Two and a half days in Dublin

Subject: Two and a half days in Dublin
From: Les in Chorlton
Date: 08 Dec 07 - 01:17 PM

What's the priority for two and a half days in Dublin?

Subject: RE: Two and a half days in Dublin
From: Jim Carroll
Date: 08 Dec 07 - 01:28 PM

For singing try The Goilín Club, Parnell Square Friday nights.
Music and dancing, Hughes near the Four Courts, every night.
Jim Carroll

Subject: RE: Two and a half days in Dublin
From: Fliss
Date: 08 Dec 07 - 01:51 PM

Eating at the 'Oliver StJOhn Goggerty' pub in Temple Bar area.... mmmm.. Irish stew, soda bread and Guinness.

Dublinia experience.. Dublin through the ages exhibition.

mmm ... Dublin.. Im jealous!

Subject: RE: Two and a half days in Dublin
From: Cats
Date: 08 Dec 07 - 03:32 PM

Go and see the Book of Kells. Be amazed, then go to the museum and have a look at the early gold collection and be gobsmacked then off to Hughes or upstairs at the Academy for a really good session but don't expect them to end early or start early. Have a brilliant time. We did.

Subject: RE: Two and a half days in Dublin
From: Fidjit
Date: 08 Dec 07 - 03:59 PM

Jump on the Dart and go to the folk music center in Monkstown on Saturay evening. You can learn to dance and there's a seesion.

Chas

Subject: RE: Two and a half days in Dublin
From: Gulliver
Date: 08 Dec 07 - 04:45 PM

The 'Oliver St John Gogerty' pub is a terrible tourist trap full of drunken lager louts. Avoid it at all costs--there's a great range of good restaurants in Dublin. Call by the tourist office in Andrew Street (near Trinity College) where there's a stack of brochures on places to go, and staff to provide information. There's lots of music, sessions, etc., as well as those mentioned above. If you're there on Sunday morning a stroll around Georgian Dublin (Merrion Square, etc.) is well worth the effort, with lunch in Dawson St. or anywhere in the neighbourhood and then you can do a bit of shopping as well. Trinity College, Dublin Castle (hourly tours of the State Apartments), the Cathedrals, O'Connell Street and lots more are worth seeing.

Don

Subject: RE: Two and a half days in Dublin
From: Rog Peek
Date: 08 Dec 07 - 04:53 PM

General Post Office

Rog

Subject: RE: Two and a half days in Dublin
From: Geoff Wallis
Date: 09 Dec 07 - 01:01 PM

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.

Subject: RE: Two and a half days in Dublin
From: Les in Chorlton
Date: 11 Dec 07 - 11:34 AM

Thanks folks, plenty to do then!

Cheers

Les

Subject: RE: Two and a half days in Dublin
From: Geoff Wallis
Date: 11 Dec 07 - 01:15 PM

Les,

One place I forgot to mention was the Farmleigh mansion just beyond the northwestern fringe of Phoenix Park. It's a sumptuous building in splendid landscaped grounds, free to visit, and also features regular events from Easter to September.

Subject: RE: Two and a half days in Dublin
From: Folkiedave
Date: 11 Dec 07 - 01:18 PM

I do recommend Kilmainham Jail. For an alernative view of history.

Dave

Subject: RE: Two and a half days in Dublin
From: Fidjit
Date: 11 Dec 07 - 02:39 PM

They put Erskin Childers Dulcibella in jail. The jail was a museum. The Dulcebella, Read his book the, "Ridlde of the Sands", was actually "Asgaard" a Colin Archer Norwegian boat that was used for gun running from Belgium to Howth !

Now at Howth (Take the Dart there) on the end of the harbour there's a plaque that tells you all about it.

Also at Howth there's the lighthouse pub !!. Here Barney Mckenna and friends hold court on a Sunday afternoon.

Enjoy

Chas

Subject: RE: Two and a half days in Dublin
From: Declan
Date: 11 Dec 07 - 07:53 PM

Sad to relate that "The Lighthouse" no longer exists as a Pub in Howth. You might get a session in the Pier House in Howth on a Sunday, but I'm not too sure about that. Howth is well worth a visit, but locations for sessions are dissapearing fast. The one session I'm sure of is the singing circle on the first Thursday of the month. Nowadays its held in the Sea Angling club on the pier nearest the Dart station.

As far as I know Hughes still has sessions 7 nights a week. Cobblestone is usually worth a visit also. Both are accessible via Luas (tram) from Connolly Station.

Temple Bar, as has been said, is a bit of a tourist trap, but its probably the best place to find a tune during the day in the City Centre apart from the Cobble Stone at week-ends.

Subject: RE: Two and a half days in Dublin
From: GUEST,Flatpick
Date: 11 Dec 07 - 08:04 PM

If you are there on a Wednesday, you could do worse than to catch the Dart South to the next station after Dun Laoghaire(I can't remember the name, but it's about 25 minutes journey) and walk down to the Eagle's Nest (3 minutes on your right).
I go there about three times a year whilst visiting my dear mother-in-law, and the band is great.
Enjoy.

Subject: RE: Two and a half days in Dublin
From: Raggytash
Date: 12 Dec 07 - 03:14 AM

Get the train/bus to Galway

Subject: RE: Two and a half days in Dublin
From: Jim Carroll
Date: 12 Dec 07 - 03:26 AM

Or Clare
Jim Carroll

Subject: RE: Two and a half days in Dublin
From: Les in Chorlton
Date: 12 Dec 07 - 05:38 AM

Mmmmmmmmmm ......... well this is the first time we have been to Ireland since about '68 so I guess we will be back with our lane blocking caravan to visit other parts later

Cheers

Les Jones

Subject: RE: Two and a half days in Dublin
From: Gulliver
Date: 12 Dec 07 - 07:01 AM

Gerry Crilly (with accompanists) sings in O'Donoghues, Merrion Row on Mondays and in Windy Arbour on Thursdays. There's traditional music in Devitts on Camden Street on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays, also in Ryans on Thursdays. Another session in Rathmines Inn Sundays at 6:00. A little later in the Duke, Duke St. Thursdays in the Millenium Bar on the North side of the Liffey. Also Brazen Head and O'Shea's on Bridge St most nights I think.

Don

Subject: RE: Two and a half days in Dublin
From: Fidjit
Date: 12 Dec 07 - 07:21 AM

Sad to relate that "The Lighthouse" no longer exists as a Pub in Howth.

Sorry to hear about that.

Chas

Subject: RE: Two and a half days in Dublin
From: GUEST,Jeff
Date: 13 Dec 07 - 01:08 AM

Yeah, I did that one night. Half a bottle of Jamison(duty free) and several pint's o' Guiness singing Gene Pitney's '24 hours from Tulsa' standing next to a man at the facility and pissed as we both were we knew all the words and harmony parts. The establishment asked us to leave as there was no singing allowed in that particular pub. But not before we did a rousing rendition of Oh, Pretty Woman on our way out the door. Left 3-4 pint on the bar, but I'm sure they found homes quickly. We laughed and bade goodnight to one another and I staggered back to my hostel on O'Connell Street w/1000.00 in US currency in my wallet. God protects fools and drunks.Woke up the next morning hungover and biked 52 miles thru Sally Gap to Rathdram. Slept 14 hrs that night. There's nowhere on earth like Dublin and the Wicklow Moutains...God surely smiled in the making.

Subject: RE: Two and a half days in Dublin
From: fogie
Date: 13 Dec 07 - 05:15 AM

What about the Guinness factory? its got a waterfall inside and a revolving bar at the top and lots of guinness- my goodness!

Subject: RE: Two and a half days in Dublin
From: Geoff Wallis
Date: 13 Dec 07 - 11:48 AM

Re. the Guinness Storehouse (not the factory or brewery - you can't visit either) - it's hard to recommend somewhere wholeheartedly that costs €14 to get in, even if that does include a 'free' pint, though you can reduce the entry fee by booking online - http://www.guinness-storehouse.com .

The Old Jameson Distillery - http://www.jamesonwhiskey.com - is better value at €9.75, including a nip (or more than one, if you get involved in the tasting trial) and handy for The Cobblestone and Hughes's.

Subject: RE: Two and a half days in Dublin
From: Les in Chorlton
Date: 16 Dec 07 - 12:54 PM

Two nights in the Cobblestone were excellent tremendous tunes great company

Subject: RE: Two and a half days in Dublin
From: patriot1314
Date: 16 Dec 07 - 01:34 PM

The Lighthouse in Howth closed over 2 years ago. It's still worth going to Howth though on a Saturday night or Sunday afternoon to hear Ossie, the upside down banjo player....superb!

Some of us went over from Scotland last weekend and even Barney McKenna marked the occasion by playing with us for a while in the Pier House.

Subject: RE: Two and a half days in Dublin
From: Fliss
Date: 19 Dec 07 - 07:01 PM

So you had a good time then Les! I do like Dublin. Some cities are just large, but Dublin is very welcoming. Love the street life. Very continental feel about the place.

Subject: RE: Two and a half days in Dublin
From: Les in Chorlton
Date: 20 Dec 07 - 05:28 AM

I guess a lot of us tourist feel the same: I would have enjoyed it a lot more if it wasn't full of tourists!

Great place, Book of Kells, Stephens Green, Trinity, singing bus drivers, friendly Irish people in the Cobblestone, evry nation on the planet working somewhere and music all over the place!

Subject: RE: Two and a half days in Dublin
From: ard mhacha
Date: 20 Dec 07 - 06:06 AM

Take Geoff Wallis itinerary in his first posting and you will receive an enjoyable education.