Things to do in Dublin, Ireland Through A Once Local’s Eyes

Craig and I lived in Dublin for almost a year in 03. I lived there for a summer with my best friend in ’99. I was recently exchanging emails with a friend sharing my tips of things to do in Dublin when I thought this really deserves a post.

Ha'penny bridge Dublin

It is always great to get advice from people who have not just travelled to a country, but lived there. There is more to an area, then just what the tourists see. Although, I must say that in Dublin, there is so many tourist places that are worth seeing.

Visit some of the outer suburbs

Dublin has so many great outer suburbs that are worth visiting for a taste of local living. Our favourite was of course our student village, Rathmines, that was full of great bars and Irish pubs.

Donnybrook and Ballbridge are two of the more affluent suburbs in the South of Dublin, and are worth a leisurely stroll to see some of Ireland’s finest Victorian architecture. Shrewsbury Road in Ballsbridge is the 6th most expensive road in the world.

Dalkey Dublin Photo Captain Spears

Dalkey and Killiney is where you may run in to celebrities such as Bono and Enya, who have homes in these upmarket neighbourhoods by the sea. Kiliney Hill offers panoramic views of the surrounding Dublin mountains. You can reach these towns by the DART, the Dublin train service.

Howth, popular for the climbing of the 171m high hill on Howth head, is located in the North of Dublin. Just try to climb it on a fine day. Ha Ha Good luck in- Ireland is called the Emerald Isle for a reason!!.

St Stephens Green

St Stephens Green Photo: to Chis

St Stephens Green is a small garden park at the end of Grafton Street on the South side of the city, and will one of those relaxing things to do in Dublin. It is the largest of the Georgian Square parks.

St Stephen’s Green was one of my favourite places in Dublin to sit and relax, watch the world go by, and have a beautiful picnic lunch. You will find it popular with visiting tourists,students, and workers taking a break from a busy day at the office.

Hurling or Gaelic Football match

Gaelic football match Croke Park Dublin

One of the best live sporting matches I have ever seen was the semi-final gaelic football match between Donegal and Armagh. The stadium was a sea of brightly coloured orange and green of jerseys and team flags madly waving in the crowd. The atmosphere was truly electric with fans on the edge of their seat screaming and cheering with every play of the ball. It was non-stop thrilling action.

Hurling match Dublin

I cannot recommend highly enough that on your trip to Dublin, you organize tickets to a live match of either hurling or Gaelic football at Croke Park as one of your things to do in Dublin.

Trinity College

Trinity college

Trinity College is located right in the centre of Dublin, and is Ireland’s oldest University and most well known. The lawns and cobbled quads are a pleasant escape from the mad rush of the city that lies beyond  its walls. Take your camera and make sure you take a photo in front of the famous Trinity Bell.

Trinity Bell Trinity college Dublin

The cobbled stones of Trinity College will transport you to the 18th century when the magnificent old Library Building was constructed. If you are willing to pay nine Euros you can see the famous Book of Kells, a ninth century gospel manuscript famous throughout the world. I have never seen it, but I spent plenty of days wandering the grounds of Trinity.

Drink in a pub and listen to Irish music

With friends in an Irish pub

Going to Dublin and not drinking a pint in a pub is like going to Sydney and not seeing the Opera House. And guess what? You will never be left scratching your head as to where on earth you can do this. Dublin has a pub on almost every street corner and one in between. See our post on the best pubs of Dublin for some ideas, or just find a pub in whatever street or suburb you are wondering along.

Brazen Head Irelands oldest pub

The atmosphere is warm and cozy, the food delicious, the beer flows freely and the craic is good.  I recommend making an afternoon or evening with this enjoying some good old Traditional Irish music and dancing. You’ll be bopping, singing and dancing with the local crowd after only a couple of pints of Guinness.

Guinness Factory

Guinness Storehouse

No trip to Dublin would be complete without a visit to the Guinness factory. It may be touristy but it definitely should be on your list of things to do in Dublin.

This was where I had my first pint of the velvety black stout, and was not to be my last. I was hooked. It is not just a pint of Guinness that comes with the entry fee, that is worth the visit, the museum gives a fascinating insight to the history of Ireland’s favourite drink, how it is made and the influence it has over the world.You might as well visit the place that is responsible for that strange malty hoppy smell that can be smelt all over the city.

The love affair starts. With friends at the old Storehouse bar

To top it all off when done, you can sit in the top level bar, Gravity,  that gives a magnificent 360 degree view of Dublin. We thoroughly enjoyed taking our visiting guests there, especially when they did not like Guinness and thought it only fair to hand their free pint over to their tour guides.

Irish coffee and wine bars

Irish coffee

My best friend and I used to spend many a three am morning in the late night “coffee” bars. This was the only place you could find a “drink” after the midnight curfew. They not only look great with their layers of caramel coloured layers topped with silky white cream, but they taste divine. You will find an Irish coffee in any bar or restaurant.

Dublin wine bars

If you are planning a big night out, make a wine bar a place to stop after a few pints in the pub. The wine bars are lots of fun to drink at. Some have evening jazz and wine tasting events. Of course wine or champagne is all that is on the menu, and it comes at a price, but it was often the only place you could continue partying into the early morning hours, and the underground, cavernous buildings they are held in the streets running off the Georgian Square of St Stephens Green makes it just a cool place to have a drink.

Eat Irish style

guinness stew

When we lived in Dublin, we were meat eaters. I’m not sure how we would manage now being vegetarians. Irish food is delicious and well worth spending a day or tour sampling. Some of our favourites were potato and leek soup, bacon and cabbage, Guinness or Irish stew, and of course potato. Never fear about having the opportunity to try this. Each dish you order will come with three varieties- mashed, baked, and boiled. The Irish don’t want you forgetting about those famine years.

Grafton St shopping

Grafton St

Grafton street is on the South Side of the Liffey and is high end street for shopping. If you don’t have the money to spend in boutique and departments stores such as Brown Thomas, you can window shop as you walk amongst the crowds along the cobble stoned street, people gazing and watching the ever-present buskers that line the streets. There are plenty of places to rest your weary feet for a coffee or drink. I love the atmosphere on Grafton St.

Guinness lake

Guinness Lake Wicklow mountains

Only an hour south of Dublin, is a scenic drive that takes you through the Wicklow mountains to an impressive lake set in the valleys. Guinness Lake is aptly named for its dark colour, and with its white sand sitting at the top makes it look like a foaming pint of Ireland’s finest. Actually I have heard it is named for the Guinness family whose property surrounds the area but I like the other reason better.

Wander the Wicklow mountains

It is a beautiful spot for photographs and to enjoy the peace of the Irish countryside. You can walk around the area to see various waterfalls, large boglands with sheep and streams, forests and historical places such as Glendalough. While you have the car, drive up to Johnny Foxes for a drink at the very famous “Ireland’s  highest pub.”

Literary pub crawl

Literary pub crawl

Ireland is not just known for its black ale and leprechauns , but for the incredible literary talent that has come from the hills of the Emerald Isle. One way to get to learn more about these literary geniuses is by doing a Literary Pub Crawl through the streets of Dublin, visiting these author’s old writing and drinking haunts.

Two actors take you on a tour through the maze of narrow streets into several pubs where they act out scenes from the work of Joyce, Behan, Beckett, Yeats, Oscar Wilde and more.  The tour takes you to eight pubs, including the grounds of Trinity college and goes for about two and half hours. I was never really that interested in the Irish writers; I tried my best to read Ulysses but soon gave up. We went on this tour with some friends, and surprisingly had a great time, and learned a whole lot as well.

There are many things to do in Dublin. I now feel like going back there for awhile and doing all these things again. One things is for sure your trip to Dublin will be nothing short of memorable.