Dublin travel guide

What blogs and Internet magazines should one read in and about Dublin?

- http://www.IrishJaunt.com - web ‘zine that covers all of Ireland, including loads about Dublin’s events, pubs, restaurants and sights.
- Dublin Event Guide (http://www.dublineventguide.com) is the locals’ go-to weekly listings magazine covering live music, clubs, lectures, art openings and book signings.
- http://www.TotallyDublin.ie is an online magazine with events listings, reviews and a blog.
- http://www.CheapEats.ie - A food blog with restaurant listings, pictures and reviews

- Consumed (consumedfoodie.blogspot.com) - Adventures of a Dublin foodie

In which movies, books, and songs does the city of Dublin play a major role?

Movies:
John Carney: Once (2006)
John Crowley: Intermission (2003)
Alan Parker: The Commitments (1991)
Joel Schumacher: Veronica Guerin (2003)
Leonard Abrahamson: Adam and Paul (2004)
Elizabeth Gill: Goldfish Memory (2003)

Richard LaGravenese: P.S. I Love You (2007)

Books:
James Joyce: Dubliners
James Joyce: Ulysses
Paul Murray: Skippy Dies
Roddy Doyle: Barrytown Trilogy
J.P. Donleavy: The Gingerman
Joseph O’Connor: Ghost Light
the Ross O’Carroll-Kelly books

What are the 3 most famous and the 3 most exciting events in the city?

The 3 most famous events:

- St. Patrick’s Festival (March): parade, music, fireworks and craic, http://www.stpatricksfestival.ie
- Bloomsday Festival (June 16th): cultural activities centered around the events in Joyce's novel Ulysses, all of which took place on the same day in Dublin in 1904, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bloomsday

- Dublin Writers Festival (May): http://www.dublinwritersfestival.com

The 3 most exciting events:

- St. Patrick’s Festival (March): parade, music, fireworks and craic, http://www.stpatricksfestival.ie
- The Liffey Swim (summer): annual race in Dublin's main river, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Liffey_Swim
- TradFest (January): traditional music festival in Temple Bar, http://www.templebartrad.com

What free offers should I not overlook?

All of the national museums offer free admission, including the three locations of the National Museum in Dublin, the National Gallery, the Hugh Lane Gallery, the Irish Museum of Modern Art and the Chester Beatty Library. You can also visit a number of historic and government buildings for free, including the General Post Office (which played a significant part in the Irish War for Independence), Áras an Uachtaráin (Irish Presidential home) and the National Library. Free walking tours of Government Buildings are also given on Saturdays.

If the weather holds, you will certainly want to venture outside to some of the lovely parks and gardens around Dublin, including St. Stephen’s Green, Merrion Square Park and the Iveagh Gardens in the city centre. On the north side, the National Botanical Gardens are open for free, as is Phoenix Park, the largest public park in Europe. If you have an interest in history, you might want to visit Glasnevin Cemetery, also open for free.

What places give me that special Dublin feeling the fastest?

Temple Bar, the city’s cultural and nightlife district, is usually the first stop for most people and is a great place to see a bit of Dublin’s infamous nightlife. To get a more realistic sense of Dublin’s atmosphere, take a stroll through the grounds of Trinity College, walk along the Quays and admire the Liffey River, have a picnic in St. Stephen’s Green, and, of course, head in to one of the many Irish pubs.

Where and how can I get to know approachable native citizens?

Dubliners are friendly folk and not difficult to get to know. Meeting people is very easy in pubs, especially if you stay away from touristy pubs in Temple Bar and head to a more locals’ friendly pub. Only better is to strike up a conversation about sport, or head into a pub when a match is on - particularly one of the Irish sports like hurling, Irish football or rugby. Ask a nearby local in a pub to explain the rules of the sport and you’ll have an instant friend.

How much is...

...a snack?

€5-10

...a subway/bus/streetcar ticket or taxi ride?

City centre bus fare: €.50 / Bus fare: €1.85 / Luas (tram) ticket: €2.10-2.30

...a coffee / a beer / a pack of cigarettes?

Coffee: €2.30 / Beer: €4.30 / Cigarettes: €7-9

...a museum ticket?

Free!

...a fun night in pubs and clubs?

€40

I still have some money left over, what should I buy in Dublin as a souvenir?

Anything with the name “Guinness” stamped on it - souvenir pint glasses are a popular choice, as well as t-shirts.

If you’re into sports, a team jersey from Irish football or rugby can be a fun souvenir that will last a long time and make you look cool back home.

Other fun gifts can include a box of Irish tea, woolen gifts like sweaters and socks, prints from famous Irish artists or a book by an Irish author.

What makes this city distinctive, unique, or nerve-wracking - and what are the reasons for it?

If ever there was a city that actually “bustles”, it would be Dublin. People here can at first glance seem gruff, rushed and lacking in the famed Irish charm. But, give them a chance over a pint in a cozy pub and you will discover where Dublin’s true charms are hiding. It is not a city that easily welcomes people - although its nightlife is as boisterous and fun as it’s made out to be - but once you dig under the surface a little and meet some Dubliners, you find that, like their city, they are filled with warmth and charm.

Where and how can I get a good Internet connection?

There are a few places around Dublin to get free WiFi, but for a city of so many writers, the free WiFi cafes are fewer and farther between than one might hope. Some pubs and restaurants are now jumping on the bandwagon and offering free WiFi, too. If all else fails, you can always hop into McDonald’s, which has free WiFi all around the city centre.

Costa Coffee (http://www.costa.co.uk)
Havana Tapas Bar (http://www.Havana.ie)
Brick Alley Cafe (http://www.brickalleycafe.com)
Bía Bar (http://www.biabar.ie)
Kylemore Café (http://www.kylemore.ie)

What should I avoid in Dublin under all circumstances?

Dublin is a touristy place and, by and large, most of the tourist-friendly attractions, such as the Guinness Storehouse, are actually quite worthwhile. One particular attraction to avoid under any circumstances is Dvblinia, a “museum” that supposedly chronicles Dublin’s Viking history, but is only filled with poorly made wax figures moving robotically to piped sound effects.

Another major tourist trap to avoid is Oliver St. John Gogarty, a huge super-pub in Temple Bar that caters only to tourists. The pub offers poor renditions of “traditional” Irish music, badly poured pints and a drunken atmosphere that you’d do well to avoid. There are plenty of other great pubs in the city offering splendid pints and real Irish music.

Is there anything else that people should know about Dublin?

Despite its reputation for being an amazing nightlife city, Dublin has some fairly strict rules regarding nightlife. All pubs close at 11:30pm on weekdays and at 12:30 midnight on weekends. Some have “late licenses” that allow them to operate until 2am. Open alcohol containers aren’t allowed on the street, either.