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Dublin has some lovely dark corners, so long as you know where to look. During the day, you can visit the green spaces, and at night prowl along the quays or hole up in one of the fantastic pubs here. It has a definite European, definite maritime character, and the greater part of the buildings are 5 stories or fewer. There's enough history laying around that you can't go two blocks without tripping over some reference to the Georgian architecture or the Wood Quay Viking settlement excavations.
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| Favourite spots: |
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Pubs: Fibber's on Parnell Street on the north side of the Liffey, and O'Reilly's on the east side of Tara Street Station. Gardens: see below for green spaces, plus the National Botanical Gardens in Glasnevin, where you can wander through a Japanese garden and a wonderful arboretum. Dublin Castle warrants a special mention, as the architecture there is amazing, and it contains the Chester Beatty Library, which has dozens of old manuscripts on display in some amazing exhibits.
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| What's really great: |
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Green space! Phoenix Park, St. Stephen's Green, Merrion Square, the Iveagh Gardens--all around the city centre. There's a fountain with a sculpture of the Three Fates in the Green, and a small hedge maze in the Iveagh Gardens behind the huge angel fountains. The statuary is something unto itself. Besides the above-mentioned sculpture, visit the GPO for the statue of CuChulainn, the city offices for a Viking boat, and the quays along the Custom House for the memorial to the Famine of the 1840s.
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| Sights: |
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If you're into the pagan thing, the House of Astrology on Parliament Street and Yellow Brick Road on the north-side quays are good places to look, as is New Moon in the Market Arcade.
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| Nightlife: |
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Fibber's has the best metal/punk music, but Dominion (http://domionon.gothic.ie/) in the Isaac Butt Pub near Busaras on Saturday nights has to be the best music in general, being mostly EBM with a nicely dressed crowd and friendly bouncers.
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| Hangouts: |
Besides the above-mentioned O'Reillys, where you get iron chandeliers, red velvet curtains and candles everywhere, try the Thing Mote on Andrew Street right around the corner from the Grafton Street shopping and the Stag's Head on Dame Lane for the best cheap pints in town, and good pub craic.
If you're out in Glasnevin, try the Gravediggers' (called so because it's beside a huge cemetery, and where the gravediggers would drink), though it's real name is Kavanagh's. Get directions from the locals as it's hard to find, and be warned that it's still sometimes seen as a Republican pub.
If out in Howth, try the Bloody Stream right by the DART station.
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| Restaurants: |
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Grafton Street in the fall
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Cornucopia on Exchequer Street is a great vegetarian place, and Dunne & Crescenzi's is a lovely Italian cafe with great wines.
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| Other recommendations: |
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Definitely go out to Howth and Glendaloch while you're here.
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Published on Monday March 29th, 2004
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Sun, Mar 02 2008 - 05:43 PM
 by mistybleu
| Dublin really is a cool place to hang out; and you've captures the essence here. Nice report |
Thu, May 20 2004 - 08:12 AM
by krissie
| great page; what a pity i missed dublin when i was in ireland last summer |
Tue, Mar 30 2004 - 04:17 AM
 by marianne
| I loved reading this. Good information and it makes me long to return to Dublin. |
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