Another Pint of Stout, Please Mister |
 21 votes |
“Can you tell us how to get to Windmill Lane,” I said.
“Well, that will depend on where you’ve come from,” replied the bartender. “You see, life is a journey, and it’s the journey that’s important, not the destination.”
Scary. And the more I thought, the more it made sense. Karen and I had just arrived in Dublin and our first task was to sample the brew and meet the locals. So we headed to the pub. But with over 700 of them, where do you start?
Dublin is an exciting city – young and vibrant with plenty to see and do. But the pub remains an institution, the community’s social and cultural hub. Visit them whenever you can for that uniquely Irish experience.
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| Favourite spots: |
Three special spots standout - you know, those places that really leave an imprint:
1. The pubs, specifically O'Donoghues in Merrion Street. This is where many of Ireland's famous acts hones their skills. It's an institution -- just go, you'll find out why.
2. Windmill Lane - home to U2, one of Ireland's most successful musical exports. The whole street is a shrine to the band with colourful and artistic grafitti everywhere. Brilliant.
3. The food, fun, colour, culture and music of Temple Bar. It's an electric atmosphere - especially at night.
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| What's really great: |
You mean apart from the pubs? OK, let's take a closer look at the cultural side of the city and its surrounds:
1. Take a walk around the seaside village of Howth. There's a great little cemetery, some ruins and miles of beautiful coastal trails to explore.
2. The Book of Kells and the Trinity College Library. Amazing, and if you visit during summer break you can even stay here!
3. National Museum - an amazing (and well displayed) collection of neolithic objects.
4. Moore Street Markets - a dose of true Dublin flavour.
5. Merrion Square - for architecture and a brief glimpse back in time.
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| Sights: |
HERE'S A GOOD WALKING TOUR TO GET YOU STARTED. IT'S AROUND 6 KILOMETRES - ALLOW ALL DAY.
Grab a free city map - all these places are easy to find:
Sample Ireland’s finest, from creamy Guinness to malt whiskey. There are some fine cathedrals too, and what’s a trip to Dublin without visiting a castle? Try Chief O’Neills for a food break - it's a trendy pub serving good food and has a museum devoted to traditional music...
+ Jonathan Swift was dean of 12th century *St Patrick’s Cathedral and he is buried here with long-time companion Esther Johnson. In Back Lane at *Mother Redcap’s market shop for bargains Friday to Sunday before visiting the *Guinness Hop Store. You will pass *Robert Emmet’s grave in St Catherine’s Church.
+ After a pint, cross the river for the “main course” at the *Old Jameson Distillery. Back across the Liffey in the medieval centre of Dublin is *Christ Church Cathedral and the extensive grounds of *Dublin Castle.
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| Accommodations: |
AVALON HOUSE, 55 AUNGIER STREET
We'd heard this place had a reputation for being one of Europe's finest hostels and we can't dispute it.
This 1870s Victorian sandstone building is in the perfect location; 300 metres from St Stephens Green, handy to pubs, local transport and all the sights.
Well designed rooms range from dorm-style through to ensuite twins and family rooms. Security is a priority here and everything is kept spotless. Showers are hot and strong and there's plenty of water.
The downstairs area is known as the Avalon Cafe, a meeting place for residents and local students and a great place to hook up with like-minded travellers or relax over a coffee and contemporary music. The tariff includes a meagre breakfast, but then you're only a stones throw from any number of cafes or pubs.
How much? Around IR38 for an ensuite twin, much less for a dorm.
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| Hangouts: |
Hey, with 700 pubs it's tough to recommend, but this is what we liked:
WHERE TO DRINK: All the pubs we visited had great atmosphere, but we can recommend three that also have regular music;
O’Donoghue’s on Merrion Row, Stag’s Head on Dame Lane, and The Brazen Head in North Bridge Street.
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| Restaurants: |
We'd heard Dublin wasn't the gastronomic nerve centre of the universe - sure, that's true, but there's some cool places to go. Here's some we liked:
WHERE TO EAT: The pubs sell good, cheap food and Temple Bar is the best place for value and variety. We can recommend four stand-out places;
Bad Ass Café in Crown Alley, Captain America at 44 Grafton Street, Flanagan’s at 61 O’Connell Street and La Mezza Luna at 1 Temple Lane.
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| Other recommendations: |
HERE'S A FEW MORE FACTS THAT MIGHT HELP WITH PLANNING YOUR VISIT:
WHEN TO GO: Peak season (June to August) gets the best weather but is crowded. April/May and September/October also get good weather and aren't as crowded - it rains less in spring (April/May).
WHERE TO STAY: B&Bs and hotels are expensive. Hostels are the best bet; comfortable, clean and good value.
WHAT IT COSTS: Our expenses averaged less than IR90 per day, and we lived well. This included EVERYTHING - accommodation, food, drinks, transport and even a little souvenir shopping!
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Published on Thursday October 3th, 2002 by undedd
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