Well, Les, it does depend on when you're visiting (month of the year, days of the week), where you're staying and how much dosh you have.

The top attractions would have to be, in no particular order:

1) the National Museum on Kildare Street - for the prehistoric gold collection which Cats mentioned and plenty of other relics from Viking and medieval times;

2) the National Gallery on Kildare Street/Merrion Row for its Jack Yeats collection and numerous other enthralling galleries;

3) Trinity College for its Old Library, the Book of Kells and Long Room;

4) the Chester Beatty Library - a cornucopia of manuscripts, prints and objets d'art from Europe, the Middle and Far East;

5) Kilmainham Gaol where many Irish rebels and revolutionaries were incarcerated and the leaders of the Easter Rising executed - tours of the old prison and an enthralling exhibition on Ireland's political history;

6) and a pint or two of Guinness in Mulligan's on Poolbeg Street or Ryan's on Parkgate Street, both still reckoned to be the two best pubs for the black stuff in the city. Alternatively, try the snugs in either Doheny and Nesbitt's or Toner's, both on Baggot Street, off the northeast corner of St Stephen's Green.

One easy, though not cheap, way of getting around is to take an open-top bus tour. Personally, I prefer the Dublin Bus one, but the others aren't bad either. However, if you know where you're going, using regular buses (and having an all-day ticket) proves much cheaper.

For music it's hard to beat The Cobblestone on North King Street which has sessions every night and also earlier on Thursdays and Sundays. Hughes's on Chancery Street only really gets going at the weekends.