the River Liffey.
3rd week of April
Dublin Film
Festival
May
May 1
May Day Parade
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Late May-early June
Laytown Beach
Races
horse races on the
beach, north of Dublin
June
16 June
Bloomsday
Events,
readings, re-enactments and performances, commemorating the day
in 1904 in which James Joyce's Ulysses is set. For
information, contact the James Joyce Centre, 35 N. Great
George's St. Phone 878-8547.
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August,
Early August:
Dublin Horse
Show.
Both a
premier sporting and social event, this event features
approximately 1,500 horses in 90 showing and jumping
competitions. Live music, fashion shows, Irish crafts and a
masquerade ball accompany the equestrian competitions. Royal
Dublin Society Showgrounds, Ballsbridge. For information:
668-0866
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Throughout
August
Diversions
Temple Bar
Summerlong
festival of free outdoor films and music, theater, opera and
dance performances. Meeting House Square, Temple Bar, 18 Eustace
St. For information: 677-2255.
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September
Early-Mid
September
All-Ireland
Hurling Final
Hurling is a
fast-paced sport that is similar to lacrosse. Getting tickets
may be difficult as it is popular. For information: contact
the Gaelic Athletic Association at 836-3222.
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Mid-Late
September
All-Ireland
Gaelic Football Final
Gaelic football is its own sport and is neither soccer nor U.S.
football. For information: contact the Gaelic Athletic
Association at 836-3222.
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Late
September 每 early October
Annual Dublin
Theatre Festival
Featuring
more than 150 performances of international and Irish theater,
the event is considered one of the best festivals for new
writers. For information: 677-8439.
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Late
September 每 early October
Dublin Fringe
Festival.
A showcase
for offbeat, quality theatrical and multidisciplinary
performances. For information:677-8511
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October
Late October:
Samhain
(Halloween) Parade.
Costumed
dancers parade through the city center. For information:
855-7154.
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End of
October
Dublin City
Marathon
The Annual
Marathon attracts many international competitors and thousands
of spectators. The racecourse runs from Nassau Street to Marion
Square West. For information: 623-2250.
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Early October
Annual Dublin
Theatre Festival
Features
more than 150 performances of international and Irish theater.
this annual event is considered one of the best festivals for
new writing. Various venues. For information: 677-8439
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December
Mid 每December
National
Crafts Fair of Ireland.
A variety of Irish crafts are offered for sale. Main Hall, Royal
Dublin Society Showgrounds, Ballsbridge. For Information:
670-2186 or 285-9294.
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Late
December
The Annual
Christmas National Hunt Festival
competitions at the Leopardstown Racecourse, Leopardstown Road,
Foxrock. For Information: 289-3607
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