Dublin, here he comes!

Wille’s going to Dublin! And actually it’s a little further away than 20km for us.

After Wille graduated back in June he’s been working at my office and has also had a little bit of time off and as he’s still not sure what he wants to do in the future and is taking a leap year he’ll be going to Dublin for a month leaving September 1st. He’s enrolled in a bartending course which he hopes will help land him jobs while traveling further away (Australia possibly!) after new year. I’m so excited for him!

So, if you have any Dublin tips, Wille and I are all ears! Wille LOVES Irish folk music so if you have any recommendations on where to go for that you get a gold star! We did a bit of Googling and guide book reading and found out about a place called the Cobblestone Pub but we’re not sure if that’s an Irish music tourist trap or the real deal. Anyone know? All other tips are also very welcome! Thanks guys!

Sláinte!

Image from here

Comments

[ciara spillane]

The Cobblestone is a great pub. It's not a tourist tap at all. O'Donoghoes on Baggot St is great to but a bit more touristy. He should travel to other counties outside of Dublin where he will find great pubs with great authentic irish music sessions.

[Leena]

Wow!! Happy travels for Ville. I hope he meets lots new exciting people on his leap year. What a possibility!

[Carlos]

Ciara - Great to hear about the Cobblestone. It's very close to where Wille will be staying which is extra great!

As for traveling, he will have the opportunity to go on a trip outside of Dublin during his second week which sounds perfect.

[shellymc]

I agree with Ciara -- most pubs that play trad in Dublin are pretty touristy, it's not common for Dubliners themselves to go to the pub & listen to trad.

One nice place (that is touristy, but still lovely) is Johnnie Fox's in the Wicklow Mountains. If he can manage to get there! http://www.jfp.ie/

Other tips are just travel, travel, travel while here! Nowhere in the country is more than 5 hours away, and the true beauty lies outside Dublin. Even London is a short hop on the plane!

[Sarah]

If he has a chance to see/hear "Orla Gartland" (easy to find on youtube), Wille should do it. She is a very young irish folk-pop-singer/songwriter and I love her!

[Carlos]

Shellymc - Thank you! Wille will have classes Monday to Friday for four weeks but weekends off and we actually only bought a one way ticket so he would have the opportunity to stay on a while longer and do some traveling around Ireland before returning home.

[Sandy (USA)]

More power to Wille! Safe and happy travels! A country I one day hope to visit. I am speechless how at a young age (although considered an adult) he's stepping out there into the world to find himself. A sign of maturity for sure. Can't be easy to let go as a mom, but I'm sure you're so proud of him. Best of luck Wille!

[Carlos]

Sarah - Thanks, will check her out with Wille!

[Marianne]

When our daughters were Wille's age they really loved Galway. It's a student city, great atmosphere, very inspirational. Might be a nice place to hang out for a weekend!

[Carlos]

Marianne - Great tip, thanks!

[Robyn]

Tell him to come and visit me when he gets to Australia (Melbourne). We'll look after him for you ;-)

[Carlos]

Robin - Awww, I will :)

[devil]

When Wille graduates bar-tending school I think he should come work in Las Vegas! I'm only half joking. ;)

Dublin sounds awesome. I don't have any scoop but I'm sure he'll have a fab time. :)

[Liz]

Temple Bar in Dublin. But also take a weekend down in Kinsale in the south. http://kinsale.ie/ I used to live there and it has an annual food festivals, the food is great everywhere and lots of pubs. All with traditional music more or less. There are B & B´s he can stay in over the weekend, Remember to bring warm jumpers since it really gets cold in the Fall and weather because of the damp and moist even if the temperatures aren´t that low. I am not kidding

[Carlos]

Liz - Great advice, thanks! In my mind Wille never wears warm enough clothes, just because I'M always cold. This time I can tell him "Liz said so!" :).

[lina]

Åh Australien. Den är 10 år sedan jag reste och jobbade mig runt i Australien. Typ det bästa jag gjort i mitt liv. Avundsjuk är jag :) Hoppas verkligen att han kommer iväg!

[Carmit]

Dingle is one of the most beautiful places I've seen. Also, you'll love going to Avoca. The one in Dublin city centre has an awesome cafe upstairs.

[Lia]

Kul! Bott i Dublin i två år, det är en fin stad! Som andra har skrivit så är det rätt turistigt på irländska pubar i Dublin, men jag gillar skarpt Galway för det syftet!

Övriga tips i och runt Dublin (nästan allt är matfokuserat, för jag gillar restauranger:)
- Howth - ca 30 min från centrum med pendeltåg - fantastisk cliff walk och octopussys i hamnen har sjukt bra fish&chips och en massa seafood tapas.
- Crackbird / Jo' Burger / SKinflint /Bear - samma ägare till en mängd restauranger, som alla är roliga, bra mat, bra priser, cool inredning och ligger centralt.
- Ranelagh - mysigt område med bra restauranger som Dillingers, Butchers Grill, Cinnamon (min favvo!)
- Fumbally - mitt standard brunchställe. Avslappnat, god mat, billigt, ekologiskt.

I övrigt: ja det regnar, men det blåser ännu mer, så glöm paraply och skaffa en jacka med huva.

Tror Wille kommer få en grym tid i Dublin! :)

[Carlos]

Lia - Toppentips, tack!

Carmit - Thank you!

[Nathalie]

Long time fan + Dubliner!

I could go on (and ON!) but others have done just as good a job:

Cara magazine asked the Le Cool guys (they run a weekly e-zine round-up of events, worth subscribing to) for their top Dublin picks, which you can read here:http://issuu.com/caraaugust/docs/cara_july_2013/50

DesignSponge also recently updated their Dublin guide. I know both of the girls who contributed and can vouch for almost all of their recommendations! http://www.designsponge.com/2013/03/dublin-design-guide.html

Galway is definitely worth a visit, and when in Dublin he should try to squeeze in a trip to the Dawson Lounge, a seriously teeny little pub. O'Neills on Suffolk St is also a great spot, frequented by locals and tourists.

Hope he has a ball :)

[Carlos]

Nathalie - You make ME want to go to Dublin now!

[Caitriona]

Hi Betina

Exciting times ahead in Ireland, certainly Foley's on the corner of Baggot St is worth a visit not as touristy as O'Donoghues or try Toners pub Baggot St http://www.tonerspub.ie/ a nice small drinking pub.
Again trips to Howth and Wicklow uncover some more gems
Of course if he gets time best to visit the South West - Co. Kerry where I'm from, Killarney & Dingle are both worth mention both.
Train to Tralee 4 hours.
Check out Murphys Ice Cream in Dublin and Dingle , http://www.murphysicecream.ie/

All the best
Caitriona
- A Chez Larsson follower ;-)

[Della]

I'm from Dingle but I live in Göteborg now so I'm a bit homesick reading of his travels. I'm not all that up to date on Dublin but many of the Dingle pubs have music, ask at the local tourist office by the pier. Oh, while he's at the pier he can take a trip out the harbour to see Fungi, a bottle nose dolphin who has been living there for the past 30 years...he stayed of his own will :-)
I went to uni in Galway, it rocks. Any of the pubs down Shop Street will have music at night. Our version of Max is called Supermacs, it gets a bit messy when the pubs close but it's required that after pint food includes garlic-cheese-chips... The cheapest way to get there from Dublin is with these guys, http://www.citylink.ie/ I'm afraid the public transport links aren't like Sweden...but there are sheep and green fields! Also, it might rain. No, scratch that, it will :-)
Lycka till!
Della

[Bee]

He should make a trip to Northern Ireland too ... Belfast is a great city and the scenery around the North is stunning ... Bee x

[kasia]

I'm so happy for Wille! He will enjoy Dublin, that's for sure. I never lived there, but I visit quite often for buisiness. If I was to recommend two things to see:
- Johnnie Fox's is a must, the interior is just crazy and the food is great (they have a letter from the Queen on display, apologizing she could not visit the pub during her stay in Ireland!)
- Miners' Village in Glendalough - some Braveheart scenes were filmed nearby, the views are just breathtaking! (and the hiking even more so ;)
Both are very close to the city (http://goo.gl/maps/faHsr) and, to me, very Irish :)
Cheers!

[Judith]

Hi Benita,

I asked a friend of mine, he's actually the owner of a liquor store in Dublin (as well as a bibliophile and book collector, hence the library suggestions). I asked him for pubs and places to visit and also what he thought about the Cobblestone Pub. Here's what he wrote:

"Ah the one on king street north. It's in all trip advisor books, lots of tourists.
But it's a really decent pub with live music, Eithne Ni Chathain plays there (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D0JnnzALNGc)

Temple bar pub is probably the most famous one, winner for best Irish music last year
http://www.thetemplebarpub.com/

There's the stag's head in Dublin, awesome place. Live music, and stand ups sometimes
http://www.louisfitzgerald.com/stagshead

Big Tree on lower dorset street probably as well
http://www.bigtree.ie/

The Baggot Inn is one on my favourites:
http://www.thebaggotinn.ie/
That's the place you want, though last time I was there was like half a year a go

Old Mill Bar, just for a the place itself really
http://www.louisfitzgerald.com/oldmill

The Traders has music on weekends
http://www.louisfitzgerald.com/traders

But yeah, Temple is "my current pub".

Other suggestions for things to see:
Chester Beatty Library, National Museum probably, Phoenix Park for sure (Park>Museum)
(http://www.phoenixpark.ie/ and http://www.dublinzoo.ie/)

http://img.xcitefun.net/users/2011/04/241471,xcitefun-phoenix-park-dublin-3.jpg
That's the actual park with deers walking by you. You can pet them.

There's this thing called "The Little Museum of Dublin" where you can learn the history of the city in about 30 minutes http://www.littlemuseum.ie/

My store obviously is a place to visit as well. ;) (Molloys Liquor Stores – Orchard Lane, Dublin 22, Ireland - not the exact address, but easy to find from there)

And definitely Abbey Theatre if you have enough time: http://www.abbeytheatre.ie/

National Library of Ireland if you want to see the original of Ulysses.

And visit Grafton Street, that's like the main shopping street in whole IE. "Sráid Grafton" on the signs. Hard to miss ;) Great place to take photos.
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/db/Dublin_-_Grafton_Street.JPG

Oh and http://www.glasnevintrust.ie/
Cemetery and Museum in one

But myself, I'd go to Temple pub and Phoenix Park first. That's Ireland in a pill.
Oh, and Marsh's library! Because it's beautiful there.
http://www.marshlibrary.ie/
http://www.marshlibrary.ie/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/farmleigh.jpg

Fun facts: Dublin has exactly 666 licensed pubs. And one pub for every 1906 people."
--------------------

I hope Wille has a grand time!
Cheers
Judith

[M.E.]

wow...how exciting!! and good luck, mama, when yer boy is gone! I'd go flyin' over t' Dublin meself.....I almost did. But no, I'm still stuck here.

[Andrea]

Oh that's so exciting :) I'd love to do the same. We went to Dublin in 2004 and I had a shit holiday (had to undergo knee surgery about five weeks before ;) but the city itself is SO beautiful. All the colourful doors, the Oscar Wilde monument :D Trinity College... We did a coast+castle tour and while the castle wasn't impressive at all, I really liked the coast. It's so rough and wild and pretty.
Also, I've heard GREAT things about the Giant's Causeway...

Enjoy, Wille!!!

[Carlos]

Thank you all SO much! This is amazing. I have the best readers!

[Carlos]

Judith - Wow! Thank you so much and please say a huge thank you to your friend! I'll be sure to steer Wille to Molloys for all his liquor needs. Hmmm. Did I just write that? :)

[Lola]

Hi Benita!
I have visited Dublin several times as two of my children attend university there (we're Canadian).
A couple of things I would like to add to the amazing suggestions above are:
See the "Bog men" at the National Museum of Ireland (free)
And be sure to travel north to The Giant's Causeway - declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. Google some pictures - it's a series of natural hexagonal columns emerging from the sea!
Another must see for day trips to the west is The Cliffs Of Moher - especially for any Harry Potter fans!
Hope Wille has a wonderful adventure!

[Titti]

I lived in Dublin for a couple of years almost 20 years ago, and have returned several times since. I'd say Judith's list is just about perfect. (And fun to see that a lot of the places I liked to frequent back then are still going strong! :-)

[Linda G]

How exciting! I loved a little out-of-the-way spot called Kate's Cottage in Dublin. It's behind the bus station, away from the Temple Bar area. They had musicians playing on Sunday night, I think, and everyone closed the place down. A regular patron suggested a pub called The Pale in downtown (also away from Temple Bar). We enjoyed ourselves there, as well. A few musicians played for a while but we mostly spoke to the owner that night. We love Dublin and look forward to seeing more of Ireland eventually

[Nancy]

Make sure to go to Queen Of Tarts for scones, soooo good
Cows Lane, Dame St Dublin 2, Ireland

[ulschka]

I guess, Wille likes guitars. Than it would be nice to visit Chris Larkin near Castlegregory on the Dingle Peninsula in County Kerry. He builds the most beautiful guitars. And he is a really nice guy. I visited him years ago with my family after we met at the frankfurt music fair with our friend Norbert.

[Anna]

Han måste gå till IFI - irändska filmhuset typ. Ett kulturcenter med pub/restaurang + bio. Mycket studenter och kulturintresserade unga. Ligger i Temple bar på Eustace st. Perfekt ställe att hänga på när det börjar bli ruggigt ute (Det är iofs ALLTID ruggigt i Dublin, alltså mössa, vantar och halsduk mitt i sommaren är inte ett skämt!!)

[Carlos]

Thank you! Tack! We'll be printing all this for Wille to bring with him!

[Nicola]

It may be touristy but its still good. The traditional music pub crawl around Temple bar area. Its led by a couple of musicians and you get all the history etc. A visiting friend wanted to go on it and we had a great time!