Discover the real charm of Ireland’s fair capital
DuBLIN’S fair city is alive, alive, oh... and with more than just cockles and mussels, as per the old folk song about Molly Malone. From the moment of arrival, the Irish capital bristles with energy around the Liffey – the snaking waterway that breathes life into its open and airy centre.Wide and clean-cut streets break away from the river in every direction to the city’s oldest and most venerable institutions – Trinity College, Dublin Castle and of course the pubs. Ah, yes, the pubs. Because it isn’t outside that you will find the character of Dublin. No, the real character of Dublin can be found indoors – inside the countless watering holes which seem to outnumber even the residents
Recommendations from out-of-towners are borderline sacrilegious. Instead endorsements are better earned from locals – all of whom will have their own deeply held beliefs about the single best pub.
By this lengthy but enjoyable tactic you can meander your way to some of the best watering holes in the city. In my brief stay I became a regular at the fantastically named Hairy Lemon – which features a helter-skelter of different floors and bars.
For a more traditional experience, O’Donoghue’s delivered on the picture postcard promise of an Irish pub – with spontaneous live music, modest décor and outrageously friendly locals. Meanwhile The Cobblestone is the epicentre of traditional music in the town, drawing musicians and fans from across Ireland and the world at all times.
If you’re stumped for a starting point try the Temple Bar – a pub-dense area aptly named in a city that worships its drinking establishments. Distinctly touristy, it still has that native charm of terraced pubs which have merged and expanded in their own separate shanty town over the years.
But Dublin has also shown itself to be a city breaking away from the one-track reputation it once had as a drinking town.
Evidence of this can be found in the city’s second, unexpected vice of the colourful doughnut shops that dot nearly every street in the centre. Inside pit stops like the riverside Rolling Donut, ranks of vibrant pastries recall scenes from Willy Wonka’s chocolate factory.
BuT for a more filling meal – and to have your notions that Irish food is limited to stodge and potatoes banished – the modestly decorated restaurant Boxty will more than oblige. Serving up modern and traditional variants on the Irish potato pancake of the same name, as well as a host of other Irish delicacies paired with an expertly selected beer menu, it will challenge any negative preconceptions. Food tours can also be organised at the drop of a hat, with Irish Food Trails providing a wet-yourwhistle-stop tour of the everyday spots favoured by locals. They deliver on the promise: ‘You will not leave us hungry.’ If you feel inclined to rise from your bar stool or restaurant seat to pursue other endeavours, you will find that Dublin is a city which wears its history on its sleeves. This can sometimes feel overwhelming, but for an espresso shot of the city’s history, visit The Little Museum of Dublin.
True to its name the museum’s showcase is crammed into a grand but unlikely residential building – with donated pieces culled from living rooms and attics of the city’s residents. Half-hour guided tours – which need to be booked in advance – take in a century-long potted history of the city. Starting with black and white tattered photos, the museum takes you through bric-a-brac across decades right up to the end of the last century.
For a more traditionalist approach to history, the striking and haunting Kilmainham Gaol is worth a visit. The history of the gaol – which housed various doomed rebels – is oft repeated across the city, and the expansive and well-kept interiors echo with it. As one of the most popular attractions, booking in advance is a must, but keen staff have been known to slip non-ticketholders in for tours if they have half the chance.
Whichever way you take it, Dublin is a city on the up and up. Get yourself there before word spreads.
TRAVEL FACTS
Ryanair flies from Glasgow and Edinburgh to Dublin. Prices start at £9.99 each way. See www.ryanair.com Rooms at the Brooks Hotel, in central Dublin, start at £136 per night for a double. For more information visit brookshotel.ie/ Tickets for Kilmainham Gaol can be purchased at kilmainhamgaolmuseum.ie