Note: Dublin is bisected by the River Liffey, with most of the attractions being located south of the river.
Custom House
Custom House Quay
878-7660
Mar.-Oct. 10-5 Mon.-Fri. 2-5 Sat., Sun.
Admission: Adults: 2£ Children 1£; Family 3£
The Custom House , the most magnificent building
in Dublin was planned in secret by local merchants who were eager to keep the
ships coming all the way into the commercial heart of the city after the old
building had been outgrown. Lord Carlow and John Beresford made plans for the
new Custom House to be much nearer to the river mouth than the former one. In
1779 they approached a 36-year-old London architect named James Gandon and asked
him to come to Ireland and take on the job. Gandon turned down a similar offer
to work in St. Petersburg Russia (later Leningrad) and came to Ireland in 1781.
The foundation stone was laid quietly in August of that year, in spite of mobs
hired by the opposition to attack the builders and their work. Gandon himself
received threatening letters and found it advisable to carry a sword when he
visited the building site. The site contained little more than sand and mud, and
Gandon's elaborate foundations caused some head-shaking at the time. Despite the
death of Gandon's wife early in the work, and a fire in the partly completed
building, the new Customs House opened in 1791. Gandon, was to stay in Ireland
for the rest of his life. He later designed the Four Courts and the Kings Inns.
The Custom House survived a fire in 1833 and in May 1921, when, as the seat of
local government, it became a target for nationalist forces and was set on fire.
Fuelled by the innumerable files and books, the blaze continued for some days.
The temperature was so high that brass fittings melted and stonework cracked
open . The building was restored in 1926 at a cost of £300,000. In the 1970's it
became clear that the fire damage had been more severe than had been suspected,
and that stonework would continue to crack and decay unless properly dealt with.
A massive restoration began in 1986 and the entire building was restored by the
time of its bicentennial celebration in 1991. The Custom House now houses a
Visitor Center with access to a small building in which there are displays
relating to the history of the Center and its uses over the years.
Four Courts
Inns Quay
872-5555
Home to the Irish law courts since 1796 and also
on the north of the Liffey, they were built by the same architect as the Custom
House, James Gandon. The four law courts in question were those of Chancery,
King's Bench, Exchequer and Common Pleas. Despite political intrigues and a
history of blockages and objections, the building was opened in 1796 and
completed in 1802 at a cost of some £200,000. Their shelling sparked the Civil
War in Ireland. In 1922, at the outbreak of the war, anti-treaty forces occupied
the Four Courts. After a siege of two months, Government forces opened fire with
field guns, causing massive damage. The scars of the encounter are still visible
on the columns of the portico. The three-day battle ended with a huge explosion
and fire which destroyed the dome and the nearby Public Records Office with its
irreplaceable contents. Many of Ireland's historical records, including wills
and other official deeds, were destroyed forever. Since then the building has
been beautifully restored. Inside is the magnificent central hall, sixty-four
feet across and usually busy with lawyers in their traditional wigs and gowns.
To the right of the entrance is a panel with more detailed information about the
building and its history. There are fine views of the city from the upper
rotunda of the central building. Open only when the Courts are in session.
Admission: Free.
Trinity College and Dublin
Experience
Dublin 2
677-2941
Old Library and Book of Kells open 9:30-5 Mon.-Sat. 9 and noon-4:30 Sun.
Admission: Adults £4.0 Students: £4 Children
Free.
Dublin Experience open 9:15-5:45 daily May-Oct.
Admission: £3
Trinity College is uppermost in the list of attractions south of the
river. It is wise to arrive early in the day to avoid crowds. Founded by
Elizabeth I in 1592, the university complex boasts a campanile and many glorious
old buildings. Its major attraction, however, is the library containing the Book
of Kells - an illuminated manuscript of the Gospels dating from around 800 AD,
making it one of the oldest books in the world. The masterpiece is housed in the
Library Colonnades. The library houses some three million books in buildings
constructed between 1712 and 1732. Also found there are a collection of marble
busts started in 1743 and the oldest surviving Irish harp. It is used as the
model for the harp that appears on Irish coins. The Dublin experience runs
annually from May-October in the Arts building. It is a limited exhibit
detailing the development of Trinity College and its role in modern Dublin
accompanied by an hourly audio visual show.
Bank of Ireland and House of Lords
2 College Green Dublin 2
661-5933
10-4 Mon-Wed, Fri. 10-5 Thurs.
Guided tours Free 10:30 and 11:30. Also 1:45 Tues. Admission Free.
The tour consists mainly of a
talk giving the history and background of the building and its purpose.
Originally built to house the Irish Parliament, the fine wood paneling and
vaulted ceiling add an air of grandeur to the House of Lords. Eighteenth century
tapestries depict scenes from Irish history. The Parliament was abolished in
1800 with the Act of Union and Francis Johnston converted the buildings for use
as a bank.
Christchurch Cathedral
Christchurch Place, Dublin 8
677-8099
10-5 Mon.-Sat. Sunday Service: 11 AM
Parts of the cathedral date back to the original wooden building constructed in 1038 and to
the 1172 replacement built for Ireland's first invader, Richard deClare. Edward
VI was crowned king of England here in 1487 and 100 years later King Henry VIII
burned the church, after which it was turned into law courts. The church is
high, gray and dark inside with stone sculptures. A huge crypt spans the length
of the building under the church. A bridge leads into what was the Synod Hall
and is now Dublinia.
Dublinia Christchurch
Dublin 8
Tel: 6794611
Bus Number 50 from Eden Quay; Bus Number 78A from Aston Quay
April - September 10.00am - 5.00pm daily October - March 11.00am - 4.00pm Monday to
Saturday, 10.00am - 4.30pm Sunday and Bank Holidays
Admission: Adults £3.95,
Family Ticket £10.00 (2 adults and 2 children) Under 5's Free
Dublinia has been developed by The Medieval Trust to recreate the formative
period in the city's growth from the arrival of the Anglo Normans in 1170 to the
closure of its monasteries by Henry VIII in 1540. It is situated in a
beautifully preserved building in the heart of the old city, next to
Christchurch Cathedral, to which it is linked by an elegant bridge. Journey
through time and experience the drama and magic in life-like displays of
memorable episodes in Dublin's history over 400 years. The scene then moves to
everyday life in medieval Dublin. A scale model of the city, with commentary and
sequential lighting, shows the location of public buildings and the layout of
the streets. Life-size reconstructions illustrate the city environment of the
Middle Ages. Medieval artifacts excavated at nearby Wood Quay provide
information on the lives of the citizens. As an exciting finale to the
exploration of Dublin's past, climb the 17th century St Michael's Tower for a
unique panoramic view of modern Dublin.
St Patrick's Cathedral
Patrick's Close;
Lower Dublin 7
475-4817
9-6 Mon.-Fri. April-Oct. 9-11AM and 12:30-3PM Sat.
£2: Adults £1.50 students
Services: 8:30 daily and 11:45AM Sunday.
St. Patrick's is the oldest Christian site in Dublin. It is
said that it was built on the grounds where St Patrick baptized converts during
the 5th century. The present building dates from 1190 (or possibly 1225). Writer
Jonathan Swift was dean here from 1713-1745, and his tomb is in the church. The
cathedral choir school dates back to 1432, and is still in existence.
Dublin Castle
Dame Street
677-7129 Bus
49; 50; 54A; 77; 77A 10-5
Mon-Fri. 2-5 Sat; Sun.
£3 Adults; £2 students/seniors;
£1 children
More a palace than a
fort, it was originally built on the orders of King John in 1204, although only
the Record Tower survives from this original construction. The state chambers
contain a large collection of antiques. The castle has been rebuilt, renovated
and extended. Deep scars in the stone work can be seen in the Guardroom at the
main entrance. They are the result of bayonet sharpening by the guards during
the 950 years of British rule. Many of the state apartments are open to the
public. Among these are St. Patrick's Hall, the Throne Room, the State drawing
room; and the Picture Gallery. A 1980's renovation uncovered original 9th and
10th century Viking defenses. The Chapel Royale is an elaborate area designed
and decorated in 1814 in the neo-Gothic style. It contains some 90 carved heads
of famous historical figures. The interior has lavish plaster vaulting and
carved oak galleries.
Temple Bar
An area that has been renovated in recent years and now contains
many restaurants and pubs that have become the center of Dublin's nightlife. It
is located behind Dame Street and offers excellent views of the River Liffey. In
addition to the restaurants and pubs there is also the Irish Film Center which
shows a wide range of rare films and the Art House, a multimedia center where
one can even surf the Net. Temple Bar Gallery and the original Print Gallery
offer spaces and rooms in which artists can work. Behind the Film Center is
Meeting House Square, a large public space that is used for showing free films
on summer evenings and is the site of a large open air, upscale market on
Saturday mornings. The well known Irish rock band U2 performs at The Kitchen
nightclub in the Temple Bar area. Rounding out the offerings are a number of
trendy shops, book stores, antique shops and boutiques.
Museums Link Tour
The National Museum of
Ireland in association with Dublin Bus has available a bus service linking the 3
Museum sites in Dublin. Hop on the 'Museumlink' bus to visit any of the
locations of the National Museum of Ireland.
National Museum
Kildare Street Dublin 2
677-7444
DART Pearse Station/ bus 10,11,13 or Museumlink. 10-5 Tues.-Sat. 2-5
Sunday Admission: Free This is one of Dublin's most popular attractions. It is
split between the 19th century building on Kildare Street and the new section at
the restored Collins Barracks (see below) which opened in 1997. The Kildare
Street site concentrates on archeological material and artifacts relating mostly
to Ireland. There is a permanent display of Bronze Age Irish gold and another of
metalwork from the Iron Age to the Middle Ages. There are also displays of
artifacts from prehistoric and Viking Ireland and from ancient Egypt. Café tours
(June-Sept.)
National Museum of Ireland
Collins Barracks Benburb Street ,DUBLIN 7
677-7444
Buses: 90 (from Busaras, Connolly and Tara Street DART station) , 25, 25A, 66, 67 (from Middle
Abbey Street)
Tuesday to Saturday 10 - 5, Sunday 2 - 5 Closed Good Friday
Café / Restaurant / Gift shop Collins Barracks is Ireland's new museum of the
decorative arts and of the economic, social. political and military history of
the state. The site of the museum was acquired by the National Museum in 1994 .
Collins is the oldest military barracks in Europe, as well as the oldest
continuously occupied barracks in the world. On display are artifacts ranging
from weaponry, furniture, folk life and costumes to silver, ceramics and
glassware Etruscan vases, gauntlets worn by King William at the Battle of the
Boyne, a life belt and oar salvaged from the wreckage of the Lusitania and the
pocket book carried by Wolfe Tone while imprisoned in Collins Barracks during
1798 are all part of the extensive collection.
Natural History Museum
Merrion Street,
DUBLIN 2
677-7444
Directions: Buses: 7, 7A, 8 (Burgh Quay).
Nearest DART Station: Pearse Station (Westland Row) or Museumlink.
Tues.-Sat. 10 - 5, Sunday
2 - 5 Closed Good Friday
Admission: Free
The Natural History Museum which is
part of the National Museum of Ireland, is a zoological museum containing
collections illustrative of the wild life, both vertebrate and invertebrate, of
Ireland. There is also an extensive African and Asian exhibition. The Irish Room
is located on the ground floor. Irish mammals displayed in the center of that
floor include: red deer, squirrel, otter, hare, badger, fox etc. Irish birds are
also exhibited, a special feature being the displays of sea birds and
kingfishers. At the rear of the ground floor, visitors may see displays of
butterflies and other insects. The skeleton of the extinct giant Irish deer is
also on display. The World Collection is located on the first floor and
galleries. Other notable displays include: apes and monkeys, Indian elephant,
zebra, giant panda, pygmy hippopotamus etc. Birds and fish are exhibited in the
galleries. Skeletons of two whales stranded on the Irish coast are suspended
from the roof.
National Gallery of Ireland
Merrion Square West Dublin 2
661-5133
DART Pearse station/ bus 5,6,7,7A
and 10
10-5:15 Mon-Fri., Sat. Thurs. 10-8:30 Sun. 2-5
Admission: Donation
Ireland's National Gallery houses a premier collection of European and Old
Master works from the 14th - 20th centuries. George Bernard Shaw was a major
benefactor. There is also an excellent collection of the work of Irish masters.
Jack Yeats, Roderic O'Connor, William Arpen, Nathaniel Hone and Walter Osborne
are all represented. Caravaggio's "The Taking of Christ" is on permanent
display. There is a multimedia center where the collection can be researched via
computer. Bookshop/Restaurant/gift shop
Heraldic Museum
2 Kildare Street
677-7444
Bus 10,11,13
10:00-8:30 Mon.-Wed. 10:30-4:30 Thurs.,Fri. 10:30-12:30
Sunday Admission: Free
The museum is an integral part of the National Library,
and is housed in a colorful mid-nineteenth century building, the former Kildare
Street Club. Decorative birds and monkeys playing billiards and musical
instruments form the window carvings. Moderb banners of Ireland's ancient
chieftains hang from the ceiling. Seals, coins, insignia, papal decorations and
objects associated with the practice of heraldry are displayed throughout this
small museum. Visitors seeking to trace their Irish ancestry and family history
can make inquiry at the Consultancy Service at the National Library itself which
is located just a few doors away.
Dublin Civic Museum
58 South William Street, Dublin 2
679-4260
All cross city buses 10-6 Tues.-Sat. 11-2 Sunday.
Admission: Free.
The highlights of this small museum for history buffs are:
Charles Brookings's 1728 map of Dublin and a set of James Malton aquatints from
1793 that show Dublin at the height of it Georgian development.
Abbey Theater
26 Abbey Street ,Lower Dublin 1
878-7222
box office (open 10:30-7 Mon.-Sat.)
456-9569 Ticketmaster
(open 24 hours daily)
All cross-city buses Admisison: £10-£16 Abbey Theater was
founded in 1904 as the Irish National Theatre by William Butler Yeats, Lady
Augusta Gregory and Edward Martyn. Yeats and his friends had come together in
1899 to start a society for the advancement and presentations of plays by Irish
writers about Irish people. The first performance at the Abbey Theatre took
place in December 1904. Over the next few years the works of some of the
greatest Irish playwrights - Synge, Yeats, Shaw, O'Casey and others premiered at
the Abbey. The theatre became renowned for its acting tradition. In recent years
it has presented exciting work by the new generation of Irish playwrights.
Telephone for current schedules. Peacock Theater: Since 1925 the Abbey has
incorporated a smaller theater suitable for experimental productions and
intimate performances. The Peacock gives a venue to new, young Irish writers. It
has presented Dublin with some of its best and most exciting new talent.
The Gate Theater
1 Cavendish Row Dublin 2
874-4045
All cross-city buses.
Box office open 10-7 Mon.-Sat.
Admission £13-£15 Previews £10.
This theater was built in 1784-86 as part of the complex
of entertainment buildings attached to the Rotunda Hospital and known as the
assembly Rooms. Originally the Supper Room, it was converted to a theater in
1930. The Gate challenged the staid Abbey Theatre by staging ambitious and
boldly designed productions of major European dramas. Orson Welles and James
Mason began their acting careers here, and the theater achieved an international
reputation. In recent years the Gate has enjoyed considerable success with
productions of classic plays. . Rotunda Hospital Parnell Street The founder of
the hospital, Dr. Bartholomew Mosse, took up midwifery in Dublin in 1742 and
launched a tireless campaign to provide a suitable hospital for mothers to
promote safety in pregnancy and childbirth. He and his committee acquired the
Parnell Square site in 1748 and invested as a fundraising venture. Mosse's
friend Richard Cassells designed the hospital but did not live to see the laying
of the foundation stone in 1751; the building, completed by John Ensor to
Cassells' plans, was opened in December 1757. Mosse then turned his attention to
the construction of the hospital's beautiful chapel, which may be reached by way
of the central staircase. The ceiling of the chapel, decorated by the stuccodore
Barthelemy Cramillion, has gained an international reputation. The woodwork of
the pews, paneling and fluted columns is of mahogany and the gallery has some
intricate ironwork. Mosse died at the age of 47 in 1759, three years before the
Chapel was opened.
Saint Michan's Church
Church Street,Lower Dublin 7
872-4154
10-12:45 and 2-4:45 Mon.-Fri. 10-12:45 Saturday
Adults £2 Students £1.50 Children 50p.
St. Michan's was for five hundred years the only
parish church in Dublin north of the River Liffey. It was founded in about 1095
by residents of the Danish colony in Oxmanstown. The present structure dates
from 1685 when it was completely rebuilt. The church contains a magnificent
organ, on which Handel is believed to have played while composing 'The Messiah'.
A remarkable panel on the organ gallery, carved from a single block of wood
portrays a collection of musical instruments in high relief. There is a
Penitent's Stool (the only one of its kind in Dublin) and an eighteenth century
pulpit and font. Among other treasured items is a chalice dating from 1516. St.
Michan's is especially famous for its vaults and the mummified bodies which lie
there, preserved by the limestone in the ground which keeps the air absolutely
dry. Some of the bodies, in a fine state of preservation, are on view to the
public. Also in the vaults are the remains of the Sheares brothers, who were
executed for their part in the 1798 uprising. St. Mary and All Angels Church
Street This Roman Catholic Church belongs to the Franciscan Capuchin Fathers and
has an impressively decorated interior. Some of the altars and sculptures are by
James Pearse, father of the 1916 national leader, Patrick Pearse. St. Saviour's
Dominick Street St. Saviour's is a Dominican church that was built 1852-1861 to
the designs of J.J. McCarthy and is considered to be one of the most beautiful
churches in the city. One of the stained glass windows in the south aisle
commemorates Thomas Burke, an undersecretary in Dublin Castle who was one of the
two victims in the infamous Phoenix Park murders of 1882. Black Church St.
Mary's Place This church was named after the black calp stone of which it is
built. The striking design by John Semple was executed in 1830. Its remarkable
interior has neither walls nor ceiling, consisting of a single parabolic vault.
The English poet Sir John Betjeman, who had a passion for church architecture,
wrote of it as his favorite Dublin church. Another poet, the Dubliner Austin
Clarke, took the title for his autobiography from the local legend that the
devil would appear if you went Twice Round The Black Church. The church is no
longer open.
National Wax Museum
Granby Row Parnell Square, DUBLIN 1
8726340
Monday to Saturday 10am - 5.30pm, Sunday noon -5.30pm
Admission: Adults £3.50; Students £2.50; Children £2.00
Buses: 11, 13, 16, 22, 22A from Westmoreland Street
Discover a world where fantasy and reality
combine and heroes of the past and the present come alive before your eyes. Look
twice at the man reading his Irish Times in the lobby of the museum! The
Children's World of Fairytale and Fantasy is a display that especially appeals
to children as they wander through the Kingdom of Fairytales to find the magical
lamp and the all powerful genie! The main section of the wax exhibition broadly
reflects the historical and cultural development of Ireland. Here are found life
sized figures of heroes such as Robert Emmet, Wolfe Tone, Robert Parnell, the
1916 leaders and the Presidents; together with leading literary figures: Joyce,
Yeats, and their contemporaries. A particularly attractive feature is the
life-size replica of Leonardo de Vinci's 'Last Supper'. Displays have an
informative and educational narrative which can be heard at the touch of a
button. The Chamber of Horrors is for the brave. For those who don't enjoy the
sound of clanging chains and blood curdling screams, there is a separate
entrance that bypasses the Chamber and goes directly to the Hall of the
Megastars. In the Hall visitors will meet the stars of the glittery world of
rock and roll in the form of: Michael Jackson, Madonna and all time great Elvis
Presley.
The Municipal Gallery of Art
The Hugh Lane, Gallery Parnell Square, Dublin 1
874-1903
Bus 3,10,11,13,16,19,22
9:30-6 Tues.-Fri. 9:30-5 Sat. 11-5 Sun.
Admission: Free
The museum which now occupies
the building, was established with the presentation in 1905 by the connoisseur
Sir Hugh Lane of his valuable collection of Impressionist paintings to Dublin
Corporation on condition that they would be housed in a suitable building. The
Corporation was slow to find a location, and Lane retaliated by transferring his
gift to London. He later relented and wrote a codicil to his will bequeathing
the pictures to Dublin; but before it could be witnessed he died in the
torpedoing of the liner Lusitania in 1915. After legal arguments lasting nearly
fifty years, a sharing arrangement was reached with the Tate Gallery in London,
and Lane's pictures may now be seen periodically in this building which was
opened as a gallery in 1930. The museum also features an exhibit of art nouveau
stained glass panels by Harry Clarke. Additionally, there is a collection of
works by international and local contemporary Irish artists. Free Sunday
concerts are held on premises. (Call for schedule)
The Dublin Writers Museum
18 Parnell Square, Dublin 1
475-0854
Ten minutes walk frim DART Connolly Station.
Bus 10,11,11A,11B,13,13A,16,16A,19,19A.
Dublin is famous for four
winners of the Nobel prize for Literature: George Bernard Shaw; William Butler
Yeats; Samuel Beckett and most recently, Seamus Heaney and for many other
world-famous writers who were born or lived in Dublin. This museum was
established to interpret the tradition and the lives, works and literary
heritage of its writers over the past 300 years.. The building itself is a fine
example of eighteenth century craftsmanship, with ornate plasterwork, an
impressive central staircase and a magnificent gallery on the first floor. The
museum includes: memorabilia; portraits; manuscript items and rare editions of
the works of Dublin writers as well as: a library of rare books; lecture and
exhibition rooms and a children's room. Tara's Palace, one of Ireland's largest
doll houses, can be found here. It was built entirely by Irish craftsmen and was
furnished with pieces from all over the world.
Guiness Brewery and Hopstore
Crane Street Dublin 8
453-6700
Bus 21A,78A,123
Mon.-Sat. 10-5:30 Sun. 2:30-5:30
Adults £5, Students £4, Children £2
The Hopstore is a Guiness Museum within the brewery that
chronicles the process of producing Guiness stout, the world renowned thicker,
darker beverage that is unrivaled for its consistency and taste. Admission
includes a pint of the famous stout. Guiness memorabilia on sale in the gift
shop.
James Joyce Center
35 North Great
George's Street, Dublin 1
878-8547
DART Connolly Station Bus 3,10,11,113,16,19,22
9:30-4:45 Mon.-Sat. 12:30-5 on Sunday.
Admission: Adult £2.75 Child: £1
The
setting of the Center in an 18th century house amid other restored red brick
Georgian residences just off O'Connell Street is further authenticated by the
fact that tours are conducted by members of Joyce's family. There is an
extensive library, exhibits and information about James Joyce and his work.
There are even cassette tapes available which offer the opportunity to hear
Joyce reading from Ulysses and Finnegan's Wake. The building is a centre for
Joycean studies, lectures and other activities and a base for tours of Joyce's
Dublin. The Garden of Remembrance North end of Parnell Square The Garden was
opened in 1966 on the fiftieth anniversary of the Easter Rising of 1916 and was
dedicated to those who gave their lives in the cause of Irish freedom. The
mosaics on the floor of the central pool depict broken and discarded weapons as
a sign of peace. At the end of the garden is a large bronze sculpture by Oisín
Kelly depicting The Children of Lir, who according to an ancient Irish legend
were transformed into swans.
St. Mary's Catholic Pro-Cathedral
Marlborough Street Dublin 1
874-5441
DART - Connolly Station
It is a curious
fact that although Dublin's population is predominantly Roman Catholic, its two
cathedrals are both of the Protestant faith. St. Mary's, dedicated in 1825,
became known as the Pro-Cathedral and is still 'standing in'. One of Dublin's
most noted neo-classical buildings, its Greek Doric design is based on the
church of St. Philippe-le-Roule in Paris. The interior contains some fine
memorials to the Archbishops of Dublin. The church's celebrated Palestrina Choir
was founded by Edward Martyn, one of the originators of the Abbey Theatre, and
the great tenor John McCormack began his career with the choir in 1902.
National Print Museum
Old Garrison Church, Beggars Bush, Haddington Road DUBLIN 4
660-3770
May to -Sept. Mon - Fri. 10. - 12.30, 2.30 - 5.00 Saturday, Sunday and Bank Holidays 12 - 5. (The
museum is closed through lunch, but the Coffee Shop remains open)
Built in the
1860's, the National Print Museum houses a unique collection of artifacts and
machines from all sectors of the printing industry in Ireland. The emphasis is
on industrial printing. The guided tours are intellectually stimulating as well
as entertaining. An 18 minute audio-visual show brings the visitor step by step
through the printing process. Guests are then personally guided through the
museum and hear stories from Ireland's printing past. The Beggars Bush building
was originally a barracks and the central garrison building houses the Irish
Labour History Museum which contains documents relating to labour and industrial
history in Ireland since the 18th century.
Irish Jewish Museum
3-4 Walworth
Road, Portobello Dublin 8
453-1797
Bus 16,16A,19,19A,22,22A
May-Sept. 11-3:30 Tues., Thurs.,Sun. Oct.-April 10:30 Sunday. Other times: Call for appointment.
Admission: Donation
The collection of documents and artifacts relating to the
Jewish community in Dublin includes a replica of a turn of the century Jewish
kitchen from a Jewish neighborhood. A synagogue preserved with ritual fittings
is also present. An exhibit chronicles the pogroms against the Jews in Limerick
in the 1920's. Rabbi Herzog, Irelans's first chief rabbi is commemorated by a
plaque, as is Ireland's most famous Jew of fiction, James Joyce's Leopold Bloom.
Kilmainham Gaol
Inchicore Road Dublin 8
453-5984
Bus 51,51B,78A,79 9:30-6
daily (April-Sept.) 9:30-5 Mon-Fri. (Oct. -
March) 10-6 Sunday
Guided tours only. Adult £3 Children; students: £1.25
Kilmainham is the best known and most notorious of Irish prisons. It was here
that the leaders of the 1916 Easter Rising were executed. Displays chronicle
events of Ireland's uprisings from 1800 on. Other displays show conditions in
19th century prisons. Note: Some exhibits such as the one that shows the process
of death by hanging in detail are extremely graphic. Parental discretion is
advised.
General Post Office
O'Connell Street
Dublin 1
705-7077
DART Connolly Station All cross city buses 8-8 Mon.-Sat.
Admission: Free
The General Post Office is one of the last great public
buildings of the Georgian era. Built between 1815 and 1818, it was designed by
Francis Johnston, who had already overseen the construction of Nelson's Pillar
nearby. Its great Ionic portico with six fluted columns contains three stone
figures representing Mercury (the messenger of the gods), Hibernia and Fidelity.
The GPO holds a special place in Irish history as the headquarters of the Irish
Volunteers in the Easter Rising of 1916. The Rising began on Easter Monday when
armed detachments of the Irish Volunteers and the Citizen Army, commanded by the
patriots Patrick Pearse and James Connolly, seized and occupied the building.
Other strategic locations in the city were also taken over. The Proclamation of
the Irish Republic outside the building by Patrick Pearse is commemorated by a
tablet on the wall. The rebels held out for a week until shelling had reduced
most of Lower O'Connell Street to ruins and the Post Office itself was on fire.
Pearse and Connolly evacuated their forces to nearby Moore Street and
surrendered shortly afterwards. Public opinion in Ireland, which had initially
disapproved of the rebellion, was inflamed by the execution of fifteen of its
leaders immediately afterwards, and led to countrywide agitation and the
establishment in 1922, after eight centuries of occupation, of an independent
Irish State. Reconstruction of the gutted GPO began in 1925 and the interior was
splendidly restored. It was reopened in 1929.
CEOL Irish Traditional Music
Center Smithfield Village, DUBLIN 7
817-3820
9.30 am - 6.00 Mon- Sat. 12.- 6 Sundays, all year.
Adult £4.95 Student £3.50 Child £3.00. Buses 25, 25A,
67, 67A from Middle Abbey Street, 68, 69, 79, from Aston Quay, 90 from Connolly,
Tara and Heuston Stations.
Ceol, the Irish word for music, pays homage to the
greatness of past musicians and performers as it celebrates Irish music of
today. Among the Instruments on display are: the Uilleann pipes the fiddle, the
flute and the button accordion. You can also listen to the fiddle, pipes ,
accordion, concertina, flute, whistle, and the whole range of traditional
instruments. The emotional experiences of the Irish People are captured in songs
that tell of their victories and their defeats. Dance is central to Irish
traditional music. Examples of the three major forms: set dancing, ceili
dancing, and the performance tradition are presented. The climax of ceol is a
film presentation that allows the viewer to see and hear musical selections from
all over Ireland. The final exhibit provides information on festivals, concerts
and workshops currently being held as well as the location of music
archives.
Dublin Bay Sea Thrill Carlisle
Terminal East Pier Dun Laoghaire
260-0949
Have your bones rattled! You are taken from DunLaoghaire
Pier out around Dalkey Island, Muglins Island and Killiney Bay. Traveling on the
boat rather than in it you are perched on the rim to have your bones rattled by
every rolling wave and splashed by every torrent of sea spray that the boat
whips up. What more effective way to forge a team than to throw them in the deep
end (so to speak) for a wave dodging adventure!! (orange life jackets and
waterproofs provided) It's a bonding experience for many a flock of daring
executives. Whether you are a thrill seeking 20 something or in the throes of
mid life crisis, Dublin Bay is throwing down the challenge!! It's at its best in
choppy seas, which makes it a winner in Ireland. Price: £30 per person . This
includes 40 minutes of High Speed Adventure; BBQ Quarter pounder home made
burger , jumbo sausage in roll, 4 salads and a pavlova desert. Hot Whiskey on
return from your trip.
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