County Dublin
 Dublin is the Capital of Ireland, the seat of Government
and the most populated city. The beauty of
the surrounding country, combined with its
maritime position, give to the metropolis
of Ireland a charm possessed by few cities.
Dublin the "Town of the Ford of the Hurdles",
capital, county borough, and main seaport
of Ireland.
It is at the mouth of the Liffey River,
on Dublin Bay, an inlet of the Irish
sea.
Here is a concentration of
delights for which you would motor many
miles in other places - firm, clean beaches;
shoals of sea fish and rivers full of game
and coarse fish; championship-standard
golf; two superb forest parks; two cathedrals;
castles and gardens: boating. bird-watching,
walking and pony trekking.
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The city occupies
a generally flat site, which is bisected in an eastern
and western direction by the Liffey. The river is spanned
by ten bridges, notably O'Connell's Bridge, which links
the main thoroughfares of the city. 
Many of Dublin's
historic edifices are in the old section of the city,
south of the Liffey. Dublin Castle, the nucleus around
which the modern town developed, formerly housed the
offices of the British viceroy of Ireland. Most of
this structure, which occupies a ridge overlooking
the river, was completed in the 16th century and later,
but parts of it date from early in the 13th century.
The
cultural centers include the National Museum, which
contains numerous Irish antiquities; the National
Gallery, with valuable collections of painting and
sculpture; and the Abbey Theatre.
The first known settlement on the site
of Dublin was called Eblana, a name found in the writings
of the 2nd-century Alexandrian geographer Ptolemy.
The town later appears in history as Dubh-linn (Gaelic
for "Black Pool"), the inhabitants of which won (AD291)
a military victory over the armed forces of the kingdom
of Leinster. Baile Átha Cliath, the present official
name, is believed to have been applied to the settlement
at a subsequent date.
Main Dublin Tourist Attractions
Include :
Trinity College
Trinity College is the oldest university in Ireland.
Founded in 1592 by Queen
Elizabeth I, the College is in an enviable position in
the very heart of Ireland's capital and in 1992 celebrated
400 years. The campus contains a unique collection of
buildings
dating from the 17th to the 20th century.
The College is famed for the great treasures it has the honour
to be guardian off. These include the BOOK OF KELLS, a 9th
century illuminated manuscript, the books of Durrow and Armagh
and an early Irish harp. These are displayed in The Colonnades
exhibition Gallery and the Long Room which is the most impressive
library in the College housing over 200,000 of Trinity's
oldest books
Bull
Island
Bull Island is 5km long and
800m wide, and the area above high tide is approximately
300
hectares. It contains a wide range of natural habitats
which include inter tidal mudflats, salt marsh, freshwater
marsh, dunes, and beach area. The mudflats support a
large population of birds, at any time up to 27,000 birds
are present, which gives the area the highest bird density
in Ireland.
The Island also provides the only Irish example of an undisturbed
sequence of plant communities, from salt marsh to dune vegetation.
Temple Bar
Temple Bar is Dublin's Cultural
quarter. First developed in the 19th Century, with narrow
cobbled streets running
close to the banks of the river Liffey, the area is full
of character and charm.
The streets are pedestrianised and to really appreciate all
that Temple Bar has to offer, take time to stroll around.
Ideally situated in the heart of the city centre, the area
is a hive of activity where artists, designers and young
entrepreneurs with creative ideas have set up small art galleries,
cafes, theatres and colourful shops.
A
trip along the Liffey
As Eddie Rabbit said in the
Commitments there are two Dublin's, North & South.
The Liffey is the border. The river rises in the Wicklow
mountains
near Poulaphuca , south of Dublin. it enters the Irish
Sea at Dublin Bay. It is over 120Kms long. It is spanned
by many bridges in the city.
The first one is Sean Heuston bridge, located near the entrance
to the Phoenix Park, the last bridge is the East link bridge,
not far east of the Customs House.
The sights along the Liffey include the National Museum,
Customs House and Guinness Brewery.
O'Connell Street
The sights along O'Connell
Street include :
General Post Office (GPO). Scene of intense
fighting during the 1916 Rising. The building was reconstructed
after the Rising. A statue of Cuchulainn is on display
in the main area.
Anna Livia, a
monument in celebration of Dublin's life blood, The Liffey.
Dubliners are well known for their
subtle sense of humour have named it "The Floozy
in the Jacuzzi"
At the top of O'Connell St in Parnell St and just beyond
the Rotunda Hospital you will find the Garden of Remembrance.
A tribute to those who died in the War for Independence.
Stephens Green
A favourite meeting place for
the people of Dublin. It is a meeting place for students
from nearby Trinity
College, workers from the offices and shops that surround
the park, tourists and shoppers from nearby Grafton St.
It was originally a walled area with walks surrounding
it. The area was levelled and walled in 1678 and
a ditch dug round it. The four sides, each a quarter
of a mile in length, were known as Leeson's Walk (S),
French Walk (W), Beaux' Walk (N) and Monks's Walk (E).
Moore Street Market
An wonderful open market selling fruit, vegetables and
meat. The Moore Street traders have fought vigorously
to maintain their market. A great opportunity to meet
some really remarkable Dublin characters.
Customs House
Located on the north side of
the river Liffey at Customs House Quay. It is a fine
example of Georgian building.
It was destroyed during the war of Independence in 1921.
It was designed by James Gandon. It is said that the
14 keystones of the building were to represent the Liffey "Anna
Livia" the Atlantic Ocean and the other twelve to represent
the main rivers of Ireland
Grafton Street
"Grafton street is heaven with coffee at 11 and a stroll
round Stephens Green" or so the song goes. Surrounding
Grafton street are many pubs and hotels made famous by
Dublin's literary greats. McDaid's in Harry St, boasted
Brendan Behan, Patrick Kavanagh and Flann O'Brien as
regulars. Davy Byrne's Lounge, visited in James Joyce's "Ulysses" Duke
St, Peter's Pub Johnson place, frequented by Brendan
Behan's family. The Bailey, many literary associations
with this pub. At the bottom of Grafton St, the Trinity
end, you will find a monument to one of Dublin's best
known characters "Molly Malone"
Heritage
Sites
Casino - Marino
Casino is located at Marino,
just off the Malahide Road and only 3 miles north of
the centre of Dublin. It
was designed by Sir William Chambers as a pleasure
house for James Caulfeild, 1st Earl of Charlemont.
It is one of the finest 18th century neo-classical
buildings in Europe. The Casino, meaning "small house",
surprisingly contains a total of 16 finely decorated
rooms.
Kilmainham
Gaol
One of the largest unoccupied
gaols in Europe, covering some of the most heroic
and tragic events in Ireland's emergence
as a modern nation from 1780s to the 1920s. Attractions include
a major exhibition detailing the political and penal history
of the prison and its restoration. The tour of the prison
includes an audio-visual show.
Lusk
Heritage Centre
Lusk Heritage Centre comprises of a round tower, a medieval
belfry and a 19th century church. They form a unit, although
they were built over a period of almost a thousand years.
The belfry now houses an exhibition on medieval churches
of North County Dublin and also the magnificent 16th century
effigy tomb of Sir Christopher Barnewall and his wife Marion
Sharl.
Pearse
Museum
Located at Grange Road, Rathfarnam,
the former school run by Patrick Pearse, now a museum
in beautiful grounds. Attractions
include exhibitions, a nature study room with attractive
displays on Irish flora and fauna and an audio-visual show
titled "This Man Kept a School".
Rathfarnham
Castle
The date of the foundation
of the Castle is uncertain, but recent research would
suggest 1583 as the most likely date.
It was built by Adam Loftus, a Yorkshireman. The Castle has
a colourful and interesting history with 18th century interiors
by Sir William Chambers and James 'Athenian' Stuart and was
declared a National Monument in the mid-1980s. The Castle
is presented to visitors as a castle undergoing active conservation.
Phoenix
Park Visitor Centre
A lively and entertaining exhibition on the history and the
wildlife of the Phoenix Park is on display in the Visitor
Centre. Here the visitor can enjoy a historical interpretation
of the park from 3500 B.C. to the present day and can also
view an audio-visual presentation on the Phoenix Park through
the ages. Adjoining the Visitor Centre is the fully restored
Ashtown Castle, a medieval tower house that probably dates
from the 17th century.
St.
Mary's Abbey
Located at Meetinghouse Lane, off Chapel Street, the Abbey
was founded in 1139 as a daughter house of the Benedictine
Order of Savigny but became Cistercian in 1147. It was, until
its suppression in the 16th century, one of the largest and
most important monasteries in Ireland. The Heritage Service
along with the Dublin Archaeological Society and the History
of Art Department of Trinity College, Dublin, have put together
an interesting exhibition.
Waterways
Visitor Centre
A modern building constructed
in the Grand Canal Basin, beside Pearse St. Bridge
and the I.D.A. Enterprise Tower. The Centre
houses an exhibition designed to introduce the visitor to
the story of Ireland's Inland Waterways and the range and
diversity of activities and experiences they offer. Attractions
include an audio-visual show and working models, showing
various engineering features, as well as an interactive multimedia
presentation. Access for people with disabilities to ground
floor.
Interesting Shops
Cleary's
Located in O'Connell Street - A world of Shopping
Brown Thomas
Located in Grafton Street ; Renown clothing store
Louis Copeland
Located at 39-41 Capel St., Dublin 1
Master Tailor and ready to wear specialists.
Choose from our three shops in Dublin.
Blarney Woollen Mills
Located in Nassau Street ; A huge range of woolen products.
The great Irish shopping experience
