| Alluring Leinster - Indulge in the delights of Dublin
 There’s never been a better time to enjoy a weekend in Dublin —
Leinster’s main metropolis, the capital of Ireland and one of Europe’s
great cities.
This is a good time to head to Dublin. The autumn lends a magic light to
the time-darkened buildings, bold statues and the wide open spaces of
Phoenix Park.
The Liffey divides the city, with most of Dublin’s attractions lying to
the south — the elegant Georgian squares, vibrant Temple Bar, Trinity
College, Grafton Street, St Stephen’s Green and most of the museums. The
main tourist office is housed in the decommissioned neo-gothic Church of
St Andrews in Suffolk Street tel +353 (0) 1 605 7700
www.visitdublin.com
Festival Dublin
The Dublin Theatre Festival starts on September 29 and runs for a
fortnight (www.dublintheatrefestival.com). This year’s programme
includes Ibsen’s Hedda Gabler at the Abbey Theatre and Tom Murphy’s new
Alice Trilogy at the Abbey’s downstairs arena, the Peacock.
You’ve also just got time to catch Dublin’s Cross Gallery’s latest
exhibition which is currently showing some of Ireland’s finest living
artists including John Boyd, Jack Donovan, Bridget Flannery and Simon
English. The Cross Gallery, 59 Francis Street tel +353 (0) 1 473 8978
www.crossgallery.ie
Walk the walk
Dublin teems with historical buildings, from the elegant Georgian houses
of Merrion Square to the magnificence of Trinity College, wherein lies
the Book of Kells. A priceless illuminated manuscript, it’s among the
top half dozen most valuable books in the world.
For a stroll through the sights, start at the tourist office in Suffolk
Street, go down Church Lane and turn right into College Green. On your
left is the Bank of Ireland (you can still change your old punts there
if you happen to come across a cache under your granny’s bed). This
impressive 18th-century edifice was once Parliament House — you can take
a peek into the House of Lords Chamber. Ahead is Trinity College, alma
mater of Jonathan Swift, Oscar Wilde and Oliver Goldsmith. From Trinity,
head up Grafton Street, which regrettably looks more and more like any
British city street, with all the usual high street names present.
Bewley’s is a pizza parlour and those Chilean guys who play South
American pan pipes have more or less taken up permanent residence — a
sure sign that a place has reached uber-tourism status. Hurry on
through, then, and bear left into Nassau Street, go along the side of
Trinity and you’ll eventually come to the National Gallery of Ireland.
From here, continue along to Upper Merrion Street and you’re in the
heart of Georgian Dublin. The street runs past the imposing government
buildings. Turn right into Merrion Row and continue on into St Stephen’s
Green.
Historical Dublin
Victorian Dublin, Georgian Dublin, artistic Dublin — for the expert
historian and vaguely interested alike, Dublin is a goldmine. Take your
pick from: the Natural History Museum in Merrion Square, the National
Museum of Ireland (ditto), the National Museum of Archeology in Kildare
Street and the National Gallery of Ireland plus all stops in between,
Irish and international treasures can be admired at leisure — and for
free.
Although Dublin is now the only capital city in the world under complete
control of the Celts, it was originally a Viking town. That intriguing
history can be unravelled at the Dvblinia heritage centre, just beside
Christchurch Cathedral.
Literary Dublin
The ghosts of Joyce, Shaw, Wilde, O’Casey, Beckett and Goldsmith haunt
every pub. Each time you reach for your pint, one of them will be
looking over your shoulder. You’ll almost feel like asking them to lend
you a fiver.
For more formal appreciation of Dublin’s literary heritage, head for the
Dublin Writers’ Centre in Parnell Square, the James Joyce Centre in
North Frederick Street or the James Joyce Museum, housed in the Martello
Tower in Sandymount, where the first chapter of Ulysses is set.
The Dublin Literary Pub Crawl tel. +353 (0) 1 670 5602 (e12 / £8.60)
www.dublinpubcrawl.com is a moving feast of readings, anecdotes and
history presented by inspired actors. Terrific fun. Until the end of
November the tours take place nightly starting at 7.30pm, the Duke Pub,
9 Duke Street.
Dublin drinking
Aged wooden panelling, tobacco stained windows, a sage barman in a tie
and tables stacked with pints of Guinness and golden drams. Tucked into
a dimly lit corner at the back, huddled in a circle, musicians playing
flutes, bodhráns, banjos and fiddles. You can still find such places in
Dublin, as well as gastropubs in Ballsbridge and down-at-heel local
hostelries in Parnell Street. Or you can try the raucous late-night
clubs in Temple Bar where hen parties from England wear one set of
clothes between six of them. But for a good mix, head for Doheny &
Nesbitt, 4-5 Lower Baggot Street. Complete with Victorian snugs and
mirrors, and creaking with carved timber floors, this is as good a pub
as you’ll find.
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