Staying in Dublin
About Dublin
In recent years Dublin has become a vibrant multi-cultural city which is perfect for the language student wishing to engage in the English language. It is a youthful and fun place - famous for it’s welcoming people and friendly atmosphere.
Dublin is also an exciting place to be. An assortment of museums and gallaries (mostly free) during the day give the visitor a feeling of culture and art while the famous pubs and nightclubs, cinemas and theatres, can entertain into the small hours of the night.
Below is a selection of places which Englishour would like to recomend to our students:
Things to do, places to go:
St Stephen’s Green: This beautiful park, almost 350 years old, sits at the bottom of Grafton street, Dublin's premier shopping street. As soon as you enter St Stephen’s Green with it’s curved paths and beautiful pond, you can take an opportunity to just sit and watch the world walk by.
The National Gallery: Located on Merrion square The National Gallery is free to visitors. Everybody has their own favourites, amongst which are the beautiful Italian masterpieces - or of course the Irish paintings represented by the likes of Yeats, Lavery and Leech.
Trinity College: The famous Trinity College Dublin is a beautiful series of buildings located in the heart of Dublin, only 5 minutes stroll from Englishour. Housing the famous library with the Book of Kells, Trinity college offers an escape from the noise of the city centre where you feel you have been transported back in time. Also have a beer in the Pavillion bar as you watch cricket being played in front of you!
Iveagh gardens: Like a secret garden, the Iveagh gardens are located beside Hatch street in Dublin 2, approximately 15 minutes' walk from Englishour. Sunken lawns and exotic trees add to the idea that you are in a very special place indeed.
Camden street: A collection of interesting shops and cafes during the day and great pubs at night where you can hear live traditional and contemporary music, Camden street is a great street to while away an hour or two. It’s situated a couple of minutes from St Stephen’s green, 15 minutes from Englishour.
Moore street: A very multi-cultural market, Moore Street is where Dubliners buy their fruit and vegetables from the market stalls. Just around the corner is Henry Street, the largest shopping street in Dublin. Around the corner, of course, you can also see the GPO, the famous General Post Office where people meet ... and of course the Spire which sits proudly on O’Connell Street. Walk up Henry Street during the morning and see the sun reflected golden on the spire.
Rathmines: A famous town hall with a clock which looks a little like Big Ben, Rathmines is the ‘student’ area of Dublin. Charity shops and cafes and bars line the main thoroughfare which is guaranteed to interest any visitor to Dublin.
Dunlaoire harbour: Located in the south of Dublin, on the sea and accessible by the Dart train, Dunlaoire has two concrete piers, the east pier and the west pier. Walk along the east pier (it’ll take 40 minutes out and back) and then have the best ice cream in Dublin in Teddy’s shop, located to the left across the road. A great day out and good exercise too!
Howth harbour: This is the alternative to Dunlaoire located on the north coast. Howth forms a peninsula overlooking the city and you can walk along the peninsula and have a wonderful view of the entire city. Also, if you’re lucky you may very well see a few seals which are common in these waters.
Phoenix park: The largest walled park in Dublin (and the largest urban park in Europe!!) offers the visitor the chance to walk or run through a huge expanse of green and trees. It houses Dublin zoo, a great day out - as well as herds of deer which roam freely through the park. You can also see the Wellington monument as well as Aras an Uachtarain, the official residence of the President of Ireland.
Botanic gardens: Founded in 1795, the Botanic Gardens of Dublin house a wonderful collection of plants and trees in spectacular greenhouses. Located near Glasnevin cemetary (another intersting place to visit) it is a short bus ride form the city centre.
The Central Library, Ilac Centre: A great place to borrow a book, read the paper, use the internet, listen to music, study - the central library has a host of facilities and services. In the evenings there are language exchange meetings where people of different nationalities can meet Irish people and the conversation can be half in English and half in the other language. It’s great for learning and for socialising.
IFSC: The Irish Financial Services Centre is a modern development built during the Celtic Tiger years. Comprising apartments, shops and restaurants - all beside the River Liffey and close to the city centre, the IFSC provides another side of Dublin which is both beautiful and modern. A little further up the river Liffey lies the O2 venue where large concerts are regularly held.
Chester Beatty Library: Sir Alfred Chester Beatty was a well-travelled wealthy collector who left his collection of manuscripts, paintings, furniture and rare books to the Chester Beatty library. You can find it within the grounds of Dublin Castle and spend a very nice hour or two admiring beautiful objects from all over the world.
Grand Canal: Dublin has two canals, the Grand and the Royal. The Grand canal is to be found on the south side of the city centre. Try walking from Mount street, near Trinity College, along the Canal past Baggot street, Leeson street up to Portobello and Camden street. Along the way you will find statues, Dubliners relaxing and perhaps even a few swans you can feed!
Kilmainham Gaol: Many of our revolutionaries form 1916 were imprisioned by the British in Kilmainham gaol. Today of course the prison is empty but the memories prevail and can be felt by the visitor still. It is a poignant tour and will give the visitor a further understanding of Irish history and what makes Irish people tick.
Viking Splash Tour: A little expensive at €20 (€18 for students), the Viking Splash tour is fun. Drive through the streets of Dublin (and shout at passers by) and then the amphibious WWII vehicle will take you into the water and you can learn more interesting facts about Dublin from a perspective even Dubliners rarely see.
Dublin literary pub crawl: A tour which takes in pubs and places of historical interest, it is performed by two talented actors who will tell you stories and perform excerpts from famous Irish literature. Informing and entertaining this tour is best for higher level speakers of English.
Guinness Storehouse: With a wonderful panoramic view of Dublin from the glass-walled Gravity bar, we’ve included it here because we understand that any visitor to Dublin will feel compelled to visit the Guinness factory, although you won't actually see any Guinness produced on this trip.
Dublinia: This is a tour of medieval Dublin which is just across the road form the beautiful Christchurch cathedral. Walk down a medieval street and see how people lived in Dublin up to 1000 years ago. Its a little tacky, but it’s fun and great value too.
Shops:
Carrolls: Considered tacky by many Irish people, it is still the place to go for visitors who want to buy cheap ‘Irish’ presents for their family or friends. As you walk though the isles of leprechauns and sheep with shamrocks you get a good idea of how Ireland is seen through largely American eyes. There is one be found on Westmoreland street, Henry street, and inside the St Stephen's Green shopping centre. For those with more money and taste, try the Kilkenny Design centre on Nassau street.
Penney’s: You will be surprised at how cheap it actually is. There are bargains everywhere. It’s basically a large clothes shop, but typical prices are very very low. For us, it’s a good place to buy socks or underwear, but there is a very large selection of goods which just might catch your eye.
Brown Thomas: Located on Grafton street, just a five minute walk from Englishour, Brown Thomas is perfect for the student with a lot of cash! Full of designer merchandise, a visit to Brown Thomas will ensure you leave with a bag full of goodies, a smile and an empty wallet! For younger followers of fashion BT2, also located on Grafton Street, offers designer clothes aimed at the twenty-something.
Books upstairs: Not a large bookshop but there is a good selection of historical and cultural books and literature. It is situated just opposite Trinity College on College green and offers an interesting alternative to Easons, the large bookshop on O’Connell street. Also, try Hodges and Figgis on Dawson street or Waterstones opposite
Food and drink:
Elephant and Castle: Open for 20 years and located in Temple bar, Elephant and Castle is a restaurant which specialises in hamburgers and chicken. Why are we recommending this restaurant? Two words, chicken wings! They really are amazingly good and cost less than €10. The hamburgers are pretty good too as is the ginger ale. Be sure to ask for extra concentrate if you like it strong.
The Morgan hotel: Located in the heart of Temple Bar, the Morgan Hotel has an open area at the back of the bar where customers can smoke, drink and if you’re feeling tired you can lie down on one of the beds they have in the bar. A cool place to meet for a beer or a cocktail.
Cafe en Seine: On Dawson street (near the Dawson Lounge) Cafe en Seine is not the cheapest bar (it’s quite expensive) but it is worth seeing for the decor. They have obviously spent a lot of money on the (very large) bar. There are indoor trees and balconies and tiles and of course, very fashionable people. Have one there and then move somewhere cheaper.
Fallon and Byrne: Basically a posh supermarket, Fallon and Byrne has a very good selection of fresh and canned foods, many from our continental neighbours. You’ll find it on Exchequer street, near Grafton stret and while there there’s a nice cafe with some lovely food.
Wagamama: A Japanese restaurant located under the St Stephen’s Green shopping centre, Wagamama has long benchs which you can share with your neighbours while eating good quality, fresh and well-priced food. If you feel like eating healthily, Wagamama is a good place to go. Try the Gaiety Theatre afterwards for a show.
The Dawson Lounge: Billed as being the ‘smallest pub in Ireland’, the Dawson Lounge is an interesting experience. On Dawson street, beside Grafton street, there are stairs leading down to what is, indeed, a very small pub!
Leeson street and Harcourt street: These two streets have late-night night clubs for the younger student. Try Copper face Jacks on Harcourt street if you want to meet members of the opposite sex or try Dicey Rileys for very cheap beer. The clubs on Leeson street may be for older clients with more money who can aford their over-priced wine at a very late hour.
The Porterhouse: Located on Parliament street at the edge of the famous Temple bar area of Dublin, the Porterhouse offers an impressive selection of own-brewed and imported beers from all over the world. As well as having a wonderful selection of cold frothy beers, they also have some pretty good live music on weekend nights!