Images of Dublin and Southeastern Ireland

Experience Dublin and Southeastern Ireland

Dublin

Dublin Environs

The Midlands

The Southeast

Travel Smart Ireland

Atlas

Main Table of Contents

What’s New

When to Go

What’s Where

Planner

Ireland Today

Top Attractions

Top Experiences

Quintessential Ireland

Great Outdoors

Ancestor-Hunting

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FROM BOOM TO . . . ?

After a decade of riding the back of the explosive “Celtic Tiger” economic boom, the party (some called it an orgy) is officially over. Not so long ago, a two-bedroom terrace house in Dublin was selling for $600,000 and the capital city was buying more BMWs than Bavaria. By 2008, the hungover country was waking up as if from a drunken dream from an era where house-selling was the Ponzi scheme of choice and a consumerist ethos of spend, spend, spend had replaced the discredited church as the national religion. The ongoing negative fallout is familiar the world over: property prices have nearly halved, unemployment has trebled, and “the recession” has replaced “the boom” as the most boring thing to bring up in the midst of a good pub conservation. But even though it all ended in tears, the decade-long period of rapid growth and expansion changed the face of timeless Ireland forever. The paw print of the “Tiger” is everywhere: brash modern buildings; state-of-the-art highways; well-educated, confident (some might say cocky) young people; a slew of new immigrants from all corners of the globe; and the highest mobile phone usage in Europe—the Ireland of idyllic postcard simplicity (if it ever existed) is truly gone forever, and with it, all those images of red-haired colleens leading turf-laden donkeys to thatched cottages.

Happily, beneath all the innovations, credit card bills, and high-speed text messaging, that ageless, magical, Irish thing endures. Ireland’s landscape is still ancient, empty, and breathtakingly beautiful. History, drama, and passion ooze out of every ruined castle wall and old Irish poem. Like the Janus stones and sheela-na-gigs of its pre-Christian past, the real Ireland is two-faced, embracing the past while focusing on the future. In fact there is an undercurrent of opinion in the country that the end of the “Tiger” might, in the long term, help to save a lot of what is best about Ireland. Greed is no longer good, and there is a movement back towards some of the simpler things in life. There has been an explosion in vegetable gardens, with community allotments springing up on abandoned development sites. The curse of hastily built, ugly holiday bungalows blighting Ireland’s most pristine natural wilderness sites has been banished and Dublin’s fragile cityscape won’t be assaulted by yet another block of Lego-like, overpriced apartments.

But it is not only the landscape that’s rediscovering itself after years of abuse. The essence of what makes Ireland a special place to live and visit is the warmth of its people and their ability to find time for each other and strangers. These ideas of time and friendliness were half-buried under the 24/7 commuter rush and euro-fuelled mania that swept across the country in the boom years. Even the famed Irish sense of humor seemed to get lost in too much boorish money-talk. It’s dangerous to romanticize about any benefits of a deep recession, but when the recovery comes perhaps the country will make sure it doesn’t lose its head again, remembering to value the less-ephemeral, more solid wonders of the old, green island on the edge of Europe.

ARE WE TOO DEAR, DEAR?

In tandem with easier comparison to other European countries through common usage of the euro comes the harsh reality of just how expensive Ireland became in recent years. While the economic downturn has put a stop to the worst price gouging, some Irish businesses have been slower than others to re-adjust prices. Okay, so the average house has halved in price, but what about a cup of coffee? Well, a double espresso still runs three euros in some Dublin bars, but just one euro in Milan. Hotels have been the quickest to react to the slump, with massive discounts across the board along with the opportunity to haggle over quoted prices. Swanky, high-end Dublin accommodations are up to 30% cheaper. Restaurants and cafés, on the other hand, have been tardy in taking the eraser to their often exorbitant price lists, but are slowly starting to get the message.

How about dinner for two in a restaurant with a bottle of house wine? What costs $60 in Paris can cost up to $90 in the Emerald Isle. Pub owners, always suspected of greediness by the local imbibers, have deemed it good enough to merely freeze the price of a pint of Guinness at around $4.50. Wanna talk DVDs, clothes, shoes? Prices are falling, but not fast enough to make them bargains. But keep your eyes peeled for the endless series of sales and closing-down offers springing up all over the shops with posh addresses. Overall Ireland is not cheap by any standards, and that includes Tokyo, London, and New York, but prices are falling and in a couple of years they should be competitive with the rest of Europe.

A HUNDRED THOUSAND CHINESE WELCOMES

Does part of your Irish itinerary include discourse with a genuine local barman full of wit and wisdom regarding his native land? You may have to search far and wide to find this endangered species in 2010 as most pubs now have at least two or three recently arrived immigrants dispensing tipples. Even with the recent economic crash, over 300,000 immigrants call Ireland home with Chinese, Poles, Lithuanians, Hungarians, Latvians, and Nigerians being among the most common. The hospitality industry tapped this new immigrant wave—perhaps just as well, since most Irish people have little interest in the unsocial hours of the bar and hotel business anymore.

The new emigrants are efficient, courteous, and good humored—but they’ve got a long way to go to match the caustic, all-knowing info you’ll get from an Irish barman. There are still quite a few left, though: catch ’em while you can.

MARY (COUGH), I THINK I LOVE YOU (COUGH, COUGH)

Though famous for their rebelliousness through the centuries, the Irish took to the pub smoking ban with a meekness that prompted many acres of newsprint. Now everybody’s getting on board the “no butts” bandwagon—France, the United Kingdom, and Italy are presently looking to enforce similar bans. But maybe the acceptance of the smoking ban is not entirely about the health concerns and clean air—it’s also brought a whole new angle to the boy-meets-girl romance dance.

Faced with die-hard smokers who threatened to stay home, pub owners rushed to fill every inch of sidewalk with special open-air sections devoted to consumers of the demon weed. Warming heaters, outdoor seating, and overhead plasma TV screens followed. Soon all the action moved outdoors—a whole new ballgame for Irish folk. Frequently, pub bands play to 50 people indoors, while 150 gaze in from the sidewalk. Around the office water cooler next morning can be heard: “I don’t even like smoking, but it’s where all the cute guys are.” Masters of making the best of a bad situation, the Irish have turned the smoking debate into a dating agency where dubious intentions make perfect bedfellows with bad habits.

THE NOT SO LONG AND NOT SO WINDING ROAD

One concrete—and that’s literally concrete—Celtic Tiger monument you’ll celebrate on a visit to Ireland is the vastly improved road network. In the last year alone a bunch of top-quality motorways have finally opened in their entirety and immediately hacked a large chunk off driving times between Dublin and all the major cities. Cork is suddenly almost an hour nearer, Waterford 45 minutes, Galway 40 minutes, and you can now get to Belfast in less than two hours. “M” is the magic letter signifying these new motorways, and they are all connected up to each other and to the smaller, but also revamped, national roads (distinguished by the letter “N”). A real pleasure in Ireland is driving on the small, winding country roads, but they were no way to get from one urban center to another. You can still enjoy these smaller roads with the fecund hedgerows and beautiful views on day trips from the cities or when you are in no hurry to get where you’re going.

KNEAD ME, MOULD ME … SLOWLY

Up to the 1990s, Ireland took a simple line on food preparation—fry it, boil it, or roast it, within an inch of its life. As cheap fares on Ryanair shuttled Irish travelers to France and Italy for weekends, a different attitude began to prevail about food and how best to prepare it. So long spuds and gravy, Benevento pasta carbonara. More recently, Ireland has joined the Slow Food Movement (www.slowfoodireland.com), an international network of people interested in the promotion, production, and consumption of good food. Begun in Italy, the movement has strong links all over the world with a well-established presence in Ireland supporting food artisans, their handmade produce, and the skills they embody. Many of the weekend food markets springing up in Irish country towns are directly connected to this epicurean phenomenon. Slow Dublin, written by Anto Howard, the author of the Dublin chapter, is a great introduction to all things Slow in Dublin.

GETTING IT RIGHT, ECO-STYLE

Irish engineering and its relationship with the fragile earth has come in for a fair amount of shtick in recent years—new suburbs with zero green spaces, exploding cities precariously balanced on 100-year-old sewage systems, and roads with the worst traffic chaos in Europe. If you’re ever stuck for a pub opener, ask about the state of the roads then move quickly out of range from the bile that will inevitably pour forth.

How pleasant then that the Atlantic Edge visitor center at the Cliffs of Moher (www.cliffsofmoher.com) opened to universal applause a few years ago. The building is sunk into the contours of the land and covered by a grass hillside. The center uses renewable energy sources such as solar energy and a ground source heat pump. Visitors enter via a viewing ramp that provides access to the central floor and its themed areas exploring different elements of the cliffs: Ocean, Rock, Nature, and Man. The tour continues from the central dome via a winding tunnel that evokes the many caves of the area to a theater housing a virtual reality cliff-face adventure called, “The Ledge.”

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In summer the weather is pleasant, the days are long (daylight lasts until after 10 in late June and July), and the countryside is green. But there are crowds in popular holiday spots, and prices for accommodations are at their peak. As British and Irish school vacations overlap from late June to mid-September, vacationers descend on popular coastal resorts in the south, west, and east. Unless you’re determined to enjoy the short (July and August) swimming season, it’s best to visit Ireland outside peak travel months. Fall and spring are good times to travel (late September can be dry and warm, although the weather can be unpredictable). Seasonal hotels and restaurants close from early or mid-November until mid-March or Easter. During this off-season, prices are lower than in summer, but your selection is limited, and many minor attractions close. St. Patrick’s Week gives a focal point to a spring visit, but some Americans may find the saint’s-day celebrations a little less enthusiastic than the ones back home. Dublin, however, has a weekend-long series of activities, including a parade and the Lord Mayor’s Ball. If you’re planning an Easter visit, don’t forget that most theaters close from Thursday to Sunday of Holy Week (the week preceding Easter), and all bars and restaurants, except those serving hotel residents, close on Good Friday. Many hotels arrange Christmas packages. Mid-November to mid-February is either too cold or too wet for all but the keenest golfers, although some of the coastal links courses are playable.

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Dublin. A transformed city since the days of O’Casey and Joyce, Ireland’s capital may have replaced its legendary tenements with modern high-rises but its essential spirit remains intact. One of Europe’s most popular city-break destinations, it has art, culture, Georgian architecture, and, of course, hundreds of pubs where conversation and vocal dexterity continue to flourish within an increasingly multicultural mix. Get spirited (pun intended) at the Guinness Brewery, “Rock ‘n Stroll” your way through hip Temple Bar, and be illuminated by the Book of Kells at Trinity College’s great library.

Dublin Environs. The counties outside the Pale are a treasure trove of history, monastic settlements, ancient tombs, battlefields, and peaceful valleys only an hour from the hubbub of the capital’s center. From the lush greenery of Kildare and Wicklow, to the mythology and traditions of Meath and Louth, the historic timeline encompasses many of the pivotal pre-Christian and early Church locales of Ireland’s past. Listen for ancient echoes at the Hill of Tara, hike into prehistory at Newgrange, and opt for opulence at Castletown House.

The Midlands. Overlooked by many visitors due to the region’s relative absence of ‘Wow!’ factor attractions, this verdant oasis of bog and lake harks back to the simpler, and slower, life of Ireland 40 years ago. Friendly, almost shy natives, old-style pubs, unspoiled vistas and walks, plus a wealth of historic ruins make for a relaxing adventure into the way we were. Tree-hug one of the great yews at Tullynally Gardens, lift your spirits at Clonmacnoise, and take a river cruise down the Shannon.

The Southeast. Ireland’s sunniest corner (with almost double the national average), the coastal counties have long been the favored hideaway of Dublin folk on vacation. Quiet seaside villages, country houses, and some of the nation’s best land make for easy access en route to Cork or Kerry. Inland, counties like Kilkenny and Tipperary offer a lion’s share of history and important monuments in the main towns, Wexford and Waterford. Follow in the footsteps of St. Patrick at the Rock of Cashel, dig the ducal lifestyle at Lismore, and romp in the brisk waters of the pristine beaches around the fishing village of Ardmore.

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Getting Around | Finding a Place to Stay | Feeling Festive? | Meeting the Locals | Safety Tips | Stretching Your Dollar

GETTING AROUND

There was a time not so long ago when Ireland’s bus and rail network left much to be desired.

While still slightly antiquated in reaching some areas (Sligo and Donegal, for example), the system has improved greatly over the past decade.

All urban centers and towns are now interconnected by bus and rail, and you shouldn’t have great difficulty crisscrossing the country in any direction you desire.

But if you can, opt for a car—its greater flexibility combined with the possibility of meandering down byways and country lanes opens up a great many more vistas than any train will do.

The ability to change your itinerary midstream due to unpredictable weather or other circumstances also makes a rental the most flexible option.

Rental rates are on par with most EU countries, and offices are located at all airports, ferry terminals, and town centers.

During the summer months, it’s wise to book in advance.

FINDING A PLACE TO STAY

Determining your budget is the key here—are you content with B&Bs and small hotels, or do you want to splurge on castles and grand country houses? It’s best when planning your trip to Ireland to set aside a few hours of Web browsing to familiarize yourself with costs and standards. Certainly prices have fallen in the last year, and value is there to be had with careful planning. As well as our own site—Fodors.com—which should be your first stop, try www.goireland.com and www.visitdublin.ie. The Irish Tourist Board’s Web site—www.discoverireland.com—is a mine of information and a good overview of the whole country. For a week’s stay in Ireland, consider small city-center hotels in Dublin, Cork, and Galway; use B&Bs in the country as a means of getting up-close and personal with the locals. For at least one night, consider staying in a castle or country house—it’ll be costly, but very memorable. Ashford or Dromoland would be top of the castles list, with Mount Juliet, Hilton Park, and Tinakilly the leaders in the country-house stakes. Check out www.irelandsbluebook.com for a select listing.

FEELING FESTIVE?

If you plan to visit the biggest festivals and events in Ireland, book well in advance. In March, Ireland’s major St. Patrick’s event is the Dublin Festival and Parade (www.stpatricksday.ie), which inclues fireworks and bands from the United States. In April, see the spectacular World Irish Dancing Championships (www.clrg.ie/oireachtas.xhtml). In May, the Fleadh Nua, the annual festival of traditional Irish music, song, and dance, takes place in Ennis, County Clare. August brings a highlight of the traditional-music calendar, the Fleadh Cheoil na hEireann, held during the last weekend of August or the first weekend in September, an extravaganza across the country. In October, the Dublin Theatre Festival (www.dublintheatrefestival.com) puts on 10 international productions, 10 Irish plays, and a fringe of 60-plus plays. In October, the Wexford Opera Festival (www.wexfordopera.com) is high glamour.

MEETING THE LOCALS

The pub remains the center of all Irish social life, in spite of the smoking ban that many gloomy commentators predicted would be the death knell of the trade.

In any village or town, your local pub counter remains the best place to hear decent music, local gossip, and an overview of the world at large that’s uniquely Irish.

Given Ireland’s more hurried pace in recent times, the pub is no longer much of a daytime haunt (except for a good lunch on the road).

For really getting into the vibe, saunter along to the nearest hostelry anytime after 9 PM and buy a round for the few patrons nearest you at the bar—it may cost you $20, but you’ll have a front-row seat for true Irish theater for the next two hours.

Meeting the locals is an opportunity that’s available anywhere, really—at the post office, the local shop, at a crossroads, on a sleepy Main Street.

It all comes down to gently breaking the ice with tried-and-tested topics like: the weather (obviously), the state of the economy (it’s “brutal”), the price of the pint (still too high), and pretty much any sporting event you feel like mentioning—the Irish are crazy about most of them.

SAFETY TIPS

Ireland is still essentially a safe country, but you do need to observe some basic precautions.

Don’t leave valuables in a rental car: this is advice countless visitors neglect with sad consequences. Most car theft is opportunistic—if there’s nothing visible like a pocketbook, a bag, a camera, even maps or guides within the car, most likely your petty criminal will amble past toward more available pickings.

Likewise, when parking in urban areas, use a car park—this also guards against auto clampers (a recent scourge of Irish towns, where fines to release your car cost up to €130).

Carry only the minimal amount of cash with perhaps one credit card when strolling around the streets and shops—while handbag snatching is minimal, there’s no point is making yourself a possible target.

STRETCHING YOUR DOLLAR

At this writing, the dollar is stronger than usual against the euro—($1.35 to €1)—but the situation is pretty fluid. While nobody wants to penny-pinch on vacation, a few changes can yield savings without upsetting your holiday.

For starters, take a bus from the airport—it’ll be one-quarter the cost of a cab and will get you into town twice as fast on dedicated bus corridors now operating in all cities.

Opt for B&Bs. They’re well located and they’ll have comfy bedrooms, good food, and an all-knowing landlady to answer all your questions. Listen carefully to her advice on bargain shopping, as she’s got an inside line you’ll not find on any Web site. In restaurants, opt for the house wine—people have become serious wine-drinkers in recent years and the house stuff is no longer just “plonk” for unsophisticated palates.

At lunchtime, why not try a picnic? After all, you’re here to see scenery, and given that the changeable weather does allow for some dazzling sunshine most days, why not pack a few sandwiches and some drinks or coffee? Ireland is full of wonderful road pull-ins where you can park, walk a few minutes, and dine in glorious isolation to the sound of gurgling streams, lowing cows, or wind echoing across an open plain.

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POLITICS

There’s nothing like the worse economic crisis in living memory to shake up the political waters. A “steady as she goes” attitude that prevailed among voters for the past 10 years has been turned on its head, with the center-right Fianna Fáil government and its current leader, Brian Cowen seriously unpopular. But they have a slim coalition majority in Parliament and will try to hang on until some sort of recovery in the country’s finances prevents their annihilation at the next general election. The handshake between Bertie Ahern and Northern Ireland leader, Ian Paisley, at the Battle of the Boyne site in 2007 marked the absolute end of violence in the North and a new dawn upon a political divide that has lasted centuries. At any bar counter, however, talk of politics will lead directly to the ailing economy or the Irish health service and its poor state—everybody will tell you a story of taking their kid to the local emergency room and waiting five hours for someone to look at a broken finger. One recent government minister described the health portfolio as “Angola,” a concise definition that spoke volumes. Ireland’s a great country with wonderful people, goes the common view—just don’t get sick.

ECONOMICS

Even before the global financial calamities of the last year, the average Irish person would traditionally lean toward a “glass half-empty” position after any initial probing. “Can it last?” was a mantra that played across a thousand pub counters up and down the land when talk of the famous Celtic Tiger economy unfolded. Well with wages falling the building boom bust and those IT multinationals closing up shop it turns out those stout-supping doomsayers were right all along. So now the pub economists have all changed tack—“It’s bottomed out” is the new mantra, as they optimistically toast the elusive “green shoots.” And at least the price of the pint has been frozen!

MEDIA

As the Church confessional is no longer the purge-zone of choice for the majority of Irish people, radio and TV talk shows have stepped in to fill the void. Every topic under the sun is squeezed and caressed over the airwaves on a daily basis—lesbian nuns, love on the Web, cheap retirement in Bulgaria, mothers and daughters double-date rules, not to mention one beer-tasting show where brands from around the world are digested in an ever-downward spiral of hilarious drunkenness. Not quite Howard Stern, you understand, but eons beyond Vatican II, all the same. Newspapers include the major three dailies: the Irish Times, the Irish Independent, and the Irish Examiner. A host of U.K. tabloids have also entered the market in recent years, with the Mail, the Sun, and the Mirror being the leading lights. So-called “freesheets”—morning commuter giveaway papers containing a condensed version of the day’s news plus heaps of advertising—are similarly flexing their literary muscles.

PEOPLE

For all their dangerous propensity to rack up the biggest credit card debt in Europe on BMW’s, boob jobs, and second homes on Capri, most Irish were, at heart, as confused by life in Celtic Tiger Ireland as the tourist might have been. It all came to us too fast and to flashy, how could we say no? The Irish, when they have a job, still work the longest hours on average in Europe, but despite their breezy, world-weary air, they remain largely as enthusiastic and comic about life as they ever were. One caller to a radio show summed up his ideal life: “a two-car garage, sex with my wife twice a week, a 12 handicap, and kids who won’t call me a loser to my face.” The average Joe is in there somewhere.

RELIGION

Priests and bishops (and even the Pope) continue to hit the headlines through sex scandals and revelations of criminal pedophilia cover-ups that have rocked Ireland for over a decade. The church has fallen a long way in the estimation of most of the population and suddenly the media is not afraid to ask some searing questions about the Church’s past and future. Older people are struggling to come to terms with this national loss of trust in their hallowed institution while increasing numbers of younger folks are turning their backs on regular mass-going. Irish-born men entering the priesthood is down to a handful each year and African priests are often shipped in to fill the breach. A majority of the population will still go to Church for births, marriages, and funerals but there is a noted decrease in involvement of priests in the social fabric of Irish life. The Catholic Church in Ireland, it seems, will have to quickly redefine and rebrand itself if it is not to go the way of the Church of England in the U.K. and become a minority sideshow.

SPORTS

That enduring love affair between the Irish and their sports continues unabated regardless of any other cultural changes. Football and hurling are still enshrined as the national pastimes—but only just ahead of rugby, soccer, and horse racing. For a small nation, Ireland has consistently punched above its weight in the global arena, as exemplified by the recent domination of Rugby’s Six Nations tournament by the men in green. Every second pub has a satellite dish pulling down anything from badminton in Bhutan to sumo wrestling in Tokyo. It’s no surprise that images of winning football teams reside in pride of place on many pub walls.

CULTURE

Neither the World Wide Web, cellular texting, nor Internet gaming will dent the nation’s fondness for the written word. Although there have been few to match the talent of Shaw, Wilde, and Joyce, the huge-selling works of Frank McCourt, Joe O’Connor, Roddy Doyle, and Pat McCabe underline the country as one of the biggest book-buying populations in Europe. In the movies, time and tide have taken us a long way from John Wayne in The Quiet Man to writer-directors like Neil Jordan, Jim Sheridan, and Noel Pearson and their warts-and-all visions of modern Ireland.

THE SEXES

Equality in the bedroom happened 10 years ago—much more problematic has been the more recent balancing of the scales in the boardroom. Irish women have moved right up the corporate ladder since the late ’90s and now challenge and frequently best their male counterparts for the big jobs. Sure, there are many glass ceilings still to shatter, but an unstoppable momentum has begun and God knows where it will all lead. Stay at home Dads? Check. What happens in Macau stays in Macau bachelorette weekends? Check. Fortysomething divorcees with teen boy toys in tow? Check. Most traditional males are hoping it’s a horrible nightmare they’ll soon wake from. Only time will tell.

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THE ROCK OF CASHEL

The center of tribal and religious power for more than a thousand years, it became the seat of the Munster Kings in the 5th century. Handed over to the early Christian Church in 1101, the medieval abbey perched on a limestone mount in Tipperary contains rare Romanesque sculpture and carvings celebrating St. Patrick’s visit there in 450.

NEWGRANGE

Stonehenge and the pyramids at Giza are spring chickens compared to Newgrange, one of the most fascinating sites near Dublin. Built around 5,200 years ago, Newgrange is a passage tomb—a huge mound of earth with a stone passageway leading to a burial chamber constructed entirely of dry stone (mortar wasn’t invented yet). Steeped in Celtic myth and lore, these graves were built for the Kings of Tara. Untouched for centuries, the main chamber was excavated in the 1960s and revealed itself as the world’s oldest solar observatory, where the sun’s rays light up the interior on December 21 each year.

BOOK OF KELLS

If you visit only one attraction in Dublin, let it be this extraordinary creation housed in Trinity College. Often called “the most beautiful book in the world,” the manuscript dates to the 8th or 9th century and remains a marvel of intricacy and creativity. Fashioned by monks probably based on the Hebridean island of Iona, and worked with reed pens and iron-gall ink on a folded section of vellum, the manuscript demonstrates a sense of sublime balance and beauty in elaborate interlaces, abstractions, and “carpet-pages.”

GEORGIAN ELEGANCE

Dublin’s signature architectural style makes its most triumphant showing in Merrion, Fitzwilliam, Mountjoy, and Parnell squares.

PRETTY-AS-A-POSTCARD LISMORE

Presided over by the neo-Baronial castle of the Dukes of Devonshire, this storybook village has attracted visitors ranging from Sir Walter Raleigh to Fred Astaire.

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A NIGHT ON THE COBBLESTONES

The Trinity Ball (www.trinityball.ie) happens in May just before students face end-of-year exams. The biggest enclosed party in Europe, it takes place around the ancient confines of this gorgeous Dublin city center seat of learning and offers everything from Strauss waltzes to punk, hip-hop, and good old rock ‘n’ roll. Tuxedos and ball gowns are the order of the day. The party officially ends at dawn—and then everybody heads to Grafton Street for breakfast.

BLOOMING FORTH

Even though it is now reckoned that more Americans and Japanese attend the events surrounding Bloomsday(www.jamesjoyce.ie) than Irish people, it hasn’t taken away a jot from an event that continues to grow regardless. Most Irish, if they’re being honest, will probably admit to “never having actually finished Ulysses,” but are still happy to discourse at length over devilled kidneys and other Joycean delights on the hidden meanings within this legendary work.

CLASH OF THE ASH

Usually happening on the first Sunday in September, the All-Ireland Hurling Final(www.gaa.ie), at Dublin’s Croke Park, is a uniquely Irish sporting spectacle. Thirty highly amped players clutching ash hurleys whack a heavy leather ball, or sliothar, at warp speeds around the pitch as they slug it out for the sport’s highest prize. Raw emotions, brilliant color, and Harry Potter–ish skills like you won’t see back home make it memorable.

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If you want to get a sense of Irish culture and indulge in some of its pleasures, start by familiarizing yourself with the rituals of daily life. These are a few highlights—things you can take part in with relative ease.

THE PUB: PILLAR OF IRISH SOCIAL LIFE

It’s been said that the pub is the poor man’s university. If this is true, Ireland has more than 10,000 opportunities for higher education. Even if you only order an Evian, a visit to a pub (if not two or three) is a must.

The Irish public house is a national institution—down to the spectacle, at some pubs, of patrons standing at closing time for the playing of Ireland’s national anthem. Samuel Beckett would often repair to a pub, believing a glass of Guinness stout was the best way to ward off depression.

Pubs remain pillars of Irish social life—places to chat, listen, learn, gossip, and, of course, enjoy a throaty sing-along.

Impromptu concerts often break out, and if you’re really enjoying the craic—quintessentially Irish friendly chat and lively conversation—it’s good form to buy a pint for the performers.

Wherever you go, remember that when you order a Guinness, the barman first pours it three-quarters of the way, then lets it settle, then tops it off and brings it over to the bar.

The customer should then wait again until the top-up has settled, at which point the brew turns a deep black.

The mark of a perfect pint? As you drink the liquid down, the brew will leave thin rings on the glass to mark each mouthful.

“FLEADHS” AND FESTIVALS

From bouncing-baby competitions to traditional-music festivals, the tradition of the fleadh (festival, pronounced “flah”) is alive and well in Ireland year-round.

Before you leave home, check on regional Irish tourist Web sites or, upon arrival, discuss the local happenings with local tourist boards or your hotel concierge.

Music festivals rule the roost—Kinvara’s Cuckoo Fleadh, Galway’s Festival of Irish Popular Music, the giant Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann, and the World Irish Dancing Championships (held every April in Ennis) are some major events.

But there are also village festivals dedicated to hill-walking, fishing, poetry, art, and food; the Mullaghmore Lobster Festival in August always proves mighty tasty.

KEEP A’CLAPPIN’ AND A’TAPPIN’

Ceol agus craic, loosely translated as “music and merriment,” are not simply recreations in Ireland. They are part of the very fabric of the national identity.

Ask most Irish men or women in exile what they miss most about home and, more than likely, those words “the craic” will be uttered.

And the beat and rhythm that accompany Irish fun are the “4/4” of the reel and the jig. Wherever you go you’ll find that every town buzzes with its own blend of styles and sounds.

In its most exciting form, “trad” music is an impromptu affair, with a single guitar or fiddle player belting out a few tunes until other musicians—flute, whistle, uilleann pipes, concertina, and bodhrán drum—seem to arrive out of the pub’s dark corners and are quickly drawn into the unstoppable force of the session.

A check of local event guides will turn up a wealth of live entertainment—if you’re lucky you’ll find a world-class artist in performance whose talents are unsung outside a small circle of friends and fans.

On some nights, Dublin itself—with more than 120 different clubs and music pubs to choose from—almost becomes one giant traditional-music jam session. Where to head first? Just take a walk down Grafton Street and keep your ears open.

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TOP BOATING TRIPS

Imagine the scene: gentle waves lap at the edges as your boat heads for open water drawing a perfect silver line across the tranquil mirror-flat surface. Every sound is crystal clear: a dog barks, a kingfisher whirrs past flying low across the water, and fellow-sailors shout a hearty welcome. This magical moment can easily be yours in Ireland, thanks to the wealth of possibilities for either guided tours or private hires.

COAST OR INLAND?

Ireland’s indented western seaboard from Donegal to Cork has many first-class sailing opportunities. The main towns have sailing clubs in scenic areas. The best option is to choose an area such as West Cork and spend a week sailing from port to port. If you want to enjoy the very heart of Ireland, the River Shannon offers an unequalled choice of boating trips from the north Midlands down to Limerick. Cruisers can be hired at Carrick-on-Shannon, Banagher, and Portumna. Crossing the Irish border, the Shannon-Erne Waterway has opened up a little-known area of untamed beauty. And the renaissance of Ireland’s canals is a recent regeneration success.

THE FIVE BEST BOATING TRIPS?

River Barrow: hire a traditional steel canal boat at Rathangan in Co. Kildare for a 120 km (70 mi) trip along the idyllic Barrow—Ireland’s oldest navigation—passing through a Chaucerian landscape and dropping anchor at Graiguenamanagh (known as Graig); en route sign up for a canalways pub crawl.

West Cork Sailing: the harbors of the ports-of-call along this coast, such as Kinsale, Glandore, Baltimore, and Bantry, offer delightful overnight stays.

River Shannon Cruising: one of the best places to hire from is the delightful boating town of Carrick-on-Shannon—putter your leisurely way down to Lough Ree or as far as the Lower Shannon.

Fermanagh Lakes: with 700 km (430 mi) of rivers, lakes, and canals, Fermanagh is tops. Upper and Lower Lough Erne are dotted with islands topped with castles or Round Towers ideal for exploring.

Royal Canal: with its reconstructed locks and bridges, the 145 km (90 mi) canal is perfect for those on narrow boats, and in 2010 it became fully navigable from Dublin to Richmond Harbor in Co. Longford. Towpaths run from the Liffey all the way to the Shannon.

GUIDED TOURS OR PRIVATE HIRE?

A first-time boatie? Get some courses under your belt by contacting the International Sailing Schools Association. Of course, if you want to sit back and have it all done for you, book half-day or full-day guided pleasure cruises. For more info, see “Cruising on the Shannon” in the Midlands chapter.

INFORMATION, PLEASE?

www.sailing.ie; www.sailingschools.org; www.discoverireland.ie/lakelands; www.waterwaysireland.org; www.iwai.ie; Emerald Star Cruisers: www.emeraldstar.ie; Riversdale Barge Holidays: www.riversdalebargeholidays.com; Canalways Ireland: www.canalways.ie; Royal Canal Cruisers: www.royalcanalcruisers.com

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Over 46 million Americans claim Irish ancestry, and the desire to trace those long-lost roots back in the “auld sod” can run deep. Here are some pointers for how you can make your trip to Ireland a journey into your past.

BEFORE YOU GO

The more you can learn about your ancestors, the more fruitful your search is going to be once you’re on Irish soil. Crucial facts include:

• The name of your ancestor

• Names of that ancestor’s parents/spouse

• His or her date of birth, marriage, or death

• County and parish of origin in Ireland

• Religious denomination

The first place to seek information is directly from members of your family. A grandparent or a great aunt with a story to tell can be the source of important clues. And relatives who don’t know any family history may have documents stored away that can help with your sleuthing—old letters, wills, diaries, birth certificates, photos.

If family resources aren’t leading you anywhere, try turning to the Mormon Church. They’ve made it their mission to collect mountains of genealogical information, much of which it makes available free of charge at familysearch.org; plug in the name a relative, and you may find records that include parents’ names and places of origin. You can also visit one of hundreds of research centers throughout the United States (addresses for which are available on the Web site).

ON THE GROUND IN IRELAND

Ancestor hunters have long traveled throughout Ireland to comb parish church records, but most of these records are now available on microfilm in Dublin at the National Library (Kildare St. | 01/603–0200 | www.nil.ie). The library is a great place to begin your hunting; you can consult a research adviser there free of charge.

Civil records—dating back to 1865—are available at the General Register Office (8–11 Lombard St. E, | Dublin | 01/635–4423 | www.groireland.ie). Records for Anglican marriages date from 1845. The National Archives (Bishop St., | Dublin | www.nationalarchives.ie) has census records and, like the National Library, provides free genealogy consultations.

For Northern Ireland, you can find information at the Centre for Migration Studies (Mellon Rd., Castletown, | Omagh | 028/8225–6315 | www.qub.ac.uk/cms/) at the Ulster American Folk Park and the Public Records Office (Balmoral Ave., | Belfast | 028/9025–5905 | www.proni.gov.uk).

None of these places has actual records available online, but their Web sites provide information about genealogical research. If you’d rather not spend your vacation in a record hall, you can hire a professional to do your spadework. The Association of Professional Genealogists in Ireland (www.irishgenealogy.ie) will present you with a “package of discovery” upon your arrival. The Irish Times newspaper also has ancestor-hunting resources (www.ireland.com/ancestor). And the National Library provides references for professionals.

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Main Table of Contents

Introducing Dublin

Dublin Planner

Getting Around Dublin

Exploring Dublin

Where to Eat in Dublin

Where to Stay in Dublin

Nightlife and the Arts in Dublin

Sports and the Outdoors in Dublin

Shopping in Dublin

Side Trips: North County Dublin

Dublin in Depth

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Top Reasons to Go | Getting Oriented

Ask any Dubliner what’s happening and you may hear echoes of one of W. B. Yeats’s most-quoted lines: “All changed, changed utterly.” While you can no longer hear the roar of the Celtic Tiger, a decade of a white-hot economy transformed Dublin into one of Western Europe’s most popular urban destinations. Whether or not you’re out to enjoy the old or new Dublin, you’ll find it a colossally entertaining city, all the more astonishing considering its intimate size.

It is ironic and telling that James Joyce chose Dublin as the setting for his famous Ulysses, Dubliners, and A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man because it was a “center of paralysis” where nothing much ever changed. Which only proves that even the greats get it wrong sometimes. Indeed, if Joyce were to return to his once genteel hometown today—disappointed with the city’s provincial outlook, he left it in 1902 at the age of 20—and take a quasi-Homeric odyssey through the city (as he so famously does in Ulysses), would he even recognize Dublin as his “Dear Dirty Dumpling, foostherfather of fingalls and dotthergills”?

For instance, what would he make of Temple Bar—the city’s erstwhile down-at-the-heels neighborhood, now crammed with restaurants and trendy hotels and suffused with a nonstop, international-party atmosphere? Or the simple sophistication of the open-air restaurants of the tiny Italian Quarter (named Ouartie Bloom after his own creation), complete with sultry tango lessons? Or of the hot/cool Irishness, where every aspect of Celtic culture results in sold-out theaters, from Conor McPherson’s Broadway hit, The Seafarer, to Riverdance, the old Irish mass-jig recast as a Las Vegas extravaganza? Plus, the resurrected Joyce might be stirred by the songs of U2, fired up by the sultry acting of Colin Farrell, and moved by the poems of Nobel laureate Seamus Heaney. As for Ireland’s capital, even after the Celtic Tiger party has faded, elegant shops and hotels, galleries, art-house cinemas, coffeehouses, and a stunning variety of restaurants can be found on almost every street in Dublin, transforming the provincial city that suffocated Joyce into a place almost as cosmopolitan as the Paris to which he fled.

The recent economic downturn has provoked a few Dublin citizens to protest that the boomtown transformation of their heretofore tranquil city has permanently affected its spirit and character. These skeptics (skepticism long being a favorite pastime in the capital city) await the outcome of “Dublin: The Sequel,” and their greatest fear is the possibility that the tattered old lady on the Liffey has become a little less unique, a little more like everywhere else.

Oh ye of little faith: the rare aul’ gem that is Dublin is far from buried. The fundamentals—the Georgian elegance of Merrion Square, the Norman drama of Christ Church Cathedral, the foamy pint at an atmospheric pub—are still on hand to gratify. Most of all, there are the locals themselves: the nod and grin when you catch their eye on the street, the eagerness to hear half your life story before they tell you all of theirs, and their paradoxically dark but warm sense of humor.

TOP REASONS TO GO

Georgian Elegance: Dublin’s signature architectural style makes its most triumphant showing in Merrion, Fitzwilliam, Mountjoy, and Parnell squares.

The Guinness Brewery and Storehouse: A high-tech museum tells the story of Guinness, Dublin’s black blood. At the top, the Gravity Bar has the city’s best views.

Toe-Tapping “Trad”: If your your head is still throbbing from last night’s sing-along at the pub, head to other music-mad venues like the Olympia Theatre for the best in Irish folk music.

Magnificent Museums: From the Renoirs at the Hugh Lane to the Tara Brooch at the National Museum and the first editions of Joyce at the Dublin Writers Museum, Dublin is one big treasure chest.

Trinity College: An oasis of books, granite, and grass sits at the heart of the city. Highlights are the exquisitely illustrated Book of Kells and the ornate Long Room.

GETTING ORIENTED

Despite the seismic changes of the decade-long, and now defunct, Celtic Tiger economy, Dublin happily remains an intimate capital that mixes elegant Georgian buildings, wrought-iron bridges, a battalion of booksellers, and more than 1,000 pubs. The heart of the city is the River Liffey, which runs east to west, splitting Dublin neatly in two. The more affluent Southside has a greater concentration of sights, and it can seem a world apart from the more working-class Northside. North or south, Dublin is compact and easily navigated, making it a great walking city.

The Southside Between Christ Church Cathedral and Trinity College lies a concentration of famous sights. Merrion Square is the heart of the Georgian district; to its west, four major museums sit side by side. Southwest from here is quaint St. Stephen’s Green, which connects to Trinity via stylish, pedestrian-only Grafton Street.

Temple Bar The cobblestone streets and small lanes bounded by Wellington Quay and Dame Street have been transformed into Dublin’s trendiest neighborhood. The nightlife doesn’t stop at “last call,” and on weekends the streets are packed with young people from all over Europe.

The Northside Less affluent but more eloquent than the Southside, this neighborhood was once home to James Joyce; today it’s the site of the Dublin Writers Museum and the James Joyce Centre. Other highlights are the grand Custom House, historic O’Connell Street, and Dublin’s two great theaters, the Abbey and the Gate.

Dublin West This former industrial district stretches from Christ Church west to that other Dublin shrine, the Guinness Brewery. Imposing Dublin Castle houses the Chester Beatty Library—arguably the most impressive museum in Ireland. Phoenix Park, Europe’s largest public city park, hugs the north bank of the Liffey.

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Transportation Basics | Day-Tripping on the DART | Visitor Information | Dublin Pass | Meeting the Dubs | Mind the Slag | Dublin’s Must-Dos | Dublin with a Guiding Hand | When to Go

TRANSPORTATION BASICS

Central Dublin is compact, so walking is the first choice for getting around. Main thoroughfares can become crowded with pedestrians, especially at rush hour, so plan routes along side streets for less bustle.

When your feet need a break, turn to public transit. There’s an extensive network of buses, and the pleasant LUAS tram system has two lines running through the city center. You can hail a taxi, get one at a stand, or phone a taxi company. Because they’re allowed to use bus lanes, taxis get through traffic faster than private vehicles do. Navigating the city on your own in a rental car is an expensive headache.

DAY-TRIPPING ON THE DART

The DART (Dublin Area Rapid Transit) train line runs from the fishing village of Howth, at the northern tip of Dublin Bay, south to the seaside resort of Bray in Wicklow. The route hugs the coastline, providing one spectacular view after another. And with tickets running a little under €4, the price is right.

VISITOR INFORMATION

Fáilte Ireland (aka Bord Fáilte), the Irish Tourist Board, has its own visitor information offices in the entrance hall of its headquarters at Baggot Street Bridge; it’s open weekdays 9:15–5:15. The main Dublin Tourism center is in the former (and still spectacular) St. Andrew’s Church on Suffolk Street and is open July–September, Monday–Saturday 8:30–6, Sunday 11–5:30, and October–June, daily 9–6. The Dublin Airport branch is open daily 8 AM–10 PM; the branch at the Ferryport, Dun Laoghaire, is open daily 10–9.

The Temple Bar Information Centre produces the easy-to-use, annually updated Temple Bar Guide, with complete listings.

Fáilte Ireland (Baggot St. Bridge, Southside | Dublin 2 | 01/602–4000 in Dublin; 1850/230330 in rest of Ireland | www.discoverireland.com). Dublin Tourism (Suffolk St. off Grafton St., Southside | Dublin 2 | 1850/230330 | www.visitdublin.com). Temple Bar Cultural Information Centre (18 Eustace St., Temple Bar | Dublin 2 | 01/677–2255 | www.templebar.ie/informationcentre).

DUBLIN PASS

Like many tourist capitals around the world, Dublin now features a special pass to help travelers save on admission prices. In conjunction with Dublin Tourism, the Dublin Pass is issued for one, two, three, or six days, and allows free (or, rather, reduced, since the cards do cost something) admission to 30 sights, including the Guinness Brewery, the Dublin Zoo, the Dublin Writers Museum, and Christ Church Cathedral. Prices are €35 for one day; €55 for two days; €65 for three days; and €95 for six days; children’s prices are much lower. You can buy your card online and have it waiting for you at one of Dublin’s tourist information offices when you arrive. Another plus: you can jump to the head of any line at participating museums and sights.

Information: Dublin Tourism (Suffolk St. off Grafton St., Southside | Dublin 2 | 01/605–7700 in Dublin; 1850/230330 in rest of Ireland | www.dublinpass.ie).

MEETING THE DUBS

The most appealing thing about Dublin isn’t the sights, or even the great pubs and restaurants. It’s the people—the citizens, the Dubs. They’re fun, funny, and irreverent, and most of them love nothing better than talking to strangers. So, to get the most out of your visit, make a point of rubbing elbows with the locals. The pub is a natural spot to do this (F see “Trip to the Pub” later in this chapter), but almost any place will do. Ask for directions on a street corner (even if you don’t need them), and you might be on your way to a brilliant conversation.

MIND THE SLAG

“Slagging” is the Dubliner’s favorite type of humor. It consists of mildly—or not so mildly—insulting a friend or a soon-to-be-friend in sharp but jovial fashion. It’s best employed to deflate vanity or hubris, but clearly marks out the victim as well-liked and worthy. Packed buses and late-night chip shops are classic slagging venues.

DUBLIN’S MUST-DOS

Raise a glass to James Joyce on a Literary Pub Crawl.

Be illuminated by the medieval Book of Kells at the Long Gallery of Trinity College.

“Rock n’ Stroll” your way through hip a Temple Bar guided tour.

Go gloriously Georgian on 18th-century Merrion Square.

Get spirited (pun intended) on a tour of the Guinness Brewery and Storehouse.

Pluck a lucky four-leaf clover on St. Stephen’s Green.

Snack on Spatchcock Quail at Bono’s Tea Room celeb spot.

Recapture Rococo times in the time-burnished salons of Newman House.

Imagine yourself the squire of a Palace Row town house at the Dublin City Gallery, The Hugh Lane.

“Become” a Dubliner with a cup of coffee at Bewley’s Oriental Café on Grafton Street.

DUBLIN WITH A GUIDING HAND

Dublin is a walker’s city, and it’s a city full of storytellers. Put two and two together, and it’s little surprise that Dublin is a particularly good place for guided walking tours. There are scores of informative, jovial guides eager to reveal the mysteries of “dirty, darling Dublin”. Tours usually have a theme that falls into one of three categories: history, culture, or music. While you’re learning about the city and getting to know a garrulous local, you can also swap stories and recommendations with other visitors along for the walk.

WHEN TO GO

When is it best—and worst—to pay a call on the Irish capital? The summer offers a real lift, as the natives spill out of the pubs into the slew of sidewalk cafés and open-air restaurants. The week around St. Patrick’s Day (March 17) is, naturally, a nonstop festival of parades, cultural happenings, and “hooleys” (long nights of partying) throughout the city.

Christmas in Dublin seems to last a month, and the city’s old-style illuminations match the genteel, warm mood of the locals. The downside quickly follows, however, for January and February are damp hangover months.

A warm sweater is a must all year round, as even summer nights can occasionally get chilly. Dublin gets its share of rain (though a lot less than other parts of Ireland), so an umbrella is a good investment—and best to make it a strong one, as the winds show no mercy to cheaper models.

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Air Travel | Main Airlines | Airport Buses and Taxis | Boat and Ferry Travel | Bus Travel | Bus Fares and Schedules | Car Travel | Taxi Travel | Train and Tram Travel | Sightseeing Tours

AIR TRAVEL

Dublin Airport, 10 km (6 mi) north of the city center, serves international and domestic flights. Three airlines have regularly scheduled flights from the United States to Dublin. Aer Lingus flies direct from New York, Boston, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Orlando, Baltimore, Washington, and Chicago to Dublin. Continental flies from New York (Newark Liberty International Airport) to Dublin. Delta flies from Atlanta to Dublin via New York. There are daily services to Dublin from all major London airports. Flights to Dublin also leave from Birmingham, Bristol, East Midlands, Liverpool, Luton, Manchester, Leeds/Bradford, Newcastle, Edinburgh, and Glasgow.

Within Ireland, Aer Lingus operates flights from Dublin to Belfast, Cork, Derry, Kerry, Shannon, Galway, Knock in County Mayo, Donegal, Waterford, and Sligo. Ryanair flies to Belfast, and Aer Arann flies to Cork, Sligo, Knock, Galway, and Donegal.

Airport Information: Dublin Airport (01/844–4900 | www.dublin-airport.com).

MAIN AIRLINES

Aer Arann (01/814–5240 | www.aerarann.com). Aer Lingus (01/844–4747 | www.aerlingus.com). Continental (1890/925–252 | www.continental.com). Delta (01/844–4166 or 01/676–8080 | www.delta.com). Ryanair (01/844–4411 | www.ryanair.com).

AIRPORT BUSES AND TAXIS

Dublin Bus operates the Airlink shuttle service between Dublin Airport and the city center, with departures outside the arrivals gateway. Service runs from 5:45 AM to 11:30 PM, at intervals of about 10 minutes (after 8 PM buses run every 20 minutes), to as far as O’Connell Street and then Dublin’s main bus station (Busaras), behind the Custom House on the Northside. Journey time from the airport to the city center is normally 30 minutes, but it may be longer in heavy traffic. The single fare is €6 and round-trip is €10; pay the driver inside the bus or purchase a one-day bus pass for the same price. If you have time, you can save money by taking a regular bus for €2. Aircoach’s comfortable coaches run from the airport to the city center 24 hours a day for €7 one way and €12 round-trip. The service stops at the major hotels. A taxi is a quicker alternative than the bus to get from the airport to Dublin center. A line of taxis waits by the arrivals gateway; the fare for the 30-minute journey to any of the main city-center hotels is about €19 to €22 plus tip (tips don’t have to be large). Ask about the fare before leaving the airport.

BOAT AND FERRY TRAVEL

Irish Ferries runs a regular high-speed car and passenger service into Dublin port from Holyhead in Wales. The crossing takes 1 hour and 50 minutes on the faster Dublin Swift and 3 hours and 15 minutes on the huge Ulysses.

Stena Line has services to both Dublin and nearby Dun Laoghaire port from Holyhead (3½ hours). They also run a high-speed service, known as HSS, which takes about 1 hour and 40 minutes.

Prices and departure times vary according to season, so call to confirm.

Norfolk Line sails from Dublin to Liverpool but travel time is a fairly slow 7 hours.

In summer, reservations are strongly recommended; book online or through a travel agent.

Dozens of taxis wait to take you into town from both ports, or you can take DART or a bus to the city center.

Boat and Ferry Information: Irish Ferries (Merrion Row,Southside | Dublin 2 | 01/661–0511 | www.irishferries.co.uk).

Norfolk Line (Southside | Dublin 4 | 01/819–2999 | www.norfolkline.com).

Stena Line (Ferryport, Dun Laoghaire,South County Dublin | Co. Dublin | 01/204–7777 | www.stenaline.ie).

BUS TRAVEL

Busaras, just behind the Custom House on the Northside, is Dublin’s main station for buses to and from the city.

Dublin Bus runs the city’s regular buses. Bus Éireann is the main intercity bus company, with service throughout the country. Aircoach has direct bus connections to Cork and Belfast, and is usually a bit cheaper than Bus Éireann.

In town, there’s an extensive network of buses, most of which are green double-deckers.

Some bus services run on cross-city routes, including the smaller “Imp” buses, but most buses start in the city center.

Buses to the north of the city begin in the Lower Abbey Street–Parnell Street area, while those to the west begin in Middle Abbey Street and in the Aston Quay area.

Routes to the southern suburbs begin at Eden Quay and in the College Street area.

Several buses link the DART stations, and another regular bus route connects the two main provincial railway stations, Connolly and Heuston.

If the destination board indicates AN LÁR, that means that the bus is going to the city center.

Museumlink is a shuttle service that links up the National Museum of Natural History, National Museum of Archaeology and History, and the National Museum of Decorative Arts and History. You can catch it outside any of the three museums.

BUS FARES AND SCHEDULES

In the city, fares begin at €1.15 and are paid to the driver, who will accept inexact fares, but you’ll have to go to the central office in Dublin to pick up your change as marked on your ticket.

Change transactions and the city’s heavy traffic can slow service considerably.

Most bus lines run until 11:30 at night, but some late-night buses run Friday to Saturday until 4:30 AM on some major routes; the fare is €5.

Bus Information: Aircoach (01/844–7118 | www.aircoach.ie). Busaras (Store St.,Northside | Dublin 1 | 01/830–2222). Bus Éireann (01/873–4222 | www.buseireann.ie). Dublin Bus (59 Upper O’Connell St.,Northside | Dublin 1 | 01/873–4222 | www.dublinbus.ie).

CAR TRAVEL

Renting a car in Dublin is very expensive, with high rates and a 12.5% local tax. Gasoline is also expensive by U.S. standards, at around €1.22 a liter. Peak-period car-rental rates begin at around €260 a week for the smallest stick models, like a Ford Fiesta. Dublin has many car-rental companies, and it pays to shop around and to avoid “cowboy” outfits without proper licenses. A dozen car-rental companies have desks at Dublin Airport; all the main national and international firms also have branches in the city center.

Traffic in Ireland has increased exponentially in the last few years, and nowhere has the impact been felt more than in Dublin, where the city’s complicated one-way streets are congested not only during the morning and evening rush hours but often during much of the day. If possible, avoid driving a car except to get in and out of the city (and be sure to ask your hotel or guesthouse for clear directions to get you out of town).

TAXI TRAVEL

There are taxi stands beside the central bus station, and at train stations, O’Connell Bridge, St. Stephen’s Green, College Green, and near major hotels; the Dublin telephone directory has a complete list. The initial charge is €4.10, with an additional charge of about €1 per kilometer thereafter. The fare is displayed on a meter (make sure it’s on). You may, instead, want to phone a taxi company and ask for a cab to meet you at your hotel, but this may cost up to €2 extra. Each extra passenger costs €1, but there is no charge for luggage.

Many taxis run all night, but the demand, especially on weekends (and particularly near clubs on the Leeson Street strip and elsewhere, which stay open until 4 AM or later), can make for long lines at taxi stands. Hackney cabs, which also operate in the city, have neither roof signs nor meters and will sometimes respond to hotels’ requests for a cab.

Although the taxi fleet in Dublin is large, the cabs are nonstandard and some cars are neither spacious nor in pristine condition. NRC Taxis has a reliable track record. City Cabs is one of the city’s biggest but also the busiest. SCR Taxis has some of the friendliest drivers.

Taxi Information: NRC Taxies (01/677–2222). City Cabs (01/668–3333). SCR Taxis (01/473–1166).

TRAIN AND TRAM TRAVEL

As a delightfully compact city, Dublin does not have—or need—a subway system. But its LUAS trams and DART electric railway are a great way to get around the city center and beyond.

The DART (Dublin Area Rapid Transit) connects Dublin with Howth to the north and Bray to the south on a fast, efficient, super scenic train line that hugs the coastline.

But this line also runs through the center city with three convenient stations. Useful for tourists and travelers interested in training around the city center, these are Tara Street (near O'Connell Bridge) and Pearse Street (near Trinity College and Grafton Street) on the Southside, and Connolly Station on the Northside. Then this rail line continues on to such seaside destinations as Dun Laoghaire, Dalkey, and Bray.

As for the LUAS tram service, it runs two lines right into the heart of the city.

The Red Line carries the super-sleek silver trams from Tallaght in the southwest suburbs all the way to Connolly Station in the Northside city center.

This line also takes you to Hueston Station in the southwest of the city center, right by the Guinness Storehouse (James Street Stop), and near to the Royal Hospital Kilmainham (Rialto Stop). It then carries you across the Liffey and through the Smithfield district.

The Northside Abbey Street stop is a minute from O'Connell Street, itself just a short hop across the river from Temple Bar.

The Green Line runs from the Sandyford residential suburb south of the city right into St. Stephen's Green; this line is useful for ferrying visitors between the district of Ballsbridge, with all its hotels, to St. Stephen's Green, Grafton Street, and the heart of the Georgian city center on the Southside.

Together, these lines cross the city center north and south, and so the LUAS is ideal for short hops across those areas.

Tickets can be bought at stations, but it's also possible to buy weekly rail tickets, as well as weekly or monthly rail-and-bus tickets, from the Irish Rail Travel Centre.

TRAINS TO AND FROM DUBLIN

Irish Rail (Iarnród Éireann) runs intercity trains connecting Dublin with the rest of Ireland.

Connolly Station provides train service to and from the east coast, Belfast, the north (with stops in Malahide, Skerries, and Drogheda), the Northwest, and some destinations to the south, such as Wicklow.

Heuston Station is the place for trains to and from the South and West including Galway, Limerick, and Cork. Trains also run from here to Kildare Town, Newbridge, and other west of Dublin stops.

TRAIN FARES AND SCHEDULES

DART service starts at 6:30 AM and runs until 11:30 PM; at peak periods—8 to 9:30 AM and 5 to 7 PM—trains arrive every five minutes. At other times of the day, the intervals between trains are 15 to 25 minutes. Individual fares begin at €1.65 and range up to €3.30 one way. You'll pay a heavy penalty for traveling the DART without a ticket. LUAS trams run from 5:30 AM until 12:30 AM Monday to Saturday and 7 AM until 11:30 PM on Sunday. They come every 7 to 10 minutes at peak times and every 15 to 20 minutes after that. Fares begin at €1.50 and increase up to €2.50 one way according to the number of zones travelled.

Train Information: Connolly Station (Amiens St., Northside | 1). DART (01/836–6222 | www.irishrail.ie/dart). Heuston Station (End of Victoria Quay, Dublin West | 8). Irish Rail–Iarnod Éireann (www.irishrail.ie). Irish Rail Travel Centre (35 Lower Abbey St., Northside | 2 | 01/836–6222 | www.irishrail.ie). LUAS (800/300–604 | www.luas.ie). Pearse Station (Westland Row, Southside | 2).

SIGHTSEEING TOURS

Having a guide enrich your sightseeing hours proves to be very worth the investment, as attests this contributor to the Fodors.com forum on Ireland:

“The top three things that we saw/did in Dublin were: 1) Traditional Musical Pub Crawl, 2) Kilmainham Gaol, and 3) Historical Walking Tour of Dublin. All of these activities had a guide and they were all EXCELLENT! They were not only informative, but very entertaining as well. We found this to be the case wherever we went that had a guided tour.”

With this in mind, here are some top recommendations for touring the city.

BUS TOURS

Dublin Bus has three- and four-hour tours of the North and South coastlines, taking in sights like the James Joyce Tower and the Casino at Marino. The one-hour City Tour takes in the city center sights like Trinity College, the Royal Hospital Kilmainham, and Phoenix Park.

The one-hour City Tour, with hourly departures, allows you to hop on and off at any of the main sights.

Tickets are available from the driver or Dublin Bus.

There's also a continuous guided open-top bus tour (€15), run by Dublin Bus, which allows you to hop on and off the bus as often as you wish and visit some 23 sights along its route.

The company also conducts a north-city coastal tour, going to Howth, and a south-city tour, traveling as far as Enniskerry.

Gray Line Tours runs city-center tours that cover the same sights as the Dublin Bus itineraries.

Bus Éireann organizes day tours out of Busaras, the main bus station, to country destinations such as Glendalough.

Bus Tour Contacts: Bus Éireann (01/836–6111 | www.buseireann.ie). Dublin Bus (01/873–4222 | www.dublinbus.ie). Gray Line Tours (01/670–8822 | www.grayline.com).

PUB AND MUSICAL TOURS

Dublin Tourism has a booklet on its self-guided Rock n' Stroll trail, which covers 16 sights with associations to such performers as Bob Geldof, Christy Moore, Sinéad O'Connor, and U2.

Most of the sights are in the city center and Temple Bar.

The Traditional Musical Pub Crawl begins at Oliver St. John Gogarty and moves on to other famous Temple Bar pubs. Led by two professional musicians who perform songs and tell the story of Irish music, the tour is given April–October, daily at 7:30 PM, and from Thursday to Saturday, at 7:30 PM, the rest of the year; the cost is €12.

The Viking Splash Tour is a big hit with kids. The amphibious ex–U.S. military vehicle tours the city center before launching onto the water by the IFSC (International Financial Service Center, near the Custom House). Kids get a helmet to wear and love terrifying native pedestrians with the "Viking roar." An adult ticket is €20.

Colm Quilligan arranges highly enjoyable evening tours of the literary pubs of Dublin, where “brain cells are replaced as quickly as they are drowned.”

The Dublin Literary Pub Crawl is a 122-page guide to those Dublin pubs with the greatest literary associations; it's widely available in the city's bookstores.

Pub and Musical Tour Contacts: Colm Quilligan (01/454–0228 | www.dublinpubcrawl.com). Traditional Musical Pub Crawl (20 Lower Stephens St., Southside | 2 | 01/478–0191 | www.discoverdublin.ie). Viking Splash (01/707–6000 | www.vikingsplash.ie).

WALKING TOURS

Dublin Tourism has a new iWalk tour with a podcast audio guide narrated by well-known historian and artist Pat Liddy.

Historical Walking Tours of Dublin, run by Trinity College history graduate students, are excellent two-hour introductions to the city. The Bord Fáilte–approved tours take place from May to September, starting at the front gate of Trinity College, daily at 11 AM and 3 PM, with an extra tour on weekends at noon. These tours are also available October and April daily at 11 AM and November to March, Friday–Sunday at 11 AM. The cost is €12.

Dublin Footsteps conducts a Georgian/Literary Walking Tour that leaves from the Grafton Street branch of Bewley's Oriental Café June–September, Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday at 11; each tour lasts approximately two hours and costs €10.

Trinity Tours organizes walks of the Trinity College campus on weekends from March 17 (St. Patrick's Day) through mid-May and daily from mid-May to September. The half-hour tour costs €10 and includes the Book of Kells exhibit; tours start at the college's main gate every 40 minutes from 10:15 AM. There are generally nine tours a day.

The 1916 Rebellion Tour is an exciting walk that outlines the key areas and events of the violent Dublin rebellion that began Ireland's march to independence.

The guides are passionately political and the two-hour tour never flags.

They meet at the International Bar on Wicklow Street and operate February through October, Monday to Saturday at 11:30 AM and Sunday at 1 PM. The cost is €12.

Walking Tour Contacts: Dublin Footsteps (01/496–0641 | www.visitdublin.com). Historical Walking Tours of Dublin (01/878–0227 | www.historicalinsights.ie). Trinity Tours (01/608–2320 | www.tcd.ie/Library/old-library/tour-attractions). 1916 Rebellion Tour (086/858–3847 | www.1916rising.com).

CARRIAGE TOURS

Horse-drawn-carriage tours are available around Dublin and in Phoenix Park.

For tours of the park, contact the Department of the Arts, Culture and the Gaeltacht.

Carriages can be hired at the Grafton Street corner of St. Stephen's Green, without prior reservations.

Carriage Tour Contacts: Department of the Arts, Culture and the Gaeltacht (01/661–3111).

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Dublin’s Southside: Trinity College to St. Stephen’s Green | Georgian Dublin: Museums and Marvels | Temple Bar: The Changing Face | Dublin’s Northside: Across the Liffey | Dublin West: Cathedrals and Guinness | Phoenix Park and Environs

“In Dublin’s fair city, where the girls are so pretty”—so went the centuries-old ditty. Today, there are parts of the city that may not be fair or pretty, but although you may not be conscious of it while you’re in the center city, Dublin does boast a beautiful setting: it loops around the edge of Dublin Bay and on a plain at the edge of the gorgeous, green Dublin and Wicklow mountains, which rise softly just to the south. From the glass-wall top of the Guinness Storehouse in the heart of town, the sight of the city, the bay, and the mountains will take your breath away. From the city’s noted vantage points, such as the South Wall, which stretches far out into Dublin Bay, you can nearly get a full measure of the city. From north to south, Dublin stretches 16 km (10 mi); in total, it covers 28,000 acres—but Dublin’s heart is far more compact than these numbers indicate. Like Paris, London, and Florence, a river runs right through it. The River Liffey divides the capital into the Northside and the Southside, as everyone calls the two principal center-city areas, and virtually all the major sights are well within less than an hour’s walk of one another.

Our coverage is organized into six sections exploring the main neighborhoods of Dublin city (plus one excursion into the northern suburbs of County Dublin). The first two sections—The Southside and Southeast Dublin—focus on many of the city center’s major sights: Trinity College, St. Stephen’s Green, Merrion Square, and Grafton Street. The third section, Temple Bar, takes you through this revived neighborhood, still the hippest zone in the capital. The Northside section covers major cultural sights north of the Liffey and east of Capel Street, including the James Joyce Centre, Gate Theatre, Dublin Writers Museum, and the Hugh Lane municipal art gallery. It also includes the majestic Custom House and the rapidly developed, high-rise Docklands area near the mouth of the river. The next section, Dublin West, picks up across Dame Street from Temple Bar and continues west through the historic, working-class Liberties neighborhood to the Guinness Brewery and Storehouse, the city’s most popular attraction. In addition, it includes the two main cathedrals and the cobblestone old-market district of Smithfield. Finally, the Phoenix Park and Environs section covers the most western fringe of the Northside and the great public park itself. If you’re planning to take in all the sights, you may wish to invest in the city’s special tourist ticket, the Dublin Pass; for more information, see the section in our Dublin Planner pages.

If you’re visiting Dublin for more than two or three days, you’ll have time to explore farther afield. There’s plenty to see and do a short distance from the city center—in the suburbs of County Dublin.

DUBLIN’S SOUTHSIDE: TRINITY COLLEGE TO ST. STEPHEN’S GREEN

The River Liffey provides a useful aid of orientation, flowing as it does through the direct middle of Dublin. If you ask a native Dubliner for directions—from under an umbrella, as it will probably be raining in the approved Irish manner—he or she will most likely reply in terms of “up” or “down,” up meaning away from the river, and down toward it. Until recently, Dublin’s center of gravity was O’Connell Bridge, a diplomatic landmark in that it avoided locating the center either north or south of the river—strong local loyalties still prevailed among “Northsiders” and “Southsiders,” and neither group would ever accept that the city’s center lay elsewhere than on their own side. The 20th century, however, saw diplomacy fall by the wayside—Dublin’s heart now beats loudest southward across the Liffey, due in part to a large-scale refurbishment and pedestrianization of Grafton Street, which made this already upscale shopping address the main street on which to shop, stop, and be seen. At the foot of Grafton Street is the city’s most famous and recognizable landmark, Trinity College; at the top of it is Dublin’s most popular strolling retreat, St. Stephen’s Green, a 27-acre landscaped park with flowers, lakes, bridges, and Dubliners enjoying their time-outs.

TOP ATTRACTIONS IN DUBLIN’S SOUTHSIDE

Bank of Ireland.

Across the street from the west facade of Trinity College stands one of Dublin’s most striking buildings, formerly the original home of Irish Parliament. Sir Edward Lovett Pearce designed the central section in 1729; three other architects would ultimately be involved in the remainder of the building’s construction. A pedimented portico fronted by six massive Corinthian columns dominates the grand facade, which follows the curve of Westmoreland Street as it meets College Green, once a Viking meeting place and burial ground. Two years after Parliament was abolished in 1801 under the Act of Union, which brought Ireland under the direct rule of Britain, the building was bought for the equivalent of €50,790 by the Bank of Ireland. Inside, stucco rosettes adorn the coffered ceiling in the pastel-hue, colonnaded, clerestoried main banking hall, at one time the Court of Requests, where citizens’ petitions were heard. Just down the hall is the original House of Lords, with an oak-panel nave, a 1,233-drop Waterford glass chandelier, and tapestries depicting the Battle of the Boyne and the Siege of Derry; ask a guard to show you in. Visitors are welcome during normal banking hours; the Dublin historian and author Éamonn Mac Thomáis conducts brief guided tours every Tuesday at 10:30, 11:30, and 1:45. | 2 College Green, Southside | Dublin 2 | 01/661–5933 | www.visitdublin.com | Free | Mon.–Wed. and Fri. 10–4, Thurs. 10–5.

Grafton Street.

It’s no more than 200 yards long and about 20 feet wide, but brick-lined Grafton Street, open only to pedestrians, can claim to be the most humming street in the city, if not in all of Ireland. It’s one of Dublin’s vital spines: the most direct route between the front door of Trinity College and St. Stephen’s Green, and the city’s premier shopping street, with Dublin’s most distinguished department store, Brown Thomas, as well as tried and trusted Marks & Spencer. Grafton Street and the smaller alleyways that radiate off it offer dozens of independent stores, a dozen or so colorful flower sellers, and some of the Southside’s most popular watering holes. In summer, buskers from all over the world line both sides of the street, pouring out the sounds of drum, whistle, pipe, and string.

QUICK BITES: The granddaddy of the capital’s cafés, Bewley’s Oriental Café (78 Grafton St., Southside | Dublin 2 | 01/672–7700), came within a heartbeat of extinction a few years back, after having served coffee and sticky buns to Dubliners since its founding by the Quakers in 1842. Fortunately, the old dame was saved and turned into a combination café, pizza, and pasta joint. Best of all, a revamp brought back some of the old grandeur associated with Bewley’s, including the exotic picture wallpaper and trademark stained-glass windows, designed by the distinguished early-20th-century artist Harry Clarke. The place is worth a visit if only to sit in the super-comfortable velvet seats over a cup of quality coffee, and people-watch just like Dubliners have for well over 150 years. There’s even a cute little theater upstairs with lunchtime shows. The ticket price (€15) includes homemade soup and brown bread.

Newman House.

One of the greatest glories of Georgian Dublin, Newman House is actually two imposing town houses joined together. The earlier of the two, No. 85 St. Stephen’s Green (1738), was originally known as Clanwilliam House. Designed by Richard Castle, favored architect of Dublin’s rich and famous, it features a winged Palladian window on the Wicklow granite facade. It has two landmarks of Irish Georgian style: the Apollo Room, decorated with stuccowork depicting the sun god and his muses; and the magnificent Saloon, “the supreme example of Dublin Baroque,” according to scholars Jacqueline O’Brien and Desmond Guinness. The Saloon is crowned with an exuberant ceiling aswirl with cupids and gods, created by the Brothers Lafranchini, the finest stuccadores (plaster-workers) of 18th-century Dublin. Next door at No. 86 (1765), the staircase, set against pastel walls, is one of the city’s most beautiful Rococo examples—with floral swags and musical instruments picked out in cake-frosting white. Catholic University (described by James Joyce in A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man) was established in this building in 1850, with Cardinal John Henry Newman as its first rector. To explore the houses you must join a guided tour. At the back of Newman House hides Iveagh Gardens (see below). | 85–86 St. Stephen’s Green, Southside | Dublin 2 | 01/716–7422 | www.visitdublin.com | House and garden €5 | Tours June–Aug., Tues.–Fri. at 2, 3, and 4.

Powerscourt Townhouse Centre.

Lucky man, the Viscount Powerscourt. In the mid-18th century, not only did he build Ireland’s most spectacular country house, in Enniskerry, County Wicklow (which bears the family name), but he also decided to rival that structure’s grandeur with one of Dublin’s largest stone mansions. Staffed with 22 servants and built of granite from the viscount’s quarry in the Wicklow Hills, Powerscourt House was a major statement in the Palladian style. Designed by Robert Mack in 1771, it’s a massive edifice that towers over the little street it sits on (note the top story, framed by large volutes, which was intended as an observatory). Inside, there are Rococo salons designed by James McCullagh, splendid examples of plasterwork in the Adamesque style and—surprise!—a shopping atrium, installed in and around the covered courtyard. The stores here include high-quality Irish crafts shops and numerous food stalls. The mall exit leads to the St. Teresa’s Carmelite Church and Johnson’s Court. Beside the church, a pedestrian lane leads onto Grafton Street. | 59 S. William St., Southside | Dublin 2 | 01/679–7000 | www.powerscourtcentre.com | Mon.–Wed. and Fri. 10–6, Thurs. 10–8, Sat. 9–9, Sun. noon–6; limited shops open Sun.

Fodor’s Choice | St. Stephen’s Green.

Dubliners call it simply Stephen’s Green, and green it is (year-round)—a verdant, 27-acre Southside square that was used for the public punishment of criminals until 1664. After a long period of decline, it became a private park in 1814—the first time in its history that it was closed to the public. Its fortunes changed again in 1880, when Sir Arthur Guinness (a member of the Guinness brewery family who was later known as Lord Ardiluan), paid for it to be laid out anew. Flower gardens, formal lawns, a Victorian bandstand, and an ornamental lake with lots of waterfowl are all within the park’s borders, connected by paths guaranteeing that strolling here or just passing through will offer up unexpected delights (such as palm trees). Among the park’s many statues are a memorial to W. B. Yeats and another to Joyce by Henry Moore, and the Three Fates, a dramatic group of bronze female figures watching over human destiny. In the 18th century the walk on the north side of the green was referred to as the Beaux Walk because most of Dublin’s gentlemen’s clubs were in town houses here. Today it’s dominated by the legendary Shelbourne hotel. On the south side is the alluring Georgian-gorgeous Newman House. | Southside | Free | Daily sunrise–sunset.

Shelbourne.

The iconic, redbrick, white-wood-trim Shelbourne hotel commands “the best address in Dublin” from the north side of St. Stephen’s Green, where it has stood since 1865. The new restaurant and lounge, and the completely redesigned guest rooms and public spaces constitute a major face-lift for Dublin’s most iconic hotel. Afternoon tea in the very opulent Lord Mayor’s Lounge is a true Dublin treat to be enjoyed by all. In 1921 the Irish Free State’s constitution was drafted here, in a first-floor suite. Elizabeth Bowen wrote her novel The Hotel about this very place. | 27 St. Stephen’s Green, Southside | Dublin 2 | 01/676–6471 | www.marriott.co.uk.

Fodor’s Choice | Trinity College.

Founded in 1592 by Queen Elizabeth I to “civilize” (Her Majesty’s word) Dublin, Trinity is Ireland’s oldest and most famous college. The memorably atmospheric campus is a must; here you can track the shadows of some of the noted alumni, such as Jonathan Swift (1667–1745), Oscar Wilde (1854–1900), Bram Stoker (1847–1912), and Samuel Beckett (1906–89). Trinity College, Dublin (familiarly known as TCD), was founded on the site of the confiscated Priory of All Hallows. For centuries Trinity was the preserve of the Protestant Church; a free education was offered to Catholics—provided that they accepted the Protestant faith. As a legacy of this condition, until 1966 Catholics who wished to study at Trinity had to obtain a dispensation from their bishop or face excommunication.

Trinity’s grounds cover 40 acres. Most of its buildings were constructed in the 18th and early 19th centuries. The extensive West Front, with a classical pedimented portico in the Corinthian style, faces College Green and is directly across from the Bank of Ireland; it was built between 1755 and 1759, and is possibly the work of Theodore Jacobsen, architect of London’s Foundling Hospital. The design is repeated on the interior, so the view is the same from outside the gates and from the quadrangle inside. On the lawn in front of the inner facade stand statues of two alumni, orator Edmund Burke (1729–97) and dramatist Oliver Goldsmith (1730–74). Like the West Front, Parliament Square (commonly known as Front Square), the cobblestone quadrangle that lies just beyond this first patch of lawn, dates from the 18th century. On the right side of the square is Sir William Chambers’s theater, or Examination Hall, dating from the mid-1780s, which contains the college’s most splendid Adamesque interior, designed by Michael Stapleton. The hall houses an impressive organ retrieved from an 18th-century Spanish ship and a gilded oak chandelier from the old House of Commons; concerts are sometimes held here. The chapel, left of the quadrangle, has stucco ceilings and fine woodwork. The theater and the chapel were designed by Scotsman William Chambers in the late 18th century. The looming campanile, or bell tower, is the symbolic heart of the college; erected in 1853, it dominates the center of the square. To the left of the campanile is the Graduates Memorial Building, or GMB. Built in 1892, the slightly Gothic building now contains the offices of the Philosophical and Historical societies, Trinity’s ancient and fiercely competitive debating groups. At the back of the square stands old redbrick Rubrics, looking rather ordinary and out of place among the gray granite and cobblestones. Rubrics, now used as housing for students and faculty, dates from 1690, making it the oldest campus building still standing.

The Old Library houses Ireland’s largest collection of books and manuscripts; its principal treasure is the Book of Kells, generally considered to be the most striking manuscript ever produced in the Anglo-Saxon world and one of the great masterpieces of early Christian art. The book, which dates to the 9th century, is a splendidly illuminated version of the Gospels. It was once thought to be lost—the Vikings looted the book in 1007 for its jeweled cover but ultimately left the manuscript behind. In the 12th century, Guardius Cambensis declared that the book was made by an angel’s hand in answer to a prayer of St. Bridget’s; in the 20th century, scholars decided instead that the book originated on the island of Iona off Scotland’s coast, where followers of St. Columba lived until the island came under siege in the early to mid-9th century. They fled to Kells, County Meath, taking the book with them. The 680-page work was re-bound in four volumes in 1953, two of which are usually displayed at a time, so you typically see no more than four original pages. (Some wags have taken to calling it the “Page of Kells.”) However, such is the incredible workmanship of the Book of Kells that one folio alone is worth the entirety of many other painted manuscripts. On some pages, it has been determined that within a quarter inch, no fewer than 158 interlacements of a ribbon pattern of white lines on a black background can be discerned—little wonder some historians feel this book contains all the designs to be found in Celtic art. Note, too, the extraordinary colors, some of which were derived from shellfish, beetles’ wings, and crushed pearls. The most famous page shows the “XPI” monogram (symbol of Christ), but if this page is not on display, you can still see a replica of it, and many of the other lavishly illustrated pages, in the adjacent exhibition—dedicated to the history, artistry, and conservation of the book—through which you must pass to see the originals.

Because of the fame and beauty of the Book of Kells—now the centerpiece of an exhibition called “Turning Darkness into Light” and with a brand-new fan base due to the 2009 Oscar contender animated film, The Secret of Kells—it’s all too easy to overlook the other treasures in the library. They include a beautiful early Irish harp; the Book of Armagh, a 9th-century copy of the New Testament that also contains St. Patrick’s Confession; and the legendary Book of Durrow, a 7th-century Gospel book from County Offaly. You may have to wait in line to enter the library if you don’t get here early in the day.

The main library room, also known as the Long Room, is one of Dublin’s most staggering sights. At 213 feet long and 42 feet wide, it contains in its 21 alcoves approximately 200,000 of the 3 million volumes in Trinity’s collection. Originally the room had a flat plaster ceiling, but in 1859–60 the need for more shelving resulted in a decision to raise the level of the roof and add the barrel-vault ceiling and the gallery bookcases. Since the 1801 Copyright Act, the college has received a copy of every book published in Britain and Ireland, and a great number of these publications must be stored in other parts of the campus and beyond. Of note are the carved Royal Arms of Queen Elizabeth I above the library entrance—the only surviving relic of the original college buildings—and, lining the Long Room, a grand series of marble busts, of which the most famous is Roubiliac’s depiction of Jonathan Swift. The Trinity College Library Shop sells books, clothing, jewelry, and postcards. | Front Sq., Southside | Dublin 2 | 01/896–2320 | www.tcd.ie/library | €9 | May–Sept., Mon.–Sat. 9:30–5, Sun. 9:30–4:30; Oct.–Apr., Mon.–Sat. 9:30–5, Sun. noon–4:30.

Trinity College’s starkly modern Arts and Social Sciences Building, with an entrance on Nassau Street, houses the Douglas Hyde Gallery of Modern Art, which concentrates on contemporary art exhibitions and has its own bookstore. Also in the building, down some steps from the gallery, is a snack bar serving coffee, tea, and sandwiches, where students willing to chat about life in the old college frequently gather. | Nassau St., Southside | 01/896–1116 | www.douglashydegallery.com | Free | Mon.–Wed. and Fri. 11–6, Thurs. 11–7, Sat. 11–4:45.

The Berkeley Library, the main student library at Trinity, was built in 1967 and is named after the philosopher and alumnus George Berkeley (pronounced “Barkley,” like the basketball player). The small open space in front of the library contains a spherical brass sculpture designed by Arnaldo Pomodoro. A very modern, sleek extension dominates the Nassau Street side of the campus. The library is not open to the public. | Nassau St., Southside | 01/896–1661 | www.tcd.ie | Grounds daily 8 AM–10 PM.

The kid-friendly Science Gallery occupies a funky building at the rear of the college. Its constantly changing exhibitions aim to allow art and science to meet—or collide, as the case may be, with an emphasis on fun and joining in off-the-wall experiments. | Pearse St., Southside | 01/896–4091 | ww.sciencegallery.org | Free | Hrs vary with each exhibition.

Neary’s Pub.

The exotic, Victorian-style interiors here were once haunted by Dublin’s literary set, most notably the master bar raconteur Brendan Behan. | 1 Chatham St., Southside | 01/677–7371.

WORTH NOTING IN DUBLIN’S SOUTHSIDE

Dublin Civic Museum.

Built between 1765 and 1771 as an exhibition hall for the Society of Artists, this building later was used as the City Assembly House, precursor of City Hall. The museum’s esoteric collection includes Stone Age flints, Viking coins, old maps and prints of the city, and the sculpted head of British admiral Horatio Nelson, which used to top Nelson’s Pillar, beside the General Post Office on O’Connell Street; the column was toppled by an IRA explosion in 1966 on the 50th anniversary of the Easter Uprising. The museum also holds temporary exhibitions relating to the city. | 58 S. William St., Southside | Dublin 2 | 01/679–4260 | www.dublincity.ie | Free | Tues.–Sat. 10–6, Sun. 11–2.

Dublin Tourism.

Medieval St. Andrew’s Church, deconsecrated and fallen into ruin, has been resurrected as the home of Dublin Tourism, a private organization that provides the most complete information on Dublin’s sights, restaurants, and hotels; you can even rent a car and book theater tickets here. The office has reservations facilities for all Dublin hotels, as well as guided tours, a plethora of brochures, and a gift shop. A pleasant café upstairs serves sandwiches and drinks. | St. Andrew’s Church, Suffolk St., Southside | Dublin 2 | 01/605–7700; 1850/230330 in Ireland | www.visitdublin.com | July–Sept., Mon.–Sat. 8:30–6, Sun. 11–5:30; Oct.–June, daily 9–6.

George’s Street Arcade.

This Victorian covered market fills the block between Drury Street and South Great George’s Street. Two dozen or so stalls sell books, prints, clothing (new and secondhand), exotic foodstuffs, and trinkets. | S. Great George’s St., Southside | Dublin 2 | Mon.–Sat. 9–6.

QUICK BITES: With its mahogany bar, mirrors, and plasterwork ceilings, the Long Hall Pub (51 S. Great George’s St., Southside | Dublin 2 | 01/475–1590) is one of Dublin’s most ornate traditional taverns. It’s a good place to take a break for a cup of tea or a cheeky daytime pint of Guinness.

Huguenot Cemetery.

One of the last such burial grounds in Dublin, this cemetery was used in the late 17th century by French Protestants who had fled persecution in their native land. The cemetery gates are rarely open, but you can view the grounds from the street—it’s on the northeast corner across from the square. | 27 St. Stephen’s Green N, Southside | Dublin 2.

RHA Gallagher Gallery.

The Royal Hibernian Academy, an old Dublin institution, is housed in a well-lighted building, one of the largest exhibition spaces in the city. The gallery holds adventurous exhibitions of the best in contemporary art, both from Ireland and abroad. | 15 Ely Pl., off St. Stephen’s Green, Southside | Dublin 2 | 01/661–2558 | www.royalhibernianacademy.ie | Free | Wed.–Sat. 11–7, Sun. 2–5.

OFF THE BEATEN PATH

Fodor’s Choice | Iveagh Gardens.

Dublin’s best-kept secret has to be this 1865 Ninian Niven–designed “English Landscape” walled garden that shockingly few natives seem to even know about. The architect showed off his dramatic flair in the rustic grotto and cascade, the sunken panels of lawn with their fountains, the blooming rosarium, and wonderful little wooded areas. This public park has no playground, but kids really love the “secret garden” feel to the place and the fact that the waterfall has rocks from every one of Ireland’s 32 counties. Restoration of the gardens began in 1995 and has left the city with a Victorian treasure complete with a perfect box hedge and a working sundial. Access is from Hatch Street. | Clonmel St., Southside | Free | Daily 8–sunset.

GEORGIAN DUBLIN: MUSEUMS AND MARVELS

If there’s one travel poster that signifies “Dublin” more than any other, it’s the one that depicts 50 or so Georgian doorways—door after colorful door, all graced with lovely fanlights upheld by columns. A building boom began in Dublin in the early 18th century as the Protestant Ascendancy constructed terraced town houses for themselves, and civic structures for their city, in the style that came to be known as Georgian, after the four successive British Georges who ruled from 1714 through 1830. The Georgian architectural rage owed much to architects such as James Gandon and Richard Castle. They and others were influenced by the great Italian Andrea Palladio (1508–80), whose Four Books of Architecture were published in the 1720s in London and helped to precipitate the revival of his style, which swept through England and its colonies. Never again would Dublin be so “smart,” its visitors’ book so full of aristocratic names, its Southside streets so filled with decorum and style. “Serene red and pink houses showed beautifully designed doorways, the one spot of variation in the uniformity of facade,” as architectural historian James Reynolds puts it. Today, Dublin’s Southside remains a veritable shop window of the Georgian style, though there are many period sights on the Northside as well (for instance, the august interiors of the Dublin Writers Museum and Belvedere College, or James Gandon’s great civic structures, the Custom House and the Four Courts, found quayside).

But Georgian splendor is just the icing on the cake of this neighborhood. For there are also four of the most fascinating and glamorous museums in Ireland, conveniently sitting cheek by jowl: the National Gallery of Ireland, the National Library, the National Museum of Natural History, and the National Museum of Archaeology and History. Priceless old master paintings, legendary Celtic treasures, mythic prehistoric “Irish elks,” and George Bernard Shaw manuscripts—there is enough here to keep you occupied for days.

DUBLIN’S GORGEOUS GEORGIANS

“Extraordinary Dublin!” sigh art lovers and connoisseurs of the 18th century. It was during the “Gorgeous Eighteenth” that this duckling of a city was transformed into a preening swan, largely by the Georgian style of art and architecture that flowered between 1714 and 1820 during the reigns of the four English Georges.

Today Dublin remains in good part a sublimely Georgian city, thanks to enduring grace notes: the commodious and uniformly laid-out streets, the genteel town squares, the redbrick mansions accented with demilune (half-moon) fan windows. The great 18th-century showpieces are Merrion, Fitzwilliam, Mountjoy, and Parnell squares. Merrion Square East, the longest Georgian street in town, reveals scenes of decorum, elegance, polish, and charm, all woven into a “tapestry of rosy brick and white enamel,” to quote the 18th-century connoisseur Horace Walpole.

Setting off the facades are fanlighted doors (often lacquered in black, green, yellow, or red) and the celebrated “patent reveal” window trims—thin plaster linings painted white to catch the light. These half-moon fanlights—as iconic of the city as clock towers are of Zurich—are often in the Neoclassical style known as the Adamesque (which was inspired by the designs of the great English architect Robert Adam).

Many facades appear severely plain, but don’t be fooled: just behind their stately front doors are entry rooms and stairways aswirl with tinted Rococo plasterwork, often the work of stuccadores (plaster-workers) from Italy (including the talented Lafranchini brothers). Magnificent Newman House, one of the finest of Georgian houses, is open to the public. Belvedere College (6 Great Denmark St., Northside | Dublin 1 | 01/874–3974 | www.belvederecollege.ie) is open by appointment only.

The Palladian style—as the Georgian style was then called—began to reign supreme in domestic architecture in 1745, when the Croesus-rich Earl of Kildare returned from an Italian grand tour and built a gigantic Palladian palace called Leinster House in the seedy section of town.

“Where I go, fashion will follow,” he declared, and indeed it did. By then, the Anglo-Irish elite had given the city London airs by building the Parliament House (now the Bank of Ireland), the Royal Exchange (now City Hall), the Custom House, and the Four Courts in the new style.

But this phase of high fashion came to an end with the Act of Union: according to historian Maurice Craig, “On the last stroke of midnight, December 31, 1800, the gaily caparisoned horses turned into mice, the coaches into pumpkins, the silks and brocades into rags, and Ireland was once again the Cinderella among the nations.”

It was nearly 150 years before the spotlight shone once again on 18th-century Dublin. In recent decades, the conservation efforts of the Irish Georgian Society (74 Merrion Sq., Southside | Dublin 2 | 01/676–7053 | www.igs.ie) have done much to restore Dublin to its Georgian splendor. Thanks to its founders, the Hon. Desmond Guinness and his late wife, Mariga, many historic houses, including that of George Bernard Shaw on Synge Street, have been saved and preserved.

TOP ATTRACTIONS IN GEORGIAN DUBLIN

Leinster House.

Commissioned by the Duke of Leinster and built in 1745, this residence—Dublin’s Versailles—almost single-handedly ignited the Georgian style that dominated Dublin for 100 years. It was not only the largest private home in the city but Richard Castle’s first structure in Ireland (Castle—or Casells, to use his original German spelling—was a follower of the 16th-century Italian architect Palladio and designed some of the country’s most important 18th-century country houses). Inside, the grand salons were ornamented with coffered ceilings, Rembrandts, and Van Dycks—fitting settings for the parties often given by the duke’s wife (and celebrated beauty), Lady Emily Lennox. The building has two facades: the one facing Merrion Square is designed in the style of a country house; the other, on Kildare Street, resembles that of a town house. The latter facade—ignoring the ground floor—was a major inspiration for Irishman James Hoban’s designs for the White House in Washington, D. C. Built in hard Ardbracan limestone, the exterior of the house makes a cold impression, and, in fact, the duke’s heirs pronounced the house “melancholy” and fled. Today, the house is the seat of Dáil Éireann (the House of Representatives, pronounced dawl e-rin) and Seanad Éireann (the Senate, pronounced sha-nad e-rin), which together constitute the Irish Parliament. When the Dáil is not in session, tours can be arranged weekdays; when the Dáil is in session, tours are available only on Monday and Friday. The Dáil visitor gallery is included in the tour, but it can also be accessed on days when the Dáil is in session and tours are not available. To arrange a visit, contact the public relations office. | Kildare St., Southeast Dublin | Dublin 2 | 01/618–3781 | www.oireachtas.ie | Free.

Fodor’s Choice | Merrion Square.

Created between 1762 and 1764, this tranquil square a few blocks east of St. Stephen’s Green is lined on three sides by some of Dublin’s best-preserved Georgian town houses, many of which have brightly painted front doors crowned by intricate fanlights. Leinster House, the National Museum of Natural History, and the National Gallery line the west side of the square. It’s on the other sides, however, that the Georgian terrace streetscape comes into its own—the finest houses are on the north border. Even when the flower gardens here are not in bloom, the vibrant, mostly evergreen grounds, dotted with sculpture and threaded with meandering paths, are worth strolling through. Several distinguished Dubliners have lived on the square, including Oscar Wilde’s parents, Sir William and “Speranza” Wilde (No. 1); Irish national leader Daniel O’Connell (No. 58); and authors W. B. Yeats (Nos. 52 and 82) and Sheridan LeFanu (No. 70). As you walk past the houses, read the plaques on the house facades, which identify former inhabitants. Until 50 years ago the square was a fashionable residential area, but today most of the houses serve as offices. At the south end of Merrion Square, on Upper Mount Street, stands the Church of Ireland St. Stephen’s Church. Known locally as the “pepper canister” church because of its cupola, the structure was inspired in part by Wren’s churches in London. | Southeast Dublin | Dublin 2 | Daily sunrise–sunset.

What a Character!

If you want to size up a real Irish character, check out one of the National Gallery’s most eye-knocking paintings, Sir Joshua Reynolds’s First Earl of Bellamont (1773). Depicted in pink silks and ostrich plumes, Charles Coote was a notorious womanizer (leading to his nickname, the “Hibernian Seducer”) and was shot in the groin for his troubles by rival Lord Townshend. Famously, Coote gave his inaugural speech as quartermaster-general of Ireland in French, continually referred to his County Cavan neighbors as “Hottentots,” and wound up marrying the daughter of the super-rich Duke of Leinster.

Fodor’s Choice | National Gallery of Ireland.

Caravaggio’s The Taking of Christ (1602), Van Gogh’s Rooftops of Paris (1886), Vermeer’s Lady Writing a Letter with Her Maid (circa 1670) … you get the picture. The National Gallery of Ireland—the first in a series of major civic buildings on the west side of Merrion Square—is one of Europe’s finest smaller art museums, with “smaller” being a relative term: the collection holds more than 2,500 paintings and some 10,000 other works. But unlike Europe’s largest art museums, the National Gallery can be thoroughly covered in a morning or afternoon without inducing exhaustion. An 1854 Act of Parliament provided for the establishment of the museum, which was helped along by William Dargan (1799–1867), who was responsible for building much of Ireland’s rail network (he is honored by a statue on the front lawn). The 1864 building was designed by Francis Fowke, who was also responsible for London’s Victoria & Albert Museum.

A highlight of the museum is the major collection of paintings by Irish artists from the 17th through 20th centuries, including works by Roderic O’Conor (1860–1940), Sir William Orpen (1878–1931), and William Leech (1881–1968). The Yeats Museum section contains works by members of the Yeats family. Jack B. Yeats (1871–1957), the brother of writer W. B. Yeats, is by far the best-known Irish painter of the 20th century. He painted portraits and landscapes in an abstract Expressionist style not unlike that of the Bay Area Figurative painters of the 1950s and ’60s. His The Liffey Swim (1923) is particularly worth seeing for its Dublin subject matter (the annual swim is still held, usually on the first weekend in September).

The collection also claims exceptional paintings from the 17th-century French, Dutch, Italian, and Spanish schools. Among the highlights are those mentioned above and Rembrandt’s Rest on the Flight into Egypt (1647), Poussin’s The Holy Family (1649) and Lamentation over the Dead Christ (circa 1655–60), and Goya’s Portrait of Doña Antonia Zárate (circa 1810). Don’t miss the portrait of the First Earl of Bellamont (1773) by Sir Joshua Reynolds; the earl was among the first to introduce the Georgian fashion to Ireland, and this portrait flaunts the extraordinary style of the man himself. The French Impressionists are represented with paintings by Monet, Sisley, and Renoir. The British collection and the Irish National Portrait collection are displayed in the north wing of the gallery, while the Millennium Wing, a standout of postmodern architecture in Dublin, houses part of the permanent collection and also stages major international traveling exhibits. The amply stocked gift shop is a good place to pick up books on Irish artists. Free guided tours are available on Saturday at 2 and on Sunday at 1 and 2. | Merrion Sq. W, Southeast Dublin | Dublin 2 | 01/661–5133 | www.nationalgallery.ie | Free; special exhibits €10 | Mon.–Wed., Fri., and Sat. 9:30–5:30, Thurs. 9:30–8:30, Sun. noon–5:30.

QUICK BITES: Joly Café (Kildare St., Southside | Dublin 2 | 01/603–0257), the National Library’s light-filled tearoom, is usually one of the city’s more serene lunchtime spots. There’s a light, French country influence to the fare, with top specials including crumbly quiches and a hearty chicken bake. Their organic sandwiches and coffees are also top quality. It’s open Monday–Wednesday 9:30–7, Thursday–Friday 9:30–4:45, Saturday 9:30–4:30.

National Library.

Ireland is one of the few countries in the world where you can happily admit to being a writer. And few countries as geographically diminutive as Ireland have garnered as many recipients of the Nobel Prize for Literature. Along with works by W. B. Yeats (1923), George Bernard Shaw (1925), Samuel Beckett (1969), and Seamus Heaney (1995), the National Library contains first editions of every major Irish writer, including books by Jonathan Swift, Oliver Goldsmith, and James Joyce (who used the library as the scene of the great literary debate in Ulysses). In addition, almost every book ever published in Ireland is kept here, along with an unequaled selection of old maps and an extensive collection of Irish newspapers and magazines—more than 5 million items in all.

The library is housed in a rather stiff Neoclassical building with colonnaded porticoes and an excess of ornamentation—it’s not one of Dublin’s architectural showpieces. But inside, the main Reading Room, opened in 1890 to house the collections of the Royal Dublin Society, has a dramatic dome ceiling, beneath which countless authors have researched and written. The personal papers of greats such as W. B. Yeats are also on display. The library also has a free genealogical consultancy service that can advise you on how to trace your Irish ancestors. | Kildare St., Southeast Dublin | Dublin 2 | 01/603–0200 | www.nli.ie | Free | Mon.–Wed. 9:30–9, Thurs. and Fri. 9:30–5, Sat. 9:30–4:30.

National Museum of Archaeology and History.

Just south of Leinster House is Ireland’s National Museum of Archaeology and History, which has a fabled collection of Irish artifacts dating from 7000 BC to the present. Organized around a grand rotunda, the museum is elaborately decorated, with mosaic floors, marble columns, balustrades, and fancy ironwork. It has the largest collection of Celtic antiquities in the world, including gold jewelry, carved stones, bronze tools, and weapons.

The Treasury collection, including some of the museum’s most renowned pieces, is open on a permanent basis. Among the priceless relics on display are the 8th-century Ardagh Chalice, a two-handled silver cup with gold filigree ornamentation; the bronze-coated iron St. Patrick’s Bell, the oldest surviving example (5th–8th century) of Irish metalwork; the 8th-century Tara Brooch, an intricately decorated piece made of white bronze, amber, and glass; and the 12th-century bejeweled oak Cross of Cong, covered with silver and bronze panels.

The “Or: Ireland’s Gold” exhibition gathers together the most impressive pieces of surprisingly delicate and intricate prehistoric goldwork—including sun disks and the late Bronze Age gold collar known as the Gleninsheen Gorget—that range in dates from 2200 to 500 BC. Upstairs, Viking Ireland is a permanent exhibit on the Norsemen, featuring a full-size Viking skeleton, swords, leather works recovered in Dublin and surrounding areas, and a replica of a small Viking boat. The newest attraction is an exhibition entitled “Kinship and Sacrifice,” centering on a number of Iron Age “bog bodies” found along with other objects in Ireland’s peat bogs.

In contrast to the ebullient late-Victorian architecture of the main museum building, the design of the National Museum Annex is purely functional; it hosts temporary shows of Irish antiquities. The 18th-century Collins Barracks, near Phoenix Park, houses the National Museum of Decorative Arts and History, a collection of glass, silver, furniture, and other decorative arts. | Kildare St. Annex,7–9 Merrion Row, Southeast Dublin | Dublin 2 | 01/677–7444 | www.museum.ie | Free | Tues.–Sat. 10–5, Sun. 2–5.

WORTH NOTING IN GEORGIAN DUBLIN

Government Buildings.

The swan song of British architecture in the capital, this enormous complex, a landmark of Edwardian Baroque, was the last Neoclassical edifice to be erected by the British government. It was designed by Sir Aston Webb, who did many of the similarly grand buildings in London’s Piccadilly Circus, to serve as the College of Science in the early 1900s. Following a major restoration, these buildings became the offices of the Department of the taoiseach (the prime minister, pronounced tea-shuck) and the tánaiste (the deputy prime minister, pronounced tawn-ish-ta). Fine examples of contemporary Irish furniture and carpets populate the offices. A stained-glass window, known as “My Four Green Fields,” was made by Evie Hone for the 1939 New York World’s Fair. It depicts the four ancient provinces of Ireland: Munster, Ulster, Leinster, and Connacht. The government offices are accessible only via 35-minute guided tours on Saturday. They are dramatically illuminated every night. | Upper Merrion St., Southeast Dublin | Dublin 2 | 01/662–4888 | www.taoiseach.gov.ie | Free; pick up tickets from National Gallery on day of tour | Tours Sat. 10:30–3:30.

Mansion House.

The mayor of Dublin resides at the Mansion House, which dates from 1710. It was built for Joshua Dawson, who later sold the property to the government on the condition that “one loaf of double refined sugar of six pounds weight” be delivered to him every Christmas. In 1919 the Declaration of Irish Independence was adopted here. The house is not open to the public. | Dawson St., Southeast Dublin | Dublin 2.

National Museum of Natural History.

The famed explorer of the African interior, Dr. Stanley Livingstone (of “Dr. Livingstone, I presume?” fame), inaugurated this museum when it opened in 1857. It’s little changed from Victorian times and remains a fascinating repository of mounted mammals, birds, and other flora and fauna. The Irish Room houses the most famous exhibits: skeletons of the extinct, prehistoric, giant “Irish elk.” The International Animals Collection includes a 65-foot whale skeleton suspended from the roof. Another highlight is the very beautiful Blaschka Collection, finely detailed glass models of marine creatures, the zoological accuracy of which has never been achieved again in glass. At this writing, the museum is undergoing renovations following a roof cave-in—it’s possible the building will not reopen until 2012, though the facade is still worth a walk-by. Built in 1856 to hold the Royal Dublin Society’s rapidly expanding collection, it was designed by Frederick Clarendon to sit in harmony with the National Gallery on the other side of Leinster Lawn. When it was completed, it formed an annex to Leinster House and was connected to it by a curved, closed Corinthian colonnade. In 1909 a new entrance was constructed at the east end of the building on Merrion Street. | Merrion St., Southeast Dublin | Dublin 2 | 01/677–7444 | www.museum.ie | Free | Closed to public until 2012.

No. 29.

Everything in this carefully refurbished 1794 home, known simply as Number Twenty-Nine, is in keeping with the elegant lifestyle of the Dublin middle class between 1790 and 1820, the height of the Georgian period, when the house was owned by a wine merchant’s widow. From the basement to the attic—in the kitchen, nursery, servants’ quarters, and the formal living areas—the National Museum has re-created the period’s style with authentic furniture, paintings, carpets, curtains, paint, wallpapers, and even bell pulls. | 29 Lower Fitzwilliam St., Southeast Dublin | Dublin 2 | 01/702–6165 | www.esb.ie/numbertwentynine | €6 | Tues.–Sat. 10–5, Sun. noon–5.

Royal Irish Academy.

The country’s leading learned society houses important documents in its 18th-century library, including a large collection of ancient Irish manuscripts, such as the 11th- to 12th-century Book of the Dun Cow, and the library of the 18th-century poet Thomas Moore. | 19 Dawson St., Southeast Dublin | Dublin 2 | 01/676–2570 | www.ria.ie | Free | Mon.–Thurs. 9:30–5:30, Fri. 9:30–5.

St. Ann’s Church.

St. Ann’s plain, neo-Romanesque granite exterior, built in 1868, belies the rich Georgian interior of the church, which Isaac Wills designed in 1720. Highlights of the interior include polished-wood balconies, ornate plasterwork, and shelving in the chancel dating from 1723—and still in use for organizing the distribution of bread to the parish’s poor. | Dawson St., Southeast Dublin | Dublin 2 | 01/676–7727 | www.stannschurch.ie | Free | Weekdays 10–4, Sun. for services.

OFF THE BEATEN PATH

Shaw Birthplace.

“Author of many plays” is the simple accolade to George Bernard Shaw (1856–1950) on the plaque outside his birthplace. The Nobel laureate was born here to a once prosperous family fallen on hard times. Shaw lived in this modest, Victorian terrace house until he was 10 and remembered it as having a “loveless” feel. The painstaking restoration of the little rooms highlights the cramped, claustrophobic atmosphere. All the details of a family home—wallpaper, paint, fittings, curtains, furniture, utensils, pictures, rugs—remain, and it appears as if the family has just gone out for the afternoon. You can almost hear one of Mrs. Shaw’s musical recitals in the tiny front parlor. The children’s bedrooms are filled with photographs and original documents and letters that throw light on Shaw’s career. | 33 Synge St., Southeast Dublin | Dublin 8 | 01/475–0854 | www.visitdublin.com | €6 | June–Aug., Tues.–Fri., 10–1 and 2–5, Sat. 2–5.

TEMPLE BAR: THE CHANGING FACE

Locals complain about the late-night noise, and visitors sometimes say the place has the feel of a Dublin theme park, but a visit to modern Dublin wouldn’t be complete without spending some time in the city’s most famously vibrant area. More than any other neighborhood in the city, Temple Bar represents the dramatic changes (good and bad) and ascending fortunes of Dublin that came about in the last decade of the 20th century. The area, which takes its name from one of the streets of its central spine, was targeted for redevelopment in 1991–92 after a long period of neglect, having survived widely rumored plans to turn it into a massive bus depot and/or a giant parking lot. Temple Bar took off as Dublin’s version of New York’s SoHo, Paris’s Bastille, or London’s Notting Hill—a thriving mix of high and alternative culture distinct from what you’ll find in any other part of the city. Dotting the area’s narrow cobblestone streets and pedestrian alleyways are new apartment buildings (inside they tend to be small and uninspired), vintage-clothing stores, postage-stamp-size boutiques selling €250 sunglasses and other expensive gewgaws, art galleries, a hotel resuscitated by U2, hip restaurants, pubs, clubs, European-style cafés, and a smattering of cultural venues.

Temple Bar’s regeneration was no doubt abetted by that one surefire real-estate asset that appealed to the Viking founders of the area: location. The area is bordered by Dame Street to the south, the Liffey to the north, Fishamble Street to the west, and Westmoreland Street to the east. In fact, Temple Bar is situated so perfectly between everywhere else in Dublin that it’s difficult to believe this neighborhood was once largely forsaken. It’s now sometimes called the “playing ground of young Dublin,” and for good reason: on weekend evenings and daily in summer it teems with young people—not only from Dublin but from all over Europe—drawn by its pubs, clubs, and lively craic (good conversation and fun).

Some who have witnessed Temple Bar’s rapid gentrification and commercialization complain that it’s lost its artistic soul—Harper’s Bazaar said it was in danger of becoming “a sort of pseudoplace,” like London’s Covent Garden Piazza or Paris’s Les Halles. In the afternoon the area is more family friendly and the ice-cream parlors and coffee shops are busy, but there’s no denying that after dark this is the place to go if you want to party like a spring breaker—in the rain.

TOP ATTRACTIONS IN TEMPLE BAR

Gallery of Photography.

Dublin’s premier photography gallery has a permanent collection of early-20th-century Irish photography and also puts on monthly exhibitions of work by contemporary Irish and international photographers. The gallery is an invaluable social record of Ireland. The bookstore is the best place in town to browse for photography books and to pick up arty postcards. | Meeting House Sq. S, Temple Bar | Dublin 2 | 01/671–4654 | www.galleryofphotography.ie | Free | Tues.–Sat. 11–6, Sun. 1–6.

Ha’penny Bridge.

Every Dubliner has a story about meeting someone on this cast-iron Victorian bridge, a heavily trafficked footbridge that crosses the Liffey at a prime spot—Temple Bar is on the south side, and the bridge provides the fastest route to the thriving Mary and Henry streets shopping areas to the north. Until early in the 20th century, a halfpenny toll was charged to cross it. Congestion on the Ha’penny has been relieved with the opening of the Millennium Footbridge a few hundred yards up the river. A refurbishment, including new railings, a return to the original white color, and tasteful lighting at night, has given the bridge a new lease on life.

Irish Film Institute (IFI).

The opening of the IFI in a former Quaker meetinghouse helped to launch the revitalization of Temple Bar. It has two comfortable art-house cinemas showing revivals and new independent films, the Irish Film Archive, a bookstore for cineastes, and a popular bar and restaurant-café, all of which make this one of the neighborhood’s most vital cultural institutions and the place to be seen. On Saturday nights in summer, the center screens films outdoors on Meeting House Square. | 6 Eustace St., Temple Bar | Dublin 2 | 01/679–5744 | www.ifi.ie | Free | Weekdays 9:30 AM–midnight, weekends 11 AM–midnight.

QUICK BITES: The buzzing Irish Film Institute Café (6 Eustace St., Temple Bar | Dublin 2 | 01/679–5744) is a pleasant place for a lunchtime break. Sandwiches are large and healthful, with plenty of vegetarian choices, and the people-watching is unmatched.

Meeting House Square.

The square, which is behind the Ark and accessed via Curved Street, takes its name from a nearby Quaker meetinghouse. Today it’s something of a gathering place for Dublin’s youth and artists. Numerous summer events—classic movies (Saturday night), theater, games, and family programs—take place here. (Thankfully, seats are installed.) The square is also a favorite site for the continuously changing street sculpture that pops up all over Temple Bar (artists commissioned by the city sometimes create oddball pieces, such as half of a Volkswagen protruding from a wall). Year-round, the square is a great spot to sit, people-watch, and take in the sounds of the performing buskers who swarm to the place. There’s also an organic food market here every Saturday morning.

Olympia Theatre.

One of the most atmospheric places in Europe to see musical acts, the Olympia is Dublin’s second-oldest theater, and one of its busiest. This classic Victorian music hall, built in 1879, has a gorgeous red wrought-iron facade. The Olympia’s long-standing Friday and Saturday series, “Midnight at the Olympia,” has brought numerous musical performers to Dublin, and the theater has also seen many notable actors strut across its stage, including Alec Guinness, Peggy Ashcroft, Noël Coward, and even the old-time Hollywood team of Laurel and Hardy. Big-name performers like Van Morrison often choose the intimacy of the Olympia over larger venues. It’s really a hot place to see some fine performances, so if you have a chance, by all means, go. Conveniently, there are two pubs here—through doors directly off the back of the theater’s orchestra section. | 72 Dame St., Temple Bar | Dublin 2 | 01/677–7744 | www.mcd.ie/olympia.

Wall of Fame.

If you’re strolling through Temple Bar and suddenly come upon a group of slack-jawed young people staring wide-eyed at a large wall, then you’ve probably stumbled upon the Wall of Fame. The whole front wall of the Button Factory music venue has become a giant tribute to the giants of Irish rock music. Twelve huge photos adorn the wall, including a very young and innocent U2, a very beautiful Sinead O’Connor, and a very drunk Shane MacGowan. | Curved St, Temple Bar | Dublin 2 | 01/607–9202.

QUICK BITES: The creamiest, frothiest coffees in all of Temple Bar can be had at the Joy of Coffee/Image Gallery Café (25 E. Essex St., Temple Bar | Dublin 2 | 01/679–3393) ; the wall of windows floods light onto the small gallery, where original photographs adorn the walls.

WORTH NOTING IN TEMPLE BAR

The Ark.

If you’re traveling with children and looking for something fun to do, stop by the Ark, Ireland’s cultural center for children, housed in a former Presbyterian church. Its theater opens onto Meeting House Square for outdoor performances in summer. A gallery and workshop space host ongoing activities. | 11a Eustace St., Temple Bar | Dublin 2 | 01/670–7788 | www.ark.ie | Free | Weekdays 10–5, weekends only if there’s a show.

Central Bank.

Everyone in Dublin seems to have an opinion on the Central Bank. Designed by Sam Stephenson in 1978, the controversial, ultramodern glass-and-concrete building suspends huge concrete slabs around a central axis. It was originally one story higher, but the top floor had to be lopped off, as it was hazardous to low-flying planes. Watch out for—or just watch—the skateboarders and in-line skaters who have taken over the little plaza in front of the building. | Dame St., Temple Bar | Dublin 2 | 01/671–6666 | www.centralbank.ie | Weekdays 10–6.

National Photographic Archive.

Formerly housed in the National Library’s main building, the National Photographic Archive now has a stylish home in Temple Bar. The collection comprises approximately 600,000 photographs, most of which are Irish, making up a priceless visual history of the nation. Although most of the photographs are historical, dating as far back as the mid-19th century, there’s also a large number of contemporary pictures. Subject matter ranges from topographical views to studio portraits, from political events to early tourist photographs. You can also buy a print of your favorite photo. | Meeting House Sq., Temple Bar | Dublin 2 | 01/603–0374 | www.nli.ie/en/national-photographic-archive.aspx | Free | Weekdays 10–5, Sat. 10–2.

DUBLIN’S NORTHSIDE: ACROSS THE LIFFEY

“What do you call a Northsider in a suit? The accused.” So went the old joke. But faded stereotypes about the Northside being Dublin’s poorer and more deprived half were partly washed away beneath the wave of Celtic Tiger development. Locals and visitors alike are discovering the no-nonsense, laid-back charm of the Northside’s revamped Georgian wonders, understated cultural gems, high-quality restaurants, and buzzing ethnic diversity.

If you stand on O’Connell Bridge or the pedestrian-only Ha’penny span, you’ll get excellent views up and down the River Liffey, known in Gaelic as the abha na life, transcribed phonetically as Anna Livia by James Joyce in Finnegan’s Wake. Here, framed with embankments like those along Paris’s Seine, the river nears the end of its 128-km (80-mi) journey from the Wicklow Mountains to the Irish Sea. And near the bridges, you begin a pilgrimage into James Joyce country—north of the Liffey, in the center of town—and the captivating sights of Dublin’s Northside, a mix of densely thronged shopping streets and genteelly refurbished homes.

For much of the 18th century, the upper echelons of Dublin society lived in the Georgian houses in the Northside—around Mountjoy Square—and shopped along Capel Street, which was lined with stores selling fine furniture and silver. But development of the Southside—the Georgian Leinster House in 1745, Merrion Square in 1764, and Fitzwilliam Square in 1825—changed the Northside’s fortunes. The city’s fashionable social center crossed the Liffey, and although some of the Northside’s illustrious inhabitants stuck it out, the area gradually became run-down. The Northside’s fortunes have now changed back, however. Once-derelict swaths of houses, especially on and near the Liffey, have been rehabilitated, and large shopping centers have opened on Mary and Jervis streets. The high-rise Docklands area, east of the Custom House, is pocked with modern high-rise apartments. More importantly, the new Daniel Libeskind–designed, 2,000-seat, Grand Canal Theatre has shifted the cultural tectonic plates of Dublin towards this area. In addition, the beginnings of a little Chinatown are forming on Parnell Street, while a swing bridge has been added between City Quay and the Northside. O’Connell Street itself has been partially pedestrianized, and most impressive of all is the Spire, the street’s 395-foot-high stainless-steel monument.

TOP ATTRACTIONS IN DUBLIN’S NORTHSIDE

Custom House.

Seen at its best when reflected in the waters of the Liffey during the short interval when the high tide is on the turn, the Custom House is the city’s most spectacular Georgian building. Extending 375 feet on the north side of the river, this is the work of James Gandon, an English architect who arrived in Ireland in 1781, when the building’s construction commenced (it continued for 10 years). Crafted from gleaming Portland stone, the central portico is linked by arcades to pavilions at either end. A statue of Commerce tops the copper dome, whose puny circumference, unfortunately, is out of proportion to the rest of the building. Statues on the main facade are based on allegorical themes. Note the exquisitely carved lions and unicorns supporting the arms of Ireland at the far ends of the facade. After Republicans set fire to the building in 1921, it was completely restored and reconstructed to house government offices. A visitor center traces the building’s history and significance, and the life of Gandon. | Custom House Quay, Northside | Dublin 1 | 01/888–2538 | www.visitdublin.com | Free | Mid-Mar.–Oct., weekdays 10–12:30, weekends 2–5; Nov.–mid-Mar., Wed.–Fri. 10–12:30, Sun. 2–5.

Dublin City Gallery, The Hugh Lane.

Built as a town house for the Earl of Charlemont in 1762, this residence was so grand that the Parnell Square street on which it sits was nicknamed “Palace Row” in its honor. Sir William Chambers, who also built the Marino Casino for Charlemont, designed the structure in the best Palladian manner. Its delicate and rigidly correct facade, extended by two demilune (half-moon) arcades, was fashioned from the “new” white Ardmulcan stone (now seasoned to gray). Charlemont was one of the cultural locomotives of 18th-century Dublin—his walls were hung with Titians and Hogarths, and he frequently dined with Oliver Goldsmith and Sir Joshua Reynolds—so he would undoubtedly be delighted that his home is now a gallery, named after Sir Hugh Lane, a nephew of Lady Gregory (W. B. Yeats’s aristocratic patron). Lane collected both Impressionist paintings and 19th-century Irish and Anglo-Irish works. A complicated agreement with the National Gallery in London (reached after heated diplomatic dispute) stipulates that a portion of the 39 French paintings amassed by Lane shuttle between London and here. Time it right and you’ll be able to see Pissarro’s Printemps, Manet’s Eva Gonzales, Morisot’s Jour d’Été, and, the jewel of the collection, Renoir’s Les Parapluies.

In something of a snub to the British art establishment, the late Francis Bacon’s partner donated the entire contents of the artist’s studio to the gallery. The studio of arguably Britain’s premier 20th-century artist has been reconstructed here in all its gaudy glory as a permanent display. It gives you a unique opportunity to observe the bravura technique of the artist responsible for such masterpieces as Study After Velázquez and the tragic splash-and-crash Triptych. Also on display are Bacon’s diary, books, and apparently everything else picked up off his floor.

Between the collection of Irish paintings in the National Gallery of Ireland and the superlative works on display here, you can quickly become familiar with Irish 20th-century art. Irish artists represented include Roderic O’Conor, well known for his views of the west of Ireland; William Leech, including his Girl with a Tinsel Scarf and The Cigarette; and the most famous of the group, Jack B. Yeats (W. B.’s brother). The museum has a dozen of his paintings, including Ball Alley and There Is No Night. The mystically serene Sean Scully Gallery displays seven giant canvasses by Ireland’s renowned abstract modernist. | Parnell Sq. N, Northside | Dublin 1 | 01/222–5550 | www.hughlane.ie | Free | Tues.–Thurs. 10–6, Fri. and Sat. 10–5, Sun. 11–5.

Dublin Writers Museum.

“If you would know Ireland—body and soul—you must read its poems and stories,” wrote W. B. Yeats in 1891. Further investigation into the Irish way with words can be found at this unique museum, in a magnificently restored 18th-century town house on the north side of Parnell Square. The mansion, once the home of John Jameson, of the Irish whiskey family, centers on the Gallery of Writers, an enormous drawing room gorgeously decorated with paintings, Adamesque plasterwork, and a deep Edwardian lincrusta frieze. Rare manuscripts, diaries, posters, letters, limited and first editions, photographs, and other mementos commemorate the lives and works of the nation’s greatest writers—and there are many of them, so leave plenty of time—including Joyce, Shaw, J. M. Synge, Lady Gregory, W. B. Yeats, Beckett, and others. On display are an 1804 edition of Swift’s Gulliver’s Travels, an 1899 first edition of Bram Stoker’s Dracula, and an 1899 edition of Wilde’s Ballad of Reading Gaol. There’s a “Teller of Tales” exhibit showcasing Behan, O’Flaherty, and O’Faoláin. Readings are periodically held, and there’s a room dedicated to children’s literature. The bookshop and café make this an ideal place to spend a rainy afternoon. If you lose track of time and stay until the closing hour, you might want to dine at Chapter One, a highly regarded restaurant in the basement, which would have had Joyce ecstatic over its currant-sprinkled scones. | 18 Parnell Sq. N, Northside | Dublin 1 | 01/872–2077 | www.writersmuseum.com | €7.50 | Mon.–Sat. 10–5, Sun. 11–5.

Gate Theatre.

The show begins here as soon as you walk into the auditorium, a gorgeously Georgian masterwork designed by Richard Johnston in 1784 as an assembly room for the Rotunda Hospital complex. The Gate has been one of Dublin’s most important theaters since its founding in 1929 by Micháel MacLiammóir and Hilton Edwards, who also founded Galway City’s An Taibhdhearc as the national Irish-language theater. The Gate stages many established productions by Irish as well as foreign playwrights—and plenty of foreign actors have performed here, including Orson Welles (his first paid performance) and James Mason (early in his career). | Cavendish Row, Northside | Dublin 1 | 01/874–4045 | www.gate-theatre.ie | Shows Mon.–Sat.

General Post Office.

One of the great civic buildings of Dublin’s Georgian era, the GPO’s fame is based on the role it played in the Easter Uprising. The building, with its impressive Neoclassical facade, was designed by Francis Johnston and built by the British between 1814 and 1818 as a center of communications. This gave it great strategic importance—and was one of the reasons it was chosen by the insurgent forces in 1916 as a headquarters. Here, on Easter Monday, 1916, the Republican forces, about 2,000 in number and under the guidance of Pádrig Pearse and James Connolly, stormed the building and issued the Proclamation of the Irish Republic. After a week of shelling, the GPO lay in ruins; 13 rebels were ultimately executed, including Connolly, who was dying of gangrene from a wound in a leg shattered in the fighting and had to be propped up in a chair in front of the firing squad. Most of the original building was destroyed, though the facade survived, albeit with the scars of bullets on its pillars. Rebuilt and reopened in 1929, it became a working post office with an attractive two-story main concourse. A bronze sculpture depicting the dying Cuchulainn, a leader of the Red Branch Knights in Celtic mythology, sits in the front window. The 1916 Proclamation and the names of its signatories are inscribed on the green marble plinth. There are plans to turn the GPO into a permanent 1916 museum or possibly to rehouse the Abbey Theatre here. | O’Connell St., Northside | Dublin 1 | 01/872–8888 | www.anpost.ie | Free | Mon.–Sat. 8–8, Sun. 10:30–6.

QUICK BITES: For a classic Dublin pub with a cozy, warm atmosphere, stop in at The Sackville Lounge (Sackville Pl., Northside | Dublin 1 | 01/874–5222). It’s popular with theater folk and old flat-cap Dublin men and pours a smooth pint of the black stuff.

James Joyce Centre.

Few may have read him, but everyone in Ireland has at least heard of James Joyce (1882–1941)—especially since owning a copy of his censored and suppressed Ulysses was one of the top status symbols of the early 20th century. Joyce is of course now acknowledged as one of the greatest modern authors, and his Dubliners, Finnegan’s Wake, and A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man can even be read as quirky “travel guides” to Dublin. Open to the public, this restored 18th-century Georgian town house, once the dancing academy of Professor Denis J. Maginni (which many will recognize from a reading of Ulysses), is a center for Joycean studies and events related to the author. It has an extensive library and archives, exhibition rooms, a bookstore, and a café. The collection includes letters from Beckett, Joyce’s guitar and cane, and a celebrated edition of Ulysses illustrated by Matisse. The interactive “James Joyce and Ulysses” exhibition allows you to delve into the mysteries and controversies of the novel. The center is the main organizer of “Bloomstime,” which marks the week leading up to the Bloomsday celebrations. (Bloomsday, June 16, is the single day Ulysses chronicles, as Leopold Bloom winds his way around Dublin in 1904.) | 35 N. Great George’s St., Northside | Dublin 1 | 01/878–8547 | www.jamesjoyce.ie | €5, guided tour €10 | Tues.–Sat. 10–5, Sun. noon–5.

O’Connell Street.

Dublin’s most famous thoroughfare, which is 150 feet wide, was previously known as Sackville Street, but its name was changed in 1924, two years after the founding of the Irish Free State. After the devastation of the 1916 Easter Uprising, the Northside street had to be almost entirely reconstructed, a task that took until the end of the 1920s. At one time the main attraction of the street was Nelson’s Pillar, a Doric column towering over the city center and a marvelous vantage point, but it was blown up in 1966, on the 50th anniversary of the Easter Uprising. A major cleanup and repaving have returned the street to some of its old glory. The large monument at the south end of the street is dedicated to Daniel O’Connell (1775–1847), “The Liberator,” and was erected in 1854 as a tribute to the orator’s achievement in securing Catholic Emancipation in 1829. Seated winged figures represent the four Victories—Courage, Eloquence, Fidelity, and Patriotism—all exemplified by O’Connell. Ireland’s four ancient provinces—Munster, Leinster, Ulster, and Connacht—are identified by their respective coats of arms. Look closely and you’ll notice that O’Connell is wearing a glove on one hand, as he did for much of his adult life, a self-imposed penance for shooting a man in a duel. But even the great man himself is dwarfed by the newest addition to O’Connell Street: the 395-foot-high Spire was built in Nelson’s Pillar’s place in 2003, and today this gigantic, stainless-steel monument dominates the street.

Pro-Cathedral.

Dublin’s principal Catholic cathedral (also known as St. Mary’s) is a great place to hear the best Irish male voices: a Palestrina choir, in which the great Irish tenor John McCormack began his career, sings in Latin here every Sunday morning at 11. The cathedral, built between 1816 and 1825, has a classical church design—on a suitably epic scale. The church’s facade, with a six-Doric-pillared portico, is based on the Temple of Theseus in Athens; the interior is modeled after the Grecian-Doric style of St. Philippe du Roule in Paris. But the building was never granted full cathedral status, nor has the identity of its architect ever been discovered; the only clue to its creation is in the church ledger, which lists a “Mr. P.” as the builder. | 83 Marlborough St., Northside | Dublin 1 | 01/874–5441 | www.procathedral.ie | Free | Weekdays 7:30–6:45, Sat. 7:30–7:15, Sun. 9–1:45 and 5:30–7:45.

The Spire.

Christened the “Stiletto in the Ghetto” by local smart alecks, this needlelike monument is the most exciting thing to happen to Dublin’s skyline in decades. The Spire, also known as the Monument of Light, was originally planned as part of the city’s millennium celebrations. But Ian Ritchie’s spectacular 395-foot-high monument wasn’t erected until the beginning of 2003. Seven times taller than the nearby General Post Office, the stainless-steel structure rises from the spot where Nelson’s Pillar once stood. Approximately 10 feet in diameter at its base, the softly lighted monument narrows to only 1 foot at its apex—the upper part of the Spire sways gently when the wind blows. The monument’s creators envisioned it serving as a beacon for the whole of the city, and it will certainly be the first thing you see as you drive into Dublin from the airport. | O’Connell St., Northside | Dublin 1.

Sean O’Casey House.

A one-time construction laborer, O’Casey became Ireland’s greatest modern playwright and this is the house where he wrote all his famous Abbey plays, including Juno and the Paycock and The Plough and the Stars. | 422 N. Circular Rd., Northside.

WORTH NOTING IN DUBLIN’S NORTHSIDE

Abbey Presbyterian Church.

Built on the profits of sin—well, by a generous wine merchant actually—and topped with a soaring Gothic spire, this church anchors the northeast corner of Parnell Square, an area that was the city’s most fashionable address during the gilded days of the 18th-century Ascendancy. Popularly known as Findlater’s Church, after the merchant Alex Findlater, the church was completed in 1864 with an interior that has a stark Presbyterian mood despite stained-glass windows and ornate pews. For a bird’s-eye view of the area, climb the small staircase that leads to the balcony. | Parnell Sq., Northside | Dublin 1 | 01/837–8600 | Free | Hrs vary.

GAA Museum.

The Irish are sports crazy and reserve their fiercest pride for their native games. In the bowels of Croke Park, the main stadium and headquarters of the GAA (Gaelic Athletic Association), this museum gives you a great introduction to native Irish sport. The four Gaelic games (football, hurling, camogie, and handball) are explained in detail, and if you’re brave enough you can have a go yourself. High-tech displays take you through the history and highlights of the games. National Awakening is a really smart, interesting short film reflecting the key impact of the GAA on the emergence of the Irish nation and the forging of a new Irish identity. The exhilarating A Day in September captures the thrill and passion of All Ireland finals day—the annual denouement of the inter-county hurling and Gaelic football seasons—which is every bit as important to the locals as the Super Bowl is to sports fans in the United States. Tours of the stadium, the fourth largest in Europe, are available. | New Stand, Croke Park, North County Dublin | Dublin 3 | 01/855–8176 | museum.gaa.ie | Museum €6, museum and stadium tour €11 | July and Aug., daily 9:30–6; Sept.–June, Mon.–Sat. 9:30–5, Sun. noon–5.

Garden of Remembrance.

Opened 50 years after the Easter Uprising of 1916, the garden in Parnell Square commemorates those who died fighting for Ireland’s freedom. At the garden’s entrance is a large plaza; steps lead down to the fountain area, graced with a sculpture by contemporary Irish artist Oisín Kelly, based on the mythological Children of Lír, who were turned into swans. The garden serves as an oasis of tranquility in the middle of the busy city. | Parnell Sq., Northside | Dublin 1 | Free | Daily 9–5.

Mountjoy Square.

Built over the course of the two decades leading up to 1818, this Northside square was once surrounded by elegant terraced houses. Today only the northern side remains intact. The houses on the once derelict southern side have been converted into apartments. Irishman Brian Boru, who led his soldiers to victory against the Vikings in the Battle of Clontarf in 1014, was said to have pitched camp before the confrontation on the site of Mountjoy Square. Playwright Sean O’Casey lived here, at No. 35, and used the square as a setting for The Shadow of a Gunman.

Rotunda Hospital.

The Rotunda, founded in 1745 as the first maternity hospital in Ireland and Britain, was designed on a grand scale by architect Richard Castle (1690–1751), with a three-story tower and a copper cupola. It’s now mostly worth a visit for its chapel, which has elaborate plasterwork and, appropriately, honors motherhood; it was built by Bartholomew Cramillion between 1757 and 1758. The Gate Theatre, in a lavish Georgian assembly room, is on the O’Connell Street side of this large complex. | Parnell St., Northside | Dublin 1 | 01/873–0700.

St. Francis Xavier Church.

One of the city’s finest churches in the classical style, the Jesuit St. Francis Xavier’s was begun in 1829, the year of Catholic Emancipation, and was completed three years later. The building is designed in the shape of a Latin cross, with a distinctive Ionic portico and an unusual coffered ceiling. The striking, faux-marble high altarpiece, decorated with lapis lazuli, came from Italy. The church appears in James Joyce’s story “Grace.” | Upper Gardiner St., Northside | Dublin 1 | 01/836–3411 | Free | Daily 7 AM–8:30 PM.

DUBLIN WEST: CATHEDRALS AND GUINNESS

A cornucopia of things quintessentially Dublin, this area is studded with treasures and pleasures ranging from the opulent 18th-century salons of Dublin Castle to time-burnished St. Patrick’s Cathedral, and from the Liberties neighborhood—redoubt of the city’s best antiques stores—to the Irish Museum of Modern Art (housed at the strikingly renovated Royal Hospital Kilmainham). You can time-travel from the 10th-century crypt at Christ Church Cathedral—the city’s oldest surviving structure—to the modern plant of the Guinness Brewery and its storehouse museum.

You can also cross the Liffey for a visit to Smithfield. Bordered on the east by Church Street, on the west by Blackhall Place, to the north by King Street, and to the south by the Liffey, Smithfield is Dublin’s old market area where flowers, fruit, vegetables, and even horses have been sold for generations. Chosen as a flagship for north inner-city renovation, the area saw a major face-lift in the last few years—with mixed reactions from the locals. The beautiful cobblestones of its streets have been taken up, refinished, and replaced, and giant masts topped with gaslights send 6-foot-high flames over Smithfield Square—now the venue for a winter ice-skating rink. Early morning is a special time in Smithfield, as the wholesale fruit and vegetable sellers still ply their trade in the wonderful 19th-century covered market. Traditional music bars like the Cobblestone, a favorite of the market traders, now sit side by side with modern hotels like the Park Inn, and the Old Jameson Distillery museum.

Keep in mind that Dublin is compact. The following sights aren’t far from those in the other city-center neighborhoods. In fact, City Hall is just across the street from Temple Bar, and Christ Church Cathedral is a short walk farther west. The westernmost sights covered here—notably the Royal Hospital and Kilmainham Gaol—are, however, at some distance, so if you’re not an enthusiastic walker, you may want to drive or catch a cab, bus, or LUAS tram to them.

TOP ATTRACTIONS IN DUBLIN WEST

Fodor’s Choice | Chester Beatty Library.

A connoisseur’s delight, this “library” is considered by many to be the most impressive museum in Ireland. After Sir Alfred Chester Beatty (1875–1968), a Canadian mining millionaire and a collector with a flawless eye, assembled one of the most significant collections of Islamic and Far Eastern art in the Western world, he donated it to Ireland. Housed in the gorgeous clock-tower building of Dublin Castle, and voted European Museum of the Year in 2002, the library is one of Dublin’s real gems. Among the exhibits are clay tablets from Babylon dating from 2700 BC, Japanese wood-block prints, Chinese jade books, and Turkish and Persian paintings. The second floor, dedicated to the major religions, houses 250 manuscripts of the Koran from across the Muslim world, as well as one of the earliest Gospels. The first-floor “Arts of the Book” exhibition looks at the different origins and finest examples of books throughout the world. Life-size Buddhas from Burma and rhino cups from China are among the other curios on show. Guided tours of the library are available on Tuesday and Saturday at 2:30 PM. On sunny days the garden is one of the most tranquil places in central Dublin. The shop is full of unique and exotic souvenirs relating to the collection. | Castle St., Dublin West | Dublin 2 | 01/407–0750 | www.cbl.ie | Free | May–Sept., weekdays 10–5, Sat. 11–5, Sun. 1–5; Oct.–Apr., Tues.–Fri. 10–5, Sat. 11–5, Sun. 1–5.

QUICK BITES: Silk Road Café (Chester Beatty Library, Castle St., Dublin West | Dublin 2 | 01/407–0770 | www.silkroadcafe.ie) is a great-value, Middle Eastern delight hidden away in the Chester Beatty Library. The buffet-style menu is always full of exotic surprises and the light-filled room and serene atmosphere make you want to linger longer than you should. It’s open Tuesday–Friday 10–4:30, Saturday 11–4:30, and Sunday 1–4:30.

Christ Church Cathedral.

You’d never know from the outside that the first Christianized Danish king built a wooden church at this site in 1038; because of the extensive 19th-century renovation of its stonework and trim, the cathedral looks more Victorian than Anglo-Norman. Construction on the present Christ Church—the flagship of the Church of Ireland and one of two Protestant cathedrals in Dublin (the other is St. Patrick’s just to the south)—was begun in 1172 by Strongbow, a Norman baron and conqueror of Dublin for the English Crown, and continued for 50 years. By 1875 the cathedral had deteriorated badly; a major renovation gave it much of the look it has today, including the addition of one of Dublin’s most charming structures: a Bridge of Sighs–like affair that connects the cathedral to the old Synod Hall, which now holds the Viking multimedia exhibition, Dublinia. Remains from the 12th-century building include the north wall of the nave, the west bay of the choir, and the fine stonework of the transepts, with their pointed arches and supporting columns. Strongbow himself is buried in the cathedral, beneath an impressive effigy. The vast, sturdy crypt, with its 12th- and 13th-century vaults, is Dublin’s oldest surviving structure and the building’s most notable feature. The Treasures of Christ Church exhibition includes manuscripts, various historic artifacts, and the tabernacle used when James II worshipped here. But the real marvel are the mortified bodies of a cat and rat—they were trapped in an organ pipe in the 1860s—who seem caught in a cartoon chase for all eternity. At 6 PM on Wednesday and Thursday you can enjoy the glories of a choral evensong and the bell ringers usually practice on Fridays at 7 PM. | Christ Church Pl. and Winetavern St., Dublin West | Dublin 8 | 01/677–8099 | www.cccdub.ie | €6 CJune–Aug., weekdays 9:45–6:15, Sat. 9:45–4:15, Sun. 12:30–2:30 and 4:30–6:15; Sept.–May, Mon.–Sat. 9:45–4:15, Sun. 12:30–2:30.

City Hall.

Facing the Liffey from Cork Hill at the top of Parliament Street, this grand Georgian municipal building (1769–79), once the Royal Exchange, marks the southwest corner of Temple Bar. Today it’s the seat of the Dublin Corporation, the elected body that governs the city. Thomas Cooley designed the building with 12 columns that encircle the domed central rotunda, which has a fine mosaic floor and 12 frescoes depicting Dublin legends and ancient Irish historical scenes. The 20-foot-high sculpture to the right is of Daniel O’Connell, “The Liberator.” He looks like he’s about to begin the famous speech he gave here in 1800. The building houses a multimedia exhibition—with artifacts, kiosks, graphics, and audiovisual presentations—tracing the evolution of Ireland’s 1,000-year-old capital. | Dame St., Dublin West | Dublin 2 | 01/222–2204 | www.dublincity.ie/recreationandculture | €4 | Mon.–Sat. 10–5:15.

Dublin Castle.

Neil Jordan’s film Michael Collins captured Dublin Castle’s near indomitable status well: seat and symbol of the British rule of Ireland for more than seven centuries, the castle figured largely in Ireland’s turbulent history early in the 20th century. It’s now mainly used for Irish and EU governmental purposes. The sprawling Great Courtyard is the reputed site of the Black Pool (Dubh Linn, pronounced dove-lin) from which Dublin got its name. In the Lower Castle Yard, the Record Tower, the earliest of several towers on the site, is the largest remaining relic of the original Norman buildings, built by King John between 1208 and 1220. The clock-tower building now houses the Chester Beatty Library. Guided tours are available of the principal State Apartments (on the southern side of the Upper Castle Yard), formerly the residence of the English viceroys and now used by the president of Ireland to host visiting heads of state and EU ministers. The State Apartments are lavishly furnished with rich Donegal carpets and illuminated by Waterford glass chandeliers. The largest and most impressive of these chambers, St. Patrick’s Hall, with its gilt pillars and painted ceiling, is used for the inauguration of Irish presidents. The Round Drawing Room, in Bermingham Tower, dates from 1411 and was rebuilt in 1777; numerous Irish leaders were imprisoned in the tower from the 16th century to the early 20th century. The blue oval Wedgwood Room contains Chippendale chairs and a marble fireplace. The Castle Vaults now hold an elegant little patisserie and bistro.

Carved oak panels and stained glass depicting viceroys’ coats of arms grace the interior of the Church of the Holy Trinity (formerly called Chapel Royal), on the castle grounds. The church was designed in 1814 by Francis Johnston, who also designed the original General Post Office building on O’Connell Street. Once you’re inside, look up—you’ll see an elaborate array of fan vaults on the ceiling. More than 100 carved heads adorn the walls outside: among them, St. Peter and Jonathan Swift preside over the north door, St. Patrick and Brian Boru over the east.

One-hour guided tours of the castle are available every half hour, but the rooms are closed when in official use, so call ahead. The easiest way into the castle is through the Cork Hill Gate, just west of City Hall. | Castle St., Dublin West | Dublin 2 | 01/645–8813 | www.dublincastle.ie | State Apartments €4.50 including tour | Mon.–Sat. 10–4:45, Sun. 2–4:45.

Four Courts.

The stately Corinthian portico and the circular central hall warrant a visit here, to the seat of the High Court of Justice of Ireland. The distinctive copper-cover dome topping a colonnaded rotunda makes this one of Dublin’s most instantly recognizable buildings. The view from the rotunda is terrific. Built between 1786 and 1802, the Four Courts are James Gandon’s second Dublin masterpiece—close on the heels of his Custom House, located downstream on the same side of the River Liffey. In 1922, during the Irish Civil War, the Four Courts was almost totally destroyed by shelling—the adjoining Public Records Office was gutted, and many priceless legal documents, including innumerable family records, were destroyed. Restoration took 10 years. Tours of the building are not given, but you’re welcome to sit in while the courts are in session. | Inns Quay, Dublin West | Dublin 2 | 01/872–5555 | www.courts.ie | Daily 10–1 and 2:15–4.

Fodor’s Choice | Guinness Brewery and Storehouse.

Ireland’s all-dominating brewery—founded by Arthur Guinness in 1759 and at one time the largest stout-producing brewery in the world—spans a 60-acre spread west of Christ Church Cathedral. Not surprisingly, it’s the most popular tourist destination in town—after all, the Irish national drink is Guinness stout, a dark brew made with roasted malt. The brewery itself is closed to the public, but the Guinness Storehouse is a spectacular attraction, designed to woo you with the wonders of the “dark stuff.” In a 1904 cast-iron-and-brick warehouse, the museum display covers six floors built around a huge, central glass atrium. Beneath the glass floor of the lobby you can see Arthur Guinness’s original lease on the site, for a whopping 9,000 years. The exhibition elucidates the brewing process and its history, with antique presses and vats, a look at bottle and can design through the ages, a history of the Guinness family, and a fascinating archive of Guinness advertisements. You might think it’s all a bit much (it’s only a drink, after all), and parts of the exhibit do feel a little over the top—readers complain about the numerous ads and promos for the brew at nearly every turn. The star attraction is undoubtedly the top-floor Gravity Bar, with 360-degree floor-to-ceiling glass walls that offer a nonpareil view out over the city at sunset while you sip your free pint. One of the bar’s first clients was one William Jefferson Clinton. The Guinness Shop on the ground floor is full of funky lifestyle merchandise. They run a St. Patrick’s Festival every year with music, dance, and, of course, the drinking of many pints. | St. James’ Gate, Dublin West | Dublin 8 | 01/408–4800 | www.guinness-storehouse.com | €15 | July and Aug., daily 9:30–7; Sept.–June, daily 9:30–5.

Kilmainham Gaol.

Leaders of many failed Irish rebellions spent their last days in this grim, forbidding structure, and it holds a special place in the myth and memory of the country. The 1916 commanders Pádrig Pearse and James Connolly were held here before being executed in the prison yard. Other famous inmates included the revolutionary Robert Emmet and Charles Stewart Parnell, a leading politician. You can visit the prison only as part of a very moving and exciting guided tour, which leaves every hour on the hour. The cells are a chilling sight, and the guided tour and a 30-minute audiovisual presentation relate a graphic account of Ireland’s political history over the past 200 years—from an Irish Nationalist viewpoint. A new exhibition explores the history of the prison and its restoration. A small tearoom is on the premises. | Inchicore Rd., Dublin West | Dublin 8 | 01/453–5984 | www.heritageireland.ie | €6 | Apr.–Sept., daily 9:30–5; Oct.–Mar., Mon.–Sat. 9:30–4, Sun. 10–5.

Royal Hospital Kilmainham.

This replica of Les Invalides in Paris is regarded as the most important 17th-century building in Ireland. Commissioned as a hospice for disabled and veteran soldiers by James Butler—the Duke of Ormonde and viceroy to King Charles II—it was completed in 1684, making it the first building erected in Dublin’s golden age. It survived into the 1920s as a hospital, but after the founding of the Irish Free State in 1922, the building fell into disrepair. The entire edifice has since been restored to what it once was.

The structure’s four galleries are arranged around a courtyard; there’s also a grand dining hall—100 feet long by 50 feet wide. The architectural highlight is the hospital’s Baroque chapel, distinguished by its extraordinary plasterwork ceiling and fine wood carvings. “There is nothing in Ireland from the 17th century that can come near this masterpiece,” raved cultural historian John FitzMaurice Mills. The Royal Hospital also houses the Irish Museum of Modern Art, which concentrates on the work of contemporary Irish artists such as Richard Deacon, Richard Gorman, Dorothy Cross, Sean Scully, Matt Mullican, Louis Le Brocquy, and James Coleman. The museum also displays works by some non-Irish 20th-century greats, including Picasso and Miró, plus recent hotshots like Damien Hirst, and regularly hosts touring shows from major European museums. The Grass Roots Café serves light fare such as soups and sandwiches. The hospital is a short ride by taxi or bus from the city center. | Kilmainham La., Dublin West | Dublin 8 | 01/612–9900 | www.imma.ie | Free | Royal Hospital Tues.–Sat. 10–5:30, Sun. noon–5:30. Museum Tues. and Thurs.–Sat. 10–5:30, Wed. 10:30–5:30, Sun. noon–5:30; tours Wed. and Fri. at 2:30, Sat. at 11:30.

Fodor’s Choice | St. Patrick’s Cathedral.

The largest cathedral in Dublin and also the national cathedral of the Church of Ireland, St. Patrick’s is the second of the capital’s two Protestant cathedrals. (The other is Christ Church, and the reason Dublin has two cathedrals is because St. Patrick’s originally stood outside the walls of Dublin, while its close neighbor was within the walls and belonged to the see of Dublin.) Legend has it that in the 5th century St. Patrick baptized many converts at a well on the site of the cathedral. The original building, dedicated in 1192 and early English Gothic in style, was an unsuccessful attempt to assert supremacy over Christ Church Cathedral. At 305 feet, this is the longest church in the country, a fact Oliver Cromwell’s troops—no friends to the Irish—found useful as they made the church’s nave into their stable in the 17th century. They left the building in a terrible state; its current condition is largely due to the benevolence of Sir Benjamin Guinness—of the brewing family—who started financing major restoration work in 1860. TIP While in the shadow of St. Patrick’s Cathedral, head from Patrick Close to Patrick Street; look down the street toward the Liffey for a fine view of Christ Church.

Make sure you see the gloriously heraldic Choir of St. Patrick’s, hung with colorful medieval banners, and find the tomb of the most famous of St. Patrick’s many illustrious deans, Jonathan Swift, immortal author of Gulliver’s Travels, who held office from 1713 to 1745. Swift’s tomb is in the south aisle, not far from that of his beloved “Stella,” Mrs. Esther Johnson. Swift’s epitaph is inscribed over the robing-room door. W. B. Yeats—who translated it thus: “Swift has sailed into his rest; Savage indignation there cannot lacerate his breast”—declared it the greatest epitaph of all time. Other memorials include the 17th-century Boyle Monument, with its numerous painted figures of family members, and the monument to Turlough O’Carolan, the last of the Irish bards and one of the country’s finest harp players. Immediately north of the cathedral is a small park, with statues of many of Dublin’s literary figures and St. Patrick’s Well. “Living Stones” is the cathedral’s permanent exhibition celebrating St. Patrick’s place in the life of the city. If you’re a music lover, you’re in for a treat; matins (9:40 AM) and evensong (5:45 PM) are still sung on many days. | Patrick St., Dublin West | Dublin 8 | 01/453–9472 | www.stpatrickscathedral.ie | €5.50 | Mar.–Oct., Mon.–Sat. 9–5, Sun. 9–11, 12:45–3, and 4:15–5:30; Nov.–Feb. Mon.–Sat. 9–5, Sun. 9–4:30.

WORTH NOTING IN DUBLIN WEST

Dublinia and the Viking World.

Ever wanted a chance to put your head in the stocks? Dublin’s Medieval Trust has set up an entertaining and informative reconstruction of everyday life in medieval Dublin. The recently updated main exhibits use high-tech audiovisual and computer displays; you can also see a scale model of what Dublin was like around 1500, a medieval maze, a life-size reconstruction based on the 13th-century dockside at Wood Quay, and a fine view from the tower. For a more modern take on the city, check out the James Malton series of prints of 18th-century Dublin, hanging on the walls of the coffee shop. Dublinia is in the old Synod Hall (formerly a meeting place for bishops of the Church of Ireland), joined via a covered stonework Victorian bridge to Christ Church Cathedral. An exhibition on “The Viking World” consists of a similar reconstruction of life in even earlier Viking Dublin, including a Viking burial. An exhibition called “Historical Hunters” puts you in the role of archaeologist with interactive digs and a lab to test your newfound knowledge. There’s a guided tour at 2:30 PM every day. | St. Michael’s Hill, Dublin West | Dublin 8 | 01/679–4611 | www.dublinia.ie | Exhibit €6.25 | Apr.–Sept., daily 10–4:15; Oct.–Mar., daily 10–4.

Marsh’s Library.

When Ireland’s first public library was founded and endowed in 1701 by Narcissus Marsh, the Archbishop of Dublin, it was made open to “All Graduates and Gentlemen.” The two-story brick Georgian building has remained virtually the same since then. It houses a priceless collection of 250 manuscripts and 25,000 15th- to 18th-century books. Many of these rare volumes were locked inside cages, as were the readers who wished to peruse them. The cages were to discourage the often impecunious students, who may have been tempted to make the books their own. The library has been restored with great attention to its original architectural details, especially in the book stacks. It’s a short walk west from St. Stephen’s Green and is accessed through a charming little cottage garden. | St. Patrick’s Close off Patrick St., Dublin West | Dublin 8 | 01/454–3511 | www.marshlibrary.ie | €2.50 | Mon. and Wed.–Fri. 10–1 and 2–5, Sat. 10:30–1.

National College of Art and Design.

The delicate welding of glass and iron onto the redbrick Victorian facade of this onetime factory makes this school worth a visit. A walk around the cobblestone central courtyard often gives the added bonus of viewing students working away in glass, clay, metal, and stone. The glass-fronted new gallery combines work by local, national, and international avant-garde artists. | Thomas St., Dublin West | Dublin 8 | 01/671–1377 | www.ncad.ie | Free | Weekdays 9–7.

Old Jameson Distillery.

Founded in 1791, this distillery produced one of Ireland’s most famous whiskeys for nearly 200 years, until 1966, when local distilleries merged to form Irish Distillers and moved to a purpose-built, ultramodern distillery in Middleton, County Cork. Part of the complex was converted into the group’s head office, and the distillery itself became a museum. There’s a short audiovisual history of the industry, which had its origins 1,500 years ago in Middle Eastern perfume making. You can also tour the old distillery, and learn about the distilling of whiskey from grain to bottle, or view a reconstruction of a former warehouse, where the colorful nicknames of former barrel makers are recorded. The 40-minute tour includes a complimentary tasting (remember: Irish whiskey is best drunk without a mixer—try it straight or with water); four attendees are invited to taste different brands of Irish whiskey and compare them against bourbon and Scotch. If you have a large group and everyone wants to do this, phone in advance to arrange it. You can also get tutored in whiskey tasting. | Bow St., Dublin West | Dublin 7 | 01/807–2355 | www.jamesonwhiskey.com/heritage | €13.50 | Daily 9–6:30; tours every ½ hr up to 5:30.

St. Michan’s Church.

However macabre, St. Michan’s main claim to fame is down in the vaults, where the totally dry atmosphere has preserved several corpses in a remarkable state of mummification. They lie in open caskets. Most of the resident deceased are thought to have been Dublin tradespeople (one was, they say, a religious crusader). Except for its 120-foot-high bell tower, this Anglican church is architecturally undistinguished. The church was built in 1685 on the site of an 11th-century Danish church (Michan was a Danish saint). Another reason to come is to see the 18th-century organ, which Handel supposedly played for the first performance of Messiah. Don’t forget to check out the Stool of Repentance—the only one still in existence in the city. Parishioners judged to be “open and notoriously naughty livers” used it to do public penance. | Lower Church St., Dublin West | Dublin 7 | 01/872–4154 | €4 | Mid-Mar.–Oct., weekdays 10–12:45 and 2–4:30, Sat. 10–12:45, Sun. service at 10 AM; Nov.–mid-Mar., weekdays 12:30–3:30, Sat. 10–12:45, Sun. service at 10 AM.

St. Nicholas of Myra’s Church.

A grand Neoclassical style characterizes this church, completed in 1834. The highly ornate chapel inside includes ceiling panels of the 12 apostles, and a pietà raised 20 feet above the marble altar, guarded on each side by angels sculpted by John Hogan while he was in Florence. The tiny nuptial chapel to the right has a small Harry Clarke stained-glass window. | St. Nicholas St., Dublin West | Dublin 8 | 01/454–2172 | Free | Hrs vary.

PHOENIX PARK AND ENVIRONS

Far and away Dublin’s largest park, Phoenix Park (the name is an anglicization of the Irish Fionn Uisce, meaning “clear water”) is a vast, green, arrowhead-shaped oasis north of the Liffey, about a 20-minute walk from the city center. It’s the city’s main escape valve and sports center (cricket, soccer, Gaelic games, and polo), and the home of the noble creatures of the Dublin Zoo. A handful of other cultural sights near the park also merit a visit.

TOP ATTRACTIONS IN PHOENIX PARK AND ENVIRONS

National Museum of Decorative Arts and History.

Connoisseurs of the decorative arts have always had a special fondness for Irish style, whose glories range from Bronze Age Celtic jewels to the 20th-century Moderne furniture of Eileen Gray. Here, in one gigantic treasure chest, is the full panoply of the National Museum’s collection of glass, silver, furniture, and other decorative arts. The setting is spectacular: the huge Collins Barracks, named for the assassinated Irish Republican leader Michael Collins (1890–1922). Built in the early 18th century, and designed by Captain Thomas Burgh, these erstwhile “Royal Barracks” were stylishly renovated to become a showcase for the museum, which opened in September 1997. The displays are far ranging, covering everything from one of the greatest collections of Irish silver in the world to Irish period furniture—you’ll see that the country’s take on Chippendale was far earthier than the English mode. “The Way We Wore: 250 Years of Irish Clothing and Jewelry” and a thousand years of Irish coins are other highlights. Headlining the collections are some extraordinary objects, including the Fonthill Vase, the William Smith O’Brien Gold Cup, and the Lord Chancellor’s Mace. | Benburb St., Dublin West | Dublin 7 | 01/677–7444 | www.museum.ie | Free | Tues.–Sat. 10–5, Sun. 2–5.

Phoenix Park.

Europe’s largest public park, which extends about 5 km (3 mi) along the Liffey’s north bank, encompasses 1,752 acres of verdant green lawns, woods, lakes, and playing fields. Sunday is the best time to visit: games of cricket, football (soccer), polo, baseball, hurling (a combination of lacrosse, baseball, and field hockey), and Irish football are likely to be in progress. Old-fashioned gas lamps line both sides of Chesterfield Avenue, the main road that bisects the park for 4 km (2½ mi), which was named for Lord Chesterfield, a lord lieutenant of Ireland, who laid out the road in the 1740s. To the right as you enter the park is the People’s Garden, a colorful flower garden designed in 1864.

You’re guaranteed to see wildlife at the Dublin Zoo (Dublin West | Dublin 8 | 01/677–1425 | www.dublinzoo.ie), the third-oldest public zoo in the world, founded in 1830, and just a short walk beyond the People’s Garden. A major renovation completed in 2007 has now given new life and luster to the old place. Animals from tropical climes are kept in unbarred enclosures, and Arctic species swim in the lakes close to the reptile house. Some 700 lions have been bred here since the 1850s, one of whom became familiar to movie fans the world over when MGM used him for its trademark. (As they will tell you at the zoo, he is in fact yawning in that familiar shot: an American lion had to be hired to roar and the “voice” was dubbed.) The African Plains section houses the zoo’s larger species; the Nakuru Safari is a new 25-minute tour of this area. World of Primates is a gathering of the usual suspects from tiny colobus monkeys to big gorillas. In summer the Lakeside Café serves ice cream and drinks. Admission to the Dublin Zoo is €15. Hours are March through September, daily 9:30–6; October, daily 9:30–5:30; November through December, daily 9:30–4; January, daily 9:30–4; February, daily 9:30–5.

A real genteel, family treat is a trip to elegant Farmleigh House (Phoenix Park, Dublin West | Dublin 8 | 01/677–1425 | www.farmleigh.ie), a 78-acre Edwardian estate situated to the northwest of the park with a working farm, walled and sunken gardens, wonderful picnic-friendly grounds, a regular organic food market, and a house full of antique furnishings and historic art. Admission is free. Hours are mid-March through December, Tuesday–Wednesday 10–4, Thursday–Sunday 10–4:45.

Also within the park is a visitor center (Dublin West | 01/677–0095 | www.heritageireland.ie), in the 17th-century fortified Ashtown Castle; it has information about the park’s history, flora, and fauna. Admission to the center is free. Hours are mid-March to October, daily 10–5:45; November to mid-March, Wednesday–Sunday 9:30–5:30.

QUICK BITES: Ryan’s Pub (28 Parkgate St., Dublin West | Dublin 8 | 01/677–6097), one of Dublin’s last remaining genuine late-Victorian-era pubs, has changed little since its last remodeling—in 1896. It’s right near the entrance to Phoenix Park.

WORTH NOTING IN PHOENIX PARK AND ENVIRONS

Arbour Hill Cemetery.

All 14 Irishmen executed by the British following the 1916 Easter Uprising are buried here, including Pádrig Pearse, who led the rebellion; his younger brother Willie, who played a minor role in the uprising; and James Connolly, a socialist and labor leader wounded in the battle. Too weak from his wounds to stand, Connolly was tied to a chair and then shot. The burial ground is a simple but formal area, with the names of the dead leaders carved in stone beside an inscription of the proclamation they issued during the uprising. | Arbour Hill, Dublin West | 01/605–7700 | www.heritageireland.ie | Free | Weekdays 8–4, Sat. 11–4, Sun. 9:30–4.

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City Center: The Southside | Southeast Dublin | Temple Bar | The Northside | South Dublin: The Grand Canal and Ballsbridge | Dublin West | Phoenix Park and Environs

THE SCENE

Heard the joke about Irish food? One week after your dinner and you’re hungry again. That, in fact, was in the old days when critics bemoaned the potluck of the Irish—but those times are long and thankfully gone. Today, if you arrive thinking you’re going to eat potatoes, potatoes, and more potatoes, be prepared to have your preconceptions overturned—and to be enthralled and very happily sated in the process. Why? Because Ireland has undergone a food revolution, and some of Dublin’s chefs are leading the charge.

No longer does a pub crawl turn up a better meal than one in a fancy restaurant. Dubliners who can afford it forgo heading to the “local” to down a pint after work because they’ve now made reservations at the newest eateries and hippest showplaces (of course, the pubs and the pints come later in the evening).

At these hotspots, euro-toques continue to come up with new and glorious ways to abuse your waistline. Roast scallop with spiced pork belly and au gratin cauliflower, all in a daring caper-and-raisin sauce? Sautéed rabbit loin with Clonakilty black pudding? As these dishes reveal, Dublin’s top cooks are determined to take advantage of the fact that Ireland has some of the best “raw materials” in the world. Given that it is a small island on which one is never farther than an hour-and-a-half drive from the coast, it is not only its seaside restaurants that can claim to serve fish on the same day it’s caught. In addition, the freshest Limerick hams, tastiest Cork crubins (pigs’ trotters), and most succulent Galway Bay oysters arrive in the city every day.

But since Dublin was a magnet for immigrants during the Celtic Tiger prosperity, the city was suddenly hot with Indian curries, Thai chilies, and Pan-Asian fireworks. Ethnic restaurants now have a firm foothold in the city’s foodie culture—you can indulge your passion for superb French or Italian food one day, then enjoy Korean barbecue the next. This interest in far-flung food has heralded a new wave of internationally trained professionals who have stamped their own blás (Irish for “gloss”) on traditional ingredients.

The current economic turnaround has focused the locals’ minds on one drawback of the new Dublin dining scene—a lot of restaurants were getting away with overpricing during the boom years. Change has been slower than in the hotel sector and a lot of à la carte menus are still too expensive, but many top eateries are reducing their prices and also now offer affordable fixed-price lunch menus, which can be considered bargains for the cash-conscious epicurean.

Another welcome phenomenon has been the arrival of little, family-run Italian joints with great food, no fuss, and real coffee, all at a good price. Enoteca delle Langhe on the northside of the quays and the fantastically bustling Dunne and Crescenzi near Trinity are two of the best. The twin wonders of L’Gueuleton and Gruel have introduced Dublin to the joys of affordable, casual, but always classy French cuisine. Fallon and Byrne has introduced the deli/restaurant/wine bar, all-under-one-roof idea to great acclaim—and with quality, organic ingredients to boot.

DINING KNOW-HOW

The Irish dine later than Americans. They stay up later, too, and reservations are usually not booked before 6:30 or 7 PM and up to around 10 PM. Lunch is generally served from 12:30 to 2:30. Pubs often serve food through the day—until 8:30 or 9 PM. Most pubs are family-friendly and welcome children until 7 PM. The Irish are an informal bunch, so smart-casual dress is typical. A few of the more formal restaurants, however, do expect you to wear a jacket and tie (noted below). And remember: shorts and sneakers are out except at the “eat-and-run” end of the spectrum.

Of course, and alas, Starbucks has long ago planted its ubiquitous flag in Dublin, but there are scores of independent cafés serving excellent coffee, and often good sandwiches. Other eateries, borrowing trends from all around the world, serve inexpensive pizzas, focaccia, pitas, tacos, and wraps (which are fast gaining in popularity over the sandwich). It’s worthwhile to see if the restaurant of your choice offers an early-bird or pre- or post-theater menu, with significantly lower set prices at specific times, usually up to 7:30 PM and after the show. Value Added Tax (V.A.T.)—a 13.5% tax on food and a government excise tax on drinks—will automatically be added to your bill. Before paying, check to see whether a service charge has been included on your bill, which is often the case for groups of five or more. If so, you can pay the entire bill with a credit card; if not, it’s customary to leave a tip in cash (10% to 15%) even if you’re paying the main bill by credit card.

WHAT IT COSTS in euros

AT DINNER

¢

under €12

$

€12–€18

$$

€19–€24

$$$

€25–€32

$$$$

over €32

Restaurant prices are per person for a main course at dinner.

EATING WELL IN DUBLIN

The abundant high-quality produce the country is famous for is now receiving the care and attention of world-class chefs in the capital city’s restaurants. Salmon is mixed with smoked haddock for fish cakes served with anchovy and parsley butter; black pudding is butter-fried and covered in an apple compote; and Irish beef is spiced and topped with a tangy avocado salsa.

Even the humble potato is being shaped and transformed into potato cakes and boxty (potato-and-flour pancake), and colcannon—a traditional Irish dish with bacon and cabbage—is getting a nouvelle spin.

Being an agricultural country with a maritime industry, Ireland benefits from a copious supply of freshly grown and readily available produce and seafood. Excellent Irish beef, pork, ham, and lamb appear on almost every menu.

Keep an eye out, too, for seasonal specials, such as wild or farmed quail and pheasant. Rich seafood harvests mean you can find fresh and smoked salmon, oysters, mussels, and shellfish in many guises—all vying with tender cuts of meat and an appetizing selection of quality vegetables.

Excellent dairy products are also essential to Irish cuisine. Dollops of fresh cream with home-baked desserts promise some exciting conclusions to these feasts—though you could also opt to finish a meal with a selection of native cheeses.

Leave room for the mature cheddars and luscious blue cheeses, the slightly sweet Dubliner, St. Tola goat’s cheese from Clare, and Carrigburne Brie from Wexford—only a few of the many fine artisanal cheeses produced around the country.

While you’re in Dublin, do indulge at least once in the traditional Irish breakfast, which is often served all day. It includes rashers (bacon), sausages, black-and-white pudding (types of sausage), mushrooms, tomatoes, and a fried egg—with lots of traditional homemade brown and soda breads and the famous Irish creamery butter. You’ll need a pot or two of tea to wash this down. Known as an “Ulster Fry” in Northern Ireland, this breakfast is often the biggest—and best—meal of the day.

DUBLIN’S SEAFOOD BOUNTY

Clarenbridge oysters, Carlingford Lough mussels, Ballina wild smoked salmon, Donegal crab—the menus of the top restaurants in Dublin are now full of some of the most flavorsome seafood on the planet. Surprisingly, Ireland has only recently fallen in love with its own array of briny treasures, and thereby hangs a fish tale.

A somewhat apocryphal story about Ireland joining the EEC (European Economic Community) in 1973 has the government given a stark choice: you can farm or you can fish but you can’t do both. They chose to protect farming and the result was the massive overfishing of giant Spanish factory ships of Irish waters. This fact may, in part, explain why Ireland—a relative pollution-free, sea-surrounded nation—is not one of the first places gourmands think of for great seafood. Historically, there was also a certain snobbery about eating fish, as it was seen as peasant food only suitable for fasting Fridays. Well, things have certainly changed in the last two decades as a new breed of home-grown chefs has pushed the importance of locally sourced seafood on their menus.

Top Fishy Joints

Some stand-out joints in Dublin go that extra mile. The oyster stall at the Temple Bar Farmer’s Market every Saturday is something of a Dublin institution, where affordable Atlantic oysters and white wine are downed alfresco. Les Fréres Jacques delivers true Gallic panache to its lobsters. The no-frills Kingfisher is noted for its whole rainbow trout.

Smoked Salmon

From all corners of Ireland small producers are now making some of Europe’s finest smoked salmon. Obviously, and perhaps unfortunately, the wild Atlantic salmon still has a richer, more piquant taste than its farmed cousin. The word “Wild” in the description will tell you the fish isn’t farmed. The traditional smoking method uses only Irish oak, which gives it a very distinctive, subtle flavor, and deep orange color. The best time to enjoy smoked salmon is over some toasted Dublin brown bread with a simple squeeze of lemon and some coarse black pepper to add that little extra tang.

Irish Chowder

It’s the pint of heavy cream and density of mussels tossed into the mix that makes Irish seafood chowder such a great snack on the run. It’s also a dish that even the most humble of eateries doesn’t usually mess up, although the general rule still applies: the nearer to the coast the eatery is located, the better its chowder. Regular fish stock is often used but clam juice—an Irish speciality—also adds to the unique flavor.

Fish and Chips

Every Dubliner will argue about the best place to get their favorite fast-food dish of fish and chips, but few will quarrel with the fact that cod, ray, and haddock are the top three battered delights to go for. Interestingly, the descendants of 1950s Italian immigrants—with names like Macari and Borza—are the recognized masters of the battering art, and you’ll find one of their eponymously named shops in almost every neighborhood. Tip: a single portion is usually enough to feed two!

Seaweed

Yes, the Irish are slowly discovering the delights of farming native seaweed for use in the kitchen and elsewhere. Irish seaweed is usually gathered along the Western seaboard, dried, and then sold in small packets, a bit like herbs. Look closely at restaurant menus and you’ll find dulse, carrageen moss, and various kelps and wracks all turning up to add spice to risottos, salads, soups, breads, and even ice cream. The local spa industry has cottoned on, developing “algotherapies,” including wraps, aging creams, and even full-on seaweed baths. Enjoy chowders at Ireland’s great seafood festivals: the Galway Oyster Festival, the event in Baltimore in West Cork, and the Killybegs festival.

CITY CENTER: THE SOUTHSIDE

Fodor’s Choice | Busyfeet & Coco Café.

¢ | CAFÉ | This bustling, quirky bohemian café emphasizes good, wholesome food. Organic ingredients play a prominent role on a menu that’s laden with delicious salads and sandwiches. Try the grilled goat-cheese salad served with walnut-and-raisin toast and sun-dried-tomato tapenade on a bed of arugula. The delicious Mediterranean quesadilla wrap—with roasted vegetables, napolitana sauce, and mature cheddar—is a must. It’s also one of the city center’s best-situated spots for a bit of people-watching, as Dublin’s young and hip stroll by all day long. | 41–42 S. William St., Southside | Dublin 2 | 01/671–9514 | No credit cards.

Fodor’s Choice | Cake Café.

$ | CAFÉ | When the head of the Slow Food Dublin movement opens a café, expectations are going to be high. Michille Darmody’s dreamy little Cake Café fulfills every one of them. As it is in a plant-filled courtyard at the back of the restored Daintree building, try to snag an outside table if the weather is decent. Then chill out and chow down on simple savory and sweet delights, all made with a loving, homey touch. Local, organic, and seasonal are the words to live by here and the terrine of Cashel Blue cheese with hazelnut is a typically delicious lunch dish. Save room for the delicate tarts and moist chocolate-chocolate brownie. This is also the perfect summer spot for a cheeky daytime glass of prosecco with a few nibbles in the courtyard. And don’t forget their fun cookery classes: they are the talk of the town. | Daintree Bldg., Pleasants Pl., Southside | Dublin 2 | 01/478–9394 | www.thecakecafe.ie | MC, V | Closed Sun. No dinner Mon. and Sat.

Fodor’s Choice | Dunne and Crescenzi.

$ | ITALIAN | Nothing succeeds like success. So popular is this classy little Italian joint just off Nassau Street that they’ve expanded into the premises two doors down. Pity the poor little coffee shop in between trying to compete with the unpretentious brilliance of this brother-and-sister restaurant and deli. The menu is extensive but simple: panini (sandwiches), a horde of antipasti choices, a few choice pasta specials, and some evening meat dishes and desserts. The all-Italian kitchen staff work wonders with high-quality imported ingredients. The tagliere della casa—a selection of typical Italian salumi and farmhouse cheeses garnished with preserves and served on warm bread—makes a great light lunch. A couple of long tables make it perfect for a group, and the hundreds of bottles of wine on shelves cover every inch of the walls. | 14 S. Fredrick St., Southside | Dublin 2 | 01/677–3815 | www.dunneandcrescenzi.com | AE, MC, V.

Fallon and Byrne.

$$ | FRENCH | The fresh, new one-stop-shop for everything organic and delicious in Dublin, Fallon and Byrne combines a huge deli with a cozy cellar wine bar and expansive second-floor French brasserie. Located on the top floor of a beautiful old telephone exchange building, the high-ceiling, light-filled dining room has a bustling, city-center atmosphere. The menu covers everything from burgers to loin of rabbit, but the panfried halibut with herb gnocchi, baby fennel, and salsa verde and the veal liver with onion relish, pancetta, grape seed, and mustard dressing are typical treats. Leave room for the lemon-ricotta cheesecake with ginger ice cream. You can pick up a bottle of wine in the wine cellar and enjoy it for a small corkage fee. | 11–17 Exchequer St., Southside | Dublin 2 | 01/472–1010 | www.fallonandbyrne.com | MC, V.

The Good World.

$ | CHINESE | When Dublin’s growing Chinese population wants a big, uptown night out they come here. The surroundings are modest, with large round tables—ideal for groups—in a somewhat dark but comfortable room. But the food is authentic and inspired—ask for the black-cover Chinese menu, not the standard, dumbed-down one. The dim sum selection is nonpareil in Ireland, with the mixed-meat dumplings a standout, and the chili-salt squid melts in the mouth. It’s the perfect spot to order a load of dishes to be shared by an adventurous group. As is often the case with Chinese restaurants in Ireland, the desserts are not really worth trying. | 18 S. Great George’s St., Southside | Dublin 2 | 01/677–5373 | AE, MC, V.

Il Primo.

$$ | ITALIAN | Ex-employees often make great owners, and John Farrell and Anita Thoma like to run this little two-story Italian restaurant like an intimate dinner party. A little quote board outside offers a daily pearl of wisdom, and old wooden tables and chairs give the two small dining rooms a casual feel. The friendly, if cramped, surroundings attract a devoted clientele and John’s collection of contemporary art adds a dash of flair to the walls. The slow-cooked beef cheek with duck-fat roasted potatoes and root vegetables is a standout evening dish. For something a little lighter, the risotto with smoked salmon, dill, and horseradish is a must. The wine list—heavy with Italian influences—is, to quote a local phrase, as long as your arm. | 16 Montague St., off Harcourt St., Southside | Dublin 2 | 01/478–3373 | www.ilprimo.ie | AE, MC, V | Closed Sun. No lunch Sat.

Jaipur.

$ | INDIAN | Call to mind all the stereotypes of bad, production-line Indian restaurants. Then consign them to the flames, for Jaipur is something different altogether. A spacious room with a sweeping staircase and contemporary furnishings reflects Jaipur’s modern, cutting-edge approach to Indian cuisine. Mixed with traditional dishes, such as chicken tikka masala, are more unusual preparations, such as duck vindaloo (Barbary duck simmered in chili, cinnamon, conconut vinegar, and palm sugar). The delightful karwari is a sweet-and-sour butterfish in a tamarind-flavor broth redolent of coastal-south-Indian spices. Try the Jaipur Jugalbandi, a selection of five appetizers. Dishes can be toned down or spiced up to suit your palate, and service is courteous and prompt. Another plus: the wine list is well thought out. | 41 S. Great George’s St., Southside | Dublin 2 | 01/677–0999 | www.jaipur.ie | Reservations essential | AE, MC, V.

Fodor’s Choice | L’Gueuleton.

$$ | FRENCH | Dubliners don’t do waiting, but you’ll see hungry crowds doing just that outside this no-reservations-accepted, exceptional new eatery just off George’s Street. L’Gueuleton’s has lost a little of its intimacy since it expanded, but the crowds still come for authentic French food at a fair price. Start with the duck egg mayonnaise with celery salt and watercress. For a main course, the Toulouse sausages with choucroute and Lyonnaise potatoes somehow manages to be hearty and adventurous at the same time. Desserts have a devilishly childish touch to them—passion-fruit cake with white chocolate sauce is a typical example. Although you can’t phone in a reservation, you can go there early in the evening and put your name down for a table along with your cell-phone number. They will give you a call 20 minutes before your table is ready. People also gather outside hoping to be fitted in during the evening. | 1 Fade St., Southside | Dublin 2 | 01/675–3708 | www.lgueuleton.com | MC, V.

La Maison.

$ | FRENCH | Closing one of the city’s favorite little bakery/cafés would have been a crime if it hadn’t been replaced by such an intimate, classy little eatery. La Maison des Gourmets became simply La Maison and, although the delicious pastries were lost forever, this bustling, unpretentious bistro now boasts one of the most inviting and good value menus in the city. The look is very much casual bistro, a satisfying backdrop for starters like the potted crab with cucumber, chili, and coriander and mouthwatering mains including rabbit casserole with smoked bacon and mashed potatoes. The chocolate fondant is a dessert to die for. | 15 Castle Market, Southside | Dublin 2 | 01/672–7258 | www.lamaisonrestaurant.ie | MC, V | Closed Sun.

Mao.

$ | ASIAN | Everything is Asian fusion at this bustling café—which has quickly blossomed into a mini-franchise across the city—from the little Andy Warhol pastiche of Chairman Mao on the washroom door to the eclectic mix of dishes on the menu, which combine Thai, Vietnamese, and other Southeast Asian elements. Top choices include the Chicken lemongrass salad, chili squid, crispy whole sea bass with scallops, and the nasi goreng (Indonesian fried rice with chicken and shrimp). | 2 Chatham Row, Southside | Dublin 2 | 01/670–4899 | www.cafemao.com | Reservations not accepted | MC, V.

Nude.

¢ | VEGETARIAN | One-word names for restaurants and cafés were all the rage in Dublin about 10 years ago. Many of them have fallen by the wayside, but Nude, a sleek, eco-friendly fast-food café, has been such a success that owner Norman Hewson—brother of U2’s Bono—has opened another branch for takeout only on Upper Leeson Street. The canteen-style tables set the extremely casual atmosphere—don’t be surprised if your neighbor strikes up a conversation. You order at the counter and someone delivers to your table in double-quick time. The menu is mostly vegetarian, and everything on it is made with organic and free-range ingredients. Choose from homemade soups and vegetable wraps (chicken satay is a classic), smoothies, and fresh-squeezed juices. On weekend nights DJs spin while you dine. | 21 Suffolk St., Southside | Dublin 2 | 01/677–4804 | MC, V.

Shanahan’s on the Green.

$$$$ | AMERICAN | Big, bad (meaning good, of course) steaks are the guilty-pleasure draw at this American-style steak house. Happily, quantity doesn’t necessarily diminish quality and Shanahan’s arguably serves the best beef in the country, all certified Irish Angus, of course. The building itself is an Irish Georgian glory, designed by Richard Cassels, Dublin’s leading 18th-century architect. Glowing with gilded chandeliers and graced with a few marble fireplaces, this restored town house offers a sleekly elegant setting in which to chow down on some of the tenderest beef this side of Kobe (they cook it in a special high-temperature oven, searing the outside to keep the inside good and juicy). If steak doesn’t float your boat, they also do a mean panfried wild seabass with wild garlic, Morteau sausage, and morel mushrooms. Oreo-cookie-crust cheesecake is the perfect way to finish off the feast, but many will consider the decor—think sash windows, gilt mirrors, and plush carpets—rich enough. | 119 St. Stephen’s Green, Southside | Dublin 2 | 01/407–0939 | www.shanahans.ie | Reservations essential | AE, DC, MC, V | No lunch Sat.–Thurs.

The Steps of Rome.

$ | ITALIAN | Discerning natives flock to this place for a cheap lunch, or a good takeout. Just a few steps from Grafton Street, this Italian eatery is also popular for a late-night bite. Slices of delicious, thin-crust pizza, with all the traditional toppings, are the main attraction. The funghi (mushroom) pizza is particularly good. The few tables are usually full, but it’s worth waiting around for the classic Italian pasta dishes like the cannelloni. Some diners just opt for the fresh salads with focaccia. Follow it all with cheesecake or tiramisu, and good strong espresso. | 1 Chatham Ct., Southside | Dublin 2 | 01/670–5630 | No credit cards.

Thornton’s.

$$$$ | FRENCH | Forget the stretched metaphors: if you’re passionate about food, this place is a must. Thornton’s cooking style is light, and his dishes are small masterpieces of structural engineering, piled almost dangerously high in towers of food. Dinner is a set, three-course menu and a highlight is the loin of wild venison with roasted parsnip cones, potato gnocchi, and Valrhona chocolate sauce. Desserts range from apple tart tatin to prune and Armagnac soufflé. Sheridans of Dublin supplies the enormous selection of cheeses. The dining room is simple and elegant—there’s little to distract you from the exquisite food—and the Canapé Bar is the perfect spot for a pre- or post-theater snack with a glass of champagne. | Fitzwilliam Hotel, St. Stephen’s Green, Southside | Dublin 2 | 01/478–7008 | www.thorntonsrestaurant.com | Reservations essential | AE, DC, MC, V | Closed Sun. and Mon. No lunch Wed.

Wagamama.

$ | JAPANESE | Canteen food wasn’t like this at your school. Modeled on a Japanese canteen, Wagamama, with its long wooden tables and benches and high ceilings with exposed metal piping, ensures a unique communal dining experience. It attracts a young, loud crowd and is constantly busy. Formal courses aren’t acknowledged—food is served as soon as it’s ready, and appetizers and main courses arrive together. Edamame—steamed and salted green soybeans in the pod—are a delicious starter and great fun to pop open and eat. Choose from filling bowls of ginger chicken udon (teppan-fried udon noodles with chicken, egg, beansprouts, spring onion, and chili) or chili beef ramen, and wash it down with fresh fruit or vegetable juice. There’s also a fine selection of beers and sakes for the less abstemious. | S. King St., Southside | Dublin 2 | 01/478–2152 | www.wagamama.ie | AE, MC, V.

Yamamori.

$$ | JAPANESE | Dublin’s young and mobile folk went noodle-mad a few years ago and Yamamori jumped to the top of the list for these ramen addicts. The open plan and family-style tables have kept it popular with the hip crowd. The meals-in-a-bowl are a splendid slurping experience, and although you’ll be supplied with a small Chinese-style soupspoon, the best approach is with chopsticks. The yasai yaki soba, Chinese-style noodles with Asian vegetables and egg, garnished with menma (dried bamboo) and spring onions, is a favorite example. You can also get sushi and sashimi, plus delicious chicken teriyaki, but the bento box combo meal is always the best value. | 71–72 S. Great George’s St., Southside | Dublin 2 | 01/475–5001 | www.yamamorinoodles.ie | AE, MC, V.

SOUTHEAST DUBLIN

Balzac.

$$ | FRENCH | A recently arrived player on the Dublin dining stage, Balzac aims to re-create the glamour of the best Parisian brasseries. The sparklingly handsome dining room, with its giant wall mirrors, high windows, stained-glass ceiling, and glitzy candelabra, is one of the most impressive in the city. But the atmosphere is still casual, and the menu has a touch of peasant France mixed with a Parisian finish. The terrine of game with pistachio, spiced damsons and toast is sensational, and serious carnivores will delight in the honey braised duck with sevill orange, cinnamon, and green olives. The lengthy wine list is second to none. Balzac offers a pretheater menu weekdays. | 35 Dawson St., Southeast Dublin | Dublin 2 | 01/677–8611 | www.balzac.ie | AE, MC, V | Closed Sun. No lunch Sat.–Wed.

Chai-Yo.

$$ | ASIAN | Be educated while you eat. There’s always something thrilling about getting close up and watching a master at work. The Japanese teppanyaki area at this classy Pan Asian restaurant on bustling Baggot Street, where the chef cooks your food right on your tabletop, is a feast for the eye as well as the palate. Choose from a selection of scallops, sea bass, steak, teriyaki chicken, and prawns, and watch as a beautiful grilled dish is whipped up before your eyes. The white walls and dark lacquered furnishings give Chai-Yo a serene ambience, enhanced by the delicate glassware and fine, green-washed-porcelain plates. The menu picks the best from Chinese, Thai, and Japanese dishes, with the Asian tapas a good eat-and-go option. The miso soup with tofu, seaweed, and spring onions is a simple but tasty starter, and the green shell mussels and pineapple curry is a chef speciality. | 100 Lower Baggot St., Southeast Dublin | Dublin 2 | 01/676–7652 | www.chaiyo.ie | AE, MC, V | No lunch weekends.

Dax.

$$$ | FRENCH | When is a wine bar not a wine bar? When it’s one of the city’s most talked-about restaurants. Opened as a basement wine bar by Olivier Meisonnave, the former sommelier at stellar Thornton’s, Dax has quickly become one of the dining spots of choice for Dubliners who care about food. You can choose to drink or dine (tapas-style) at the bar, in the lush armchairs of the open-plan lounge, or in the more formal, restrained-modern dining room. The terrine of pressed guinea fowl and ham hock with apple coulis is an adventurous starter, while the ballottine of cod wrapped in Parma ham with olive oil mash potato is a standout main course. The cold meat platter is a finger-lickin’ little bar dish. With Olivier in charge, the wine list is the envy of many a more expensive eatery, and with a couple dozen wines poured by the glass you can dare to try something really special. | 23 Pembroke St., Southeast Dublin | Dublin 2 | 01/676–1494 | www.dax.ie | Reservations essential | AE, MC, V | Closed Sun. and Mon. No lunch Sat.

Diep le Shaker.

$$ | ASIAN | Don’t be surprised to see people ordering champagne with their meals—even during a recession there’s a permanent party vibe at this flamboyant Thai restaurant, which attracts Ireland’s wealthy in droves. Comfortable high-back armchairs, quality art on the walls, and elegant stemware make this a stylish place to dine. But only half the reason for going is to see and be seen. Try the great red curry with coconut milk, bamboo shoots, Thai aubergines, chili, and sweet basil. It’s slightly off the beaten track, on a narrow lane off Pembroke Street. | 55 Pembroke La., Southeast Dublin | Dublin 2 | 01/661–1829 | www.diep.net | Reservations essential | AE, MC, V | Closed Sun. and Mon. No lunch Sat.

Ely Winebar.

$$ | IRISH | Almost equidistant from the twin dames of Dublin hotel elegance, the Shelbourne and the Merrion, Ely started out as a mere wine bar—and oh, what a selection of wines they have, many of them by the glass. But it has quickly grown into a wonderful little eatery with organic meat and vegetables from the owner’s family farm in County Clare, guaranteeing a tasty mouthful in every bite. Dishes tend to be simple—bangers and mash, a scrumptious panfried monkfish, Killaha oysters with brown bread—but incredibly fresh and succulent. The plate of mature Irish and Continental cheeses is the perfect finish—with a glass of wine, of course. | 22 Ely Pl., Southeast Dublin | Dublin 2 | 01/676–8986 | www.elywinebar.ie | AE, MC, V | Closed Sun. No lunch Sat.

Fodor’s Choice | Oliver’s.

$$ | FRENCH | O’Brien’s of Lesson Street is an old-school, pint-drinking Dublin pub and probably the last place you’d expect to find hosting a much talked-about new restaurant upstairs. Head up to the cozy second floor, however, to experience some Gallic magic. The decor is simple to a fault, you might even end up on a pub stool, but the menu is proof positive that the eponymous chef-owner Olivier Quenet once worked at the nonpareil Patrick Guilbaud. Black pudding with caramelized apple is one sumptuous starter; for main courses, check out the rabbit and pigeon pie with a snowflake light crust or the skate with brown butter and chard. The wine list is a parade of French stars in all price ranges. | 8–9 Sussex Terrace, Upper Lesson St., Southside | Dublin 4 | 01/668–2594 | MC, V.

One Pico.

$$$ | MODERN IRISH | Grown women have been known to swoon when chef-owner Eamonn O’Reilly walks into the dining room of his little restaurant tucked away in a quiet lane only a few minutes from Stephen’s Green. Eamonn cuts quite a dash, but it’s his sophisticated, daring, contemporary cuisine that tends to seduce visitors to One Pico. Try the incredible langoustine risotto to start. Dishes such as roast rump of veal with fricassee of girolles, pearl onion, and truffle, and pomme sarladaise (a southern France version of mashed potatoes) demonstrate a savvy use of native ingredients. Follow this with the banana parfait with date and toffee ice cream and sticky toffee doughnuts. As is usual with Dublin’s luxe eateries, the fixed-price lunch and pretheater menus offer great value. | 5–6 Molesworth Pl., off Schoolhouse La., Southeast Dublin | Dublin 2 | 01/676–0300 | www.onepico.com | Reservations essential | AE, MC, V.

Fodor’s Choice | Patrick Guilbaud.

$$$$ | FRENCH | The words “Dublin’s finest restaurant” often share the same breath as the name of this do-be-impressed place on the ground floor of the Merrion Hotel. The menu is described as French, but chef Guillaume Lebrun’s genius lies in his occasional daring use of traditional Irish ingredients—so often abused and taken for granted—to create the unexpected. The best dishes are flawless: Clogher Head lobster ravioli, veal sweetbreads and licorice, or the spiced pigeon with buttery cabbage are among the best options. Follow that, if you can, with the assiette au chocolat (a tray of five hot and cold chocolate desserts). The ambience is just as delicious—if you’re into lofty, minimalist dining rooms and Irish modern art (the Roderick O’Connors and Louis LeBrocquys are all from the owner’s private collection). Nearly as impressive is the 70-page wine list, the view of the Merrion’s manicured gardens, and the two-course lunch special for €38. Soaring white vaults and white walls won’t make you feel warm and cozy, but you can always go somewhere else for that. | 21 Upper Merrion St., Southeast Dublin | Dublin 2 | 01/676–4192 | www.restaurantpatrickguilbaud.ie | Reservations essential | AE, DC, MC, V | Closed Sun. and Mon.

Town Bar and Grill.

$$ | ITALIAN | Even basements can surprise, and an old wine merchant’s cellar on Kildare Street has been transformed into this cozy, modern-Italian trattoria. The elegant, New York–vibe dining room has a definite buzz, with live music some nights and numerous Irish celebrities have already made this a regular haunt. Chef Philip likes to take traditional Italian classics and give them a little—just a little—twist. The roast breast of wood pigeon with chestnut lasagne and Cumberland sauce is one of the most exciting starters. For mains try the roast Italian seafood casserole with clams, fish, chorizo, and red peppers. Baked cherry cheesecake with vanilla ice cream is a nice guilty way to finish. | 21 Kildare St., Southeast Dublin | Dublin 2 | 01/662–4724 | www.townbarandgrill.com | AE, MC, V.

Unicorn.

$$$ | MEDITERRANEAN | If there is an art to finding the perfect place when you want to get slightly sozzled over some quality eats, then the Unicorn is a Southside masterwork. Posher locals love to head here when they want to let their hair down in some wine-fuelled, late-evening craic. The atmosphere is loose and relaxed, especially on the little terrace overlooking Merrion Court. Even better, the menu is scrumptious Italian. Hot antipasti include chicken livers Marsala and calamari fritti, and tempting but guilty main courses include veal cutlets on the bone with Gorgonzola dolce and marsala jus or the Linguine with Dublin bay prawns, courgettes, garlic, chili, and white wine. To dine here, you must turn your mobile phone to silent—how cool is that? | 12B Merrion Ct., Southeast Dublin | Dublin 2 | 01/676–2182 | www.unicornrestaurant.com | Reservations essential | AE, MC, V | Closed Sun.

TEMPLE BAR

Bad Ass Café.

$ | AMERICAN | If you want to make a Dublin native wince, mention with excitement that Sinéad O’Connor used to wait tables at this lively café in a converted warehouse between the Central Bank and Ha’penny Bridge. (A Rock n’ Stroll tour plaque notes O’Connor’s past here.) Old-fashioned cash shuttles whiz around the ceiling of the barnlike space, which has bare floors and primary colors inside and out. You can indulge in some great people-watching behind the wall of glass here. The food—mainly pizzas, pastas, and burgers—is unexceptional, but the Bad Ass can be a lot of fun and appetites of all ages love it. | 9–11 Crown Alley, Temple Bar | Dublin 2 | 01/671–2596 | www.badasscafe.com | AE, MC, V.

Eden.

$$ | MODERN IRISH | Eden is where arty and media types are likely to gather to talk about, well, themselves. It has an open kitchen and a high wall of glass through which you can observe one of Temple Bar’s main squares. Patio-style doors lead to an outdoor eating area—a major plus in a city with relatively few alfresco dining spots. On weekend nights in summer you can enjoy an outdoor movie in Meeting House Square while you eat. Seasonal menus are in vogue here, but standout dishes include marinated black mission fig tart, and Castletownebere scallops with minted pea risotto, sugar snap peas, and crispy pancetta. Desserts include a tempting pear and cinnamon crumble cheesecake. | Meeting House Sq., Temple Bar | Dublin 2 | 01/670–5372 | www.edenrestaurant.ie | Reservations essential | AE, MC, V.

Elephant & Castle.

$ | AMERICAN | The Elephant was long established in Temple Bar before the Tiger (Celtic, that is) changed the neighborhood forever. Large windows are great for people-watching in the city’s trendiest area, but “nothing fancy” would be a good motto for the traditional American food. Charcoal-grilled burgers, salads, omelets, sandwiches, and pasta make up the much-thumbed menu. Sunday brunch is always packed. The portions are some of the most generous in Dublin. When the service is good, the turnover tends to be quick, although you may be inclined to linger. New Yorkers, take note: yes, this is a cousin of the restaurant of the same name in Greenwich Village. | 18 Temple Bar, Temple Bar | Dublin 2 | 01/679–3121 | www.elephantandcastle.ie | Reservations not accepted | AE, MC, V.

Gruel.

$ | ECLECTIC | Too many people know about this little joint to call it a secret anymore. The brash, lively staff are masters of knowing when you need them and when you don’t. The atmosphere is chatty and crowded and the no-nonsense quality grub focuses on a few reliable classics done to the highest quality—porridge with plum jam for breakfast, bangers and mash, Thai fish cakes—along with a couple of new dishes every week (how about risotto with roast sweet potato, basil, and chili?). They make their own soup stocks from scratch, and the daily “roast on a role” sandwich is a real filler-upper at lunch. | 67 Dame St., Temple Bar | Dublin 2 | 01/670–7119 | www.gruel.ie | Reservations not accepted | MC, V.

Les Frères Jacques.

$$$$ | FRENCH | Many restaurants call themselves French, but this elegant eatery next to the Olympia Theatre positively reeks of Gallic panache. Old prints of Paris and Deauville hang on the green-paper walls, and the French waiters, dressed in white Irish linen and black bow ties, exude a European charm without being excessively formal. Expect traditional French cooking that nods to the seasons. Seafood is a major attraction, and lobster (fished right from the tank—a “plus” that people with delicate sensibilities will find a definite minus) is typically roasted and flambéed with Irish whiskey. Others prefer the seared lamp with grilled polenta and buttered mint juices. Also recommended are the seasonal game specialties. A piano player performs Friday and Saturday evenings and on the occasional weeknight. | 74 Dame St., Temple Bar | Dublin 2 | 01/679–4555 | www.lesfreresjacques.com | Reservations essential | AE, MC, V | Closed Sun. No lunch Sat.

Mermaid Café.

$$ | ECLECTIC | Hope you don’t mind sharing your dinner conversation with the people next to you. The Mermaid has the simple, crowded feel of a very upmarket canteen, with large tables set close together and casual, but classy, service. One of the chef-owners dabbles in fine art, and his tastes in this area are reflected in his artistic and decorative style of bistro cooking. It’s not cheap, but the food is reliable. Lunch is an exceptional value—crispy mackerel, huge hearty seafood casseroles, panfried lamb’s liver with horseradish mash and beetroot jus, or chargrilled rib eye with sage and mustard mash, fine beans, and roast garlic, and herb butter. Attention to detail and a thoughtful wine list make this modest restaurant with tall windows looking onto busy Dame Street one of the most popular eateries in Temple Bar. | 69 Dame St., Temple Bar | Dublin 2 | 01/670–8236 | www.mermaid.ie | MC, V.

Montys of Kathmandu.

$$ | ASIAN | Montys proudly declares itself the “only Nepalese restaurant in Dublin.” Was there ever any doubt? The bland decor is nothing to write home about, but the food at this little eatery in the middle of hypermodern Temple Bar is as authentic as it is unique. Poleko squid (lightly spiced and barbecued in a tandoori oven and served in a sizzler) or lamb Choila (with fresh chilis, ginger, garlic, herbs, and a dash of red wine) are the more adventurous starters. For a main course try Mo Mo, dumplings served with Mo Mo chutney, a favorite street dish in Kathmandu. The wine cellar is surprisingly varied. | 28 Eustace St., Temple Bar | Dublin 2 | 01/670–4911 | www.montys.ie | AE, MC, V | No lunch.

The Tea Room.

$$–$$$ | MODERN IRISH | In the Clarence Hotel, you can sit around all day and hope that Bono and the boys of U2—they own the joint, after all—might turn up for a quick snack. Other stars of stage and screen often stay at the hotel and stop in at the Tea Room. Minimalistically hued in golden oak, eggshell white, and light yellows, the high-ceiling room is a perfect stage for off-duty celebs. The contrast between this high-vaulted cocoon and busy Essex Street—whose madding crowds can be glimpsed through the double-height windows—could not be more dramatic. The menu has been slimmed down in recent times with a focus on a smaller number of dramatic dishes like gingerbread crusted sea bass with cassoulet of coco bean or the soya glazed pork belly with wilted samphire and hazelnut. | Clarence Hotel,6–8 Wellington Quay, Temple Bar | Dublin 2 | 01/407–0813 | www.theclarence.ie | Reservations essential | AE, MC, V | No lunch Sat.

Toscana.

$$ | ITALIAN | A genuine trattoria in the heart of crazy Temple Bar, Toscana buzzes with chatter all evening long and offers a popular pretheater menu. A Mediterranean slant to the simple dining room includes plenty of Italian landscapes, cream tones, and wood. A typical starter is the panfried crab claws in garlic. The penne entrecote is strips of Irish beef panfried with onions, garlic, and olive oil and tossed in a plum tomato and cream sauce. The meat and pizza dishes are also always reliable and the Bailey’s cheesecake with chocolate sauce is a dessert that will have your taste buds tap dancing. | 3 Cork Hill, Dame St., Temple Bar | Dublin 2 | 01/670–9785 | www.toscana.ie | AE, DC, MC, V.

THE NORTHSIDE

101 Talbot.

$ | MEDITERRANEAN | Sardi’s it’s not, but the 101 has that certain buzz that comes only from restaurants popular with the artistic and literary set. Close to the Abbey and Gate theaters, so there’s no danger of missing a curtain call, this slightly frantic upstairs restaurant showcases an ever-changing exhibition of local artists’ work. The creative contemporary food—with eclectic Mediterranean and Eastern influences—uses fresh local ingredients. Try the slow roasted pork belly with red wine gravy and sautéed cabbage. The roast red peppers stuffed with spicy curried lentils also impresses. Healthful options and several vegetarian choices make this a highly versatile restaurant. | 101 Talbot St., Northside | Dublin 1 | 01/874–5011 | www.101talbot.ie | Reservations essential | AE, MC, V | Closed Sun. and Mon.

Fodor’s Choice | Chapter One.

$$$$ | MODERN IRISH | This wonderful, culture-vulture favorite gets its name from its location, downstairs in the vaulted, stone-wall basement of the Dublin Writers Museum; the natural stone-and-wood setting makes it cozily cavelike. The contemporary French eatery is currently the culinary king of the Northside, thanks to chef-proprietor Ross Lewis’s way with such dishes as breast of guinea fowl, with creamed spinach, Perigord truffle, and cheesed macaroni. W. B. Yeats himself would have loved the John Dory overflowing with crushed Jerusalem artichoke, Morteau sausage, and poached shellfish, while Synge probably would have fancied the Dublin version of Proust’s madeleine: rich bread-and-butter pudding, a favorite of working-class Irish mothers for generations, here turned into an outrageously filling work of art. | 18–19 Parnell Sq., Northside | Dublin 1 | 01/873–2266 | www.chapteronerestaurant.com | Reservations essential | AE, DC, MC, V | Closed Sun. and Mon. No lunch Sat.

Fodor’s Choice | Enoteca delle Langhe.

¢ | ITALIAN | Officially called Quartier Bloom in tribute to Joyce’s most famous character, a charming little (very little) Italian quarter has sprung up just off Ormond Quay, bringing a chorus of approval from Dubliners long starved of quality, down-to-earth Italian food. It consists of a communal plaza area, a fabulous mural that’s a modern take on Leonardo da Vinci’s The Last Supper, and a couple of places to eat, including Enoteca delle Langhe. Italian-owned and -operated, Langhe serves up the full enoteca experience: quality, affordable Italian wines (more than 75% are sourced from the Langhe district); a limited but enticing selection of appetizers—try the perfect bruschetta with scrumptious toppings like sun-dried-tomato pesto and sautéed zucchini—warm, friendly, family-style service; and a constant buzz in the air. In summer tango dancers perform outside. | Blooms La., Northside | Dublin 1 | 01/888–0834 | AE, MC, V.

Halo.

$$$ | MODERN IRISH | Judges from the nearby Four Courts rest their wigs on empty seats while the fashion crowd chats over multicolor drinks at this chic restaurant in the even chicer Morrison Hotel. A restyling has slightly softened the severity of the soaring ceiling and minimalism of the dramatic two-story dining room, devised by fashion designer John Rocha. It looks its best at night: moody and mysterious. European fusion is the tag new chef Richie Wilson gives his menu. Seafood is the focus of his star dishes; the fillet of turbot with Iberian ham, truffle sauce, and a lentil stew is a rich and warm favorite. For a starter try the seared scallops with confit of suckling pig with apple puree. As a fitting finale, desserts are miniature works of art on enormous china platters. | Morrison Hotel, Ormond Quay, Northside | Dublin 1 | 01/887–2400 | www.morrisonhotel.ie | AE, DC, MC, V | No lunch.

Hop House.

$ | KOREAN | A unique Korean standout in the slew of cheap and cheerful Chinese eateries that have opened on Parnell Street (some local wags are already calling it Chinatown), Hop House is a restaurant and a pub in one. Part of the old Shakespeare pub has been transformed into the friendliest, best-value new restaurant in the city. The dining room is bright and busy, with little table buzzers for service and the sounds of music spilling over from the bar next door. Traditional Korean specialties like kimchi are augmented with a large selection of sushi rolls, including the mouthwatering Black Tiger Roll with avocado, crab meat, eel, and teriyaki sauce. Hot dishes include spicy pork and squid. | 160 Parnell St., Northside | Dublin 1 | 01/872–8318 | MC, V.

Il Vignardo.

$ | ITALIAN | Sometimes when it comes to dining, the where is more important than the what. Il Vignardo serves some of Dublin’s tastiest cheap and cheerful pizzas and pasta, but it’s the unique decor that elevates this place a little above the rest. The dramatically vaulted ceilings, painted with creeping vines and branches, burst into bloom as they rise from Tuscan columns and evoke thoughts of Italian vineyards and sunshine. Outside, the sheltered courtyard garden, a real oasis in a city-center setting, is perfect for summer dining or just a little aperitif. If you want to spend a little extra, try the bread-crumbed chicken fillet topped with tomato and mozzarella. But who can resist the lasagna, served up with minced Irish beef? |Hotel Isaccs, Store St., Northside | Dublin 1 | 01/855–3099 | www.ilvignardo.com | AE, MC, V | No lunch weekends.

Kingfisher.

¢ | IRISH | Don’t let the down-at-heel canteen decor put you off—this place has been around for a long time and is a master of the art of fish-and-chips. But there’s so much more to a mammoth value menu full of seafood surprises like such Dublin favorites as cod and ray (or more unusual choices like halibut). They even serve up a whole sea bass and rainbow trout. Their huge Irish breakfasts have won awards and all the meats come fresh from the owners’ own farm. The Northside locals love this place and give it a lively, community atmosphere. | 166–168 Parnell St., Northside | Dublin 1 | 01/872–8732 | MC, V.

Soup Dragon.

¢ | IRISH | This tiny café and take-out soup shop serves an astonishing array of fresh soups daily. Soups come in three sizes, and you can get vegetarian soup or soups with meat- or fish-based broth. Best bets include red pepper, tomato, and goat cheese soup; fragrant Thai chicken soup; beef chili; and hearty mussel, potato, and leek soup. The friendly staff make fine coffee and delicious smoothies. The cost of soup includes bread and a piece of fruit for dessert—an excellent value—and they also do a decent grab-and-go breakfast. A second Soup Dragon has just opened around the corner on Ormond Quay. | 168 Capel St., Northside | Dublin 1 | 01/872–3277 | www.soupdragon.com | No credit cards | Closed Sun. No dinner.

The Vaults.

$ | ITALIAN | Come eat under the train station. Not exactly the best sales pitch you’ve ever heard, but this wonderful, long-neglected space beneath Connolly Station was imaginatively revamped to create one of the city’s most fashionable dining spots. Cavernous arches, smooth Portland stone floors, striking furniture, and dramatic lighting create the background for a mostly young business set. Each of the vaults is decorated in its own style, ranging from hypermodern to turn-of-the-20th-century elegant. Cocktails are a specialty, although it’s worth a visit for the food alone. The Italian chef makes everything from scratch, including the pizza dough. A wide-ranging menu covers light snack options alongside more substantial dishes like the house pizza, a blend of tomato, mozzarella, prawns, red onion, and herbs. Be sure to leave room for the excellent bread-and-butter pudding. Note that dinner is served only until 8. | Harbourmaster Pl., Northside | Dublin 1 | 01/605–4700 | www.thevaults.ie | AE, MC, V | Closed weekends.

Fodor’s Choice | The Winding Stair.

$$ | IRISH | A dark cloud hung over Dublin when one of its favorite secondhand bookshop-cafés, The Winding Stair, was set to close. But the silver lining appeared in the form of this atmospheric, buzzing little restaurant, which reemerged in the old space, replete with a downstairs bookshop and the well-worn name. Upstairs, former habitués will enjoy seeing the old bookcases around the walls (some of which are now stacked with wine). To get the real feel for the place try to get a table looking out over the Ha’penny Bridge and the slow-flowing river beneath. Traditional Irish food re-created with an adventurous twist best describes the terrific menu, which is greatly helped by organic credentials, as nearly everything on the menu is locally sourced. The corned beef and crispy cabbage with mustard sauce is a standout, as is the roasted Jerusalem artichoke and cauliflower crumble with vintage Irish cheddar sauce and baby spinach salad. An inventive wine list and a wonderful Irish farmhouse cheese selection are two more treats on offer. If your sweet tooth is acting up try the mind-blowing bread-and-butter pudding for dessert. | 40 Lower Ormond Quay, Northside | Dublin 1 | 01/872–7320 | www.winding-stair.com | AE, MC, V.

SOUTH DUBLIN: THE GRAND CANAL AND BALLSBRIDGE

French Paradox.

$ | FRENCH | Like the people of the south of France who inspired the place, relaxed but stylish would best describe the decor and dining at this little restaurant above a wineshop. French Paradox has found a real niche in the Dublin scene. Wine buffs, Francophiles, and gourmets flock here for the hearty traditional fare and Mediterranean environment. Share the assiette le fond de barrique, a selection of charcuterie, pâté, and cheese, or perhaps indulge in a selection of cured Irish fish or a choice from the foie gras menu. Select a nice bottle from the ground-floor wineshop (mostly French labels) and sip it in situ for a mere €8 corkage fee along with a few “French tapas.” Seating is limited. | 53 Shelbourne Rd., Ballsbridge | Dublin 4 | 01/660–4068 | www.thefrenchparadox.com | Reservations essential | AE, MC, V | Closed Sun.

O’Connells.

$$$ | MODERN IRISH | When it comes to cooking, pedigree counts. Owner Tom O’Connell is a brother to Ireland’s favorite celebrity chef, Darina Allen, famed for her “slow food” Ballymaloe Cookery School in Cork. Tom, now located in a brand-new dining room at the Ballsbridge Court hotel, follows the family blueprint by showcasing locally produced meats and game that can be traced to their source (in many cases, an individual farm). Add to this a focus on fresh Irish produce and you have the makings of a feast that is deliriously, quintessentially Irish. Spiced beef is prepared according to an old Cork recipe, salmon fillet is “hot smoked” by the restaurant itself, while Ashe’s Annascaul Black Pudding is handmade on the Dingle peninsula. You can also try the spit-roasted duck (carved at your table) or the breaded free-range Irish pork schnitzel—or an omelet made from organic eggs from free-range chickens, with peppers, zucchini, and a sweet chili sauce. A tremendous selection of fresh breads is on display in the open kitchen, which turns into a buffet for breakfast and lunch. The cheese board is a who’s who of Irish farmhouse cheeses, including the Ferguson family’s tangy Gubbeen. | Ballsbridge Court Hotel, Lansdowne Rd., Ballsbridge | Dublin 4 | 01/665–5940 | www.oconnellsballsbridge.com | AE, DC, MC, V.

Seasons.

$$$$ | MODERN IRISH | Although the restaurant at the Dublin branch of the vaunted Four Seasons hotel took a little time to find its feet in and out of the kitchen, it has finally staked its claim in Dublin’s dining scene—Sunday brunch has become a ritual for many well-to-do Dublin Southsiders. Highly dramatic dishes, served in the large and slightly overwhelming silver-service dining room, creatively incorporate local (and often organic) ingredients. A starter of Dublin Bay prawns with fresh mint, mango, and cashew salad might be followed by twice-cooked duck breast with poached mango, stir-fired Asian greens, and chili caramel. Sommelier Simon Keegan is one of the best in the country. | Four Seasons Hotel, Simmonscourt Rd., Ballsbridge | Dublin 4 | 01/665–4642 | www.fourseasons.com/dublin | Reservations essential | AE, DC, MC, V.

DUBLIN WEST

Burdock’s.

¢ | IRISH | Old man Burdock has moved on and the place hasn’t been the same since. But the hordes still join the inevitable queue at Dublin’s famous take-out fish-and-chips shop, right next door to the Lord Edward pub. You can eat in the gardens of St. Patrick’s Cathedral, a five-minute walk away. Fresh cod is a classic, and the battered sausage a particular Dublin favorite, but the real stars here are the long, thick, freshly cut chips, which have a slightly smoky aftertaste. | 2 Werburgh St., Dublin West | Dublin 8 | 01/454–0306 | No credit cards.

Gallic Kitchen.

¢ | CAFÉ | Canny Dubliners make regular pilgrimages to Sarah Webb’s bakery, where some of the best pastries in town are available daily. There’s no seating in this powerhouse patisserie, but long counters allow space for perching your coffee and tucking into the finest sweet and savory treats. Pop in for a morning coffee and a pear tart; try the quiche or salmon roulade with homemade salsa for lunch; or simply take afternoon tea with a scrumptious scone. Expect queues at lunchtime, and be sure to buy in bulk for the tastiest take-out picnic in town. | 49 Francis St., Liberties | Dublin 8 | 01/454–4912 | www.gallickitchen.com | MC, V | Closed Sun. No dinner.

Just Off Francis.

¢ | CONTINENTAL | If there is a gastronomic silver lining from the economic downturn it may be the great-value, quality little eateries springing up in a new, lower-rent environment like the Liberties. Started by two enterprising local lads, this tiny Italian-inspired spot keeps the choices simple—salads, pastas, plus a few select mains and starters—and the prices low. But that doesn’t prevent satisfying appetizers or “smalls” like the creamy seafood chowder or the always-changing bread-and-dips combo. From the “bigs” list try the Italian sausage and cream mash with cider gravy. ’Tis a great place for a salad or sandwich lunch. | 78 Thomas St., Liberties | Dublin 8 | 01/473–8807 | www.justofffrancis.ie | MC, V | Closed Sun.

Lord Edward.

$$ | SEAFOOD | Culinary trends and fashions may come and go but Dublin’s oldest seafood restaurant remains resolutely traditional. On the cozy top floor above a lovely old bar of the same name, the Lord Edward looks out on the front entrance of Christ Church Cathedral. They do a mean Irish stew but the stars here are definitely the seafood dishes, usually smothered in a totally unhip but delicious, calorie-packed creamy sauce. The salmon and the cod are two favorites, and the lobster Mornay is also special. | 23 Christ Church Pl., Dublin West | Dublin 8 | 01/454–2420 | www.lordedward.ie | AE, MC, V | Closed Sun. No lunch Sat.

PHOENIX PARK AND ENVIRONS

Nancy Hands.

$$ | ECLECTIC | It’s a fine line to walk: to re-create tradition without coming across like a theme bar. Happily, Nancy Hands just about pulls it off. A galleylike room juxtaposes old wood, raw brick, and antiques with contemporary art to create a convivial, cozy dining area. The bar food is good, but the upstairs restaurant operates on a more serious level. Hearty specialties include scallops of turkey panfried with wild mushrooms and served with a creamy penne pasta and the leg of rabbit with steamed dumplings. Numerous wines are served by the glass, and the selection of spirits is one of the most impressive in the country. | 30–32 Parkgate St., Dublin West | Dublin 8 | 01/677–0149 | www.nancyhands.ie | Reservations essential | MC, V.

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City Center: The Southside | Southeast Dublin: Around Merrion Square | Temple Bar | The Northside | South Dublin: The Grand Canal and Ballsbridge | Dublin West

THE SCENE

The economic slowdown has abruptly halted the “absolute avalanche of new hotels” as the Irish Times characterized Dublin’s accommodation boom. But visitors still have an impressive choice of elegant lodgings all over the city, including the classy and intimate La Stampa on Dawson Street, the totally revamped landmarks of the Shelbourne and the Wesbury, and some tempting choices found in Ballsbridge, an inner “suburb” that’s a 20-minute walk from the city center. For something uniquely Dublin, you can always stay at one of the elegant guesthouses that occupy former Georgian town houses found on both sides of the Liffey.

The current recession means prices are falling rapidly, especially at the high and medium end, and Dublin now has a good selection of quality affordable accommodations, including many moderately priced hotels with basic but agreeable rooms. Most guesthouses, long the mainstay of the economy end of the market, have thankfully upgraded their facilities and now provide rooms with private bathrooms or showers, as well as cable color televisions, direct-dial telephones, and Internet connections. The bigger hotels are all equipped with in-room data ports or Wi-Fi. If you’ve rented a car and you’re not staying at a hotel with parking, it’s worth considering a location out of the city center, such as Dalkey or Killiney, where the surroundings are more pleasant and you won’t have to worry about parking on city streets.

WHAT IT COSTS in euros

FOR TWO PEOPLE

¢

under €80

$

€80–€120

$$

€121–€170

$$$

€171–€210

$$$$

over €210

Prices are for a standard double room in high season, including V.A.T. and a service charge (often applied in larger hotels). Most hotels operate on the European Plan (EP), with no meals included in the basic room rate, or, if indicated, with Breakfast Plan (BP).

PRICES

A reduction in demand for rooms means that Dublin’s high rates have fallen somewhat but are still in line with the best hotels of any major European or North American city (and factoring in the exchange rate means a hotel room can take a substantial bite out of your budget). Service charges range from 15% in expensive hotels to zero in moderate and inexpensive ones. Be sure to inquire when you make reservations.

As a general rule of thumb, lodgings on the north side of the River Liffey tend to be more affordable than those on the south. Bed-and-breakfasts charge as little as €46 a night per person, but they tend to be in suburban areas—generally a 15-minute bus ride from the center of the city. This is not in itself a great drawback, and savings can be significant. Many hotels have a weekend, or “B&B,” rate that’s often 30% to 40% cheaper than the ordinary rate; some hotels also have a midweek special that provides discounts of up to 35%. These rates are available throughout the year but are harder to get in high season. Ask about them when booking a room (they are available only on a prebooked basis), especially if you plan a brief or weekend stay. Finally, don’t be afraid to haggle, especially in the off-season.

Fodor’s offers a selective listing of high-quality lodging experiences at every price range, from the city’s best budget options to its most sophisticated luxury hotel. Here, we’ve compiled our top recommendations by price and experience. The very best properties—those that provide a particularly remarkable experience—are designated with a Fodor’s Choice symbol.

CITY CENTER: THE SOUTHSIDE

Brooks.

$$$–$$$$ | Even though it has nearly 100 rooms, the Brooks likes to describe itself as a boutique property, and it does manage to convey the classy, personal touch of a much smaller establishment. A two-minute walk from Grafton Street, it is the perfect place to sit and recover if the Irish rain plays havoc with your plans: public spaces and the bar are warm and full of leather chairs, high-veneer oak paneling, and decorative bookcases. The rooms are bright if a little functional, with cream and beige tones. The beds are so big you could get lost in them, and each comes with a five-choice “pillow menu.” Situated so near to the Gaiety Theatre, the hotel’s Jasmin Bar is the ideal spot for a pre- or post-theater drink. Pros: next to Grafton Street; live piano music in bar; rooms refurbished every six years. Cons: ugly, office-block exterior; business clientele makes for slightly flat atmosphere; standard rooms on small side. | Drury St., Southside | Dublin 2 | 01/670–4000 | www.brookshotel.ie | 98 rooms | In-room: a/c, DVD, Wi-Fi. In-hotel: restaurant, bar, gym, parking (paid) | AE, DC, MC, V.

Fodor’s Choice | Central Hotel.

$$–$$$ | Every modern city needs its little oasis, and the Central’s book-and-armchair-filled Library Bar—warmed by a Victorian fireplace—nicely fits the bill. Established in 1887, this grand, old-style redbrick spot is in the heart of the city center, steps from Grafton Street and Temple Bar. Guest rooms are snug and pretty simple, with flocked bedspreads, racing paintings, and 19th-century bric-a-brac. The stately hotel dining room beguiles with its pastel-green walls, bookcases, and gilt-frame pictures. Pros: delightful Library Bar; original 1887 facade; old-fashioned feel. Cons: rooms a bit snug; street noise in some rooms; bad form—you have to prepay up front! | 1–5 Exchequer St., Southside | Dublin 2 | 01/679–7302 | www.centralhotel.ie | 67 rooms, 3 suites | In-room: a/c, Wi-Fi. In-hotel: restaurant, bar | AE, MC, V | BP.

Grafton House.

$–$$ | A stone’s throw from the famous shopping street that gave it its name, this Victorian Gothic–style building has been tastefully transformed into one of central Dublin’s best bargains. The guest rooms are a little cramped, but they’re brightly decorated with cheerful pine furnishings, and the small size of the place ensures warm, friendly service. The rooms vary in size, but not price, so be bold and ask for a bigger one. They are simply decorated, with original wood floors, and occasional quirky, individual touches like exposed beams. Pros: best value in city center; warm, unfussy service; simple but cool design. Cons: some rooms are cramped; can suffer from street noise; no elevator. | 26–27 S. Great George’s St., Southside | Dublin 2 | 01/679–2041 | www.graftonguesthouse.com | 16 rooms | In-room: no a/c, Wi-Fi. In-hotel: Wi-Fi hotspot | AE, MC, V | BP.

Fodor’s Choice | Kelly’s Hotel.

$ | With buzzing Hogan’s bar and the classy L’Gueuleton restaurant right downstairs, this cool little hotel is already at the epicenter of trendy Dublin living. Situated in an original Victorian redbrick, the standard rooms are small and quirky, but devoid of clutter with an all white and no-fuss design broken up with a few colorful lamps and candleholders; there’s a real cozy, authentic Dublin feel to each one of them. If you feel like splurging just a little, the penthouse suite has two roomier bedrooms and great views down the busy street. Pros: killer city-center location; one of the city’s best restaurants downstairs; great spot to bump into interesting Dubliners. Cons: some rooms are cramped; can suffer from street noise; no elevator. | 36 S. Great George’s St., Southside | Dublin 2 | 01/648–0010 | www.kellysdublin.com | 15 rooms, 2 suites | In-room: no a/c, Wi-Fi. In-hotel: Wi-Fi hotspot | MC, V | BP.

Fodor’s Choice | Shelbourne.

$$$$ | Paris has the Ritz, New York has the Pierre, and Dublin has the Shelbourne. Resplendent in its broad, ornamented, pink-and-white, mid-Victorian facade, this grande dame of Stephen’s Green has reopened after a no-expense-spared, head-to-toe, two-year renovation. Long famed as the Dublin home of the nation’s literati, the hotel has been immortalized by authors running from Thackeray to Elizabeth Bowen. The Constitution of the Irish Free State was framed within its venerable walls, and almost as venerable a tradition was to take tea in the Lord Mayor’s Lounge, just off the towering, marble-floor, cream-and-crystal lobby with its gilded pillars and brass candelabras. Having grown a little long in the tooth, however, the Shelbourne transformed its public spaces with original, daring furniture, textiles, and colors. Today, the most sumptuous place in town has just gotten more so—too bad most of the patina is gone. The shock of the new begins in the lobby, where the Irish Chippendale chairs have given way to contempo Irish art. Happily, the guest rooms are almost as luxurious as the lobby, with the marble bathrooms a real tactile pleasure. Rooms in front overlook the Green (one of Dublin’s squares more blighted than most by modern development); those in the back, without a view, are quieter. Pros: afternoon tea in Lord Mayor’s Lounge; Irish art worth gazing at; all-around luxury. Cons: some noise in front rooms; pricey; feels a little stuffy at times. | 27 St. Stephen’s Green, Southside | Dublin 2 | 01/663–4500; 800/543–4300 in U.S. | www.marriott.co.uk | 246 rooms, 19 suites | In-room: a/c, refrigerator, Wi-Fi. In-hotel: restaurant, bars | AE, DC, MC, V.

Westbury.

$$$$ | Glowing after a major face-lift and a favorite with the platinum credit-card set, this luxurious, chandelier-filled, modern hotel is just off Grafton Street, the shopping mecca of Dublin. You can join elegantly dressed Dubliners for afternoon tea in The Gallery, the spacious mezzanine-level main lobby, furnished with a grand piano and a great view out onto the busy streets. Newly refurbished rooms boast handmade Irish furniture and carpets, plus duck-down duvets. Most inviting are the suites, which combine four-poster bed opulence with a very understated, sleek look. The strangely titled Wilde–The Restaurant serves lunches and dinners; while the street-level bar and brasserie Café Novo goes for a more relaxed menu and feel. Pros: prime people-watching from The Gallery; great shopping location just off Grafton Street; the Art Deco glamour of the Marble bar. Cons: tries a little too hard to be posh; right in the center of the city’s bustle. | Grafton St., Southside | Dublin 2 | 01/679–1122 | www.doylecollection.com | 187 rooms, 18 suites | In-room: a/c, refrigerator, Internet. In-hotel: 2 restaurants, bar, gym, Wi-Fi hotspot, parking (paid) | AE, DC, MC, V.

Westin Dublin.

$$$$ | If you’ve ever dreamed of spending the night in a bank, here’s your chance. Reconstructed from three 19th-century landmark buildings (including a former bank) across the road from Trinity College, the Westin is all about location. The public spaces re-create a little of the splendor of yesteryear: marble pillars, tall mahogany doorways, blazing fireplaces, and period detailing on the walls and ceilings. The bedrooms, on the other hand, are functional and small, with crisp, white Indian linen and custom-made beds the only luxurious touches. The rooms that overlook Trinity College are a little more expensive, but the chance to watch the students in a leisurely game of cricket on a summer weekend makes all the difference. The Exchange restaurant and Mint Bar are in the original vaults of the bank. Pros: beside Temple Bar but not in Temple Bar; overlooks Trinity College; in-room spa treatments. Cons: on a busy traffic corner; windowless, uninviting bar; mediocre restaurants. | College Green, Southside | Dublin 2 | 01/645–1000 | www.thewestindublin.com | 141 rooms, 22 suites | In-room: a/c, refrigerator, Wi-Fi. In-hotel: restaurant, bars, gym, parking (paid) | AE, DC, MC, V.

SOUTHEAST DUBLIN: AROUND MERRION SQUARE

Conrad Dublin International.

$$$$ | Ask for—no, insist on—a room on one of the top three floors. The best thing about the ugly-on-the-outside, seven-story, redbrick and smoked-glass Conrad is the spectacular views out over the city. Just off St. Stephen’s Green, the Conrad firmly aims for international business travelers. Gleaming light-color marble graces the large formal lobby. Rooms are rather cramped but are nicely outfitted with natural-wood furnishings, painted in sand colors and pastel greens, and have Spanish marble in the bathrooms. A note to light sleepers: the air-conditioning/heating system can be noisy. The Alex restaurant specializes in seafood and Alfie Byrne’s is a slightly fake “Dublin pub.” Pros: Gary the concierge; great views on higher floors; marble bathrooms. Cons: drab, 1970s-style corridors; slightly cramped standard rooms; poor views on lower floors. | Earlsfort Terr., Southeast Dublin | Dublin 2 | 01/676–5555 | www.conradhotels.com | 182 rooms, 10 suites | In-room: a/c, refrigerator, Internet. In-hotel: restaurant, bars, gym, Wi-Fi hotspot, parking (paid) | AE, DC, MC, V.

Kilronan House.

$–$$ | A good guesthouse should cheer you up when you come home at the end of a long day’s touring. This large, mid-19th-century terraced house with a glorious, elegant white facade will bring a smile to your face every time. The ground-floor sitting room is a real cozy winter treat when a big fire is on. Some of the rooms are quite basic, in cream and beige, but they are all airy and bright, and the richly patterned wallpaper and carpets and orthopedic beds (rather rare in Dublin guesthouses) give them a touch of class. The guesthouse is a five-minute walk from St. Stephen’s Green. Pros: great price for location; beautiful, calming facade; cozy sitting room. Cons: public areas a bit worn; uncreative room furnishings; no Internet in rooms; no elevator. | 70 Adelaide Rd., Southeast Dublin | Dublin 2 | 01/475–5266 | www.kilronanhousehotel.com | 12 rooms | In-room: no a/c. In-hotel: Wi-Fi hotspot, parking (free) | MC, V.

Fodor’s Choice | La Stampa.

$$–$$$ | Definitely a good thing in a small and very pretty package, this intimate town-house hotel, above the ever-popular and spectacular Balzac restaurant and 50 yards from Trinity College, is one of the classiest recent arrivals on the Dublin scene. Each suite is individually decorated with an Asian theme—lots of wood, simple color schemes, and velvet bedspreads imported from Paris add to the luxury. Balzac is a vast and soigné brasserie; even more eye-catching is Samsara, a Moroccan-theme bar that is a fantasia of tin chandeliers, multihued stained glass, and oh-so-sexy ambience. There is even a little luxury spa with Eastern treatments. For the price, there are few better spots in town. Pros: great luxury for the price; choice of three quality restaurants; spa oasis in the city. Cons: small hotel fills up quickly; no parking; one could overdose on the Asian theme. | 35 Dawson St., Southeast Dublin | Dublin 2 | 01/677–4444 | www.lastampa.ie | 23 rooms, 5 suites | In-room: a/c, refrigerator, DVD, Wi-Fi. In-hotel: 3 restaurants, spa | AE, DC, MC, V.

Fodor’s Choice | Merrion.

$$$$ | Arthur Wellesley, the Duke of Wellington and hero of Waterloo, once famously commented when queried about his Irish birth: “Just because a man is born in a stable doesn’t make him a horse.” His “stable,” directly across from Government Buildings between Stephen’s Green and Merrion Square, is one of the four exactingly restored Georgian town houses that make up this luxurious hotel. Some of the stately guest rooms are appointed in classic Georgian style—from the crisp linen sheets to the Carrara-marble bathrooms. Some are vaulted with delicate Adamesque plasterwork ceilings, and others are graced with magnificent, original marble fireplaces. Still, the decor is almost too spiffy—if this is the 18th century, it has been buffed to a shiny 21st-century gloss—so, to fully enjoy the historic patina, opt for one of the more authentic rooms in the Main House at the front. The staff are obviously accustomed to dealing with heads of state and royalty, so ladies shouldn’t be surprised if they are addressed as “Madame.” And all will enjoy the hotel’s little spa, a perfect place to unwind. Clearly, this place must be very special, since leading Dublin restaurateur Patrick Guilbaud has moved his eponymous and fabulous restaurant here. Pros: Patrick Guilbaud restaurant; infinity pool; city-center location; attentive staff. Cons: you’ll pay extra for a room in the original house; rooms are over-decorated; overly attentive staff. | Upper Merrion St., Southeast Dublin | Dublin 2 | 01/603–0600 | www.merrionhotel.com | 123 rooms, 19 suites | In-room: a/c, safe, DVD, Internet, Wi-Fi | AE, DC, MC, V.

Fodor’s Choice | Number 31.

$$$$ | Arguably the most unique and authentic Georgian accommodation Dublin has to offer is in the old home of Sam Stephenson, Dublin’s most famous and highly controversial modernist architect. He strikingly renovated two Georgian mews in the early 1960s as a private home. They are now connected via a small but beautiful garden to the grand house they once served. Together they form a one-in-a-million guesthouse a short walk from St. Stephen’s Green, which gives you a choice of bedroom styles: sublime Georgian elegance or serene cool modern. Exhausted but exuberant after a grand renovation, owners Deirdre and Noel Comer are gracious hosts who serve made-to-order breakfasts at refectory tables in the balcony dining room (try the homemade cranberry bread). The white-tile sunken living room, with its black leather sectional sofa and modern artwork that includes a David Hockney print, may make you think you’re in California. If that essay in Wallpaper doesn’t send you, you’ll be happy enough ensconced in one of the period-style guest rooms, one of which—No. 21—has a ceiling so lofty and corniced even a royal would feel at home. Pros: the king and queen of guesthouse hosts; serene decor and art; best breakfast in the city. Cons: a few rooms can be a little noisy; no elevator; a little pricey in the current market. | 31 Leeson Close, Southeast Dublin | Dublin 2 | 01/676–5011 | www.number31.ie | 21 rooms | In-room: no a/c, DVD, Wi-Fi. In-hotel: parking (free) | AE, MC, V.

Premier Suites Dublin.

$$–$$$ | Get a top-floor suite at this modernized Georgian town house just off St. Stephen’s Green and lord it over the whole Southside. The suites, considerably larger than the average hotel room, include one or two bedrooms, a separate sitting room, a fully equipped kitchen, washing machine, and bath. You can request two single beds in one of the rooms, so this place is great for families. Pros: top-floor suites have spectacular city views; ground-floor suites have private entrances. Cons: decor is modern, motel-functional. | 14–17 Lower Leeson St., Southeast Dublin | Dublin 2 | 01/638–1111 | www.premiersuitesdublin.com | 30 suites | In-room: a/c, kitchen, Wi-Fi. In-hotel: parking (paid) | AE, MC, V.

TEMPLE BAR

Arlington Temple Bar.

$–$$ | As with many Dublin hotels, the interior of the Arlington doesn’t quite live up to the fabulous facade of one of Dublin’s finest Edwardian buildings. Inside, the atmosphere is very much functional and appeals primarily to a business clientele—drawn by the location near the Central Bank and Trinity College. But rooms are a good size, with a simple, slightly monotonous beige and off-white color scheme. The Forum bar keeps up the democratic theme with a reliable selection of bar food. Pros: beautiful Edwardian facade; good price for Temple Bar; near a few good music bars. Cons: rooms purely functional; public spaces slightly worn; mainly business clientele. | Lord Edward St., Temple Bar | Dublin 2 | 01/670–8777 | www.arlingtonhoteltemplebar.com | 63 rooms | In-room: no a/c. In-hotel: bar, Wi-Fi hotspot | AE, MC, V.

The Clarence.

$$$$ | If coolness is contagious you might want a room at Temple Bar’s most prestigious hotel. You might well bump into celebrity friends of co-owners Bono and the Edge of U2. Dating to 1852, the grand old hotel was given a total, no-expense-spared overhaul by its new owners in the early 1990s. The unique shapes and Arts-and-Crafts style of the old hotel were maintained in the Octagon Bar and the elegant Tea Room restaurant. Guest rooms, with Shaker-style furniture, are a bit disappointing, decorated in a mishmash of earth tones accented with deep purple, gold, cardinal red, and royal blue. With the exception of those in the penthouse suite, rooms are small. The laissez-faire service seems to take its cue from the minimalist style, so if you like to be pampered, stay elsewhere. Pros: stylish Octagon Bar; the owners might be on-premises; Tea Room restaurant. Cons: rooms a bit small; some rooms suffer from street noise; paying a premium for “cool.” | 6–8 Wellington Quay, Temple Bar | Dublin 2 | 01/407–0800 | www.theclarence.ie | 44 rooms, 5 suites | In-room: a/c, refrigerator, DVD, Internet, Wi-Fi. In-hotel: restaurant, bar, gym, Wi-Fi hotspot, parking (paid) | AE, DC, MC, V.

The Morgan.

$$–$$$ | A sparkling gem among a lot of very drab hotels in Temple Bar, the Morgan boasts about its chic design and decor, and the individually designed bedrooms and luxurious, colorful bathrooms are indeed pleasing to the eye. It is the hotel’s extended-stay suites, however, that really set it apart from the crowd. With a fully equipped kitchen and a spacious, gadget-filled living room, you can hunker down and make yourself comfortable for a week or two. The generously heated outside courtyard is perfect for cocktails. Pros: individually, excitingly designed bathrooms; great cocktail bar; extended-stay apartments are good value. Cons: a little over-designed in places; no parking; no restaurant. | 10 Fleet St., Temple Bar | Dublin 2 | 01/643–7000 | www.themorgan.com | 107 rooms, 14 suites | In-room: no a/c (some), refrigerator, Wi-Fi. In-hotel: bar | AE, DC, MC, V.

Paramount.

$$–$$$ | Classic 1930s American movies seem to have been the inspiration for the look of this medium-size hotel in the heart of Temple Bar. They opted to maintain its classy Victorian facade, but the flashy wooden entrance looks more New York than London. The foyer continues this theme of Empire elegance with incredibly comfortable leather couches, bleached-blond-oak floors, and burgundy curtains. Dark woods and subtle colors decorate the bedrooms—again, very 1930s (if not Bogie and Bacall). If you’re fond of a tipple, try the hotel’s Art Deco Turks Head Bar and Chop House. Pros: stylish, integrated design; right in the heart of Temple Bar’s action; good value during the week. Cons: street noise can be a problem; no a/c; fills up on weekends. | Parliament St. and Essex Gate, Temple Bar | Dublin 2 | 01/417–9900 | www.paramounthotel.ie | 64 rooms | In-room: no a/c, Wi-Fi. In-hotel: restaurant, bar | AE, MC, V.

THE NORTHSIDE

Academy Plaza Hotel.

$–$$ | This modern, architecturally uninspiring hotel has been getting rave reviews since a major revamp trebled its size and seriously upgraded its rooms and services. Being just off O’Connell Street in a slightly unfashionable neighborhood means you get lots comfort at less than the Southside price. Rooms have a finished, contemporary feel with extra-large beds and rich rust and beige color schemes. Little touches like free newspapers and perfectly sound-insulated windows make you feel like you’re being take care of. The main restaurant offers an Asian menu and Sir Harry’s bar has a warm, relaxed vibe. Pros: great sound proofing; newly renovated; choice of restaurants. Cons: unfashionable location; rooms are not huge; bland exterior. | 10–14 Findlater Pl., Northside | Dublin 1 | 01/878–0666 | www.academyplazahotel.ie | 273 rooms, 12 suites | In-room: a/c, refrigerator, Wi-Fi. In-hotel: 2 restaurants, bar, gym, parking (paid) | AE, MC, V.

Fodor’s Choice | Castle Hotel.

$–$$ | Staying in a good-value Georgian house on the Northside can be a hit-and-miss affair quality-wise, but the Castle has just undergone a major renovation, which makes the most of the lovely Georgian setting by maintaining the period staircases, original plasterwork, antique mirrors, and open fires in the winter. Some guest rooms are quite small but simply and smartly turned out. Try to get one in the original Georgian house, with a fireplace if possible and at the back to eliminate any street noise. Note that the Castle gets busy (and more expensive) when there are big games or concerts at Croke Park, but it is a great value the rest of the year. Pros: owner managed; great Georgian original features; newly renovated public areas. Cons: small rooms; some street noise; fee for parking. | Gardiner Row, Northside | Dublin 1 | 01/874–6949 | www.thecastlehotelgroup.com | 133 rooms | In-room: a/c, Wi-Fi. In-hotel: Wi-Fi hotspot, parking (paid) | MC, V.

Fodor’s Choice | Charleville Lodge.

$ | If Dublin’s city center is a Georgian wonder, a short commute out to the historic Phibsborough area of Dublin’s Northside will transport you to the elegantly Victorian 19th century. Here, in a row of beautifully restored terraced houses you can enjoy quality time in Charleville Lodge’s dramatically lighted residents’ lounge, complete with twinkling chandeliers, plush wing chairs, and a working fireplace. An antiquarian’s delight, this grand salon is a great spot to chat with other travelers who have dared to stray off the beaten path. Upstairs, guest rooms are simple but brightly colored, wide, and have refreshingly high ceilings. As for the commute, the No. 10 bus takes but five minutes and it’s even a great walk in good weather. All in all, this hostelry offers a touch of luxury at great value. Pros: outside the city-center hustle; antiquarian’s delight; near Phoenix Park. Cons: outside the city center; two-night minimum on some rooms in summer weekends; no elevator. | 268–272 N. Circular Rd., Northside, Phibsborough | Dublin 7 | 01/838–6633 | www.charlevillelodge.ie | 30 rooms | In-room: no a/c, Wi-Fi. In-hotel: Internet terminal, parking (free) | MC, V | BP.

Clarion Hotel IFSC.

$$–$$$ | Built with business guests in mind, this high-rise hotel has been a surprise hit with tourists. Smack in the middle of the International Financial Services Centre, the Clarion, with its office-block-like exterior, is indistinguishable from many of the financial institutions that surround it. The public spaces, however, are bright and cheery, if a little uninspired. The bedrooms—big by Dublin standards—are all straight lines and contemporary light-oak furnishings. Shades of blue and taupe do create a calm environment (the hotel claims its environment is guided by Eastern philosophy, no less), but for true serenity try to get a room at the front with great views out over the Liffey. Because the hotel mainly caters to business travelers, weekend bargains are a definite possibility—make sure you ask. Pros: weekend bargains available; room to swing a couple of cats in big rooms; area super-quiet at night. Cons: room design pretty functional; business clientele; area super-quiet (aka dead) at night. | IFSC, Northside | Dublin 1 | 01/433–8800 | www.clarionhotelifsc.com | 145 rooms, 17 suites | In-room: a/c, refrigerator, Wi-Fi. In-hotel: restaurant, bar, pool, gym, parking (paid) | AE, DC, MC, V.

Gresham.

$ | It originally opened in 1817 and it’s been ages since this O’Connell Street landmark was an up-market place to stay north of the river. Now, however, renovations and a drop in price have suddenly made the Gresham a solid city center option once again. Big beds are a major plus in the muted if unexciting room designs, and the bathrooms are roomy for price range. There’s an old-school touch about the ample facilities in each room and the laid-back but attentive service. Public spaces have a nice buzz about them and the bar is popular with locals out for the night. Try to get a room overlooking iconic O’Connell Street, though it may cost you a little extra.Pros: great value for city center; great views down O’Connell Street. Cons: bar and public areas can get busy; room design unexciting; extra charge for room with a view. | 23 Upper O’Connell St., Northside | Dublin 1 | 01/874–6881 | www.gresham-hotels.com | 279 rooms, 9 suites | In-room: a/c, refrigerator, Wi-Fi. In-hotel: restaurant, bar, gym, parking (paid) | AE, DC, MC, V.

Globetrotters Tourist Hostel.

¢–$ | Globetrotters is a reliable Dublin hostel, with a pleasant outdoor courtyard; reasonably clean, locking dorm rooms with en-suite showers; a turf (that is, not wood) fire; comfortable bunk beds (with lamps for late-night reading); and a delicious all-you-can-eat breakfast. Plus, you’re within walking distance of the city center, one block from the bus station, and two blocks from the train station. The owners also run Town House, a relaxed B&B in the same building, with double rooms and all the basic amenities. Pros: “cheap as chips” as the locals say; all-you-can-eat breakfast; attached to a B&B if you need more comfort. Cons: located in a slightly run-down part of the city; attracts a young, boisterous crowd; dorm living not for everyone. | 47–48 Lower Gardiner St., Northside | Dublin 1 | 01/878–8808 | www.globetrottersdublin.com | 94 dorm beds with shared bath, 38 double rooms | In-room: no a/c, no TV (some). In-hotel: restaurant, Wi-Fi hotspot | MC, V | BP.

Marian Guest House.

¢–$ | A veritable Everest of fine Irish meats, the Marian’s mighty full Irish breakfast, with black pudding and smoked bacon, is reason enough to stay at this family-run redbrick guesthouse just off beautiful Mountjoy Square (the whole family can speak Irish, by the way). The place has a real old-school Irish hospitality feel with only six rooms, so you get lots of attention and pampering. Rooms are fairly basic, but clean, bright, and pleasant. Pros: heart-stoppingly good breakfast; family-owned and -run; small. Cons: located in a slightly run-down part of the city; gets some street noise; fairly basic rooms. | 21 Upper Gardiner St., Northside | Dublin 1 | 01/874–4129 | www.marianguesthouse.ie | 6 rooms | In-room: no a/c | MC, V | BP.

The Morrison.

$$–$$$ | How do you make a Dublin hotel instantly trendy? Simple: get the country’s top fashion guru to design the interiors. John Rocha had the last word on everything at this über-modern trendsetting hotel, down to the toiletries and staff uniforms. Past the 18th-century Georgian facade, a new feng shui–inspired refurbishment adds a touch of Japanese elegance to the existing unfussy, almost Scandinavian style. The Georgian Suites have a warmer feel, thanks to wooden floors and large windows over the Liffey. Some visitors complain that the place leaves them a little cold, though others claim that in trying to be too cool the Morrison is as good as a London boutique hotel, though many times the size. Halo, the hotel’s nouvelle Irish restaurant, has a newly restyled, more relaxed feel with antique tables and velvet chairs, plus one of the most ambitiously delicious menus in town. Halfway between the Ha’penny and Capel Street bridges, the Morrison is no more than a 10-minute walk from Trinity College. Pros: people-watching-worthy cocktail bar; seriously designed rooms; experimental cuisine at Halo restaurant. Cons: tries a little too hard to be cool; located on busy road. | Ormond Quay, Northside | Dublin 1 | 01/887–2400 | www.morrisonhotel.ie | 120 rooms, 18 suites | In-room: a/c, refrigerator, Internet. In-hotel: restaurant, bars, parking (paid) | AE, DC, MC, V.

SOUTH DUBLIN: THE GRAND CANAL AND BALLSBRIDGE

Ariel Guest House.

$–$$ | The homemade preserves and oven-warm scones are reason enough to stay at this redbrick 1850 Victorian guesthouse in one of Dublin’s poshest tree-lined suburbs. It’s a few steps from a DART stop and a 15-minute walk from St. Stephen’s Green. Restored rooms in the main house are lovingly decorated with Georgian antiques, Victoriana, and period wallpaper and drapes. The 13 rooms at the back of the house are more spartan, but all are immaculate. A Waterford-crystal chandelier hangs over the comfortable leather and mahogany furniture in the gracious, fireplace-warmed drawing room where afternoon tea is served. Pros: four-poster beds in larger rooms; fantastic collection of Victoriana throughout the house; good price for smaller rooms. Cons: no longer run by owner; no elevator; a good walk to the city center. | 52 Lansdowne Rd., Ballsbridge | Dublin 4 | 01/668–5512 | www.ariel-house.net | 37 rooms | In-room: no a/c, Wi-Fi. In-hotel: Wi-Fi hotspot, parking (free) | MC, V | BP.

Burlington.

$$$–$$$$ | Another genuine institution saved by a failed property deal, Ireland’s largest hotel is one of those landmarks where nearly every Irish person seems to have spent at least one night (or so they claim). The hotel’s impersonal, 1972 glass-and-concrete facade is not very inviting, but newly refurbished public spaces use wooden floors and trimmings to take the edge off the uninspired building. The generous-size rooms, furnished in modern minimalist style, with neutral tones, have large picture windows. The Bellini Bar goes for a very chic cocktail-lounge look. Pros: a Dublin institution; large, light-filled rooms; part of a small, Irish-owned group. Cons: looks a little bit like a parking garage; staff not as experienced as they used to be; very big. | Upper Leeson St., Ballsbridge | Dublin 4 | 01/660–5222 | www.burlingtonhotel.ie | 500 rooms, 6 suites | In-room: a/c, refrigerator (some), Internet. In-hotel: 2 restaurants, bar, Wi-Fi hotspot, parking (free) | AE, DC, MC, V.

D4 Berkeley.

$–$$ | A collapsed property deal has seen the rebirth of this much-mourned Dublin favorite previously known as the Berkley Court. Old-school luxury has been replaced with a more modest, contemporary hotel experience, but the great value prices reflect this simpler outlook. The guest rooms are big and comfortable, if aesthetically uninspired in muted tones and soft fabrics. The ghosts of the great and the good who once stayed here stroll through the wood-panel lobby which retains a little of its old opulence. O’Connells restaurant is a top Dublin eatery and the Berkeley Bar is a twinkling piano joint with an open fire. Pros: great price for the upmarket location; facilities of nearby sister hotels available to guests; huge suites are good value for families. Cons: attracts a lot of conferences; service not as strong as it used to be. | Pembroke Rd., Ballsbridge | Dublin 4 | 01/668–4468 | www.d4hotels.ie | 173 rooms, 15 suites | In-room: a/c, refrigerator, Internet. In-hotel: restaurant, bar, Wi-Fi hotspot, parking (paid) | AE, MC, V.

Dylan.

$$$$ | “Sensual” is a word this luxury boutique hotel in an old Victorian building uses to describe itself, and it does have the feel of a place you might go for a naughty night with that someone special. The mysteriously lighted exterior looks beautiful at dusk. Inside, individually designed bedrooms feature leather padded walls, textured wallpaper, hypermodern furnishings, and seriously sexy beds (one room even has a mirror on the ceiling). It might be a little too much, but there’s no denying the place is unique and an interesting addition to the sometimes staid Dublin scene. The restaurant continues the over-the-top decor with a lavish 1940s glam look, but the food is a little hit or miss. Pros: great spot for a romantic weekend; individually designed rooms; property is big enough to ensure privacy, small enough to still feel intimate. Cons: trying a little too hard to be cool; hit-or-miss restaurant; hasn’t really adjusted prices in downturn. | Eastmoreland Pl., Ballsbridge | Dublin 4 | 01/660–3000 | www.dylan.ie | 38 rooms, 6 suites | In-room: a/c, refrigerator, Wi-Fi. In-hotel: restaurant, bar | AE, DC, MC, V.

Four Seasons.

$$$–$$$$ | Much controversy surrounds the brash, postmodern—critics would say faux Victorian-Georgian hybrid—architecture of this hotel. The six-floor building mixes pre-20th-century design with modern glass and concrete. The impressive landscaping—it has 4 acres of gardens—aims to make the hotel seem like an oasis; a big effort has been made to ensure that a bit of greenery can be seen from most rooms. Guest rooms are spacious, with large windows that allow light to flood in. A selection of landscapes on the hotel walls lends the place a warm touch. The lower-level spa is one of the finest in the country, with a naturally lighted lap pool. The Lobby Lounge is a popular afternoon tea spot. Pros: one of the country’s top spas; prices have dropped considerably; Lobby Lounge great for afternoon tea. Cons: a bit of an architectural mishmash; room design not the most inventive; pricey year-round. | Simmonscourt Rd., Ballsbridge | Dublin 4 | 01/665–4000 | www.fourseasons.com/dublin | 157 rooms, 40 suites | In-room: a/c, refrigerator, DVD, Internet, Wi-Fi. In-hotel: 2 restaurants, bars, pool, gym, spa, parking (free) | AE, DC, MC, V.

Herbert Park Hotel.

$$–$$$ | For maximum pleasure secure a room overlooking the park of the same name adjacent to this independently owned hotel, which is also beside the Dodder River. Two of the expensive suites even have large balconies with views of the park or the leafy suburbs. Relaxing shades of cream and white predominate in the spacious rooms, along with splashes of red. The hotel’s large, light-filled lobby has floor-to-ceiling windows and a slanted glass roof. The spacious bar, terrace lounge, and restaurant are Japanese-inspired minimalist in style. You can dine on the restaurant terrace in warm weather. Pros: independently owned hotel; terrace dining in summer; Sunday jazz buffet is a treat. Cons: looks like an office block; rooms not too exciting; a bit outside the city center. | Merrion Rd., Ballsbridge | Dublin 4 | 01/667–2200 | www.herbertparkhotel.ie | 150 rooms, 3 suites | In-room: a/c, refrigerator, Internet. In-hotel: restaurant, bar, gym, Wi-Fi hotspot, parking (paid) | AE, DC, MC, V.

Merrion Hall.

$$$–$$$$ | When your hotel is surrounded by embassies, you know you’re in a classy part of town. Four-poster beds and whirlpool spas are some of the luxuries showered upon you in the better rooms at this quaintly elegant Edwardian town-house hotel in Ballsbridge. Ivy covers the secluded redbrick building, and a Room with a View atmosphere is created with a wonderfully stuffy afternoon tea (and also fine wines) served in the bay-windowed drawing room—a great chance to meet the other happy guests. Pros: stunning Edwardian building; lots of extra luxury in suites; beautiful neighborhood. Cons: suites are relatively expensive; surrounding neighborhood a little dead; limited facilities; no elevator. | 54 Merrion Rd., Ballsbridge | Dublin 4 | 01/668–1426 | www.halpinsprivatehotels.com | 34 rooms | In-room: a/c, Wi-Fi. In-hotel: Wi-Fi hotspot, parking (free) | AE, MC, V.

Fodor’s Choice | Pembroke Townhouse.

$$–$$$ | Dublin is at its most beautiful when it wears its Georgian face, and the Pembroke, a superb example of classic 18th-century grandeur, captures the city on a very good hair day. “Townhouse” does not do justice to the splendor of the place, but does hint at the cozy, relaxed atmosphere. The fan-windowed front door leads into a stately reception area, complete with Grecian pillars. The bright, airy, high-ceiling rooms are all individually designed in a gentle clash of contemporary chic and Georgian symmetry. Nearly every wall bears a striking piece of contemporary Irish art. The hearty breakfast—including sautéed lamb’s liver if desired—is served in the serene dining room. Pros: a Georgian wonderland; big, airy rooms; privately owned. Cons: a bit of a trip to the city center; a little short on facilities; no a/c. | 90 Pembroke Rd., Ballsbridge | Dublin 4 | 01/660–0277 | www.pembroketownhouse.ie | 41 rooms, 7 suites | In-room: no a/c, Wi-Fi. In-hotel: parking (free) | AE, DC, MC, V.

Schoolhouse Hotel.

$$–$$$ | Excuse the pun, but this converted Victorian parochial school just off the Grand Canal really is an A-plus. The rooms—each named for a famous Irish writer and hung with a corresponding portrait—are very old-school (excuse the second pun) luxury, with thick rugs matching the quilted bedspreads, plus beautiful oak chairs and desks. The Schoolhouse Restaurant is a classy, modern-Irish eatery in a beautiful, light-filled former classroom with a barrel ceiling. In-room spa treatments take the edge off after a hard day’s shopping. Pros: beautiful, unique building; top-class Irish restaurant; in-room spa treatments. Cons: a bit of a trip to the city center; fills up quickly; no minibars; no elevator. | 2–8 Northumberland Rd., Ballsbridge | Dublin 4 | 01/667–5014 | www.schoolhousehotel.com | 31 rooms | In-room: a/c Wi-Fi. In-hotel: restaurant, bar, parking (free) | AE, DC, MC, V.

DUBLIN WEST

Avalon House.

¢–$ | Many young, independent travelers rate this cleverly restored redbrick Victorian medical school, a five-minute walk southwest from Grafton Street and 5 to 10 minutes from some of the city’s best music venues, the most appealing of Dublin’s hostels. Avalon House has a mix of dormitories, rooms without bath, and rooms with bath. The dorm rooms and en-suite quads all have loft areas that offer more privacy than you’d typically find in a multi-bed room. The public spaces have pine floors, high ceilings, and even an open fire. Their Bald Barista café has one of the best espressos in the city. Pros: beautiful, historic building; communal kitchen for cooking; cheapest city-center spot. Cons: you need to like sharing with students; street noise can be an issue on weekends; in-room facilities limited. | 55 Aungier St., Dublin West | Dublin 2 | 01/475–0001 | www.avalon-house.ie | 40 4-bed rooms, 35 with bath; 26 twin rooms, 4 with bath; 4 single rooms with shared bath; 5 12-bed dorms, 1 10-bed dorm and 1 26-bed dorm, all with shared bath | In-room: no a/c, no TV. In-hotel: restaurant, Wi-Fi hotspot | AE, MC, V.

Bewleys at Newlands Cross.

¢ | Cheap and cheerful would best sum up this four-story franchise hotel on the southwest outskirts of the city. It’s ideal if you’re planning to head out of the city early (especially to points in the southwest and west) and don’t want to deal with morning traffic. The hotel is emulating the formula popularized by Jurys Inns, in which rooms—here each has a double bed, a single bed, and a sofa bed—are a flat rate for up to three adults or two adults and two children. Pros: great value for families; good location if you’re heading south next day; Bewleys’ delicious coffee in the morning. Cons: mainly business clientele; well outside the city center; overlooks the expressway. | Newlands Cross at Naas Rd., Dublin West | Dublin 22 | 01/464–0140 | www.bewleyshotels.com | 2,59 rooms | In-room: no a/c, Wi-Fi. In-hotel: restaurant, parking (free) | AE, MC, V.

Jurys Inn Christchurch.

$$ | Expect few frills at this functional budget hotel, part of a Jurys mini-chain that offers a low, fixed room rate for up to three adults or two adults and two children. (The branch at Custom House Quay operates according to the same plan.) The biggest plus is the pleasant location, on a hill facing Christ Church Cathedral and within walking distance of most city-center attractions. The big but somewhat spartan rooms are decorated in primary colors and have utilitarian furniture. The restaurant and bar are equally functional. Pros: good value for families; views of Christ Church; near Temple Bar. Cons: ugly building; basic, functional rooms; tends to be popular with bachelor(ette) parties. | Christ Church Pl., Dublin West | Dublin 8 | 01/454–0000 | www.jurysinn.com | 182 rooms | In-room: a/c, Internet. In-hotel: restaurant, bar, Wi-Fi hotspot, parking (paid) | AE, DC, MC, V.

Maldron Smithfield.

$–$$ | On Smithfield Plaza, this snazzy, good-value hotel is at the heart of Dublin’s refurbished old-market district area. The look, outside and in, is definitely functional-modern, but the beige and brown tones do soften things a bit and the public spaces are bright and cheerful. Bedrooms are big for the price and most include large floor-to-ceiling windows allowing for great light, plus under-floor heating in the bathrooms. Try to get a room at the front on a higher floor, as they have some stunning views looking out onto the plaza and to the city beyond. Pros: located on an open plaza; great views from rooms in front on higher floors; under-floor heating in bathrooms. Cons: no proper restaurant. | Smithfield Village, Dublin West | Dublin 8 | 01/485–0900 | www.maldronhotels.com | 85 rooms, 7 suites | In-room: a/c, Internet. In-hotel: bar, parking (paid) | AE, DC, MC, V.

Radisson Blu Royal Hotel, Dublin.

$$–$$$ | Is it possible to be elegant and functional at the same time? The new sleek glass-and-concrete Radisson, just off South Great George’s Street, offers to-the-point business accommodations with a real dash of cool and understated Scandinavian style. Public spaces are painted in very daring (for Ireland) dark browns and warm reds, with subtle lighting creating a soothing atmosphere. Each room at the front—more clean lines and minimal fuss—has one wall that is basically a huge window, and a bathroom with earthy wood and stone finishes. The cocktail bar Sure is a hit with the locals, and the open-plan restaurant looks great. Pros: right in the heart of “real Dublin”; stylish, understated decor; luxurious bathrooms. Cons: looks out over a block of flats; restaurant is getting mixed reviews; mostly business clientele. | Golden La., Dublin West | Dublin 2 | 01/898–2900 | www.radissonblu.com | 138 rooms, 12 suites | In-room: a/c, safe, Wi-Fi. In-hotel: restaurant, room service, bar, Wi-Fi hotspot, parking (paid) | AE, DC, MC, V.

Clarion Dublin Airport.

$ | Seen one, seen ‘em all. The saying is fairly accurate when talking about airport hotels, and this Clarion is no exception. But the low-rise redbrick structure with a plain exterior has one big plus: rooms big enough to make you forget about the cookie-cutter decor. The Kudos Restaurant has a mixed European and Pan Asian menu; the Savour Lounge is a good spot to relax with a coffee and a snack. There’s live music in the bar on weekends. Guests have access to a nearby health club. Pros: spacious rooms; quiet and relaxed atmosphere; courtesy coach to and from terminal. Cons: dial-up Internet only in rooms; functional look and feel; mainly business clientele. | Dublin Airport, | Co. DublinNorth County Dublin | 01/808–0500 | www.clariondublinairport.com | 245 rooms | In-room: a/c, Internet. In-hotel: restaurant, bar, Wi-Fi hotspot, parking (free) | AE, DC, MC, V.

Radisson Blu Dublin Airport.

$–$$ | You could sleepwalk to your plane from the Radisson SAS; the hotel even has flight monitors in the lobby. Near the main terminal, and next to the main road into the city center is this modern five-story hotel that looks a little severe on the outside. But rooms are spacious and comfortable, if unexciting, and the service is exceptional. Double glazing ensures the roar of a 747 won’t interrupt any beauty sleep. Interconnecting family rooms are available. O’Dea’s Irish pub is a bit fake but does a decent carvery lunch. Pros: closest hotel to terminals; flight monitors in the lobby; big rooms. Cons: large and impersonal; functional look and feel; mainly business clientele. | Dublin Airport, | County DublinNorth County Dublin | 01/844–6000 | www.radissonblu.com | 223 rooms, 6 suites | In-room: a/c, Wi-Fi. In-hotel: restaurant, bar, parking (free) | AE, DC, MC, V.

Skylon.

¢–$ | Location, location, and spacious rooms: the three reasons for choosing the Skylon. On the main road into Dublin city center from the airport stands this modern five-story hotel with a concrete-and-glass facade and generous-size rooms plainly decorated in cool, sea-bright colors. Double beds and a pair of easy chairs are almost the only furniture in the rooms. A glass-fronted lobby with a large bar and the Rendezvous Room restaurant dominate the public areas. The cooking is adequate but uninspired, with dishes such as grilled steak, poached cod, and omelets. Pros: located between the airport and city center; big rooms suitable for families; cheap year-round. Cons: basic room furnishings; mediocre restaurant; mainly business clientele. | Upper Drumcondra Rd., North County Dublin | Dublin 9 | 01/837–9121 | www.dublinskylonhotel.com | 126 rooms | In-room: a/c, Internet. In-hotel: restaurant, bar, parking (free) | AE, DC, MC, V.

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Nightlife | The Arts

Long before Stephen Dedalus’s excursions into “nighttown” in James Joyce’s Ulysses, Dublin was proud of its lively after-hours scene, particularly its thriving pubs. But the now tamed Celtic Tiger economy, the envy of all Europe, turned Dublin into one of the most happening destinations on the whole continent. Some of the old watering holes were replaced with huge, London-style “superbars,” which, with the ubiquitous DJ in the corner, walk the fine line between pub and club. Most nights, the city’s nightspots overflow with young cell-phone-toting Dubliners and Europeans, who descend on the capital for weekend getaways (though the recent downturn has seen a slowdown in weekend visitors). The city’s 900-plus pubs are its main source of entertainment; many public houses in the city center have live music—from rock to jazz to traditional Irish.

Theater is an essential element of life in the city that was home to O’Casey, Synge, W. B. Yeats, and Beckett. Today Dublin has seven major theaters that reproduce the Irish “classics,” and also present newer fare from the likes of Martin McDonagh and Conor McPherson. Opera, long overlooked, now has a home in the restored old Gaiety Theatre. The big new player on the Dublin stage is the the massive Libeskind-designed Grand Canal Theatre, which boasts over 2,000 seats for opera, ballet, rock, and theater lovers.

Check the following newspapers for informative listings: the Irish Times publishes a daily guide to what’s happening in Dublin and the rest of the country, and has complete film and theater schedules. The Evening Herald lists theaters, cinemas, and pubs with live entertainment. The Big Issue is a weekly guide to film, theater, and musical events around the city. The Event Guide, a weekly free paper that lists music, cinema, theater, art shows, and dance clubs, is available in pubs and cafés around the city. In peak season, consult the free Bord Fáilte (Irish Tourist Board) leaflet “Events of the Week.” The Temple Bar Web site (www.templebar.ie) provides information about events in the Temple Bar area.

NIGHTLIFE

Dubliners have always enjoyed a night out, but during the Celtic Tiger years they turned nocturnal pleasures into a high-octane works of art. Things have slowed down a little with the economic downturn but the clubs still draw regular party crowds on weekends. In Dublin’s clubs the dominant sound is still hip-hop and house music, and the crowd that flocks to them every night of the week is of the trendy, under-30 generation. Leeson Street—just off St. Stephen’s Green, south of the Liffey, and known as “the strip”—is a slightly frayed and uncool nightclub area aimed at the over-30 crowd that revs up at pub closing time and stays active until 4 AM. The dress code at Leeson Street’s dance clubs is informal, but jeans and sneakers are not welcome. Most of these clubs are licensed only to sell wine, and the prices can be exorbitant (up to €30 for a mediocre bottle); the upside is that most don’t charge to get in.

Some of Dublin’s classic pubs—arguably some of the finest watering holes in the world—were unfortunately remodeled in the boom years with modern interiors and designer drinks, to attract a younger, upwardly mobile crowd. Beware Dublin Tourism’s “Official Dublin Pub Guide,” which has a tendency to recommend many of these bland spots. Despite the changes, however, the traditional pub has steadfastly clung to its role as the primary center of Dublin’s social life. The city has nearly 1,000 pubs (“licensed tabernacles,” writer Flann O’Brien calls them). And although the vision of elderly men enjoying a chin-wag over a creamy pint of stout has become something of a rarity, there are still plenty of places where you can enjoy a quiet (or not so quiet) drink and a chat. Last drinks are called at 11:30 PM Monday to Thursday, 12:30 AM Friday and Saturday, and 11 PM on Sunday. Some city-center pubs have extended opening hours and don’t serve last drinks until 1:45 AM.

A word of warning: although most pubs and clubs are perfectly safe, the lads can get lively and public drunkenness is very much a part of Dublin’s nightlife, especially around Temple Bar and South Great George’s Street. If you will need late-night transportation, try to arrange it with your hotel before you go out.

IRISH CABARET, MUSIC, AND DANCING

Bewley’s Café Theatre (Grafton St., Southside | Dublin 2 | 086/878–4001), with its “Live at The Oriental Room” nights, has become the atmospheric cabaret hot spot in Dublin.

The Sugar Club (8 Lower Leeson St., Southside | Dublin 2 | 01/678–7188) is a landmark venue with tables that has regular performance (some touted as “burlesque”) nights.

JAZZ

International (Wicklow St., Southside | Dublin 2 | 01/677–9250) hosts the Dirty Jazz Club upstairs on Tuesday night.

JJ Smyth’s (12 Aungier St., Southside | Dublin 2 | 01/475–2565) is an old-time jazz venue where the Pendulum Club on Sunday is a popular hangout for all the “jazz heads.”

The Mint Bar (Westin Hotel, College Green, Southside | Dublin 2 | 01/645–1000), a basement venue, presents Velvet Lounge bands and guests every Saturday night.

NIGHTCLUBS

Northside

The Academy (57 Middle Abbey St., Northside | Dublin 1 | 01/877–9999) is a music mecca with four floors of entertainment of every kind anchored by big-name local and international DJs. It attracts a young, dance-crazy crowd who like to party until the wee hours.

Andrew’s Lane (Andrews La., Southside | Dublin 2 | 01/478–0766), once a bastion of experimental theatre, now hosts a cozy club and regular live indie gigs.

Southside

The Gaiety (S. King St., Southside | Dublin 2 | 01/677–1921) is an eclectic, live music and club mix located on the various floors of the beautiful, Victorian-era Gaiety Theatre after hours.

Lillie’s Bordello (Grafton St., Southside | Dublin 2 | 01/679–9204) was once the hot spot for celebs but is now more for regular Joes: a popular hangout for a young late-night crowd.

The Pod (Harcourt St., Southside | Dublin 2 | 01/478–0166), also known as the “Place of Dance,” qualifies as Dublin’s most renowned dance club, especially among the younger set. Whether you get in depends as much on what you’re wearing as on your age.

Rí Ra (Dame Ct., Southside | Dublin 2 | 01/677–4835), part of the hugely popular Globe bar, has lost some of its shine in recent years. The name means “uproar” in Irish, and on most nights the place does go a little wild. Upstairs is more low-key.

Tripod (Old Harcourt St. Station, Harcourt St., Southside | Dublin 2 | 01/478–0166), adjacent to the Pod and the Crawdaddy music venue, can pack in more than 1,300 people and surround them with state-of-the-art sound and light. It regularly hosts Irish and international rock acts, and celebrity DJs from Europe and the United States. It has full bar facilities.

Underground@Kennedy’s (31–32 Westland Row, Southside | Dublin 2 | 01/661–1124) is a real dive of a basement club that attracts cutting-edge European DJs and a serious dance and hip-hop crowd.

Temple Bar

Button Factory (Curved St., Temple Bar | Dublin 2 | 01/670–9202), a happening music venue, mixes top DJs and up-and-coming live acts.

Club M (Cope St., Temple Bar | Dublin 2 | 01/671–5274) is an old school disco-type venue that’s popular with the suburban crowd in town for the night. Their theme nights—like “school disco”—tend to be popular.

PUBS

“When die I want to decompose in a barrel of porter and have it served in all the pubs in Dublin.” Author J. P. Donleavy realized that it’s impossible to think of Dublin without also thinking of its 1,000 or so “public houses.” These are what give Dublin so much of its character, and they’re largely to blame for the fierce loyalty Dublin inspires among locals and visitors. Some wag once asked if it was possible to cross Dublin without passing a single pub along the way. The answer was “Yes, but only if you go into every one.” As a general rule, the area between Grafton and Great George’s streets is a gold mine for classy pubs. Another good bet is the Temple Bar district (though some of the newer ones are all plastic and mirrors). And if it’s real spit-on-the-floor hideaways you’re after, head across the Liffey to the areas around Parnell Square or Smithfield. But beware the tourist-trap faux traditional pubs where you can hardly hear the music for the roar of the seven flat-screen TVs blaring out soccer games.

Northside

The Flowing Tide (Lower Abbey St., Northside | Dublin 1 | 01/874–0842), directly across from the Abbey Theatre, draws a lively pre- and post-theater crowd. No TVs, quality pub talk, and a great pint of Guinness make it a worthwhile visit.

Morrison Bar (Morrison Hotel, Upper Ormond Quay, Northside | Dublin 1 | 01/878–2999) is a modern, stylish bar in one of Dublin’s most designer-friendly hotels. The loungy bar overlooks the river it’s named after and attracts a crowd that likes to dress up and talk about it.

Pantibar (Capel St., Northside | Dublin 1 | 01/874–0710) is a new, amusingly named gay bar fronted by the infamous Dublin drag queen Panti. The place has loud music at night but is pretty chilled-out during the day.

Southside and Southeast Dublin

Cassidy’s (42 Lower Camden St., Southside | Dublin 2 | 01/475–1429), once a quality neighborhood pub with a tasty pint of stout, has morphed into an often overcrowded but very popular spot with young revelers.

Cellar Bar (24 Upper Merrion St., Southeast Dublin | Dublin 2 | 01/603–0600), at the Merrion Hotel, is in a stylish 18th-century wine vault with bare brick walls and vaulted ceilings. It tends to draw a well-heeled crowd.

Davy Byrne’s (21 Duke St., Southside | Dublin 2 | 01/671–1298) is a pilgrimage stop for Joyceans. In Ulysses, Leopold Bloom stops in here for a glass of Burgundy and a Gorgonzola-cheese sandwich. He then leaves the pub and walks to Dawson Street, where he helps a blind man cross the road. Unfortunately, the decor is greatly changed from Joyce’s day, but it still serves some fine pub grub.

Doheny & Nesbitt (5 Lower Baggot St., Southeast Dublin | Dublin 2 | 01/676–2945), a traditional spot with snugs, dark wooden furnishings, and smoke-darkened ceilings, has hardly changed over the decades.

Doyle’s (9 College St., Southside | Dublin 2 | 01/671–0616), a small, cozy pub, is a favorite with journalists from the Irish Times office, just across the street.

George (89 S. Great George’s St., Southside | Dublin 2 | 01/478–2983), Dublin’s two-floor main gay pub, draws an almost entirely male crowd; its nightclub stays open until 2:30 AM nightly except Tuesday. The “alternative bingo night,” with star drag act Miss Shirley Temple Bar, is a riot of risqué fun.

Globe (11 S. Great George’s St., Southside | Dublin 2 | 01/671–1220), one of the hippest café-bars in town, draws arty, trendy Dubliners who sip espresso drinks by day and pack the place at night. There’s live jazz on Sunday.

Fodor’s Choice | Grogans (15 S. William St., Southside | Dublin 2 | 01/677–9320), also known as the Castle Lounge, is a small place packed with creative folk. Owner Tommy Grogan is known as a patron of local artists, and his walls are covered with their work.

Hogan’s (35 S. Great George’s St., Southside | Dublin 2 | 01/677–5904), a huge space on two levels, gets jammed most nights, but the old place maintains its style through it all.

Horseshoe Bar (Shelbourne,27 St. Stephen’s Green, Southside | Dublin 2 | 01/676–6471) was recently given a massive face-lift along with the rest of the Shelbourne hotel and is now the hottest ticket in town. Long a popular meeting place for Dublin’s businesspeople and politicians, there’s comparatively little space for drinkers around the famous semicircular bar—but this does wonders for making friends quickly.

Kehoe’s (9 S. Anne St., Southside | Dublin 2 | 01/677–8312) is popular with Trinity students and academics. The tiny back room is cozy, and the upstairs is basically the owner’s living room, open to the public.

Lesson Lounge (148 Upper Lesson St., Southeast Dublin | Dublin 2 | 01/660–3816) has the look of a classic old Dublin “boozer,” with one notable exception: it has a television. The Lesson is known as a place to watch televised sports of all kinds, and it’s always pleasant and inclusive.

Library Bar (Central Hotel,1–5 Exchequer St., Southside | Dublin 2 | 01/679–7302) is the place to go when you’re ready to get away from all the madness. The book-lined shelves, big armchairs and sofas, and blazing fireplace make this first-floor hideaway one of the most serene nighttime spots in Dublin.

Long Hall Pub (51 S. Great George’s St., Southside | Dublin 2 | 01/475–1590), one of Dublin’s most ornate traditional taverns, has Victorian lamps, a mahogany bar, mirrors, chandeliers, and plasterwork ceilings, all more than 100 years old. The pub serves sandwiches and an excellent pint of Guinness.

McDaid’s (3 Harry St., Southside | Dublin 2 | 01/679–4395) attracted boisterous Brendan Behan and other leading writers in the 1950s; its wild literary reputation still lingers, although the bar has been discreetly modernized and is altogether quieter.

Mulligan’s (8 Poolbeg St., Southside | Dublin 2 | 01/677–5582) is synonymous in Dublin with a truly inspirational pint of Guinness. Until a few years ago no women were admitted. Today journalists, locals, and students of both sexes flock here for the perfect pint.

Neary’s (1 Chatham St., Southside | Dublin 2 | 01/677–7371), with an exotic, Victorian-style interior, was once the haunt of music-hall artists and a certain literary set, including Brendan Behan. Join the actors from the adjacent Gaiety Theatre for a good pub lunch.

Fodor’s Choice | One Fade Street (1 Fade St., Southside | Dublin 2 | 01/675–3708) is not actually the name of this very cool new bar, but it’s the best available because the place considers itself too hip to even have a name. Above the wonderful L’Gueuleton restaurant this open-plan, buzzing bar even has a cute little covered patio.

O’Donoghue’s (15 Merrion Row, Southside | Dublin 2 | 01/676–2807), a cheerful hangout, has impromptu musical performances that often spill out onto the street.

The Old Stand (37 Exchequer St., Southside | Dublin 2 | 01/677–7220), one of the oldest pubs in the city, is named after the Old Stand stadium at Lansdowne Road, home to Irish rugby and football. The pub is renowned for great pints and fine steaks.

Peter’s Pub (Johnson Place, Southside | Dublin 2 | 01/677–8588), the epitome of the cozy little boozer, hugs a busy corner where people-watching becomes an art at the outside tables in summer.

Fodor’s Choice | Stag’s Head (1 Dame Ct., Southside | Dublin 2 | 01/679–3701) dates from 1770 and was rebuilt in 1895. Theater people from the nearby Olympia, journalists, and Trinity students gather around the unusual Connemara red-marble bar. The interior is a Victorian beaut.

Toner’s (139 Lower Baggot St., Southside | Dublin 2 | 01/676–3090), though billed as a Victorian bar, actually goes back 200 years, with an original flagstone floor to prove its antiquity, as well as wooden drawers running up to the ceiling—a relic of the days when bars doubled as grocery shops. Oliver St. John Gogarty, who was the model for Buck Mulligan in James Joyce’s Ulysses, accompanied W. B. Yeats here, in what was purportedly the latter’s only visit to a pub.

Temple Bar

Front Lounge (33 Parliament St., Temple Bar | Dublin 2 | 01/679–3988), a modern pub, caters to a mixed crowd of young professionals, both gay and straight.

Oliver St. John Gogarty (57 Fleet St., Temple Bar | Dublin 2 | 01/671–1822) is a lively bar that attracts all ages and nationalities; it overflows with patrons in summer. On most nights there’s traditional Irish music upstairs.

Palace Bar (21 Fleet St., Temple Bar | Dublin 2 | 01/677–9290), scarcely changed since the 1940s, is tiled and rather barren looking, but is popular with journalists and writers (the Irish Times is nearby). The walls are lined with cartoons drawn by newspaper illustrators.

The Porterhouse (16–18 Parliament St., Temple Bar | Dublin 2 | 01/679–8847) is one of the few bars in Ireland to brew its own beer. The Plain Porter has won the best stout award at the “Brewing Oscars,” beating out the mighty Guinness. The tasteful interior is all dark woods and soft lighting.

Turks Head (Parliament St., Temple Bar | Dublin 2 | 01/679–2606), a very nontraditional Irish bar, is known for its extravagant mosaics and vibrant, late-night DJ-driven sounds.

Ballsbridge

The 51 (Haddington Rd., Ballsbridge | Dublin 2 | 01/660–0150) is famous for its collection of whiskies from around the world. Its Beer Garden is always buzzing with activity in fine weather.

The Horse Show House (32 Merrion Rd., Ballsbridge | Dublin 2 | 01/668–9424), a Ballsbridge institution, is a favorite of the boisterous but welcoming rugby and show-jumping set. Great spot to watch sports of any kind.

Dublin West

Brazen Head (Bridge St., Dublin West | Dublin 8 | 01/677–9549), Dublin’s oldest pub (the site has been licensed since 1198), has stone walls and open fireplaces—it has hardly changed over the years. The pub is renowned for traditional-music performances and lively sing-along sessions on Sunday evenings. On the south side of the Liffey quays, it’s a little difficult to find—turn down Lower Bridge Street and make a right onto the old lane.

Cobblestone (N. King St., Dublin West | Dublin 7 | 01/872–1799) is a glorious house of ale in the best Dublin tradition, popular with Smithfield Market workers. Its chatty imbibers and live traditional music are attracting a more varied, younger crowd from all over town.

Ryan’s Pub (28 Parkgate St., Dublin West | Dublin 8 | 01/677–6097) is one of Dublin’s last genuine, late-Victorian-era pubs, and has changed little since its last (1896) remodeling.

Sin É (14–15 Ormond Quay, Dublin West | Dublin 1 | 01/878–7009) is a no-frills (but somehow very cool) hangout for students and lovers of reggae, soul, and R&B.

THE ARTS

CLASSICAL MUSIC AND OPERA

Southside

Dublin City Gallery, The Hugh Lane (Parnell Sq. N, Northside | Dublin 1 | 01/222–5550) is a serene home to Sundays@Noon, a series of free Sunday concerts featuring some top Irish and international talent.

Southeast Dublin

National Concert Hall (Earlsfort Terr., Southeast Dublin | Dublin 2 | 01/475–1666 | www.nch.ie), just off St. Stephen’s Green, is Dublin’s main theater for classical music of all kinds, from symphonies to chamber groups. The slightly austere Neoclassical building was transformed in 1981 into one of Europe’s finest medium-size concert halls. It houses the cream of Irish classical musicians, the National Symphony Orchestra of Ireland. A host of guest international conductors and performers—Maxim Vengerov, Radu Lupu, and Pinchas Zukerman are just a few of the soloists who have appeared—keep the standard very high, and performances continue throughout the year. The concert year picks up speed in mid-September and sails through to June; July and August also get many dazzling troupes. The smaller, more intimate John Field and Carolan rooms are perfect for chamber music.

Grand Canal Theatre (Grand Canal Sq., Southeast Dublin | Dublin 2 | 01/677–7999 | www.grandcanaltheatre.ie) is housed in a spanking new, brash Daniel Liebskind–designed building in the growing docklands area of the city. With a 2,000-plus capacity it’s Ireland’s biggest theater space and will house the best of international ballet, classical music, pop gigs, and even Broadway musicals.

St. Stephen’s Church (Merrion Sq., Southeast Dublin | Dublin 2 | 01/288–0663) stages a regular program of choral and orchestral events under its glorious “pepper canister” cupola.

Dublin West

Opera Ireland (West Wing 3, Adelaide Chambers, Peter St., Dublin West | Dublin 2 | 01/478–6041 | www.operaireland.com) performs at the Gaiety Theatre; call to find out what’s on.

Temple Bar

Opera Theatre Company (Temple Bar Music Centre, Curved St., Temple Bar | Dublin 2 | 01/679–4962 | www.opera.ie) is Ireland’s only touring opera company. It performs at venues in Dublin and throughout the country.

Dublin West

Royal Hospital Kilmainham (Military Rd., Dublin West | Dublin 8 | 01/671–8666 | www.rhk.ie) presents frequent classical concerts in its magnificent 17th-century interior.

FILM

Northside

Cineworld (Parnell Center, Parnell St., Northside | Dublin 1 | 01/872–8400), a 17-screen theater just off O’Connell Street, is the city center’s only multiplex movie house; it shows the latest commercial features.

Savoy Cinema (O’Connell St., Northside | Dublin 1 | 01/874–6000), just across from the General Post Office, is a four-screen theater with the largest screen in the country.

Temple Bar

Irish Film Institute (6 Eustace St., Temple Bar | Dublin 2 | 01/677–8788) shows classic and new independent films.

ROCK AND CONTEMPORARY MUSIC

Northside

The O2 Arena (Northwall Quay, Northside | Dublin 1 | 01/836–3633 | www.theo2.ie) is a high-tech, 14,500-capacity big-gig venue that replaced the cold and unloved Point Depot.

Southside

Andrew’s Lane Theatre (9–11 Andrew’s La., Southside | Dublin 2 | 01/679–5720), an intimate old theater, has been transformed into Dublin’s newest live-music venue.

Crawdaddy (Old Harcourt Station, Harcourt St., Southside | Dublin 2 | 01/476–3374) is an intimate venue at the center of the hot Pod nightclub complex. A predecessor to Rolling Stone, Crawdaddy was the very first rock magazine in the United States. The place is an homage to that bygone era of sweat, three chords, and the truth.

International Bar (Wicklow St., Southside | Dublin 2 | 01/677–9250) has a long-established, tiny, get-close-to-the-band venue upstairs. It hosts theater in the afternoon.

The Village (26 Wexford St., Southside | Dublin 2 | 01/475–8555), set in a striking, glass-front building, isn’t too fussy about the kind of bands it hosts, so long as their amps are turned up full and the lead singer knows how to scream.

Whelan’s (25 Wexford St., Southside | Dublin 2 | 01/478–0766), just off the southeastern corner of St. Stephen’s Green, is one of the city’s best—and most popular—music venues. Well-known performers play everything from rock to folk to traditional music. The same owners run the Village bar and venue next door.

Temple Bar

Button Factory (Curved St., Temple Bar | Dublin 2 | 01/670–0533) is a new music venue and club rolled into one. It buzzes with activity every day of the week. Live acts range from rock bands to world music to singer-songwriters.

Olympia Theatre (72 Dame St., Temple Bar | Dublin 2 | 01/677–7744) puts on “Midnight from the Olympia” shows every Friday and Saturday from midnight to 2 AM, with everything from rock to country.

Dublin West

Vicar Street (58–59 Thomas St., Dublin West | Dublin 8 | 01/454–5533), just across from Christ Church Cathedral, is a venue for intimate concerts. It often plays host to folk music, jazz, and comedy, as well as rock performances.

THEATER

Northside

Abbey Theatre (Lower Abbey St., Northside | Dublin 1 | 01/878–7222 | www.abbeytheatre.ie) is the fabled home of Ireland’s national theater company. In 1904 W. B. Yeats and his patron, Lady Gregory, opened the theater, which became a major center for the Irish literary renaissance—the place that first staged works by J. M. Synge and Sean O’Casey, among many others. Plays by recent Irish drama heavyweights like Brian Friel, Tom Murphy, Hugh Leonard, and John B. Keane have all premiered here, and memorable productions of international greats like Mamet, Ibsen, and Shakespeare have also been performed. You should not, however, arrive expecting 19th-century grandeur: the original structure burned down in 1951. Unfortunately, an ugly concrete boxlike auditorium was built in its place—but what it may lack in esthetics it makes up for in space and acoustics, especially after a new internal renovation. Some say the repertoire is overly reverential and mainstream, but such chestnuts as Dion Boucicault’s The Shaughran wind up being applauded by many. Happily, the Abbey’s sister theater at the same address, the Peacock, offers more experimental drama. But the Abbey will always be relevant since much of the theatergoing public still looks to it as a barometer of Irish culture.

Gate Theatre (Cavendish Row, Parnell Sq., Northside | Dublin 1 | 01/874–4045 | www.gate-theatre.ie), an intimate 371-seat theater in a jewel-like Georgian assembly hall, produces the classics and contemporary plays by leading Irish writers, including Beckett, Wilde (the production of Salome was a worldwide hit), Shaw, and the younger generation of dramatists, such as Conor McPherson.

Southside

Gaiety Theatre (S. King St., Southside | Dublin 2 | 01/677–1717) is the home of Opera Ireland when it’s not showing musical comedy, drama, and revues. On weekends this elegant theater is taken over by a nightclub with live music and cabaret.

Samuel Beckett Centre (Trinity College, Southside | Dublin 2 | 01/608–2266) is home to Trinity’s drama department, as well as visiting European groups. Dance is often performed here by visiting troupes.

Temple Bar

New Project Arts Centre (39 E. Essex St., Temple Bar | Dublin 2 | 01/671–2321) is a theater and performance space in an ugly modern building at the center of Temple Bar. Fringe and mainstream theater, contemporary music, and experimental art have all found a home here.

The New Theatre (43 E. Essex St., Temple Bar | Dublin 2 | 01/670–3361) is a troupe with a political agenda, so you’ll often find this newly renovated space favors Irish working-class writers like Sean O’Casey and Brendan Behan.

Olympia Theatre (72 Dame St., Temple Bar | Dublin 2 | 01/677–7744) is Dublin’s oldest and premier multipurpose theatrical venue. In addition to its high-profile musical performances, it has seasons of comedy, vaudeville, and ballet.

Smock Alley (Lower Exchange St., Temple Bar | Dublin 2 | 01/679–9277) is a wonderfully atmospheric theater space tucked down a little lane. It is the historic site of a famous 17th-century Dublin theater.

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FOOTBALL

Soccer—called football in Europe—is very popular in Ireland, largely due to the euphoria resulting from the national team’s successes since the late 1980s. However, the places where you can watch it aren’t ideal—they tend to be small and out-of-date. Aviva Stadium (62 Lansdowne Rd., Ballsbridge | Dublin 4 | 01/238–2300), a vast rugby stadium, is the main center for international matches. The old stadium was demolished and has been replaced by a state-of-the-art arena. In the soccer and rugby games were played at Croke Park—the first time in history that so-called foreign games were be allowed on the Gaelic Athletic Association’s hallowed turf.

League of Ireland matches take place throughout the city on Friday evening or Sunday afternoon from March to November. For details, contact the Football Association of Ireland (80 Merrion Sq. S, Southeast Dublin | Dublin 2 | 01/676–6864).

GAELIC GAMES

The traditional games of Ireland, Gaelic football and hurling, attract a huge following, with roaring crowds cheering on their county teams. Games are held at Croke Park, the stunning, high-tech national stadium for Gaelic games, just north of the city center. For details of matches, contact the Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA | Croke Park, North County Dublin | Dublin 1 | 01/836–3222 | www.gaa.ie).

HORSE RACING

Horse racing—from flat to hurdle to steeplechase—is one of the great sporting loves of the Irish. The sport is closely followed and betting is popular, but the social side of attending races is equally important to Dubliners. The main course in Dublin is Leopardstown (Leopardstown Rd., South County Dublin | Dublin 18 | 01/289–3607 | www.leopardstown.com), an ultramodern course that in February hosts the Hennessey Gold Cup, Ireland’s most prestigious steeplechase. Summertime is devoted to flat racing, and the rest of the year to racing over fences. You can also nip in for a quick meal at the restaurant.

The Curragh (Off Exit 12 of M7 between Newbridge and Kildare Town, County Kildare | 045/441–205 | www.curragh.ie), southwest of Dublin off M7, hosts the five Classics, the most important flat races of the season, from May to September. There are numerous bars here and two restaurants. Fairyhouse (Ratoath, County Meath | Co. Meath | 01/825–6167 | www.fairyhouseracecourse.ie) hosts the Grand National, the most popular steeplechase of the season, every Easter Monday.

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Shopping Streets | Shopping Centers | Department Stores | Outdoor Markets | Specialty Shops

The only known specimens of leprechauns or shillelaghs in Ireland are those in souvenir-shop windows, and shamrocks mainly bloom around the borders of Irish linen handkerchiefs and tablecloths. But in Dublin’s shops you can find much more than kitschy designs. There’s a tremendous variety of stores here, many of which are quite sophisticated—as a walk through Dublin’s central shopping area, from O’Connell to Grafton Street, will prove. Department stores stock internationally known fashion-designer goods and housewares, and small (and often pricey) boutiques sell Irish crafts and other merchandise. Don’t expect too many bargains here. And be prepared, if you’re shopping in central Dublin, to push through crowds—especially in the afternoons and on weekends. Most large shops and department stores are open Monday to Saturday 9 to 6, with late hours on Thursday until 9. Although nearly all department stores are closed on Sunday, some smaller specialty shops stay open. Those with later closing hours are noted below. You’re particularly likely to find sales in January, February, July, and August.

DUBLIN À LA MODE

The success of shops like Costume and Platform has given young Irish designers the confidence to produce more original and impressive work. One of Costume’s most popular designers, Helen James, graduated from NCAD in textile design in 1992. She went straight to New York, where she worked for Donna Karan, Club Monaco, and Victoria’s Secret, among others. She returned to Ireland in 2002 and developed her line of unique, hand-printed textile accessories. Many people say there is a delicate Japanese feel to her work.

Footwear has long been an area overlooked by Irish designers, but Irishwoman Eileen Shields has been living and working in New York since 1988; for almost 10 years she designed footwear for Donna Karan. Her own premiere collection is all about clean, bold lines. Materials include antique kid, fine suede, python, and soft patent leather. Textures are often strongly contrasting, while colors are sensual and sophisticated. You can get the shoes online at | www.eileenshields.com, or in her store on Scarlett Row in Temple Bar.

The Tucker family has been a key player in Irish fashion since the 1960s, and new-generation Leigh Tucker has quickly established herself as one of Dublin’s classiest young designers. Fine tailoring is her trademark—the finish on her eveningwear is nonpareil—and beaded French lace and draped jersey are her favorite materials. Her line can be found in boutiques across Ireland and at Costume in Dublin, and she’s now making wedding dresses as well.

SHOPPING STREETS

NORTHSIDE

Henry Street, where cash-conscious Dubliners shop, runs westward from O’Connell Street. Arnotts department store is the anchor here; smaller, specialty stores sell CDs, footwear, and clothing. Henry Street’s continuation, Mary Street, has a branch of Marks & Spencer and the Jervis Shopping Centre.

O’Connell Street, the city’s main thoroughfare, is more downscale than Southside city streets (such as Grafton Street), but it is still worth a walk. One of Dublin’s largest department stores, Clery’s, is here, across from the GPO. On the same side of the street as the post office is Eason’s, a large book, magazine, and stationery store.

SOUTHSIDE

Dawson Street, just east of Grafton Street between Nassau Street to the north and St. Stephen’s Green to the south, is the city’s primary bookstore avenue. Waterstone’s and Hodges Figgis face each other from opposite sides of the street.

Francis Street and surrounding areas, such as the Coombe, have plenty of shops where you can browse. It’s all part of the Liberties, the oldest part of the city and the hub of Dublin’s antiques trade. If you’re looking for something in particular, dealers will gladly recommend the appropriate store to you. It’s also home to a couple of hot new galleries.

Grafton Street, Dublin’s bustling pedestrian-only main shopping street, has two department stores: down-to-earth Marks & Spencer and trés chic Brown Thomas. The rest of the street is taken up by shops, many of them branches of international chains, such as the Body Shop and Bally, and many British chains. This is also the spot to buy fresh flowers, available at reasonable prices from outdoor stands. On the smaller streets off Grafton Street—especially Duke Street, South Anne Street, and Chatham Street—are worthwhile crafts, clothing, and designer housewares shops.

Nassau Street, Dublin’s main tourist-oriented thoroughfare, has some of the best-known stores selling Irish goods, but you won’t find many locals shopping here. Still, if you’re looking for classic Irish gifts to take home, you should be sure at least to browse along here.

Temple Bar, Dublin’s hippest neighborhood, is dotted with small, precious boutiques—mainly intimate, quirky shops that traffic in a small selection of trendy goods, from vintage clothes to some of the most avant-garde Irish garb anywhere in the city.

SHOPPING CENTERS

NORTHSIDE

The chq Building (IFSC, Docklands, Northside | Dublin 1) is the glittering, beating heart of shopping in the Docklands area. Stores include Henry Jermyn shirts, Environment Furniture, and The Pink Room shoe boutique.

Ilac Centre (Henry St., Northside | Dublin 1) was Dublin’s first large, modern shopping center, with two department stores, hundreds of specialty shops, and several restaurants. The stores are not as exclusive as those at some of the other centers, but there’s plenty of free parking.

Jervis Shopping Centre (Jervis and Mary Sts., Northside | Dublin 1 | 01/878–1323) is a slightly high-end center housing some of the major British chain stores. It has a compact design and plenty of parking.

SOUTHSIDE

Powerscourt Townhouse Centre (59 S. William St., Southside | Dublin 2), the former town home of Lord Powerscourt, built in 1771, has an interior courtyard that has been refurbished and roofed over; a pianist often plays on the dais at ground-floor level. Coffee shops and restaurants share space with a mix of stores selling antiques and crafts. You can also buy original Irish fashions by young designers here.

Royal Hibernian Way (Off Dawson St., between S. Anne and Duke Sts., Southside | Dublin 2 | 01/679–5919) is on the former site of the two-century-old Royal Hibernian Hotel, a coaching inn that was demolished in 1983. The pricey, stylish shops—about 20 or 30, many selling fashionable clothes—are small in scale and include a branch of Leonidas, the Belgian chocolate firm.

St. Stephen’s Green Centre (Northwest corner of St. Stephen’s Green, Southside | Dublin 2 | 01/478–0888), Dublin’s largest and most ambitious shopping complex, resembles a giant greenhouse, with Victorian-style ironwork. On three floors overlooked by a giant clock, the 100 mostly small shops sell crafts, fashions, and household goods.Westbury Mall (Westbury Hotel, off Grafton St., Southside | Dublin 2) is an upmarket shopping mall where you can buy designer jewelry, antique rugs, and decorative goods.

DEPARTMENT STORES

Arnotts (Henry St., Northside | 01/805–0400), on three floors, stocks a wide selection of clothing, household accessories, and sporting goods. It is known for matching quality with value. There is a Gap section downstairs.

Brown Thomas (Grafton St., Southside | Dublin 2 | 01/605–6666), Dublin’s most exclusive department store, stocks the leading designer names (including some Irish designers) in clothing and cosmetics, plus lots of stylish accessories. There’s also a good selection of crystal.

Clery’s (O’Connell St., Northside | Dublin 1 | 01/878–6000), once the city’s most fashionable department store, is still worth a visit. You’ll find all kinds of merchandise—from clothing to home appliances—on its four floors. Note that goods sold here reflect a distinctly modest, traditional sense of style.

Debenhams (Henry St., Northside | Dublin 1 | 01/814–7200), the U.K. chain store, has opened in the city center and includes a Zara section along with its own clothing and homeware lines.

Dunnes Stores (St. Stephen’s Green Centre, Southside | Dublin 2 | 01/478–0188 | Henry St., Northside | Dublin 1 | 01/872–6833 | Ilac Center, Mary St., Northside | Dublin 1 | 01/873–0211) is Ireland’s largest chain of department stores. All of the branches stock fashion (including the exciting Savida range), household, and grocery items, and have a reputation for value and variety.

Eason’s (O’Connell St., Northside | Dublin 2 | 01/873–3811 | Ilac Center, Mary St., Northside | Dublin 1 | 01/872–1322) is known primarily for its large selection of books, magazines, and stationery; the larger O’Connell Street branch sells tapes, CDs, records, videos, and other audiovisual goodies.

Marks & Spencer (Grafton St., Southside | Dublin 2 | 01/679–7855 | Henry St., Northside | Dublin 1 | 01/872–8833), perennial competitor to Brown Thomas, stocks everything from fashion (including lingerie) to tasty, unusual groceries. The Grafton Street branch even has its own currency exchange, which doesn’t charge commission.

OUTDOOR MARKETS

Blackrock Market, held on weekends, is one of the oldest markets in the country and is a classic, eclectic assortment of bric-a-brac with rare objects, furniture, books, and just about everything else.

Cows Lane Market, held on weekends in summer at the west edge of Temple Bar, is home to some of the most innovative young fashion and accessory designers in the country.

Docklands Market, held every Thursday from 10 to 3 in the area beside the IFSC, has an eclectic selection of food, fashion, and design. It’s a nice place to hang out if you want to be near the water on a sunny day.

Dublin Food Co-op is a breath of eco-friendly fresh air on the Dublin food-shopping scene. The members-run co-op has a quality food market in a wonderful old space in Newmarket at the heart of the Liberties district every Thursday and Saturday. They even encourage the use of a few words of Irish among the locals as they shop for organic veggies, flowers, cheeses, and wines. They have also just started a flea market on the last Sunday of the month.

Loft Market is a collective of some of Dublin’s most progressive design talent and includes jewelry, lifestyle products, clothing, and art. It’s on the top floor of Powerscourt Townhouse every Friday, Saturday, and Sunday.

Meeting House Square Market, held Saturday morning in the heart of Temple Bar, is a good place to buy homemade foodstuffs: breads, chocolate, and organic veggies.

SPECIALTY SHOPS

ANTIQUES

Dublin is one of Europe’s best cities in which to buy antiques, largely due to a long and proud tradition of restoration and high-quality craftsmanship. The Liberties, Dublin’s oldest district, is, fittingly, the hub of the antiques trade, and is chockablock with shops and traders. Bachelor’s Walk, along the quays, also has some decent shops. It’s quite a seller’s market, but bargains are still possible.

Antiques Fairs Ireland (www.antiquesfairsireland.com) takes place monthly, in a number of Dublin hotels.

Christy Bird (32 S. Richmond St., Dublin West | Dublin 2 | 01/475–4049) is Dublin’s oldest furniture shop and was recycling household items before anyone else dreamed of it. Besides quality Irish antiques they have a local craftsman who makes great classic reproductions to order.

O’Sullivan Antiques (43–44 Francis St., Dublin West | Dublin 8 | 01/454–1143 or 01/453–9659) specializes in 18th- and 19th-century furniture and has a high-profile clientele, including Mia Farrow and Liam Neeson. It even has a sister shop in New York.

BOOKS

You won’t have any difficulty weighing down your suitcase with books. Ireland, after all, produced four Nobel literature laureates in just under 75 years. If you’re at all interested in modern and contemporary literature, be sure to leave yourself time to browse through the bookstores, as you’re likely to find books available here you can’t find back home. Best of all, thanks to an enlightened national social policy, there’s no tax on books, so if you buy only books, you don’t have to worry about getting V.A.T. slips.

Books Upstairs (36 College Green, Southside | Dublin 2 | 01/679–6687) carries an excellent selection of special-interest books, including gay and feminist literature, psychology, and self-help books.

Cathach Books (10 Duke St., Southside | Dublin 2 | 01/671–8676) sells first editions of Irish literature and many other books of Irish interest, plus old maps of Dublin and Ireland.

Eason’s/Hanna’s (29 Nassau St., Southside | Dublin 2 | 01/677–1255) sells secondhand and mass-market paperbacks and hardcovers, and has a good selection of works on travel and Ireland.

Hodges Figgis (56–58 Dawson St., Southeast Dublin | Dublin 2 | 01/677–4754), Dublin’s leading independent bookstore, stocks 1½ million books on three floors. There’s a pleasant café on the first floor.

Hughes & Hughes (St. Stephen’s Green Centre, Southside | Dublin 2 | 01/478–3060) has strong travel and Irish-interest sections. There’s also a store at Dublin Airport.

Reads (24–25 Nassau St., Southside | Dublin 2 | 01/679–6011) somehow manages to sell best sellers cheaper than any of its rivals. Also, it has a decent Irish section.

Stokes (George’s Street Arcade, Southside | Dublin 2 | 01/671–3584) is a gem of an antique bookstore with a great used-book section.

Waterstone’s (7 Dawson St., Southeast Dublin | Dublin 2 | 01/679–1415), a large two-story branch of the British chain, features a fine selection of Irish and international books.

CHINA, CRYSTAL, CERAMICS, AND JEWELRY

Ireland is the place to buy Waterford crystal, which is available in a wide selection of products, including relatively inexpensive items. Other lines are now gaining recognition, such as Cavan, Galway, and Tipperary crystal.

Appleby’s (Johnson’s Ct., Southside | Dublin 2 | 01/679–9572) is the best known of the several classy, old-style jewelry shops that line tiny Johnson’s Court, a delightful little lane off busy Grafton Street.

Barry Doyle Design (George’s Street Arcade, Southside | Dublin 2 | 01/671–2838) is a true original with his Celtic modern jewelry. You can even watch him at work in his adjoining studio.

Blarney Woollen Mills (21–23 Nassau St., Southside | Dublin 2 | 01/671–0068) is one of the best places for Belleek china, Waterford and Galway crystal, and Irish linen.

House of Ireland (37–38 Nassau St., Southside | 01/671–1111) has an extensive selection of crystal, jewelry, tweeds, sweaters, and other upscale goods.

Kilkenny Shop (5–6 Nassau St., Southside | 01/677–7066) specializes in contemporary Irish-made ceramics, pottery, and silver jewelry, and regularly holds exhibits of exciting new work by Irish craftspeople.

McDowells (3 Upper O’Connell St., Northside | Dublin 1 | 01/874–4961), a jewelry shop popular with Dubliners, has been in business for more than 100 years.

Trinity Crafts (27 Nassau St., Southside | Dublin 2 | 01/672–5663) is your one-stop shop for everything cheesy Irish, including “The leprechauns make me do it” mugs and Guinness-logo underwear.

Weir & Sons (96 Grafton St., Southside | Dublin 2 | 01/677–9678), Dublin’s most prestigious jeweler, sells not only jewelry and watches, but also china, glass, lamps, silver, and leather.

CLOTHING STORES

A-Wear (Grafton St., Southside | Dublin 2 | 01/872–4644) has become something of a fashion institution for both men and women. Leading Irish designers, including John Rocha, supply A-Wear with a steady stream of exciting new looks.

BT2 (Grafton St., Southside | Dublin 2 | 01/605–6666) is swanky Brown Thomas’s impressive attempt to woo a younger crowd. Most of the major labels are present, including DKNY and Paul Smith.

Costume (10 Castel Market, Southside | Dublin 2 | 01/679–4188) is a classy boutique where Dubliners with fashion sense and money like to shop for colorful, stylish clothes. Local designers include Leigh, Helen James, and Antonia Campbell-Hughes; Temperley and Preen are among the international designers featured.

Dolls (32 Clarendon St., Southside | Dublin 2 | 01/672–9004), an independent boutique, likes to boast of its unusual designer pieces. Featured international designers include Karen Walker and Future Classics.

H&M (Ilac Centre, Northside | Dublin 1 | 01/872–7206), the trendy Scandinavian clothes and accessory store, has opened in the Ilac Centre. They even do their own cosmetics line.

No. 6 (6 Castle Market, Southside | Dublin 2 | 01/670–8846) stocks clothes, handbags, and furniture by Irish designers, including Conor Holden and Helen McAliden, along with fabrics from Foxford.

Potrero Hill (Royal Hiberian Way, Dawson St., Southside | Dublin 2 | 01/872–7206) pompously calls itself a “lifestyle concept” store but their stable of cool, lesser-known international designers make it a must-stop for hip shoppers.

Smock (31 Drury St., Southside | 01/613–9000) is a tiny designer shop with great, left-field taste. International labels include Pearson, Veronique, and A. F. Vandevoft. They also carry a beautiful line in fine jewelry.

MUSIC

Celtic Note (12 Nassau St., Southside | Dublin 2 | 01/670–4157) is aimed at the tourist market, with lots of compilations and greatest-hits formats.

Claddagh Records (2 Cecilia St., Temple Bar | Dublin 8 | 01/679–3664) has a good selection of traditional and folk music.

Gael Linn (26 Merrion Sq., Southside | Dublin 2 | 01/676–7283) specializes in traditional Irish music and Irish-language recordings; it’s where the aficionados go.

HMV (65 Grafton St., Southside | Dublin 2 | 01/679–5334 | 18 Henry St., Northside | Dublin 1 | 01/872–2095) is one of the largest record shops in town.

McCullogh Piggott (25 Suffolk St., Southside | Dublin 2 | 01/671–2410) is the best place in town to buy instruments, sheet music, scores, and books about music.

SWEATERS AND TWEEDS

Don’t think Irish woolens are limited to Aran sweaters and tweed jackets. You can choose souvenirs from a wide selection of hats, gloves, scarves, blankets, and other goods here. If you’re traveling outside of Dublin, you may want to wait to make purchases elsewhere, but if Dublin is it, you still have plenty of good shops from which to choose. The tweed sold in Dublin comes from two main sources: Donegal and Connemara. Labels inside the garments guarantee their authenticity. Kilkenny Shop and House of Ireland are also great places for all things woolen. The following are the other largest retailers of traditional Irish woolen goods in the city.

Avoca Handweavers (11–13 Suffolk St., Southside | Dublin 2 | 01/677–4215) is a beautiful store with an eclectic collection of knitwear from contemporary Irish designers. The children’s wear section on the second floor is a real joy. They also stock original ceramics.

Blarney Woollen Mills (21–23 Nassau St., Southside | Dublin 2 | 01/451–6111) stocks a good selection of tweed, linen, and wool sweaters from their mills in County Cork, in all price ranges.

Cleo (18 Kildare St., Southeast Dublin | Dublin 2 | 01/676–1421) sells hand-knit sweaters and accessories made only from natural fibers; it also carries its own designs.

Kevin and Howlin (31 Nassau St., Southside | Dublin 2 | 01/677–0257) specializes in handwoven tweed men’s jackets, suits, and hats, and also sells tweed fabric.

Monaghan’s (Royal Hibernian Way,15–17 Grafton St., Southside | Dublin 2 | 01/677–0823) is a quality men’s store that specializes in cashmere.

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Dublin’s northern suburbs remain largely residential, but there are a few places worth the trip, such as the architectural gem Marino Casino. As with most suburban areas, walking may not be the best way to get around. It’s good, but not essential, to have a car. Buses and trains serve most of these areas.

GLASNEVIN

Drive from north city center by Lower Dorset St., as far as bridge over Royal Canal. Turn left; go up Whitworth Rd., by side of canal, for 1 km (½ mi); at its end, turn right onto Prospect Rd. and then left onto Finglas Rd. (N2). You can also take Bus 40 or Bus 40A from Parnell St., next to Parnell Sq., in northern city center.

Glasnevin Cemetery, on the right-hand side of Finglas Road, is the best-known burial ground in Dublin. It’s the site of the graves of many distinguished Irish leaders, including Eamon De Valera, a founding father of modern Ireland and a former Irish taoiseach (prime minister) and president, and Michael Collins, the celebrated hero of the Irish War of Independence. Other notables interred here include the late-19th-century poet Gerard Manley Hopkins and Sir Roger Casement, an Irish rebel hanged for treason by the British in 1916. The large column to the right of the main entrance is the tomb of “The Liberator” Daniel O’Connell, perhaps Ireland’s greatest historical figure, renowned for his nonviolent struggle for Catholic rights and emancipation, achieved in 1829. The cemetery is freely accessible 24 hours a day.

The National Botanic Gardens, on the northeastern flank of Glasnevin Cemetery and the south bank of the Tolka River, date from 1795 and have more than 20,000 varieties of plants, a rose garden, and a vegetable garden. The main attraction is the beautifully restored Curvilinear Range—400-foot-long greenhouses designed and built by a Dublin ironmaster, Richard Turner, between 1843 and 1869. The Great Palm House, with its striking double dome, was built in 1884 and houses orchids, palms, and tropical ferns. Inspiring free guided tours are offered Sunday at noon and 2:30. | Glasnevin Rd., North County Dublin | Dublin 9 | 01/857–0909 | www.botanicgardens.ie | Free | Mid-Feb.–mid-Nov., daily 9–6; mid-Nov.–mid-Feb., daily 9–4:30.

MARINO CASINO

Take Malahide Rd. from Dublin’s north city center for 4 km (2½ mi). Or take Bus 20A or Bus 24 to Casino from Cathal Brugha St. in north city center.

One of Dublin’s most exquisite, yet also most underrated, architectural landmarks, the Marino Casino (the name means “little house by the sea,” and the building overlooks Dublin Harbour) is a small-scale, Palladian-style Greek temple, built between 1762 and 1771 from a plan by Sir William Chambers. Often compared to the Petit Trianon at Versailles, it was commissioned by the great Irish grandee Lord Charlemont as a summerhouse. Inside, highlights are the china-closet boudoir, the huge golden sunset in the ceiling of the main drawing room, and the signs of the zodiac in the ceiling of the bijou library. When you realize that the structure has, in fact, 16 rooms—there are bedrooms upstairs—Sir William’s sleight-of-hand is readily apparent: from its exterior, the structure seems to contain only one room. It makes a good stop on the way to Malahide, Howth, or North Bull Island. | Malahide Rd., Marino, North County Dublin | Dublin 3 | 01/833–1618 | www.heritageireland.ie | €3 | May–Oct., daily 10–5.

NORTH BULL ISLAND

From Dublin’s north city center, take Clontarf Rd. for 4 km (2½ mi) to causeway.

A 5-km-long (3-mi-long) island created in the 19th century by the action of the tides, North Bull Island is one of Dublin’s wilder places—it’s a nature conservancy with a vast beach and dunes that attract thousands of varied seabirds year-round. The island is linked to the mainland via a wooden causeway that leads to Bull Wall, a 1½-km (1-mi) walkway that stretches as far as the North Bull Lighthouse. The island is also accessible via a second, northerly causeway, which takes you to Dollymount Strand. (The two routes of entry don’t meet at any point on the island.) You can reach this causeway from the mainland via James Larkin Road.

The small visitor center here mostly explains the island’s birdlife. | Off northerly causeway,North County Dublin | Dublin 5 | 01/833–8341 | Free | Mon.–Thurs. 10:15–1 and 1:30–4:30, Fri. 10:15–1:30, weekends 10–1 and 1:30–5:30 (closes at 4:30 Nov.–Feb.).

On the mainland directly across from North Bull Island is St. Anne’s Park, a public green with extensive rose gardens (including many prize hybrids) and woodland walks. | James Larkin Rd. and Mt. Prospect Ave.,North County Dublin | Dublin 5.

HOWTH

From Dublin, take DART train, or Bus 31B from Lower Abbey St. in city center. Or, by car, take Howth Rd. from north city center for 16 km (10 mi).

A fishing village at the foot of a long peninsula, Howth (derived from the Norse hoved, meaning “head”; it rhymes with “both”) was an island inhabited as long ago as 3250 BC. Between 1813 and 1833, Howth was the Irish terminus for the sea crossing to Holyhead in north Wales, but it was then superseded by the newly built harbor at Kingstown (now Dun Laoghaire). Today, its harbor, which supports a large fishing fleet, includes a marina. Both arms of the harbor pier form extensive walks.

Separated from Howth Harbour by a channel nearly 1½ km (1 mi) wide is Ireland’s Eye, with an old stone church on the site of a 6th-century monastery, and an early-19th-century Martello tower. In calm summer weather, local boatmen make the crossing to the island from the East pier in Howth Harbour. Check the notice board in the harbor for the number of a boat owner willing to do the trip.

At the King Sitric restaurant on the East Pier, a 2½-km (1½-mi) cliff walk begins, leading to the white Baily Lighthouse, built in 1814. In some places, the cliff path narrows and drops close to the water, but the views out over the Irish Sea are terrific. Some of the best views in the whole Dublin area await from the parking lot above the lighthouse, looking out over the entire bay as far south as Dun Laoghaire, Bray, and the north Wicklow coast. You can also see quite a bit of Dublin.

Until 1959 a tram service ran from the railway station in Howth over Howth Summit and back down to the station. One of the open-top Hill of Howth trams that plied this route is now the star at the National Transport Museum, a short, 800-yard walk from Howth’s DART station. Volunteers spent several years restoring the tram, which stands alongside other unusual vehicles, including horse-drawn bakery vans. | 01/832–0427 | www.nationaltransportmuseum.org | €3.50 | June–Aug., Mon.–Sat. 10–5; Sept.–May, weekends 2–5.

The Howth Castle Gardens, next door to the Transport Museum and accessible from the Deer Park Hotel, were laid out in the early 18th century. The many rare varieties in the fine rhododendron garden are in full flower April through June; there are also high beech hedges. The rambling castle, built in 1654 and considerably altered in the following centuries, is not open to the public, but you can access the ruins of a tall, square, 16th-century castle and a Neolithic dolmen. | Deer Park Hotel, North County Dublin | Dublin 13 | 01/832–2624 | www.deerpark-hotel.ie | Free | Daily 8–dusk.

Where to Eat

Aqua.

$$$ | SEAFOOD | Stunning views over Howth Harbor are your first reward for choosing this impressive seafood restaurant located in the old yacht club building only a few yards from where local fishermen still land their catch. The open, modern interior is awash with light that pours in the huge windows—definitely get a seat beside one of these. There’s a Continental touch given to local seafood with specialties like Dover sole on the bone and baked whole sea bass with arugula, chili, and ginger dressing. Lobster is a house favorite and the chowder here is a classic and they even do a mean rack of lamb if you’re all fished out. | 1 West Pier, North County Dublin | Dublin 13 | 01/832–0690 | www.aqua.ie | AE, MC, V | Closed Mon. and Tues in winter.

King Sitric.

$$$$ | SEAFOOD | Sitric was an 11th-century Norse king of Dublin who seemed to be very fond of Howth. Joan and Aidan MacManus’s well-known seafood restaurant down by the harbor attracts many contemporary visitors to the old town. It’s in a Georgian house, with the yacht marina and port on one side and sea views from which you can watch the boats land the very fish that might be tomorrow’s special. The upstairs seafood bar is great for informal lunches in summer. A house specialty is fillet of turbot with crab meat and caviar cream sauce, but lobster, caught just yards away in Balscadden Bay, is the big treat—it’s best at its simplest, in butter sauce. | East Pier, North County Dublin | Dublin 13 | 01/832–5235 | www.kingsitric.ie | AE, DC, MC, V | Closed Sun.

MALAHIDE

By car, drive from north city center on R107 for 14½ km (9 mi). Or catch hourly train from Connolly Station. Or board Bus 42 to Malahide, which leaves every 15 minutes from Beresford Pl. behind Custom House.

Fodor’s Choice | Malahide Castle, a picture-book castle occupied by the Talbot family from 1185 until 1976, when it was sold to the Dublin County Council. The great expanse of parkland around the castle has more than 5,000 different species of trees and shrubs, all clearly labeled. The castle itself combines styles and crosses centuries; the earliest section, the three-story tower house, dates from the 12th century. Hung with many family portraits, the medieval great hall is the only one in Ireland that is preserved in its original form. Authentic 18th-century pieces furnish the other rooms.Within the castle, the Malahide Castle, a picture-book castle occupied by the Talbot family from 1185 until 1976, when it was sold to the Dublin County Council. The great expanse of parkland around the castle has more than 5,000 different species of trees and shrubs, all clearly labeled. The castle itself combines styles and crosses centuries; the earliest section, the three-story tower house, dates from the 12th century. Hung with many family portraits, the medieval great hall is the only one in Ireland that is preserved in its original form. Authentic 18th-century pieces furnish the other rooms. Within the castle, the Fry Model Railway Museum houses rare, handmade models of the Irish railway and one of the world’s largest miniature railway displays, which covers an area of 2,500 square feet. Tara’s Palace, a dollhouse that was made to raise funds for children’s charities, is also here; it has 25 rooms, all fully furnished in miniature. | 10 km (6 mi) north of Howth on Coast Rd., North County Dublin | Co. Dublin | 01/846–2184 | www.malahidecastle.com | Castle €7.50, castle and railway museum €11.50 | Apr.–Sept., Mon.–Sat. 10–5, Sun. 11–6; Oct.–Mar., Mon.–Sat. 10–5, Sun. 11–5.

One of the greatest stately homes of Ireland, Newbridge House, in nearby Donabate, was built between 1740 and 1760 for Charles Cobbe, Archbishop of Dublin. A showpiece in the Georgian and Regency styles, the house is less a museum than a home because the Cobbe family still resides here, part of a novel scheme the municipal government allowed when they took over the house in 1985. The sober exterior and even more sober entrance hall—all Portland stone and Welsh slate—don’t prepare you for the splendor of Newbridge’s Red Drawing Room, perhaps Ireland’s most sumptuous 18th-century salon. Cobbe’s son, Thomas, and his wife, Lady Betty Beresford, sister of the marquess of Waterford, had amassed a great collection of paintings and needed a hall in which to show them off, so they built a back wing of the house to incorporate an enormous room built for entertaining and impressing others. That it does, thanks to its crimson walls, fluted Corinthian columns, dozens of Old Masters, and glamorous Rococo-style plaster ceiling designed by the Dublin stuccadore Richard Williams. Elsewhere in the house are fascinating family heirlooms: the kitchens still have their original utensils; crafts workshops and some examples of old-style transportation, such as coaches, are in the courtyard; and there is even a Museum of Curiosities, complete with the mummified ear of an Egyptian bull and relics of Lady Betty’s medical practice (her chilblain plaster became famous). Some fine paintings are left, but the greatest were sold centuries ago in order to build proper houses for the estate servants. Beyond the house’s walled garden are 366 acres of parkland and a restored 18th-century animal farm. The coffee shop is renowned for the quality and selection of its homemade goods. You can travel from Malahide to Donabate by train, which takes about 10 minutes. From the Donabate train station, it’s a 15-minute walk to the Newbridge House grounds. | Donabate, 8 km (5 mi) north of Malahide, signposted from N1, North County Dublin | Co. Dublin | 01/843–6534 | www.fingalcoco.ie | €7 | Apr.–Sept., Tues.–Sat. 10–1 and 2–5, Sun. noon–6; Oct.–Mar., weekends noon–5.

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Dublin Past and Present | Dublin Step by Step: A Center-City Walk | Literary Dublin: A Playwright on Every Corner | A Trip to the Pub

DUBLIN PAST AND PRESENT

Until 500 AD, Dublin was little more than a crossroads—albeit a critical one—for four of the main thoroughfares that traversed the country. It had two names: Baile Atha Cliath, meaning City of the Hurdles, bestowed by Celtic traders in the 2nd century AD; and Dubhlinn, or “dark pool,” after a body of water believed to have been where Dublin Castle now stands.

In 837, Norsemen carried out the first invasion of Dublin, to be followed by new waves of warriors staking their claim to the city—from the 12th-century Anglo-Normans to Oliver Cromwell in 1651.

Not until the 18th century did Dublin reach a golden age, when the patronage of wealthy nobles turned the city into one of Europe’s most prepossessing capitals. But the era of “the glorious eighteenth” was short-lived; in 1800, the Act of Union brought Ireland and Britain together into the United Kingdom, and power moved to London.

The 19th century proved to be a time of political turmoil, although Daniel O’Connell, the first Catholic lord mayor of Dublin, won early success with the introduction of Catholic Emancipation in 1829. During the late 1840s, Dublin escaped the worst effects of the famine that ravaged much of southern and western Ireland.

The city entered another period of upheaval in the first decades of the 20th century, marked by the Easter Uprising of 1916. A war for independence from Britain began in 1919, followed by establishment of the Irish Free State in December 1921 and subsequent civil war. In its aftermath Dublin entered an era of political and cultural conservatism, which continued until the late 1970s. A major turning point occurred in 1972, when Ireland joined the European Economic Community.

In the 1980s, while the economy remained in recession, Irish musicians stormed the American and British barricades of rock-and-roll music, with U2 climbing to the topmost heights.

The 1990s and first years of the 21st century have truly been Ireland’s boom time, set in motion to a great extent by the country’s participation in the European Union. When Ireland approved the new EU treaty in 1992, it was one of the poorest member nations, qualifying it for grants of all kinds.

Ireland quickly transformed itself into the economic envy of the world, propelled by massive investment from multinational corporations, particularly in the telecommunications, software, and service industries. In 2000 the government announced that Ireland was the world’s largest exporter of software. But the later years of the Tiger were fueled by a crazy property bubble and Dublin, like most of the world, suddenly woke up with one doozy of an economic hangover.

Today, roughly a third of the Irish Republic’s 4.1 million people live in Dublin and its suburbs. It’s a city of young people—astonishingly so (students from all over Ireland attend Trinity College and the city’s dozen other universities). Many of them have their eyes feverishly focused on the future.

DUBLIN STEP BY STEP: A CENTER-CITY WALK

Touring the largest city in Ireland in the space of a day sounds like an impossible goal, but if you’re determined you can do a large chunk of it in a single sunrise-to-sunset span. Think Dublin 101.

South of the Liffey are graceful squares and fashionable terraces from Dublin’s elegant Georgian heyday; interspersed with some of the city’s leading sights, this center-city area is perfect for an introductory tour of the city.

You might begin at O’Connell Bridge—as Dublin has no central focal point, most natives have regarded the bridge as the city’s Piccadilly Circus or Times Square.

Then head south down Westmoreland Street on your way to view one of Dublin’s most spectacular buildings, James Gandon’s 18th-century Parliament House, now the Bank of Ireland building.

After you drink in the grand colonnades, cross the street to the genteel, elegant campus of Trinity College—the oldest seat of Irish learning.

Your first stop should be the Old Library, to see the staggering Long Room and Ireland’s greatest art treasure, the Book of Kells, one of the world’s most famous—and most beautiful—illuminated manuscripts. Leave the campus and take a stroll along Grafton Street, Dublin’s busiest shopping street the pedestrian spine of the Southside.

The Dublin Tourism office, in a spectacular medieval former church, is just off Grafton Street, on the corner of Suffolk Street. If Grafton Street’s shops whet your appetite for more browsing and shopping, turn right down Wicklow Street, then left onto South William Street to Powerscourt Townhouse Centre, where a faux-Georgian atrium houses high-end shops and pleasant eateries. The Dublin Civic Museum is next door to Powerscourt, across the alley on its south flank.

Head back to the end of Grafton Street, at the northwest corner of St. Stephen’s Green, Dublin’s most popular public garden, which absolutely demands a stroll-through.

The magnificently Georgian 18th-century Newman House is on the south side of the green. Amble back across the green, exiting onto the northeast corner, at which stands the pillared and corniced Shelbourne Hotel, a grand place for tea or lunch (you’ve earned it!).

At this corner of the Green in olden days was the “Beaux Walk,” a favorite 18th-century gathering place for fashionable Dubliners. Chances are you won’t bump into a duke on his way to a Handel concert but then neither will you have to dodge pigs, which were a feature of the cityscape back then.

Walk north on Merrion Street to Merrion Square—one of Dublin’s most attractive squares. The east side of Merrion Square and its continuation, Fitzwilliam Street, form what is known as “the Georgian Mile.”

On a clear day the Dublin Mountains are visible in the distance and the prospect has almost been preserved to give an impression of the spacious feel of 18th-century Dublin (excepting the unattractive, modern office block of the Electricity Supply Board).

Walk down the south side of the square to one of Dublin’s most fascinating historic house renovations found on Lower Fitzwilliam Street, No. 29 to be precise.

Then cut back through the square to the head to Dublin’s museum quarter, which has an array of amazing museum, starting out with the charmingly 19th-century National Museum of Natural History and the moderate-size National Gallery of Ireland, where you can feast your eyes on masterworks by Rubens, Caravaggio, Uccello, and Goya (don’t forget its top-rated restaurant).

The last leg—hopefully not literally—of this walk begins up Kildare Street to the National Library. If you want to take a peek at the famously domed Reading Room, get a visitor’s pass; or just be content to study the entrance hall’s display of library treasures.

Many visitors will bypass the library and go instead behind the back of Leinster House toward the looming domed rotunda entrance of the National Museum of Archaeology and History. Here, fabled Celtic treasures, including the Cross of Cong and the Gleninsheen Gorget, await you.

A short walk west along Molesworth Street takes you to Dawson Street. St. Ann’s Church, the reticent Royal Irish Academy, and private Mansion House—the mayor’s residence—are all on the left side as you walk toward St. Stephen’s Green.

If you’re interested in George Bernard Shaw, you may want to take a 15-minute walk from the Green to the Shaw Birthplace—from the bottom of Dawson Street make a right and then a left around the green until you arrive at Harcourt Street.

After a short walk south, make a right onto Harrington Street and a right again onto Synge Street and the Shaw house.

From here, it is only appropriate to hop on a tram and head north of the Liffey to the famous Dublin Writers Museum, set in a gorgeous 18th-century mansion.

Perhaps end the day with a performance at the nearby Gate Theatre, another Georgian eye-pleaser, or spend the evening exploring the cobbled streets, many cafés, and shops of Dublin’s boho quarter, the compact Temple Bar area, back on the south bank of the Liffey.

Walk through Merchant’s Arch, the symbolic entry into the district (see if you can spot the surveillance cameras up on the walls), which leads you onto the area’s long spine, named Temple Bar here but also called Fleet Street (to the east) and Essex Street (to the west). You’re right at Temple Bar Square, one of the two largest plazas in the neighborhood.

You can easily breeze through Temple Bar in an hour or so, but if you’ve got the time, plan to chill out here by drifting in and out of the dozens of stores and galleries, relaxing at a café over a cup of coffee or at a pub over a pint, or, if you’re looking for a change from sightseeing, maybe even catching a film at one of the art cinemas.

And because you couldn’t fit in a stop at the Guinness Brewery and Storehouse, top the evening off with a pint at the Stag’s Head pub just across Dame Street.

LITERARY DUBLIN: A PLAYWRIGHT ON EVERY CORNER

As any visit to the Dublin Writers Museum will prove, this city packs more literary punch per square foot than practically any other spot on the planet. While the Irish capital may be relatively small in geographic terms, it looms huge as a country of the imagination. Dubliners wrote some of the greatest works of Western literature, including these immortal titles: Ulysses, Gulliver’s Travels, Dracula, The Importance of Being Earnest, and Waiting for Godot. Today Dublin is a veritable literary theme park: within a few minutes’ walk you can visit the birthplace of George Bernard Shaw, see where Sean O’Casey wrote Juno and the Paycock, and pop into the pub where Brendan Behan loved to get marinated.

A Way with Words

As tellers of the tallest tales, speakers of Gaelic (reputedly the world’s most perfect medium for prayers, curses, and seduction), and the finest practitioners of the art of blarney, it’s little surprise that the Hibernian race produced no fewer than four Nobel prize winners: Shaw, W. B. Yeats, Samuel Beckett, and Seamus Heaney. But what is surprising is that this tiny, long-colonized island on the outskirts of Europe somehow managed to maneuver itself to the very heart of literature in the language of the invader itself, English. And at that heart’s core lies Dublin.

For Better or Verse

By the 18th century, the Gaelic tradition was trumped by the boom of literature written in English, often by second- or third-generation descendants of English settlers, such as William Congreve, Richard Brinsley Sheridan, and Oliver Goldsmith. With the Easter Uprising of 1916, so many Irish writers found themselves censored that “being banned” became a matter of prestige (it also did wonders for book sales abroad, with a smuggled copy of Ulysses becoming the ultimate status symbol). Sadly, many writers became exiles; most famously, Joyce was joined in Paris by Beckett in 1932.

Dublin B(u)y the Book

Book lovers know that a guidebook to this city is an anthology of Irish literature in itself. Dublin’s Northside is studded with landmarks immortalized in James Joyce’s novels. A stone’s throw from the Liffey is the Abbey Theater, a potent symbol of Ireland’s great playwrights. To the south lies Trinity College, alma mater of Jonathan Swift, Bram Stoker, Oscar Wilde, and Samuel Beckett. And scattered around the city are thousands of pubs where storytelling evolved as the incurable Irish “disease.” They are the perfect places to take a time-out while touring Dublin’s leading literary shrines and sites.

THE TRAIL OF TALES

Allowing you to turn the pages of the city, as it were, with your feet, a literary ramble through Dublin is a magical mystery tour through more than 400 years of Irish history.

Dublin Writers Museum.

The best place to start any literary tour of the city, this gloriously restored 18th-century mansion was once the home of the Jameson Whiskey family (booze and writers are never too far apart in Dublin). Its Edwardian rooms are filled with inky treasures like the 1804 edition of Swift’s Gulliver’s Travels and the 1899 first edition of Stoker’s Dracula. | 18 Parnell Sq. N | 01/872–2077 | www.writersmuseum.com.

Gate Theater.

Landmarked by its noble Palladian portico, this magnificent Georgian theater (built 1784) today sees the premieres of some of Ireland’s most talked-about plays. Orson Welles and James Mason got their starts here.| Cavendish Row | 01/874–4045 | www.gate-theater.ie.

James Joyce Centre.

Now an extensive library dedicated to arguably the greatest novelist of the 20th century, this sumptuously decorated 18th-century town house was featured in Ulysses as a dancing academy. Letters from Beckett, Joyce’s guitar and cane, and a Joyce edition illustrated by Matisse are collection highlights.| 35 N. Great George’s St. | 01/878–8547 | www.jamesjoyce.ie.

Sean O’Casey House.

A one-time construction laborer, O’Casey became Ireland’s greatest modern playwright and this is the house where he wrote all his famous Abbey plays, including Juno and the Paycock and The Plough and the Stars.| 422 N. Circular Rd.

Abbey Theatre.

Hard to believe this 1950s modernist eyesore is the fabled home of Ireland’s national theater company, established on a wave of nationalist passion by Yeats and his patron, Lady Gregory, in 1904. Here premiered J. M. Synge’s scandalous Playboy of the Western World and the working-class plays of Sean O’Casey. The foyer and bar display mementos of the theater’s fabled “Abbeyists.”| Lower Abbey St. | 01/878–7222 | www.abbeytheater.ie.

Trinity College Dublin.

This 400-year-old college has an incredible record for turning out literary giants like Swift, Goldsmith, Wilde, Synge, Stoker, and Beckett. Majestically presiding over its famous library is the 9th-century Book of Kells, mother of all Irish tomes.| Front Sq. | 01/896–2320 | www.tcd.ie/library.

National Library.

Joyce used the 1890 Main Reading Room, with its dramatic domed ceiling, as the scene of the great literary debate in Ulysses. At No. 30 Kildare Street a plaque marks a former residence of Dracula’s creator, Bram Stoker.| Kildare St. | 01/603–0200 | www.nli.ie.

Merrion Square.

An elegant mansion, which can be toured, No. 1 Merrion Square is the former Oscar Wilde family residence. A statue of Oscar reclines in the park opposite. Around the square, note the plaques that indicate former residents, including W. B. Yeats and Sheridan le Fanu, Dublin’s most famous ghost-story teller.

St. Stephen’s Green.

This pretty, flower-filled little park is home to a wonderful statue of Joyce.

George Bernard Shaw Birthplace.

Shaw lived in this modest, Victorian terrace house until he was 10 and the painstaking restoration of the little rooms highlights a cramped, claustrophobic atmosphere Eliza Doolittle would have felt at home in.| 33 Synge St. | 01/475–0854 | www.visitdublin.com.

Neary’s Pub.

The Victorian-style interiors here were once haunted by Dublin’s literary set, most notably the raconteur Brendan Behan.| 1 Chatham St. | 01/677–7371.

A DUBLIN PANTHEON

Jonathan Swift

“Where fierce indignation can no longer tear his heart”: Swift, one of the great satirists in the English language, willed these words be carved on his tomb at Dublin’s St. Patrick’s Cathedral. Swift was born on November 30, 1667, in the Liberties area of Dublin. Life would deal him many misfortunes, but he gave as good as he got, venting his great anger with a pen sharper than any sword. His rage at the British government’s mistreatment of the Irish was turned into the brilliant satire A Modest Proposal where he politely recommends a solution to the dual problems of hunger and overpopulation: breed babies for meat. Best remembered for the brilliant moral fable Gulliver’s Travels, he died on October 19, 1745, and is buried in Dublin’s St. Patrick’s Cathedral, where he was dean.

Oscar Wilde

The greatest wit of his age and arguably any other, Wilde was born on October 16, 1834, at 21 Westland Row in Dublin, the son of an eminent eye doctor. He was educated at Trinity College, where he was a promising boxer and was quoted as saying his greatest challenge was learning to live up to the blue china he had installed in his rooms. Wilde moved to London in 1879, where he married, had children, and became celebrated for the plays The Importance of Being Earnest and Salome and his titillating novel The Picture of Dorian Gray. But his life was always more famous than his work and a scandalous affair with the aristocratic Alfred Douglas finally led to his ruin and imprisonment.

W. B. Yeats

Poet, dramatist, and prose writer, Yeats—winner of the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1923—stands as one of the greatest English-language poets of the 20th century. And yet in Ireland itself he is best remembered for his key role in the struggle for Irish freedom and the revival of Irish culture, including his part in forming the Abbey Theatre (National Theatre). Born in the seaside suburb of Sandymount in Dublin in 1865, his fascination with Celtic folklore and the stories of Cuchulainn can be seen throughout his early poems and plays. But many of his greatest poems are haunted by the dashing figure of Maud Gonne, actress, revolutionary, and unrequited love. He died in 1939 in Paris but his body was buried in Drucliffe, at the foot of Ben Bulben mountain in his beloved County Sligo.

George Bernard Shaw

G. Bernard Shaw—he hated George, and never used it either personally or professionally—was born in Dublin in 1856. His father was a boozing corn merchant and his mother a professional singer. When Shaw was a boy his mother ran away with her voice coach, and it may be no coincidence that his plays are dotted with problem child/parent relationships. In 1886 he went to London where plays such as Pygmalion and Saint Joan helped propel him to international stardom. Pacifist, socialist, and feminist, Shaw was a true original, a radical in the real sense of the word, his work always challenging the norms of his day. He lived to the ripe old age of 94 and died in 1950 after falling off a ladder while trimming trees outside his house.

Sean O’Casey

The first working-class Irish literary great, dramatist

O’Casey was born at 85 Upper Dorset Street in the inner-city Dublin slums in 1880. Problems with his eyes as a child kept him indoors where he gleaned a love of reading. An early advocate of Yeats’s Celtic Revival, he later found his true faith in the socialism of union leader Jim Larkin. His trilogy of great tragicomedies—Shadow of a Gunman, Juno and the Paycock, and The Plough and the Stars—all deal with ordinary families caught up in the maelstrom of Irish politics and were performed at Yeats’s Abbey in the 1920s. Their playful language and riotous action have made them classics ever since. He spent his later life in England and died in Devon in 1964.

Brendan Behan

Writer, fighter, drinker, and wit, Brendan Francis Behan was born in Dublin’s Holles Street Hospital in 1923 into an educated, political working-class family. Urged on by his fiercely patriotic grandmother, he joined Fiánna Eireann, the youth wing of the IRA and, in 1939, was jailed for three years for possessing explosives. In prison he began to write but it wasn’t until the 1950s that he hit it big with The Quare Fellow, a play based on his prison experiences, and later works The Hostage and Borstal Boy. But it was in the bars of Dublin that the “demon drinker” Behan delivered many of his greatest lines—alas, lost now forever. A self-proclaimed “drinker with a writing problem,” he died in 1964 at the age of only 41.

REJOICE! THE DARLIN’ DUBLIN OF JAMES JOYCE

If Joyce fans make one pilgrimage in their lives, let it be to Dublin on June 16th for Bloomsday. June 16th, of course, is the day Leopold Bloom toured Dublin in Ulysses, and commemorative events take place all week long leading up to the big day (and night).

Grown men and women stroll the streets attired in black suits and carrying fresh bars of lemon soap in their pockets, imitating the unassuming hero of what is arguably the 20th century’s greatest novel. Denounced as obscene, blasphemous, and unreadable when it was first published in 1922 (and then banned in the U.S. until 1933), this 1,000-page riff on Homer’s Odyssey portrays three characters—Leopold Bloom, a Jewish ad salesman, his wife, Molly, and friend Stephen Daedelus—as they wander through Dublin during the span of one day, June 16th, 1904. Dedicated Joyceans flock to the weeklong event, now called “Bloomstime,” for Bloomsday breakfasts (where they can enjoy, like Bloom himself, “grilled mutton kidneys . . . which gave to his palate a fine tang of faintly scented urine”), readings, performances, and general merriment.

But don’t despair if you miss Bloomsday, because you can experience the Dublin that inspired the author’s novels year-round. James Joyce (1882-1941) set all his major works—Dubliners, A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man, Ulysses, and Finnegan’s Wake—in the city where he was born and spent the first 22 years of his life. Joyce knew and remembered Dublin in such detail that he bragged (and that’s the word) that, if the city were destroyed, it could be rebuilt in its entirety from his written works.

In the Footsteps of a Poet: A James Joyce Walk

Begin in the heart of the Northside, on Prince’s Street, next to the GPO (General Post Office), where the office of the old and popular Freeman’s Journal newspaper (published 1763–1924) was once located and where Bloom once worked.

Head north up O’Connell Street down Parnell Square before turning right onto Dorset Street and then left onto Eccles Street. Leopold and Molly Bloom’s fictional home stood at 7 Eccles Street, north of Parnell Square.

Head back to Dorset Street and go east. Take a right onto Gardiner Street and then a left onto Great Denmark Street and Belvedere College. Between 1893 and 1898, Joyce studied at Belvedere College (01/874–3974) under the Jesuits; it’s housed in a splendid 18th-century mansion. The James Joyce Centre (01/878–8547 | www.jamesjoyce.ie), a few steps from Belvedere College on North Great George’s Street, is the hub of Bloomsday celebrations.

Go back to Gardiner Street and then south until you come to Railway Street on your left. The site of Bella Cohen’s Brothel (82 Railway St.) is in an area that in Joyce’s day contained many houses of ill repute. A long walk back down O’Connell Street to the bridge and then a right will take you to Ormond Quay. On the western edge of the Northside, the Ormond Quay Hotel (Upper Ormond Quay | 01/872–1811) was an afternoon rendezvous spot for Bloom.

Across the Liffey, walk up Grafton Street to Davy Byrne’s Pub (21 Duke St., | 01/671–1298). Here, Bloom comes to settle down for a glass of Burgundy and a Gorgonzola cheese sandwich, and meets his friend Nosey Flynn. Today, the pub has gone very upscale from its pre-World War II days, but even Joyce would have cracked a smile at the sight of the shamrock-painted ceiling and the murals of Joycean Dublin by Liam Proud.

After a stop at Davy Byrne’s, proceed via Molesworth Street to the National Library—where Bloom has a near meeting with Blazes Boylan, his wife’s lover. Walk up Molesworth Street until you hit Trinity. Take a right and walk to Lincoln Place. No establishment mentioned by Joyce has changed less since his time than Sweny’s Pharmacy (Lincoln Pl.), which still has its black-and-white exterior and an interior crammed with potions and vials.

A TRIP TO THE PUB

For any visitor to Ireland who wants to see the natives in their bare element—to witness them at full pace, no-holds-barred—a trip to a busy pub is a must. Luckily for you, a pub is above all a welcoming place, where a visitor is seen as a source of new, exotic stories and, more importantly, as an unsullied audience for the locals and their tall tales.

The term “pub” is shorthand for “public house,” which is an apt name for one of Ireland’s great institutions. Stepping into a pub (and there seems to be one on every corner) is the easiest way to transport yourself into the thick of Irish life. A pub, of course, is a drinking establishment, and for better or worse the Irish have a deep, abiding relationship with drink—particularly their beloved black stout. The point, however, isn’t what you drink, but where: in the warmth of the public house, in company. It’s the place to tell stories, most of them true, and to hear music. It’s where locals go to mark the key stages of their lives: to wet a new baby’s head; to celebrate a graduation; to announce an engagement; and finally to wake a corpse.

HOW TO CHOOSE A PUB

Not all pubs are created equal. Here are a few ways to distinguish the real gold from the sparkling pyrite:

Qualified, experienced bar staff—not grubby students dreaming of the round-the-world trip they are working to save up for. A uniform of white shirt and black trousers is often a good sign.

At least one man over sixty (preferably with a cap of some description) drinking at the bar (not at a table). He should know the good bars by now, right?

No TV. Or, if there is a TV it should be hidden away in a corner, only to be used for horse racing and other major sporting events.

No recorded music. A pub is a place to talk and listen. Occasional live music is okay, especially a traditional session.

Bathrooms are clean but not too clean. They are purely functional, not polished chambers for hanging out and chatting with friends about your new Blackberry.

THE QUEST FOR THE CRAIC

Pub-going at its best has a touch of magic to it: conversation flows, spirits rise, and inhibitions evaporate. There’s a word in Gaelic for this happy condition: the craic, which roughly translates as “lively talk and good times.” The craic is the sort of thing that’s difficult to find only when you’re looking too hard for it. Large crowds, loud music, and one pint too many can also make the craic elusive. When your companions all seem clever and handsome, and you can’t imagine better company in the world, that’s when you know you’ve found it.

PUB ETIQUETTE

First, if you want to meet people and get into the craic, belly up to the bar counter and pass up a seat at a table.

Always place your drink order at the bar and don’t heckle the barkeepers to get their attention. They’re professionals—they’ll see you soon enough.

If you do take a table, bring your dirty glasses back to the bar before you leave, or when you order another round.

In present-day Ireland, male and female pubgoers usually get equal treatment. At the most traditional places, though, it’s still customary in mixed company for the man to order drinks at the bar while the woman takes a table seat.

Don’t tip the barkeepers, except at Christmas, when you can offer to buy them a drink.

Never sip from your Guinness until it has fully settled. You’ll know this from the deep black color and perfectly defined white head.

Don’t smoke in the bar; it’s against the law. But feel free to gather outside in the rain and chat with the other unfortunates. It’s a great spot to start a romance.

You have to be at least 18 years old to drink in a pub, but kids are welcome during the day, and nondrinking minors as young as 14 are often tolerated at night.

MAKING THE ROUNDS

You may get caught up in the “rounds” system, in which each pub mate takes turns to “shout” an order. Your new friends may forget to tell you when it’s your round, but any failure to “put your hand in your pocket” may lead to a reputation that will follow you to the grave. To miss your “shout” is to become known for “short arms and long pockets” and to be shunned by decent people.

LAST CALL

Technically, pubs have to stop serving at 11:30 Mon.–Thurs., 12:30 Fri.–Sat., and 11 Sun. At the end of the night, ignore the first five calls of “Time please, ladies and gentlemen!” from the barman. You’ll know he’s getting serious by the roar of his voice.

THE “BLACK STUFF”

Stout, a dark beer made using roasted malts or barley, originated in Ireland, and it’s the country’s national drink, consumed in pubs with unflagging allegiance.

Guinness. For most Irish, the name Guinness is synonymous with stout. With massive breweries in Africa and the Americas, it really is a world brand, but the “true” pint still flows from the original brewery at St. James Gate in Dublin. While some old-timers still drink the more malty bottled version, draught Guinness is now the standard. A deep, creamy texture and slightly bitter first taste is followed by a milder, more “toasty” aftertaste.

Murphy’s. The Murphy Brewery was founded by James Murphy in 1856 in Cork City. Murphy’s is very much a Cork drink, and often suffers from “second city” complex in relation to its giant rival Guinness. Corkonians say Murphy’s has a less bitter, more nutty flavor than the “Dublin stout.”

Beamish. Another Cork drink, a little sweeter and less dry than either Guinness or Murphy’s, and so a little easier on the novice palate. Beamish and Crawford Brewery began making beer in 1792.

The Pour

The storage and pouring of a pint of stout is almost as important as the brewing. The best quality is usually found in older bars that sell a lot of pints—meaning the beer you get hasn’t been sitting in the keg too long and the pipes are well coated.

Pouring a pint consists of two stages: The glass is filled three-quarters full, then allowed to sit. After the head settles, the glass is filled to the top (stage two).

Why the painstaking ritual? Because the barkeeper knows you don’t want your first sip to be a mouthful of foam. And because the flavor’s that much sweeter for the waiting.

WELCOME TO IRELAND’S LIVING ROOM...

Pub food is a lunchtime thing; the prices are reasonable, and the quality can be quite good. Ask for a menu at the bar. If you’re near a coast, look for sea-food specialties, from oysters and mussels to smoked salmon. With beef-and-Guinness stew, you can drink your stout and eat it too.

Although the majority of your companions will be drinking stout, you do have other options.

A lager is always available—Heineken and Carlsberg are the most popular brands.

If you’re thirsting for something stronger, take a nip of Irish whiskey, which tends to be less smoky and intensely flavored than its Scotch cousin. Jameson and Bushmills, both smooth blends, are the standard varieties, and you can usually find a single-malt as well.

On the other hand, if the booze isn’t your thing, you can always choose tea, soda, or a bottle of water. (Ballygowan is the Irish Evian.) It’s fine to order nonalcoholic drinks—many people who drive do so.

“TRAD” MUSIC IN ITS NATURAL DOMAIN

The pub is an ideal place to hear traditional Irish music. Performances can have a spontaneous air to them, but they don’t start up just anywhere. Pubs that accommodate live sessions have signs saying so; and they’re more common outside Dublin than in the city.

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Main Table of Contents

Introducing Dublin Environs

Dublin Environs Planner

Getting Around Dublin Environs

The Boyne Valley

County Wicklow

County Kildare to West Wicklow

Dublin Environs in Depth

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Top Reasons to Go | Getting Oriented

Walt Disney himself couldn’t have planned it better. The small counties immediately north, south, and west of Dublin—historically known as the Pale—seem expressly designed to entertain and enchant the sightseer. The entire region is layer-cake rich with legendary Celtic sites, gorgeous gardens, and the most elegant Palladian country estates in Ireland.

Due to its location on the Irish Sea, facing Europe, the region was the first to attract the earliest “tourists”—conquerors and rulers—and the first over which they exercised the greatest influence. Traces of each new wave remain: the Celts chose Tara as the center of their kingdom; the Danes sailed the rivers Boyne and Liffey to establish many of today’s towns; and the region’s great Protestant-built houses of the 18th century remind us that the Pale (originally the Pale referred to the area of eastern Ireland ruled directly by the Normans) was the starting point and administrative center for the long, violent English colonization of the whole island.

The Dublin environs include three basic geographical regions: County Wicklow’s coast and mountains, the Boyne Valley, and County Kildare. Lying tantalizingly close to the south of Dublin is the mountainous county of Wicklow, which contains some of the most et-in-Arcadia-ego scenery in the Emerald Isle. Here, the gently rounded Wicklow Mountains—to some, they are Ireland’s finest—contain the evocative monastic settlement at Glendalough, many later abbeys and churches, and scores of the most beguiling attractions for the art lover: the great 18th-century estates of the Anglo-Irish aristocracy, whose reigning lords and ladies, prone to a certain sense of inferiority, were determined not to be outdone by the extravagant efforts of their English compatriots. The result was a string of spectacular stately home extravaganzas, such as Castletown, Powerscourt, and Russborough.

North of Dublin lies the Boyne Valley, with its abundant ruins of Celtic Ireland extending from counties Meath to Louth. Some of the country’s most evocative Neolithic ruins—including the famous passage graves at Newgrange—are nestled into this landscape, where layer upon layer of history reach back into earlier, unknowable ages. It was west of Drogheda—a fascinating town settled by the Vikings in the early 10th century—that the Tuatha De Danann, onetime residents of Ireland, went underground when defeated by invading Milesians and became, it’s said, “the good people” (or fairies) of Irish legend. In pagan times this area was the home of Ireland’s high kings, and the center of religious life. All roads led to Tara, the fabled Hill of Kings, the royal seat, and the place where the national assembly was held. Today, time seems to stand still—and you should, too, for it’s almost sacrilegious to introduce a note of urgency here.

Southwest of Dublin are the flat pastoral plains of County Kildare; the plains stretch between the western Midlands and the foothills of the Dublin and Wicklow mountains—both names actually refer to the same mountain range, but each marks its county’s claim to the land. Kildare is the flattest part of Ireland, a natural playing field for breeding, training, and racing some of the world’s premier Thoroughbreds.

Rapid, omnivorous expansion of the capital city in the decade of the Celtic Tiger saw its suburban limits spread deep into the once bucolic areas of Meath and Kildare, and the natives of these areas feared that their more rural way of life was under threat. Don’t be surprised to hear Dublin accents starting to dominate in towns like Navan and Naas. But the new prosperity also meant the local young men and women no longer had to head off up to “the big smoke” of Dublin or even farther afield to find work, and the counties of the Pale saw their populations rise for the first time in decades. These days, however, the recent economic slowdown and a slump in property values have disproportionately hit these satellite towns and areas so dependent on the economy of Dublin.

TOP REASONS TO GO

Newgrange in Winter: Just standing amid these 5,000-year-old tombs (which predate the pyramids), you’ll wonder: how did they build them?

A Day at the Races: The Irish may like a drink, but they really love to gamble, as you’ll discover in Kildare, center of the Irish bloodstock world.

Spectacular Georgian Country Houses: Modesty never struck the rich Anglo-Irishman, whose propensity to flaunt his riches led to such over-the-top stately homes as Castletown, Russborough, and Powerscourt.

Wicklow Is for Walkers: There’s no better way to meet the locals and see the land than trekking out on the 132-km-long (82-mi-long) Wicklow Way, Ireland’s most popular trail.

Early Morning at Glendalough: Before the tour buses arrive, channel the spirit of the 6th-century, isolation-seeking St. Kevin.

GETTING ORIENTED

The Dublin environs includes three main regions: County Wicklow’s coast and mountains, the Boyne Valley, and County Kildare. The Boyne Valley includes much of counties Meath and Louth to the north and east of Dublin. Kildare and Wicklow are to the southeast and south of the capital. Tour this small region, or opt for day trips from Dublin, especially to the Wicklow Mountains, which rise up suddenly at the fringes of the city.

The Boyne Valley Set 48 km (30 mi) north of Dublin, this entire area is redolent with prehistoric and pagan sites. You don’t have to be an Indiana Jones to be awed by the Hill of Tara or Newgrange, a Neolithic burial ground and solar observatory still evocative of the mysteries of pre-Celtic civilization.

County Wicklow Set with dense woods and idyllic lakes, “the garden of Ireland” is a favorite day out for Dubliners, thanks to sylvan estates like Powerscourt and Glendalough, a 6th-century monastic site so serene you may be tempted to renounce the profane world.

County Kildare and West Wicklow After visiting stately Castletown and Russborough—two monuments to Ireland’s Georgian age of elegance—check out Derby Day at the Curragh racecourse. The grinning bookmakers are just waiting to take your money.

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Finding a Place to Stay | Transportation Basics | Visitor Information | Guided Tours | It’s All About the Serenity | The Great Outdoors | When to Go

FINDING A PLACE TO STAY

A lot of people opt to stay in Dublin and take day trips to the environs. If that’s the case, a hotel on the south side of the city or in South County Dublin might be a good idea if you’re planning to spend time in Wicklow or East Kildare. For Meath and Louth, a hotel on the north side or to the west of the city might work better. If you don’t want to “commute” from the city, the noted country-house hotels around Kildare and Wicklow are a great option. They are surprisingly good value for the unique, luxurious experience they offer. Bed-and-breakfasts are another good option, and though the ones in this region tend to be a little more expensive than in other parts of Ireland, they also are a little classier and more stylish.

TRANSPORTATION BASICS

Driving distances from Dublin are less than two hours (in decent traffic), so the best option might be to base yourself in the city and make a couple of day trips into this region.

For example, a trip to Newgrange, Tara, and the National Stud might take up one day. Then you can head into the Wicklow Mountains to Powerscourt House and then to Glendalough on another day.

Country-house buffs can easily knock off Castletown and Russborough—two of the grandest in the land—in one afternoon.

A car is handy, of course, and gives you flexibility to get off the beaten track and explore the numerous small towns and villages of Wicklow and west Kildare.

But if you don’t fancy driving on small country roads, then there are many one-day and half-day bus tours from the city that take in the major sights.

VISITOR INFORMATION

For information on travel in the Dublin environs, contact one of the following Tourist Information Offices (TIOs) year-round: Dublin Tourism/Bord Fáilte, Dundalk, or Wicklow Town. In summer, temporary TIOs are open throughout the environs, in towns such as Drogheda and Dundalk in County Louth and Kildare Town in County Kildare.

This region is a puzzle quilt of many county agencies so below is a list of the main Web sites for the various counties found in this chapter. East Coast Midlands Tourism is the department of Bord Fáilte directly responsible for the Dublin environs area, and its Web site is also very useful.

Under the town listings we list separate Web tourism sites for the bigger towns.

Tourism Information: County Louth Tourism (www.louthholidays.com, www.countylouth.com). County Louth Tourism (www.louthholidays.com, www.countylouth.com). County Kildare Tourism (www.kildare.ie/tourism).County Wicklow Tourism (www.visitwicklow.ie). East Coast Midlands Tourism (www.eastcoastmidlands.ie).

GUIDED TOURS

Bus Éireann runs guided bus tours to many of the historic and scenic locations throughout the Dublin environs daily in summer. Visits include trips to Glendalough in Wicklow; Boyne Valley and Newgrange in County Louth; and the Hill of Tara, Trim, and Navan in County Meath. All tours depart from Busaras Station, Dublin; information is available by phone Monday–Saturday 8:30–7, Sunday 10–7. Gray Line Tours, a privately owned touring company, also runs many guided bus tours throughout the Dublin environs between May and September. Their Grand Wicklow Tour lasts seven hours, as does their day trip to Newgrange and Mellifont Abbey. Prices start at €38. Wild Wicklow Tours uses minibuses that can handle smaller groups and take you off the beaten track. Their full-day trips to Glendalough also take in Avoca Handweavers and a Dublin coastal drive. Prices start at €28. Railtours Ireland has a half-day rail tour into the Wicklow Mountains. The train stops at Arklow and then a bus takes you through Avoca and on to Glendalough. The cost is €39.

Tour Information: Bus Éireann (01/836–6111 | www.buseireann.ie). Gray Line Tours (01/670–8822 | www.grayline.com). Wild Wicklow Tours (01/280–1899 | www.wildwicklow.ie). Railtours Ireland (01/856–0045 | www.railtoursireland.com).

IT’S ALL ABOUT THE SERENITY

Glendalough and Newgrange really are unique places, historically and indeed spiritually. They are not sights to be rushed through with a checklist of things to see. It’s all about the atmosphere, the serenity, and the silence. So, in both places give yourself plenty of time. They are also best enjoyed in relative tranquility, so try to go as early in the morning as you can and beat the crowds. Many visitors find that both places may be at their best outside the summer months.

THE GREAT OUTDOORS

Wicklow is Ireland’s premier walking county, with the Wicklow Way trail the central attraction. Many of Ireland’s best golf courses are also in the region, with the majestic K Club in Kildare topping the list as home of the 2006 Ryder Cup. Sailing and water sports are popular all along the coast north and south of the city, with Brittas Bay north of Arklow a favorite beach and Carlingford Loch east of Dundalk a center for water sports. Lessons and equipment are usually available at each location, for a price, of course. The Boyne, Liffey, and many smaller rivers and lakes make the area perfect for coarse and salmon fishing. Tackle and boats are usually rentable nearby.

WHEN TO GO

While certainly not the wettest part of Ireland (the West gets that dubious distinction), the counties around Dublin do get their fair share of rain. June, July, August, and September tend to be the driest months, and the good news is that the rain in the region in summer is usually light and short-lived. Wicklow, with all its hills and valleys, seems to have an obscure microclimate of its own, so don’t rely too much on the weatherman to get it right.

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Bus Travel | Car Travel | Train Travel

BUS TRAVEL

Bus services link Dublin with the main and smaller towns in the area. All buses for the region depart from Dublin’s Busaras, the central bus station, at Store Street. For bus inquiries, contact Bus Éireann. You can reach Enniskerry and the Powerscourt Estate by taking Dublin Bus No. 44 from the Dublin quays area. The No. 45 and No. 45a head to Bray and the No. 84 goes to Greystones from near Merrion Square. St. Kevin’s, a private bus service, runs daily from Dublin (outside the Royal College of Surgeons on St. Stephen’s Green) to Glendalough, stopping off at Bray, Kilmacanogue, Roundwood, and Laragh en route. Buses leave Dublin daily at 11:30 AM and 6 PM (7 PM on weekends from March to September); buses leave Glendalough weekdays at 7:15 AM and 4:30 PM (9:45 AM and 5:40 PM on weekends from March to September). One-way fare is €13; a round-trip ticket costs €20.

Bus Information: Bus Éireann (01/836–6111 | www.buseireann.ie). Dublin Bus (01/873–4222 | www.dublinbus.ie). St. Kevin’s (01/281–8119 | www.glendaloughbus.com).

CAR TRAVEL

The easiest and best way to tour Dublin’s environs is by car, because many sights are not served by public transportation, and what service there is, especially to outlying areas, is infrequent. To visit destinations in the Boyne Valley, follow N3, along the east side of Phoenix Park, out of the city and make Trim and Tara your first stops. Alternatively, leave Dublin via N1/M1 toward Belfast. To reach destinations in County Kildare, follow the quays along the south side of the River Liffey (they are one-way westbound) to St. John’s Road West (N7/M7); in a matter of minutes, you’re heading for open countryside. Avoid traveling this route during the evening peak rush hours, especially on Friday, when Dubliners are themselves making their weekend getaways. To reach destinations in County Wicklow, N11/M11 is the fastest and most clearly marked route. The two more scenic routes to Glendalough are R115 to R759 to R755, or R177 to R755.

TRAIN TRAVEL

Irish Rail (Iarnród Éireann) trains run the length of the east coast. Their lines extend from Dundalk to the north in County Louth to Arklow along the coast in County Wicklow.

Trains make many stops along the way. Top stations along the coastal route include Drogheda, Dublin (the main stations are Connolly Station and Pearse Station), Bray, Greystones, Wicklow, and Rathdrum.

From Heuston Station, the Arrow, a commuter train service, runs westward to Celbridge, Naas, Newbridge, and Kildare Town.

Contact Irish Rail for schedule and fare information.

Stations in Dublin include Connolly Station (on Amiens St.), Heuston Station (Victoria Quay and St. John’s Rd. W), and Pearse Station (Westland Row).

Train Information: Irish Rail–Iarnod Éireann (01/836–6222 in Dublin, 041/983–8749 in Drogheda | www.irishrail.ie).

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Trim | Hill of Tara | Navan | Kells | Newgrange | Slane | King William’s Glen | Drogheda | Mellifont Abbey | Monasterboice | Ardee | Louth | Dundalk

For every wistful schoolboy in Ireland the River Boyne is a name that resonates with history and adventure. It was on the banks of that river in 1014 that the Celtic chieftain Brian Boru defeated the Danish in a decisive battle that returned the east of Ireland to native rule. It was also by this river that Protestant William of Orange defeated the Catholic armies of exiled James II of England, in 1690. In fact, this whole area, only 48 km (30 mi) north of cosmopolitan Dublin, is soaked in stories and legends that predate the pyramids. You can’t throw a stick anywhere in the valley without hitting some trace of Irish history. The great prehistoric, pagan, and Celtic monuments of the wide arc of fertile land known as the Boyne Valley invariably evoke a sense of wonder. You don’t have to be an archaeologist to be awed by Newgrange and Knowth—set beside the River Boyne—or the Hill of Tara, Mellifont Abbey, or the High Cross of Monasterboice. One way to approach exploring this area is to start at the town of Trim, the locale closest to Dublin, and work your way north. Keep in mind that Omeath and the scenic Cooley Peninsula at the end of this section are on the border of Northern Ireland.

TRIM

51 km (32 mi) northwest of Dublin via N3 to R154.

The heritage town of Trim, on the River Boyne, contains some of the finest medieval ruins in Ireland. In 1359, on the instructions of King Edward III, the town was walled and its fortifications were strengthened. In the 15th century several parliaments were held here. Oliver Cromwell massacred most of its inhabitants when he captured the town in 1649.

Visitor Information: Trim Tourist Office (Old Town Hall, Castle St. | Co. Meath | 046/943–7227 | www.meath.ie).

EXPLORING TRIM

Trim Castle, the largest Anglo-Norman fortress in Ireland, dominates present-day Trim from its 2½-acre site, which slopes down to the river’s placid waters. Built by Hugh de Lacy in 1173, the castle was soon destroyed, and then rebuilt from 1190 to 1220. The ruins include an enormous keep with 70-foot-high turrets flanked by rectangular towers. The outer castle wall is almost 500 yards long, and five D-shaped towers survive. So impressive is the castle that it was used as a medieval backdrop in Mel Gibson’s movie Braveheart. The admission price includes a house tour. | Trim | Co. Meath | 046/943–8619 | www.heritageireland.ie | Keep and grounds €4, grounds only €3 | Easter–Sept., daily 10–6; Oct. daily 9:30–5:30; Nov.–Jan. weekends 9–5; Feb.–Easter, weekends 9:30–5:30.

Facing the river is the Royal Mint, a ruin that illustrates Trim’s political importance in the Middle Ages. It produced coins with colorful names like “Irelands” and “Patricks” right up into the 15th century.

The Yellow Steeple overlooks Trim from a ridge situated opposite the castle. The structure was built in 1368 and is a remnant of the Augustinian abbey of St. Mary’s, founded in the 13th century, which itself was the site of a great medieval pilgrimage to a statue of the Blessed Virgin. Much of the tower was deliberately destroyed in 1649 to prevent its falling into Cromwell’s hands, and today only the striking, 125-foot-high east wall remains.

The Church of Ireland St. Patrick’s Cathedral (Loman St. | Co. Meath) dates from early in the 19th century, but the square tower is from an earlier structure built in 1449.

In the old town hall, the Visitor Center’s audiovisual display, “The Power and the Glory,” tells the story of the arrival of the Normans and of medieval Trim. | Castle St. | Co. Meath | 046/943–7227 | www.meathtourism.ie | €3.20 for audiovisual show | Mon.–Sat. 9:30–5:30, Sun. noon–5:30.

If your ancestors are from County Meath, take advantage of the family-history tracing service at the Meath Heritage and Genealogy Center. | Castle St. | Co. Meath | 046/943–6633 | www.meathroots.com | Free | Mon.–Thurs. 9–1 and 1:30–5, Fri. 9–2.

At Newtown, 1¼ km (¾ mi) east of Trim on the banks of the River Boyne, are the ruins of what was once the largest cathedral in Ireland, built beginning in 1210 by Simon de Rochfort, the first Anglo-Norman bishop of Meath.

At Laracor, 3 km (2 mi) south of Trim on R158, a wall to the left of the rectory is where Jonathan Swift (1667–1745), the satirical writer, poet, and author of Gulliver’s Travels, was rector from 1699 until 1713, when he was made dean of St. Patrick’s Cathedral in Dublin. Nearby are the walls of the cottage where Esther Johnson, the “Stella” who inspired much of Swift’s writings, once lived.

One of the most pleasant villages of south County Meath, Summerhill, 8 km (5 mi) southeast of Laracor along R158, has a large square and a village green with a 15th-century cross.

Cnoc an Linsigh, an attractive area south of Summerhill with forest walks and picnic sites, is ideal for a half day of meandering. Many of the lanes that crisscross this part of County Meath provide delightful driving between high hedgerows, and afford occasional views of the lush, pastoral countryside.

WHERE TO STAY IN TRIM

Tigh Catháin.

¢–$ | The “House of O’Catháin” is a Tudor-style country cottage about 1 km (½ mi) outside of town on the Longwood road. Owner Marie Keane has artfully decorated the four large bedrooms in different color schemes echoing the natural colors of the region. But the real wonders here are the lovely gardens out back and in front, perfect for lounging around in the sun. Family rooms include a double and two single beds. Pros: family-owned and -run; big, hearty breakfast; glorious gardens. Cons: small and often booked up; half a mile to nearest town; few facilities. | High St.,Co. Meath | 046/943–1996 | www.tighcathaintrim.com | 4 rooms | In-room: a/c, Wi-Fi. In-hotel: Wi-Fi hotspot, parking (free) | BP.

HILL OF TARA

8 km (5 mi) northeast of Trim, 40 km (25 mi) northwest off N3.

In the legends and the popular imagination of the Irish this ancient site has taken on mythic proportions. As with much of the idealization of the Celtic past, it was the 19th-century revival led by W. B. Yeats and Lady Gregory that was responsible for the near-religious veneration of this Celtic site, set at the junction of the five ancient roads of Ireland, and known in popular folklore as the seat of the High Kings of Ireland. The 19th-century ballad by Thomas Moore, “The Harp That Once Through Tara’s Halls,” was also a major factor in the long over-romanticized view of Tara. Today, its ancestral banqueting hall and great buildings (one was the former palace of the Ard Rí, or High King) have all vanished but for a few columns. Still, the site is awe-inspiring.

Getting Here

Bus Éireann has regular service linking Dublin and Navan that passes within 1 km (2 mi) of the site (€10.30 one-way, €13.70 round-trip; 40 minutes; departures every hour Monday to Saturday and a day on Sunday). Ask the driver to drop you at the Tara Cross and follow the signs. Alternatively you can take the bus all the way to Navan and get a taxi the 7 mi back to Tara for about €15. Mary Gibbons Tours has buses leaving weekdays at 10:30 AM and Saturdays at 8:30 AM from outside the Dublin Tourism office on Suffolk Street as well as from some of the major hotels. They charge €35, which includes a round-trip ticket and admission to the Hill of Tara and Newgrange.

Essentials

Transportation Contacts: Mary Gibbons Tours (086/335–1355 | www.newgrangetours.com).

EXPLORING THE HILL OF TARA

From the top of the Hill of Tara—it rises more than 300 feet above sea level—you can see across the flat central plain of Ireland, with the mountains of east Galway visible from nearly 160 km (100 mi) away. In the mid-19th century, the nationalist leader Daniel O’Connell staged a mass rally here that supposedly drew more than a million people—which would be nearly a third of Ireland’s current population. On-site, first pay a call on the Interpretative Center housed in an old Church of Ireland church on the hillside. Here, you can learn the story of Tara and its legends. Without this background it will be difficult to identify many of the earthworks at Tara. Or just call upon your imagination to evoke the millennia-old spirit of the place and picture it in its prime, with the tribes congregating for some great pagan ceremony.

Systematic excavation by 20th-century archaeologists has led to the conclusion that the largest remains are those of an Iron Age fort that had multiple ring forts, some of which were ruined in the 19th century by religious zealots from England searching for the Ark of the Covenant here. The “Mound of the Hostages,” a Neolithic passage grave, most likely gave the place its sacred air. During the hill’s reign as a royal seat, which lasted to the 11th century, a great feìs (national assembly) was held here every third year, during which laws were passed and tribal disputes settled. The Hill of Tara’s decline was predicted one Easter Eve in the 5th century when, in accordance with the Druid religion, the lighting of fires was forbidden. Suddenly, on a hillside some miles away, flames were spotted. “If that fire is not quenched now,” said a Druid leader, “it will burn forever and will consume Tara.” The fire had been lighted by St. Patrick at Slane, to celebrate the Christian rites of the Paschal.

Tara’s influence waned with the arrival of Christianity; the last king to live here was Malachy II, who died in 1022. But as with so many other prominent sites of the Irish pre-Christian era, Christianity remade Tara in its own image. Today a modern statue of St. Patrick stands here, as does a pillar stone that may have been the coronation stone (it was reputed to call out in approval when a king was crowned). In the graveyard of the adjacent Anglican church is a pillar with the worn image of a pagan god, and a Bronze Age stone standing on end. By car, the Hill of Tara is just off the N3, the main road between Dublin and Cavan, 47 km (29 mi), or about 40 minutes, north of the capital. From Belfast take the M1 and connect with the N51 at Drogheda. The trip is 158 km (98 mi) and takes about an hour and thirty minutes. | Hill of Tara | 046/902–5903 | www.heritageireland.ie | €3 | May 28—Sept. 16, daily 10–6.

WHERE TO EAT AND STAY NEAR THE HILL OF TARA

Eden.

$$ | MODERN IRISH | One of Dublin’s endearingly favorite, chic restaurants has set up a second home in the vaulted cellar of Bellinter House. The restaurant sticks to its seasonal ethos with menus based on produce sourced locally. Boxty (potato-cake) salad is an interesting twist on a traditional starter, and the oven-baked whole sea bream filled with lemongrass on bok choy is an exciting main. | Bellinter House, | Navan (4 km [2 mi] northwest of Hill of Tara and 7 km [5 mi] south of Navan) | 046/903–0909 | www.bellinterhouse.com | Reservations essential | AE, MC, V.

Fodor’s Choice | Bellinter House.

$$$-$$$$ | Surrounded by 12 acres on the banks of the Boyne, this splendid 1750 country house was once the home of the infamously wild, party-loving Briscoe clan (their high jinks once included a crazy dig for the Ark of the Covenant on the nearby Hill of Tara). The new owners have brought back the old glories of the place, and added a few modern twists: an infinity pool now graces the landscape, and contemporary lighting, handmade ash-wood furniture, and futuristic art installations mix easily with the drawing room’s 18th-century decorative plasterwork. While new rooms have been constructed in the old pavilion wings and the stables have been turned into cute, compact modern apartments, the four original massive bedrooms in the main house are the real Georgian gems of Bellinter. Their huge windows allow light to play across the wood-panel walls and deep yellow rugs. Beautiful indoor and outdoor pools plus a large on-site spa with numerous treatments ensure maximum luxury. Pros: stunningly authentic four original rooms; serene infinity pool; great value since prices dropped. Cons: newer rooms not quite up to old house standard; staff can be a little inexperienced. | Navan (7 km [4½ mi] south of Navan and 4 km [2½ mi] northwest of Hill of Tara),Co. Meath | 046/903–0900 | www.bellinterhouse.com | 34 rooms | In-room: a/c, safe, refrigerator, Wi-Fi. In-hotel: restaurant, bar, pools, spa, Wi-Fi hotspot | AE, MC, V | BP.

NAVAN

10 km (6 mi) northwest of Hill of Tara on N3, 50 km (31 mi) north of Dublin on N3.

Navan, at the crucial juncture of the Rivers Blackwater and Boyne, is a busy market and mining town with evidence of prehistoric settlements. It took off in the 12th century, when Hugh de Lacy, lord of Trim, had the place walled and fortified, making it a defensive stronghold of the English Pale in eastern Ireland. It’s now the administrative center of Meath, increasingly part of the Dublin commuter belt. For further information about Navan, see the sponsored Web site: | www.meath.ie.

At St. Mary’s Church, built in 1839, you can find a late-18th-century wood carving of the Crucifixion, the work of a local artist, Edward Smyth, who at the time was the greatest sculptor Ireland had produced since the Middle Ages. On Friday, the Fair Green, beside the church, hosts a bustling outdoor market. | Trimgate St. | Co. Meath | Free | Daily 8–8.

The best views of town and the surrounding area are from the top of the Motte of Navan, a grassy mound said to be the tomb of Odhbha, the deserted wife of a Celtic king who, the story goes, died of a broken heart. It’s more likely that the 50-foot-high mound is a natural formation. In the 12th century, D’Angulo, the Norman baron, adapted it into a motte and bailey (a type of medieval Norman castle), but there are no structural remains here from this period.

KELLS

24 km (15 mi) northwest of Navan on N3.

In the 9th century, a group of monks from Iona in Scotland took refuge at Kells (Ceanannus Mór) after being expelled by the Danes. St. Columba had founded a monastery here 300 years earlier, and although some historians think it was indigenous monks who wrote and illustrated the Book of Kells—the Latin version of the four Gospels, and one of Ireland’s greatest medieval treasures—most scholars now believe that the Scottish monks brought it with them. Reputed to have been fished out of a watery bog at Kells, the legendary manuscript was removed for safekeeping during the Cromwellian wars to Trinity College, Dublin, where it remains. A large exhibit is now devoted to it in the college’s Old Library, where a few of the original pages at a time are on view.

A copy of the Book of Kells is on display in the Church of Ireland St. Columba’s in Kells; it’s open until 5 on weekdays and until 1 on Saturday and is a more pleasant, less rushed way to see the book compared with the madness of Trinity College in high season. Four elaborately carved High Crosses stand in the church graveyard; you’ll find the stump of a fifth in the marketplace—during the 1798 uprising against British rule it was used as a gallows.

Similar in appearance to St. Kevin’s Church at Glendalough and Cormac’s Chapel at Cashel, St. Colmcille’s House is a small, two-story, 7th-century church measuring about 24 feet square and nearly 40 feet high, with a steeply pitched stone roof.

The nearly 100-foot-high round tower, adjacent to St. Colmcille’s House, dates to before 1076 and is in almost perfect condition. Its top story has five windows, each facing an ancient entrance into the medieval town. For further information about Kells, see the sponsored Web site: | www.meath.ie.

NEWGRANGE

21 km (13 mi) east of Kells off N51, 28 km (17 mi) northwest of Dublin off N2.

Expect to see no less than one of the most spectacular prehistoric tombs in Europe when you come to Newgrange. Built in the 4th millennium BC—which makes it roughly 1,000 years older than Stonehenge—Newgrange was constructed with some 250,000 tons of stone, much of which came from the Wicklow Mountains, 80 km (50 mi) to the south.

Getting Here

Bus Éireann Route 163 from Dublin to Drogheda stops at Newgrange (€12 round-trip from Dublin, €4.80 from Drogheda; departures on the hour from 10 AM to 6 PM daily. Mary Gibbons Tours has buses leaving weekdays at 10:30 AM and Saturdays at 8:30 AM from outside the Dublin Tourism office on Suffolk Street as well as some of the major hotels. They charge €35 which includes a round trip ticket and admission to the Hill of Tara and Newgrange. Over The Top Tours runs a daily shuttle bus from Dublin to Newgrange from the Gresham Hotel on O’Connell Street daily at 8:45 and 11:15 AM. It’s €17 round-trip.

Essentials

Transportation Contacts: Mary Gibbons Tours (086/335–1355 | www.newgrangetours.com). Over the Top Tours (01/860–0404 | www.overthetoptours.com).

Visitor Information: Brú na Bóinne Visitor Centre (Near Donore village, Co. Meath [21 km/ 13 mi east of Kells off the N51 and 28 km/17 mi northwest of Dublin on the N2] | www.heritageireland.ie/en/MidlandsEastCoast). The Brú na Bóinne Visitor Centre is near the village of Donore, County Meath, and is the starting point for all visits to and tours of Newgrange and Knowth.

EXPLORING NEWGRANGE

How the people who built the Newgrange tumulus transported the stones to the spot remains a mystery. The mound above the tomb measures more than 330 feet across and reaches a height of 36 feet at the front. White quartz stone was used for the retaining wall, and egg-shaped gray stones were studded at intervals. The passage grave may have been the world’s earliest solar observatory. It was so carefully constructed that, for five days on and around the winter solstice, the rays of the rising sun still hit a roof box above the lintel at the entrance to the grave. The rays then shine for about 20 minutes down the main interior passageway to illuminate the burial chamber. A visit to Newgrange’s passage grave during the winter solstice is considered to be a memorable experience. You’ll have to get on the nine-year waiting list to reserve one of the 24 places available on each of the five mornings (December 19–23). And then pray that no clouds obscure the sun and ruin the light show the Bronze Age builders intended. The site was restored in 1962 after years of neglect and quarrying. The geometric designs on some stones at the center of the burial chamber continue to baffle experts.

The prehistoric sites of nearby Dowth and Knowth have been under excavation since 1962, and although Dowth is still closed to the public, Knowth is now open. The great tumulus at Knowth is comparable in size and shape to Newgrange, standing at 40 feet and having a diameter of approximately 214 feet. Some 150 giant stones, many of them beautifully decorated, surrounded the mound. More than 1,600 boulders, each weighing from one to several tons, were used in the construction. The earliest tombs and carved stones date from the Stone Age (3000 BC), although the site was in use until the early 14th century. In the early Christian era (4th–8th century AD) it was the seat of the High Kings of Ireland. Much of the site is still under excavation, and you can often watch archaeologists at work here. Access to Newgrange and Knowth is solely via Brú na Bóinne (Palace of the Boyne), the Boyne Valley visitor center. Arrive early if possible, because you can’t book ahead of time and Newgrange often sells out in high season. The last tour leaves the visitor center 1 hour and 45 minutes before closing. | Off N2, signposted from Slane, | Donore | Co. Meath | 041/988–0300 | www.heritageireland.ie | Newgrange and interpretive center €6, Knowth and interpretive center €5 | Newgrange and Knowth Nov.–Jan., daily 9–5; Feb.–Apr. and Oct., daily 9:30–5:30; May, daily 9–6:30; June–mid-Sept., daily 9–7; mid- to late Sept., daily 9–6:30.

SLANE

2½ km (1½ mi) north of Newgrange, 46 km (29 mi) northwest of Dublin on N2.

Slane Castle is the draw at this small, Georgian village, built in the 18th century around a crossroads on the north side of the River Boyne. For further information about Slane, see the sponsored Web site: | www.slanetourism.ie.

EXPLORING SLANE

The 16th-century building known as the Hermitage was constructed on the site where St. Erc, a local man converted to Christianity by St. Patrick himself, led a hermit’s existence. All that remains of his original monastery is the faint trace of the circular ditch, but the ruins of the later church include a nave and a chancel with a tower in between.

The stately 18th-century Slane Castle is beautifully situated overlooking a natural amphitheater. In 1981 the castle’s owner, Anglo-Irish Lord Henry Mountcharles, staged the first of what have been some of Ireland’s largest outdoor rock concerts; REM’s show holds the record for attendance, with 70,000. In 2001, after a decade of renovation following a devastating fire, the castle reopened to the public. The tour includes the main hall, with its delicate plasterwork and beautiful stained glass, the dazzling red, neo-Gothic ballroom completed in 1821 for the visit of King George IV, and other rooms. The stunning parklands were laid out by Capability Brown, the famous 18th-century landscape gardener. | 041/988–4400 | www.slanecastle.ie | €7 | Mid-May–June 10 and June 20–Aug. 31, Sun.–Thurs. noon–5.

North of Slane town is the 500-foot-high Slane Hill, where St. Patrick proclaimed the arrival of Christianity in 433 by lighting the Paschal Fire. From the top, you have sweeping views of the Boyne Valley. On a clear day, the panorama stretches from Trim to Drogheda, a vista extending 40 km (25 mi).

A two-hour tour of farmer Willie Redhouse’s fully functioning arable and livestock Newgrange Farm includes feeding the ducks, bottle-feeding the lambs, a tour of the aviaries with their exotic birds, and a straw maze for the kids. A blacksmith gives demonstrations of his ancient art, and there is a nice tractor-trailer ride around the farm. Every Sunday at 3 PM the Sheep Derby takes place, with teddy bears tied astride the animals in the place of jockeys. Visiting children are made “owners” of individual sheep for the duration of the race. The farm lies 3 km (2 mi) east of Slane on N51. | 041/982–4119 | www.newgrangefarm.com | €8 | Easter–Aug., daily 10–5.

WHERE TO STAY IN SLANE

Fodor’s Choice | Tankardstown House.

$$$-$$$$ | Voted the best private house hotel in Ireland in a national newspaper, Tankardstown is a sumptuous historic manor house 3 km (2 mi) from Slane. A squat, two-story manor, Tankardstown sits on 80 acres of breathtaking parkland, sheltered by a forested hill, and surrounded by a classic walled garden. Owners Trish and Brian Conroy spent four years lovingly restoring this Georgian delight from a state of absolute disrepair. No expense was spared on the six guest rooms nor the seven courtyard cottages, to create a tasteful homage to the age of cascading drapes, delicate plasterwork ceilings, and Sheraton-style antiques. On site is the Brabazon restaurant; located in the old cowshed, it offers great outdoor dining options in summer and an intimate, romantic dining room for the chillier times of year. Pros: authentic Georgian exterior and interiors; idyllic natural setting; cottages a great option for families. Cons: not cheap in the current climate; limited facilities for the price. | Slane (2.5 km [1 mi] from the gates of Slane Castle),Co. Meath | 041/982–4621 | www.tankardstown.ie | 6 rooms, 1 suite, 7 cottages | In-room: no a/c, Wi-Fi (cottages only). In-hotel: restaurant, Wi-Fi hotspot | AE, MC, V | BP.

KING WILLIAM’S GLEN

10 km (6 mi) east of Slane on N51, 53 km (33 mi) north of Dublin on M1.

On the northern bank of the River Boyne, King William’s Glen is where a portion of King William of Orange’s Protestant army hid before the Battle of the Boyne in 1690. They won by surprising the Catholic troops of James II, who were on the southern side, but many of the Protestant–Catholic conflicts in present-day Northern Ireland can be traced to the immediate aftermath of this battle. The site is marked with an orange-and-green sign; part of the site is also incorporated in the nearby, early-19th-century Townley Hall Estate, which has forest walks and a nature trail (the house is not open to the public).

DROGHEDA

15½ km (9 mi) east of Slane on N51, 45 km (28 mi) north of Dublin on N1.

Drogheda (pronounced draw-hee-da) is one of the most enjoyable and historic towns on the east coast of Ireland—and a setting for one of the most tragic events in Irish history, the seige and massacre wrought by Oliver Cromwell’s English army. It was colonized in 911 by the Danish Vikings; two centuries later, the town was taken over by Hugh de Lacy, the Anglo-Norman lord of Trim, who was responsible for fortifying the towns along the River Boyne. At first, two separate towns existed, one on the northern bank, the other on the southern bank. In 1412, already heavily walled and fortified, Drogheda was unified, making it the largest English town in Ireland. Today, large 18th-century warehouses line the northern bank of the Boyne. The center of town, around West Street, is the historic heart of Drogheda.

Getting Here

Drogheda’s bus station is just south of the river on the corner of John Street and Donore Road. Bus Éireann operates Expressway and regular services connecting Drogheda to Dublin (€5.40 one-way, €9 round-trip; 40 minutes; buses daily every hour); to Belfast (€14 one-way, €20 round-trip; 1 hour 30 minutes; 12 buses daily); to Dundalk (€4.50 one-way, €9 round-trip; 30 minutes; 12 buses daily); and to Navan (€6.20 one-way, €10.20 round-trip; 40 minutes; 7 buses daily). The train station is just south of the river and east of the town center on the Dublin Road. Five express trains and 10 slower trains a day arrive from Hueston Station in Dublin (€18 round-trip, 51 minutes [express], 15 trains a day). Drogheda is connected to Belfast (€10 single, €20 round-trip; 1 hour 40 minutes; 7 trains a day) and Dundalk (20 minutes, 13 trains daily) on the same line.

Serviced by Irish Rail, Drogheda’s train station is just south of the river and east of the town center on the Dublin Road. Five express trains and 10 slower trains a day arrive from Hueston Station in Dublin (€18 round-trip, 51 minutes [express], 15 trains a day). Drogheda is connected to Belfast (€10 single, €20 round-trip; 1 hour 40 minutes; 7 trains a day) and Dundalk (20 minutes, 13 trains daily) on the same line.

Visitor Information: Drogheda Tourist Office.

(Bus Éireann Depot | Co. Louth | 041/983–7070 | www.drogheda.ie).

EXPLORING DROGHEDA

The center of town, around West Street, is the historic heart of Drogheda. Among the town’s leading landmarks is the long railway viaduct, which towers over the river. Built around 1850 as part of the railway line from Dublin to Belfast, it’s still used and is a splendid example of Victorian engineering. Its height above the river makes the viaduct Drogheda’s most prominent landmark.

The bank building on the corner of West and Shop streets, called the Tholsel, is an 18th-century square granite edifice with a cupola.

The 13th-century St. Laurence’s Gate, one of the two surviving entrances from Drogheda’s original 11 gates in its town walls, has two four-story drum towers and is one of the most perfect examples in Ireland of a medieval town gate. Butler’s Gate, near the Millmount Museum, predates St. Laurence’s Gate by 50 years or more.

The Gothic-Revival Roman Catholic St. Peter’s Church (West St. | Co. Louth) houses the preserved head of St. Oliver Plunkett. Primate of all Ireland, he was martyred in 1681 at Tyburn in London; his head was pulled from the execution flames.

A severe, 18th-century church within an enclosed courtyard, the Anglican St. Peter’s (Fair St. | Co. Louth) is rarely open except for Sunday services. It’s worth a peek for its setting and the fine views over the town from the churchyard.

Perhaps the main attraction in Drogheda lies across the river from the town center. The Millmount Museum and Martello Tower, off the Dublin road (N1) south of Drogheda, shares space in a renovated British Army barracks with crafts workshops, including a pottery- and picture-gallery and studio. It was on the hill at Millmount that the townsfolk made their last stand against the bloodthirsty Roundheads of Cromwell. Perhaps in defiance of Cromwell’s attempt to obliterate the town from the map, the museum contains relics of eight centuries of Drogheda’s commercial and industrial past, including painted banners of the old trade guilds, a circular willow-and-leather coracle (the traditional fishing boat on the River Boyne), and many instruments and utensils from domestic and factory use. Most moving are the mementos of the infamous 1649 massacre of 3,000 people by Cromwell. There are also geological and archaeological displays. The exhibit inside the Martello Tower adjacent to the museum focuses on the military history of Drogheda. | Millmount | Co. Louth | 041/983–3097 | www.millmount.net | Museum €3.50, tower €3 | Mon.–Sat. 9:30–5:30, Sun. 2–5.

WHERE TO STAY IN DROGHEDA

Boyne Valley Hotel and Country Club.

$$$ | A 1-km (½-mi) drive leads to this 19th-century mansion on 16 acres that was once owned by a Drogheda brewing family. The newer wing of this hotel has double rooms, all with contemporary (if slightly uninspired) furnishings and bright color schemes full of flower prints and pastels. The public spaces have been restored in period fashion, with Neoclassical pillars, intricate plasterwork, and crystal chandeliers. A large conservatory houses a bar and overlooks the grounds, while a spacious hall is decorated with antiques and comfy chairs. Cellars Bistro specializes in fresh fish and big steaks. Pros: great activity facilities; lovely grounds; recent steep price reduction. Cons: uninspired decor; newer building a touch functional; restaurant only open weekends. | Dublin Rd.,Co. Louth | Co. Louth | 041/983–7737 | www.boyne-valley-hotel.ie | 71 rooms | In-room: a/c, Wi-Fi. In-hotel: restaurant, bar, golf course, tennis courts, pool, gym, spa | AE, DC, MC, V | BP.

D Hotel.

$ | A dramatic location right on the south bank of the Boyne easily makes up for the slightly functional exterior of this trendy new hotel smack in the center of medieval Drogheda. To take full advantage, bag a room on a higher floor with a vista out over the water and the town to the Boyne Valley beyond. Guest rooms are very Swedish Modern in feel, thanks to light woods and muted colors, with a touch of luxury in the goose-down duvets and elegant bathrooms. The riverside bar and white-linen restaurant have already become favorite hang-out spots for locals and visitors alike. The menu isn’t particularly original but braised pork belly with savoy cabbage or panfried fillet of sea bream are rich and hearty. Pros: dramatic riverside location; extra comfy big beds; great terrace for drinks and people-watching. Cons: only some rooms have great views; uninspired exterior design; restaurant open weekends only. | Scotch Hall,Co. Louth | Co. Louth | 041/987–7700 | www.thedhotel.com | 102 rooms | In-room: a/c, Wi-Fi. In-hotel: restaurant, bar, gym | AE, MC, V | BP.

MELLIFONT ABBEY

10 km (8 mi) northwest of Drogheda off R168.

On the eastern bank of the River Mattock, which creates a natural border between counties Meath and Louth, lie the remains of Mellifont Abbey, the first Cistercian monastery in Ireland. Founded in 1142 by St. Malachy, archbishop of Armagh, it was inspired by the formal structure surrounding a courtyard of St. Bernard of Clairvaux’s monastery, which St. Malachy had visited. Among the substantial ruins are the two-story chapter house, built in 12th-century English-Norman style and once a daily meeting place for the monks; it now houses a collection of medieval glazed tiles. Four walls of the 13th-century octagonal lavabo, or washing place, still stand, as do some arches from the Romanesque cloister. At its peak Mellifont presided over almost 40 other Cistercian monasteries throughout Ireland, but all were suppressed by Henry VIII in 1539 after his break with the Catholic Church. Adjacent to the parking lot is a small architectural museum depicting the history of the abbey and the craftsmanship that went into its construction. | Near Collon | Co. Louth | 041/982–6459 | www.heritageireland.ie | €3 | Late May–Sept., daily 10–5:15.

WHERE TO EAT NEAR MELLIFONT ABBEY

Forge Gallery Restaurant.

$$$$ | IRISH | For generations the local forge was the burning heart of any rural Irish community, and this well-established restaurant is still something of a beacon to locals and visitors for miles around. Warm rose and plum tones and antique furnishings decorate this two-story eatery in a converted forge, and an old fireplace fills the place with a comforting warmth and light. The cuisine mixes French Provençal with a strong hint of traditional Irish cooking. Two popular specialties are roast duckling served on a bed of greens, with spring onion, soy, and ginger sauce, and turbot baked in lemon and thyme and served with red pepper sauce. Make sure you try one of the seasonal homemade soups. Paintings by local artists hang in the reception area and are for sale. Reservations are essential on weekends. | North of Slane on N2, | Collon | Co. Louth | 041/982–6272 | www.forgegalleryrestaurant.ie | AE, DC, MC, V | Closed Sun. and Mon. No lunch.

MONASTERBOICE

8 km (5 mi) northeast of Mellifont Abbey on N1, 8 km (5 mi) north of Drogheda.

Ireland has more carved-stone High Crosses than any other European country, and an outstanding collection is in the small, secluded village of Monasterboice, a former monastic settlement.

Dating to AD 923, the Muireadach Cross stands nearly 20 feet high and is considered to be the best-preserved example of a High Cross in Ireland. Its elaborate panels depict biblical scenes, including Cain slaying Abel, David and Goliath, and a centerpiece of the Last Judgment. (Figurative scenes are not a characteristic of earlier High Crosses, such as those found in Ahenny, County Clare.) The West Cross stands a couple of feet taller than Muiredach’s, making it one of the tallest in Ireland. Its engravings are less impressive, many of them having been worn away by centuries of Irish wind and rain. From the adjacent, 110-foot-high round tower, the extent of the former monastic settlement at Monasterboice is apparent. The key to the tower door is kept at the nearby gate lodge.

ARDEE

14½ km (9 mi) northwest of Mellifont Abbey on N2.

The road from Mellifont Abbey to Ardee passes through Monasterboice, home to some of Ireland’s finest medieval High Crosses. Near the village’s Round Tower, you’ll find the famed Muireadach Cross and, nearby, the West Cross, the tallest in all the country. Once you take in these noted medieval sculptures, continue on to the market town of Ardee, found at the northern edge of the Pale. Here stand two 13th-century castles: Ardee Castle and Hatch’s Castle. The town of Ardee (Baile Átha Fhirdia or Ferdia’s Ford), interestingly, was named after the ford where the mythical folk hero Cuchulainn fought his foster brother Ferdia. There’s a statue depicting this battle at the start of the riverside walk.

EXPLORING ARDEE

Ardee Castle (the one with square corners) was founded by Roger de Peppard in 1207, but much of the present building dates to the 15th century and later. The castle faces north—its objective to protect the Anglo-Irish Pale from the untamed Celtic tribes of Ulster. It was converted into a courthouse in the 19th century.

Hatch’s Castle (with rounded corners) is a private residence and not open to the public. Built in the 13th century, it was given by Cromwell as a gift to the loyal Hatch family. If you look closely you can see it still flaunts two 18th-century cannons at its entrance.

St. Mary’s Church of Ireland on Main Street incorporates part of a 13th-century Carmelite church burned by Edward the Bruce in 1316, including the holy water font. The current building was constructed in the 19th century.

WHERE TO EAT IN ARDEE

The Glyde Inn.

$$ | SEAFOOD | Sitting right on the edge of Dundalk Bay and overlooking the Cooley and Mourne mountains, this stolid little guesthouse (“inn” is pushing it) and pub now also features a quality surf-and-turf restaurant. You’d never know the Glyde was established way back in 1700, as it is now such a casual, no-fuss place. Happily, the hospitality matches the locally sourced, delicious food, and great vistas. The menu ranges from fish-and-chips—comfort food at its best—to lobster (the poor critters are housed in a tank tiny enough to make some people lose their appetite). The owners also have a few B&B rooms. | Annagassan, 12 km (7 mi) east of Ardee | Co. Louth | 042/937–2350 | www.theglydeinn.ie | MC, V.

LOUTH

11½ km (7 mi) north of Ardee on R171.

Louth warrants a visit, if only for the splendidly preserved oratory here. St. Patrick, Ireland’s patron saint, was reputed to have built his first church (which is no longer here) in this hilltop village in the 5th century. He also made St. Mochta (d. 534) the first bishop of Louth.

EXPLORING LOUTH

Standing at the center of the village is the excellently preserved St. Mochta’s House, an oratory dating from the 11th century, whose steeply pitched stone roof can be reached by a stairway. The house is freely accessible—but watch out for cattle (and their droppings) in the surrounding field.

Nearby Knockabbey Castle and Gardens are perfect for a relaxing afternoon when the weather’s good. Originally built in 1399, the castle was expanded by the Bellew family in 1650 and again in 1754, before suffering major damage in an IRA raid in 1923. But the real treat here is the recently restored historical water gardens, which originally date from as far as the 11th century. A stroll will take you through wildflower meadows, herbaceous borders, a Victorian flower garden, and a restored glasshouse. | Louth Village | Co. Louth | 01/677–8816 | www.knockabbeycastle.com | House €6, gardens €6 | May and Sept., weekends 10:30–5:30; June–Aug., Tues.–Sun. 10:30–5:30.

DUNDALK

14½ km (9 mi) east of Inniskeen, 80 km (50 mi) north of Dublin on N1.

Perfectly positioned as a hub to explore the region north and south of the border, Dundalk—only 9½ km (6 mi) from Northern Ireland—is the main town of County Louth (Ireland’s smallest county). Its earliest settlement dates from the early Christian period, around the 7th century. In May the town hosts an avant-garde “fringe” drama and visual arts festival (with a nice schedule of children’s events).

Getting Here

Dundalk’s bus station is on Long Walk near the main shopping center. Bus Éireann runs regular buses to Dublin (€7.20 one-way, €10.80 round-trip; 1 hour 30 minutes; 12 buses daily) and Belfast and Drogheda (€4.50 one-way, €9 round-trip; 30 minutes; 12 buses daily).

Serviced by Irish Rail, Clarke Train Station is on Carrickmacross Road. There are daily trains to Dublin (€10 one-way, €20 round-trip; 1 hour 20 minutes; 10 trains daily); Belfast (€10 one-way, €20 round-trip; 1 hour 20 minutes; 10 trains daily); and Drogheda (€9.50 one-way, €17.50 round-trip; 20 minutes; 13 trains daily).

Visitor Information: Dundalk Tourist Office (Jocelyn St. | Co. Louth | 042/933–5484 | www.dundalkonline.com).

EXPLORING DUNDALK

Dundalk is an uninspiring, frontier town but has some fine, notable historic buildings. On Mill Street, the bell tower of a Franciscan monastery with Gothic windows dates from the 13th century.

St. Patrick’s Cathedral was built between 1835 and 1847, when the Gothic Revival was at its height. With its buttresses and mosaics lining the chancel and the side chapel walls, the cathedral was modeled on the 15th-century King’s College Chapel at Cambridge, England. The fine exterior was built in Newry granite, and the high altar and pulpit are of carved Caen stone. | Town center | Co. Louth | Daily 8–6.

The Market House, the Town Hall, and the Courthouse are examples of the town’s 19th-century heritage; the Courthouse is the most impressive of the three, built in the 1820s in a severe Greek Revival style, with Doric columns supporting the portico. It stands north of St. Patrick’s Cathedral.

The Dundalk County Museum, in a beautifully restored 18th-century warehouse, is dedicated to preserving the history of the dying local industries, such as beer brewing, cigarette manufacturing, shoe and boot making, and railway engineering. Other exhibits deal with the history of Louth from 7500 BC to the present. | Joycelyn St. | 042/932–7056 | www.dundalkmuseum.ie | €3.80 | Tues.–Sat. 10:30–5.

WHERE TO STAY IN DUNDALK

Ballymascanlon House Hotel.

$$$ | This Victorian mansion with a slightly severe but elegant modern addition sits on 130 acres on the scenic Cooley Peninsula just north of Dundalk. The place has a reputation for comfort and good cuisine. Reproduction period pieces fill the extra-large guest rooms, which overlook either the spacious gardens or old stable yard. The restaurant serves a set menu of Irish and French cuisine; it specializes in fresh seafood, such as lobster in season. Vegetarian plates are also available. Pros: guest rooms big enough to get lost in; cheap golf for residents; good weekend, all-inclusive deals. Cons: a little pricey for the area; in-room facilities sparse; popular for weddings. | Dundalk,Co. Louth | Co. Louth | 042/935–8200 | www.ballymascanlon.com | 90 rooms | In-room: a/c, Wi-Fi. In-hotel: restaurant, bars, golf course, tennis courts, pool, gym, Wi-Fi hotspot | AE, DC, MC, V | BP.

Innisfree House.

¢ | An early-20th-century, redbrick gem in the heart of Dundalk, Innisfree House is shockingly good value considering the genteel, stylish atmosphere created by the beautiful Edwardian furniture and antiques throughout. All nine bedrooms are carefully decorated in a lovingly cluttered style—try to get one with one of the grander metal or wooden framed old-school beds. The breakfast is hearty and fresh, but a real treat is afternoon tea in the cute tearoom. Dinner can be booked in the “days of yore” dining room. Pros: genuine afternoon tea served; option of evening dining; authentic Edwardian furnishings. Cons: not in the most picturesque area; maybe a little over-decorated; short on facilities. | Carrick Rd., | Dundalk,Co. Louth | Co. Louth | 042/933–4912 | www.innisfreehouse.ie | 9 rooms | In-room: no a/c. In-hotel: parking (paid) | MC, V | BP.

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Bray | Powerscourt House, Gardens, and Waterfall | Roundwood | Glendalough | Mount Usher Gardens | Wicklow Town | Avondale House and Forest Park

Make your way to the fourth or fifth story of almost any building in Dublin that faces south and you can see off in the distance—amazingly, not that far off in the distance—the green, smooth hills of the Dublin and Wicklow mountains. On a clear day the mountains are even visible from some streets in and around the city center. If your idea of solace is green hills, and your visit to Ireland is otherwise limited to Dublin, County Wicklow—or Cill Mhantain (pronounced kill wan-tan), as it’s known in Irish—should be on your itinerary. Not that the secret isn’t out; rugged and mountainous with dark, wooded forests, central Wicklow, known as the “garden of Ireland,” is a popular picnic area among Dubliners. It has some of Ireland’s grandest 18th-century mansions, and cradles one of the country’s earliest Christian retreats: Glendalough. Nestled in a valley of dense woods and placid lakes, Glendalough and environs can seem (at least during the off-season) practically untouched since their heyday 1,000 years ago. The granite mountains that have protected Glendalough all these years run into the sea along the east coast, which has several popular sandy beaches. Journey from Dublin down to Arklow, sticking to the east side of the Wicklow Mountains. A quick note about getting here: it takes stamina to extract yourself from the unmarked maze of the Dublin exurbs (your best bet is to take N11, which becomes M11, and then again N11). Once you’ve accomplished that feat, this gorgeous, mysterious terrain awaits.

BRAY

22 km (14 mi) south of Dublin on N11, 8 km (5 mi) east of Enniskerry on R755.

One of Ireland’s oldest seaside resorts, Bray is a trim, growing village known for its summer cottages and sand-and-shingle beach, which stretches for 2 km (1 mi). When the trains first arrived from Dublin in 1854, Bray became the number-one spot for urban vacationers and subsequently took on the appearance of an English oceanfront town. Some Dubliners still flock to the faded glory of Bray’s boardwalk to push baby carriages and soak up the sun. It’s the terminus of the DART train from Dublin, so it’s easy to get here without a car. Uncrowded trails for hiking and mountain biking crisscross the mountains bordering Bray to the south. One of the best is a well-marked path leading from the beach to the 10-foot-tall cross that crowns the spiny peak of Bray Head, a rocky outcrop that rises 791 feet from the sea. The semi-difficult, one-hour climb affords stunning views of Wicklow Town and Dublin Bay.

EXPLORING BRAY

The Heritage Centre, opposite the Royal Hotel, in the old courthouse, houses on its lower level a re-created castle dungeon with a 1,000-years-of-Bray exhibition. Upstairs is a huge model railway and a display about modern Bray. | Lower Main St. | Co. Wicklow | 01/286–6796 | www.braytowncouncil.ie | €2 | June–Aug., weekdays 9–1 and 2–5, Sat. 10–3; Sept.–May, weekdays 9:30–1 and 2–4:30, Sat. 10–3.

One Martello Terrace (01/286–8407), at the harbor, is Bray’s most famous address. James Joyce (1882–1941) lived here between 1887 and 1891 and used the house as the setting for the Christmas dinner in A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man. Today the house is owned by an Irish Teachta Dála (member of Parliament, informally known as a “TD”). The phone number listed above rings at her constituency office; someone there should be able to help scholars and devotees arrange a visit. (Call on Thursday between 10 AM and 1 PM.) Although the residence has been renovated, the dining room portrayed in Joyce’s novel maintains the spirit of his time.

National Sealife is an aquarium and museum dedicated to the creatures of the sea, with an emphasis on those that occupy the waters around Ireland. Besides massive sea tanks that contain all manner of swimming things, there’s a major conservation project with captive breeding of sea horses. FinZone is an undersea adventure trail perfect for kids, including puzzles to solve, and Nemo’s Kingdom is a coral reef tank with all the fish portrayed in the Disney movie. Touch-screen computers and video games give the whole thing a high-tech feel. In winter, call to confirm opening times before visiting. | Strand Rd. | Co. Wicklow | 01/286–6939 | www.sealifeeurope.com | €12 | Mar.–Oct., daily 10–5; Nov.–Feb. weekdays 11–4, weekends 10–5.

The 17th-century formal gardens at Killruddery House are precisely arranged, with fine beech hedges, Victorian statuary, and a parterre of lavender and roses. The Brabazon family, the earls of Meath, have lived here since 1618. In 1820 they hired William Morris to remodel the house as a revival Elizabethan mansion. The estate also has a Crystal Palace conservatory modeled on those at the botanic gardens in Dublin. Killruddery Arts organizes year-round arts events including the kid-friendly Enchanted Garden in late June and a silent film festival in mid-March. | Off Bray–Greystones Rd., 3 km (2 mi) south of Bray, | Killruddery | Co. Wicklow | 01/286–3405 | www.killruddery.com | House and gardens €10, gardens only €6 | Gardens Apr., weekends 12:30–5; May–Sept., daily 12:30–5; house May, June, and Sept., daily 1–5.

WHERE TO EAT IN BRAY

Fodor’s Choice | Hungry Monk.

$$ | SEAFOOD | The cloisters- and refectory-style decor is definitely tongue-in-cheek at this upbeat, fun bistro in sleepy Greystones, an old-fashioned seaside resort a couple of miles south of Bray. Owner Pat Keown is a great host and his laughter and love of good food and fine wine are catching. Dinner is served by candlelight and the menu specializes in uncluttered seafood dishes in summer and wild game on those cold winter nights. The Seafood Symphony is a particular favorite, as is the Wicklow Mountain lamb shank. Sunday lunches are famous for the length of time they go on (often into the early evening) and for the lively atmosphere. | 1 Church Rd., | Greystones | Co. Wicklow | 01/287–5759 | www.thehungrymonk.ie | AE, MC, V | Closed Mon. and Tues. No lunch Wed.–Sat. No dinner Sun.

Summerville Country Cooking.

¢ | CONTINENTAL | This restaurant’s ceilings are high, the space is airy and bright, and the food—ranging from shepherd’s pie to vegetarian quiche—tastes absolutely delicious. In summer take advantage of the sun-drenched garden terrace. | 1 Trafalgar Rd., | Greystones | 01/287–4228 | MC, V | No dinner.

POWERSCOURT HOUSE, GARDENS, AND WATERFALL

25 km (16 mi) south of Dublin on R117, 22 km (14 mi) north of Glendalough on R755.

One of the grandest estates and gardens in Ireland, Powerscourt is one of the main reasons why people head to Enniskerry, but just one among many. Within the shadow of famous Sugar Loaf Mountain, Enniskerry remains one of the prettiest villages in Ireland. It’s built around a sloping central triangular square with a backdrop of the wooded Wicklow Mountains. That noted, Enniskerry is the gateway to get to Powerscourt.

Getting Here

Dublin Bus No. 44 goes from Townsend Street (near the Tara Street DART station on the south side of Dubin’s quays) to Enniskerry. The fare is €1.85 each way and you’ll need to walk the mile to Powerscourt from the bus stop in Enniskerry. Alternatively, you can take the Irish Rail’s DART train line from Dublin city center to Bray and then take Dublin bus No. 185 (€1.35) from outside the DART station in Bray all the way to Powerscourt. Be careful, as not all No. 185 buses go to Powerscourt, only the 185c buses. Check the bus timetable or ask the driver before you get on to make sure you have the right bus.

EXPLORING POWERSCOURT

They really had the life, those old aristocrats. At more than 14,000 acres, including stunning formal gardens and a 400-foot waterfall, Powerscourt must have been some place to call home. The grounds were originally granted to Sir Richard Wingfield, the first viscount of Powerscourt, by King James I of England in 1609. Richard Castle (1690–1751), the architect of Russborough House, was hired to design the great house. His was an age not known for modesty, and he chose the grand Palladian style. The house took nine years to complete and was ready to move into in 1740. It was truly one of the great houses of Ireland and, indeed, all of Britain.

Unfortunately, you won’t be able to see much of it. A terrible fire almost completely destroyed the house in 1974, cruelly on the eve of a huge party to celebrate the completion of a lengthy restoration by the Slazenger family of golfing manufacturing fame. A second period of renovation is currently under way and the original ballroom on the first floor—once “the grandest room in any Irish house,” according to historian Desmond Guinness—is the only room that gives a sense of the place’s former glory. It was based on Palladio’s version of the “Egyptian Hall” designed by Vitruvius, architect to Augustus, emperor of Rome.

Powerscourt Gardens, considered among the finest in Europe, were laid out from 1745 to 1767 following the completion of the house—and were radically redesigned in the Victorian style, from 1843 to 1875, by Daniel Robertson. The Villa Butera in Sicily inspired him to set these gardens with sweeping terraces, antique sculptures, and a circular pond and fountain flanked by winged horses. There’s a celebrated view of the Italianate patterned ramps, lawns, and pond across the beautiful, heavily wooded Dargle Valley, which stair-steps to the horizon and the noble profile of Sugar Loaf Mountain. The grounds include many specimen trees (plants grown for exhibition), an avenue of monkey puzzle trees, a parterre of brightly colored summer flowers, and a Japanese garden. The kitchen gardens, with their modest rows of flowers, are a striking antidote to the classical formality of the main sections. A cute café, crafts and interior design shops, a garden center, and a children’s play area are also in the house and on the grounds. | Enniskerry | Co. Wicklow | 01/204–6000 | www.powerscourt.ie | €8 | Daily 9:30–5:30.

One of the most inspiring sights to the writers and artists of the Romantic generation, the 400-foot Powerscourt Waterfall, 5 km (3 mi) south of the gardens, is the highest in the British Isles. | Enniskerry | Co. Wicklow | €5 | Mar., Apr., Sept., and Oct., daily 10:30–5:30; May–Aug., daily 9:30–7; Nov.–Feb., daily 10:30–4.

WHERE TO EAT AND STAY IN POWERSCOURT

Gordon Ramsay at Powerscourt.

$$$$ | FRENCH | Star of the bleep-ridden Hell’s Kitchen TV show, Scottish superchef, and bad boy of English cuisine Gordon Ramsay has now set up shop in Ireland at the spectacular Ritz-Carlton hotel. Having already amassed a string of restaurants worldwide, including London’s only Michelin three-star, it’s not surprising that the eponymous chef doesn’t actually cook here but, happily, his inventive stamp can be seen all over the menu. Low ceilings give the very formal dining room a slightly overbearing feel, but large windows open onto a big terrace that is ideal for summer dining. The food is constantly exciting and innovative and the six-course tasting menu is a great value. Starters include the stunning ravioli of lobster and Clare Island salmon with a lemongrass sauce. Top mains include the Wexford rosé veal with pickled artichokes, broad beans, and girolle mushrooms. | Ritz-Carlton Powerscourt, | Enniskerry | Co. Wicklow | 01/274–9377 | Reservations essential | AE, MC, V.

Poppies Country Cooking.

¢ | IRISH | This cozy café—with a pine-panel ceiling, farmhouse furniture, and paintings of poppies on the walls—is a great place for breakfast, lunch, or late-afternoon tea. Expect potato cakes, shepherd’s pie, lasagna, vegetarian quiche, house salads, and soup. But the most popular dishes are Poppies chicken (a casserole-like concoction) and homity pie (potpie with potatoes, onion, garlic, and cream cheese). For dessert try the apple pie or the rhubarb crumble, which is so good that the Irish rugby team stops by for it after practice. | The Square, | Enniskerry | 01/282–8869 | www.poppies.ie | MC, V | No dinner.

Ritz-Carlton Powerscourt.

$$$$ | Set on the Powerscourt estate, the gargantuan Palladian-style exterior of this Xanadu may seem out of place, but luxury always makes itself at home. The lobby is so cavernous it conjures up Las Vegas but the Georgian cast of its decor strikes the right glamorous note. Certainly, no one can carp about the views of the fabled Sugar Loaf peak outside the soaring windows. Guest rooms with the same view cost a bit more, but even the standard rooms—in relaxing beiges and robin’s-egg blues with modern versions of 18th-century furnishings—are large and have marble bathrooms warmed by under-floor heating. Conversation-worthy are the TV sets recessed into bathroom mirrors, the mammoth crystal-lighted indoor pool, and the “lifestyle” showers at the spa, one of the most luxurious in Ireland. Taste buds are mightily indulged, too, thanks to Gordon Ramsay’s restaurant, where such entrées as roast fillet of pork with Champagne sauerkraut go for 40-odd euros; cheaper fare is available at McGills’ pub (Supreme of Chicken for €19; hotdogs for €5), while the Sugar Loaf Lounge is just the place to sit on an emerald-green settee, savor a Pistachio Financier pastry, and count your blessings at being here, and here. Pros: sumptuous pool and spa; top restaurant; beautiful setting in Powerscourt grounds. Cons: some people have called the exterior over-the-top; garden rooms don’t have a great view; can feel very busy at times. | Powerscourt Estate, | Enniskerry,Co. Wicklow | 01/274–8888 | www.ritzcarlton.com | 76 rooms, 124 suites | In-room: a/c, safe, refrigerator, Wi-Fi. In-hotel: 2 restaurants, bars, golf course, pool, gym, spa, Wi-Fi hotspot, parking (paid) | AE, DC, MC, V.

ROUNDWOOD

18 km (11 mi) south of Enniskerry on R755.

At 800 feet above sea level, Roundwood is the highest village in Ireland. It’s also surrounded by spectacular mountain scenery. The Sunday afternoon market in the village hall, where cakes, jams, and other homemade goods are sold, livens up what is otherwise a sleepy place. From the broad main street, by the Roundwood Inn, a minor road leads west for 8 km (5 mi) to two lakes, Lough Dan and Lough Tay, lying deep between forested mountains like Norwegian fjords.

WHERE TO EAT IN ROUNDWOOD

Roundwood Inn.

$ | IRISH | Travel back to the 17th century at this inn evocatively furnished in a traditional style, with wooden floors, dark furniture, and diamond-shaped windows. Though there’s bar food available daily for lunch and dinner, the restaurant area opens only for Friday and Saturday dinner and Sunday lunch and offers a combination of Continental and Irish cuisines, reflecting the traditions of the German proprietor, Jurgen Schwalm, and his Irish wife, Aine. The place is best known for its wonderful, hearty, reasonably priced bar food (served in a nook of the bar)—try the glorious cream of seafood soup. They also serve an excellent succulent seafood platter of salmon, oysters, lobster, and shrimp along with a very gamey pheasant casserole. | Main St. | Co. Wicklow | 01/281–8107 | Reservations essential | AE, MC, V.

GLENDALOUGH

9 km (6 mi) southeast of Roundwood via R755 and R756.

Nestled in a lush, quiet valley deep in the rugged Wicklow Mountains, among two lakes, evergreen and deciduous trees, and acres of windswept heather, Gleann dá Loch (“glen of two lakes”) is one of Ireland’s premier monastic sites. The hermit monks of early Christian Ireland were drawn to the Edenlike quality of some of the valleys in this area, and this evocative settlement remains to this day a sight to calm a troubled soul. Stand here in the early morning (before the crowds and the hordes of school-trippers arrive), and you can appreciate what drew the solitude-seeking St. Kevin to this spot. St. Kevin—or Coemghein, “fair begotten” in Irish (d. 618)—was a descendant of the royal house of Leinster who renounced the world and came here to live as a hermit before opening the monastery in 550. Glendalough then flourished as a monastic center until 1398, when English soldiers plundered the site, leaving the ruins that you see today.

Getting Here

Getting to hallowed Glendalough from Dublin is easy, thanks to the St. Kevin’s bus service. If you’re driving, consider taking the scenic route along R115, but be prepared for awesome, austere mountaintop passes. Don’t take this route if you’re in a hurry, and don’t expect a lot of signage—just concentrate on the nifty views.

St. Kevin’s Bus departs from Dublin outside the Mansion House on Dawson Street (€13 one-way, €20 round-trip; 1½ hours) March to September, weekdays at 11:30 AM and 6 PM, weekends at 11:30 AM and 7 PM; October to February, daily at 11:30 AM and 6 PM. It also stops at the town hall in Bray. Departures from Glendalough are March to September, weekdays 7:15 AM and 4:30 PM, weekends 9:45 AM and 5:40 PM; October to February daily at 7:15 AM and 4:30 PM. In July and August there is an extra bus at 9:45 AM weekdays.

There is no direct train to Glendalough but you can take the Irish Rail train from Dublin’s Connolly Station as far as Rathdrum (€20 round trip; 1 hour 20 minutes) and then take a taxi (approximately €10) the 11 km (7 mi) from there to Glendalough.

Essentials

Transportation Contacts: St. Kevin’s Bus (01/281–8119 | www.glendaloughbus.com).

EXPLORING GLENDALOUGH

Glendalough’s visitor center is a good place to orient yourself and pick up a useful pamphlet. Many of the ruins are clumped together beyond the visitor center, but some of the oldest surround the Upper Lake, where signed paths direct you through spectacular scenery devoid of crowds. Most ruins are open all day and are freely accessible.

Probably the oldest building on the site, presumed to date from St. Kevin’s time, is the Teampaill na Skellig (Church of the Oratory), on the south shore of the Upper Lake. A little to the east is St. Kevin’s Bed, a tiny cave in the rock face, about 30 feet above the level of the lake, where St. Kevin lived his hermit’s existence. It’s not easily accessible; you approach the cave by boat, but climbing the cliff to the cave can be dangerous. At the southeast corner of the Upper Lake is the 11th-century Reefert Church, with the ruins of a nave and a chancel. The saint also lived in the adjoining, ruined beehive hut with five crosses, which marked the original boundary of the monastery. You get a superb view of the valley from here.

The ruins by the edge of the Lower Lake are the most important of those at Glendalough. The gateway, beside the Glendalough Hotel, is the only surviving entrance to an ancient monastic site anywhere in Ireland. An extensive graveyard lies within, with hundreds of elaborately decorated crosses, as well as a perfectly preserved six-story round tower. Built in the 11th or 12th century, it stands 100 feet high, with an entrance 25 feet above ground level.

The largest building at Glendalough is the substantially intact 7th- to 9th-century cathedral, where you can find the nave (small for a large church, only 30 feet wide by 50 feet long), chancel, and ornamental oolite limestone window, which may have been imported from England. South of the cathedral is the 11-foot-high Celtic St. Kevin’s Cross. Made of granite, it’s the best-preserved such cross on the site. St. Kevin’s Church is an early barrel-vaulted oratory with a high-pitched stone roof. | 0404/45325 | www.heritageireland.ie | Ruins free, visitor center €3 | Ruins daily 24 hrs. Visitor center mid-Mar.–mid-Oct., daily 9:30–6; mid-Oct.–mid-Mar., daily 9:30–5; last admission 45 mins before closing.

WHERE TO STAY IN GLENDALOUGH

Derrymore House.

$ | On 6 acres of woodland above the Lower Lake in Glendalough Valley, Derrymore is one of the most serene B&Bs in Wicklow. Wild goats, foxes, and rabbits inhabit the nearby woods. The Kelleher family are avid traditional musicians and music can be heard regularly in their home. The bedrooms are big and comfortable, with Victorian beds and en-suite bathrooms. The full Irish breakfast is the perfect way to start the day; they can also provide a packed lunch for walkers. Pros: family-owned and -run; music played in the house by family; Victorian beds. Cons: room decor is basic; gets fully booked easily; family lives in house. | Co. Wicklow | Co. Wicklow | 0404/45493 | www.glendaloughaccommodation.com | 5 rooms | In-room: no a/c, Wi-Fi | No credit cards | BP.

MOUNT USHER GARDENS

18 km (11 mi) east of Glendalough via R755 and R763.

Covering more than 20 acres on the banks of the River Vartry, the gardens here were first laid out in 1868 by textile magnate Edward Walpole. Succeeding generations of the Walpole family further planted and maintained the grounds, which today have more than 5,000 species. The “Robinsonian” (that is, informal) gardener has made the most of the riverside locale by planting eucalypti, azaleas, camellias, and rhododendrons. The river is visible from nearly every place in the gardens; miniature suspension bridges bounce and sway underfoot as you cross the river. Near the entrance, you’ll find a cluster of crafts shops (including a pottery workshop) as well as a bookstore and self-service tearoom. The twin villages of Ashford and Rathnew are to the south and east, and Newtownmountkennedy is to the north. | Ashford | Co. Wicklow | 0404/40205 | www.mountushergardens.ie | €7.50 | Mar.–Oct., daily 10:30–5:20.

WHERE TO STAY NEAR MOUNT USHER GARDENS

Hunter’s Hotel.

$$$ | The oldest coaching inn in Ireland, Hunter’s has been owned and operated by the same family since 1820. On 2 acres of flower gardens (the Knot Garden is an award winner) beside the Vartry River, the beautiful white building wraps snugly around a courtyard. Nothing inside—from the taxidermied animals on the walls to the tiny, cozy little bar—feels like it’s there for show, but instead seems to have been placed in that spot by time itself. The guest rooms are simple, bright, and neat with lovely period furnishings. Try to get one that overlooks the gardens so the sound of the river can lull you to sleep. The restaurant prepares good, hearty food, with local game a regular feature. Pros: family-owned and -run for nearly 200 years; enchanting gardens; fine restaurant. Cons: books up easily; bedrooms aren’t huge. | Newrath Bridge, Rathnew,Co. Wicklow | Co. Wicklow | 0404/40106 | www.hunters.ie | 16 rooms | In-room: a/c. In-hotel: restaurant, bar, parking | MC, V | BP.

Tinakilly House.

$$$$ | All aboard who’s going aboard! William and Bee Power have beautifully restored this Victorian-Italianate mansion, built in the 1870s by seafaring Captain Robert Halpin. The lobby has mementos of his nautical exploits, including paintings and ship models; Victorian antiques fill the house. Some bedrooms have four-poster beds, sitting areas, and views of the Wicklow landscape, the Irish Sea, or the lovely gardens on the 7-acre grounds. In the dining room, expect to be served French-influenced Irish cuisine, with fresh vegetables from the garden. Brown and fruit breads are baked daily. Pros: authentic Victorian old house; great strolling garden. Cons: newer rooms not as unique as older ones; large number of guest rooms make for less intimacy; a little pricey in high season. | Rathnew,Co. Wicklow | Co. Wicklow | 0404/69274 | www.tinakilly.ie | 52 rooms, 5 suites | In-room: no a/c, Wi-Fi. In-hotel: restaurant, bar, tennis court, Wi-Fi hotspot | AE, DC, MC, V | BP.

WICKLOW TOWN

26 km (16 mi) east of Glendalough on R763, 51 km (32 mi) south of Dublin on N11.

At the entrance to the attractive, tree-lined Main Street of Wicklow Town sprawl the extensive ruins of a 13th-century Franciscan friary. Wicklow, from the Danish wyking alo, means “Viking meadow,” testifying to the very ancient roots of this region.

Visitor Information: Wicklow Town Tourist Office (Rialto House, Fitzwilliam Sq. | Co. Wicklow | 0404/69117 | www.visitwicklow.ie).

EXPLORING WICKLOW TOWN

The friary was closed down during the 16th-century dissolution of the monasteries, but its ruins are a reminder of Wicklow’s stormy past, which began with the unwelcome reception given to St. Patrick on his arrival in AD 432. Inquire at the nearby priest’s house (Main St. | 0404/67196) to see the ruins. The streets of Wicklow ran with blood during the 1798 rebellion when Billy Byrne, member of a wealthy local Catholic family, led rebels from south and central Wicklow against the forces of the Crown. Byrne was eventually captured and executed at Gallow’s Hill just outside town. There is a memorial to him in the middle of Market Square.

The old Wicklow’s Historic Gaol, just above Market Square, has been converted into a museum and heritage center, where it’s possible to trace your genealogical roots in the area. Computer displays and life-size models tell the gruesome history of the jail, from the 1798 rebellion to the late 19th century. | Market Sq. | 0404/61599 | www.wicklowshistoricgaol.com | €7.30 | Feb.–Dec., Mon.–Sat. 10:30–4:30, Sun. 11–4:30; Jan. daily noon–3.

The harbor is Wicklow Town’s most appealing area. Take Harbour Road down to the pier; a bridge across the River Vartry leads to a second, smaller pier, at the northern end of the harbor. From this end, follow the shingle beach, which stretches for 5 km (3 mi); behind the beach is the broad lough, a lagoon noted for its wildfowl.

Immediately south of the harbor, perched on a promontory that has good views of the Wicklow coastline, is the ruin of the Black Castle. This structure was built in 1169 by Maurice Fitzgerald, an Anglo-Norman lord who arrived with the English invasion of Ireland. The ruins (freely accessible) extend over a large area; with some difficulty, you can climb down to the water’s edge.

Between one bank of the River Vartry and the road to Dublin stands the Protestant Church, which incorporates various unusual details: a Romanesque door, 12th-century stonework, fine pews, and an atmospheric graveyard. The church is topped off by a copper, onion-shaped cupola, added as an afterthought in 1771. | Free | Daily 10–6.

WHERE TO EAT AND STAY IN WICKLOW TOWN

The Strawberry Tree.

$$$$ | SEAFOOD | Claiming to be Ireland’s only “certified organic restaurant,” this spot has been getting top reviews for its serious approach to all-natural but always stylish cuisine. Idyllically located at the heart of the vast new BrookLodge Spa hotel, the mod/trad complex is tucked away in a rural Wicklow valley. The glossy decor—midnight-blue walls, mirrored ceiling, and gleaming mahogany furniture—consequently comes as a dramatic contrast but cues you into the classy service and creative menu. Wild woodpigeon terrine, purple sprouting broccoli soup, and steamed wild pollock with green beans and beurre blanc comprise part of the feast, one that can be enjoyed at the Big Table, which seats up to 40. After dessert, check out the spectacular wine cellar. | Brooklodge, Macreddin Village | Co. Louth | 0402/36444 | www.brooklodge.com | MC, V.

Wicklow Head Lighthouse.

$$$$ | This 95-foot-high stone tower—first built in 1781—once supported an eight-sided lantern, and has been renovated by the Irish Landmark Trust as a lodging. It sleeps four to six people in two delightfully quirky octagonal bedrooms and one double sofa bed in the sitting room. The kitchen–dining room at the top has stunning views out over the coast. Don’t forget anything in the car; it’s a long way down. You rent the entire lighthouse, and you must book for at least two nights. The old lighthouse is just south of town on Wicklow Head, right next to the new, automated one. Pros: unique lodging experience; stunning views; inexpensive if you have a group of people. Cons: a lot of stairs; books out easily. | Wicklow Head | Co. Louth | 01/670–4733 | www.irishlandmark.com | 2 rooms | In-room: no a/c, kitchen, no TV | MC, V.

AVONDALE HOUSE AND FOREST PARK

17 km (10½ mi) southwest of Wicklow Town on R752.

Outside the quaint village of Rathdrum, on the west bank of the Avondale River, is the 523-acre Avondale Forest Park. Part of a then-burgeoning movement to preserve and expand the Irish forest, it was, in 1904, the first forest in Ireland to be taken over by the state. There’s a fine 5½-km (3½-mi) walk along the river, as well as pine and exotic-tree trails.Avondale House, on the grounds of the park, resonates with Irish history. The house was the birthplace and lifelong home of Charles Stewart Parnell (1846–91), the “Uncrowned King of Ireland,” the country’s leading politician of the 19th century and a wildly popular campaigner for democracy and land reform. Parnell’s house, built in 1779, has been flawlessly restored—except for the reception and dining rooms on the ground floor, which are filled with Parnell memorabilia, including some of his love letters to Kitty O’Shea and political cartoons portraying Parnell’s efforts to secure home rule for Ireland. | 0404/46111 | www.coillteoutdoors.ie/?id=53&rec_site=4 | €6.50 | May–Aug., daily 11–6; Easter–May, Sept., and Oct., Tues.–Sun. 11–6.

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Maynooth | Straffan | Naas | Blessington | The Curragh | Kildare Town

Of all the artistic delights that beckon both north and south of Dublin, few impress as much as the imposing country estates of County Wicklow. Here, during the “glorious eighteenth,” great Anglo-Irish estates were built by English “princes of Elegance and Prodigality.” Only an hour or two from Dublin, these estates—Russborough, Powerscourt, and Castletown are but three of the most famous—were profoundly influenced by the country villas of the great Italian architect Andrea Palladio, who erected the estates of the Venetian aristocracy along the Brenta Canal, only a short distance from the city on the lagoon. As in other parts of Ireland, the ancestral homes of the dwindling members of the Anglo-Irish ascendancy dot the landscape in the Pale.

Horse racing is a passion in Ireland—just about every little town has at least one betting shop—and County Kildare is the country’s horse capital. Nestled between the basins of the River Liffey to the north and the River Barrow to the east, its gently sloping hills and grass-filled plains are perfect for breeding and racing Thoroughbreds. For some visitors, the fabled National Stud Farm just outside Kildare Town provides a fascinating glimpse into the world of horse breeding. And don’t forget the fabled Japanese Gardens, adjacent to the National Stud, which are among Europe’s finest. You may want to pick up this leg from Glendalough—the spectacular drive across the Wicklow Gap, from Glendalough to Hollywood, makes for a glorious entrance into Kildare.

MAYNOOTH

21 km (13 mi) southwest of Dublin.

A few minutes south of the tiny Georgian town of Maynooth is the hamlet of Celbridge, official address to Ireland’s largest country house, Castletown. After touring Castletown, head slightly to the west to find Maynooth’s St. Patrick’s College.

What was once a center for the training of Catholic priests is now one of Ireland’s most important lay universities. The visitor center chronicles the college’s history and that of the Catholic Church in Ireland. Stroll through the university gardens—the Path of Saints or the Path of Sinners. At the entrance to St. Patrick’s College are the ruins of Maynooth Castle, the ancient seat of the Fitzgerald family. The Fitzgeralds’ fortunes changed for the worse when they led the rebellion of 1536 (it failed). The castle keep, which dates from the 13th century, and the great hall are still in decent condition. Mrs. Saults at 9 Parson Street has the key. Pick up a leaflet at reception for a self-guided tour. | 01/628–5222 | www.nuim.ie | Free.

Fodor’s Choice | Castletown House.

In 1722, William Conolly (1662–1729) decided to build himself a house befitting his new status as the speaker of the Irish House of Commons and Ireland’s wealthiest man. On an estate 20 km (12 mi) southwest of Dublin, he began work on Castletown, designed in the latest Neoclassical fashion by the Florentine architect Alessandro Galilei. As it turns out, a young Irish designer and Palladian-style aficionado by the name of Sir Edward Lovett Pearce (1699–1733) was traveling in Italy, met Galilei, and soon signed on to oversee the completion of the house. Inspired by the use of outlying wings to frame a main building—the “winged device” used in Palladio’s Venetian villas—Lovett Pearce added Castletown’s striking colonnades and side pavilions in 1724. It is said that between them a staggering total of 365 windows were built into the overall design of the house. Conolly died before the interior of the house was completed, and work resumed in 1758 when his great nephew Thomas and his 15-year-old wife, Lady Louisa Lennox, took up residence there. Little of the original furnishings remain today, but there is plenty of evidence of the ingenuity of Louisa and her artisans, chief among whom were the Lafranchini brothers, master craftsmen who created the famous wall plasterwork, considered masterpieces of their kind. Rescued in 1967 by Desmond Guinness of the brewing family, Castletown was deeded to the Irish state and remains the headquarters for the Irish Georgian Society.

Studded with 17th-century hunting scenes painted by Paul de Vos, the soaring Entrance Hall showcases one of Ireland’s greatest staircases. Also extraordinary are the walls festooned with plasterwork sculpted by the Brothers Lafranchini, famous for their stuccoed swags, flora, and portraits.

Upstairs at the rear of the house, the Long Gallery—almost 80 feet by 23 feet—is the most notable of the public rooms. Hued in a vibrant cobalt blue and topped by a coved ceiling covered with Italianate stuccowork and graced by three Venetian Murano glass chandeliers, it is a striking exercise in the antique Pompeian style.

Smaller but even more memorable is the Print Room, the only example in Ireland of this elegant fad. Fashionable young women loved to glue black-and-white prints—here, looking like oversize postage stamps in a giant album—onto salon walls. This was the 18th-century forerunner of today’s teens covering their walls with posters of rock-star icons. | Celbridge | 01/628–8252 | www.castletownhouse.ie | €4.50 | Mar. 17–mid-Nov., Wed.–Sat. 10–5, Sun. 10–6.

STRAFFAN

5 km (3 mi) southwest of Castletown House on R403, 25½ km (16 mi) southwest of Dublin.

Its attractive location on the banks of the River Liffey, its unique butterfly farm, and the Kildare Hotel and Country Club—where Arnold Palmer designed the K Club, one of Ireland’s most renowned 18-hole golf courses—are what make Straffan so appealing.

The only one of its kind in Ireland, the Straffan Butterfly Farm has a tropical house with exotic plants, butterflies, and moths. Mounted and framed butterflies are for sale. | 01/627–1109 | www.straffanbutterflyfarm.com | €7 | June–Aug., daily noon–5:30.

The Steam Museum covers the history of Irish steam engines, handsome machines used both in industry and agriculture—for churning butter or threshing corn, for example. There’s also a fun collection of model locomotives. Engineers are present on “live steam days” every Sunday and bank holiday. The adjoining Lodge Park Walled Garden is included in the price and is perfect for a leisurely summer stroll. | Lodge Park | Co. Kildare | 01/627–3155 | www.steam-museum.com | €7.50 | June–Aug., Wed.–Sun. 2–6; May and Sept., by appointment only.

WHERE TO STAY IN STRAFFAN

Fodor’s Choice | Barberstown Castle.

$$$$ | With a 13th-century castle keep at one end, an Elizabethan section in the middle, a large Georgian country house at the other end, and a whole new modern wing, Barberstown represents 750 years of Irish history. Ask for a room in one of the old sections where turf fires blaze in ornate fireplaces in the three sumptuously decorated lounges. Reproduction pieces fill the bedrooms, some of which have four-poster beds. The Georgian-style restaurant serves creatively prepared French food, also on tap for special parties in the banqueting room of the castle keep. Pros: 20 acres of serene gardens; privately run; real fires in public spaces. Cons: prices still a little Celtic Tiger like; newer wings not as special as old house. | Co. Kildare | Co. Kildare | 01/628–8157 | www.barberstowncastle.ie | 59 rooms | In-room: some a/c, Wi-Fi. In-hotel: restaurant, bar | AE, MC, V | BP, MAP.

Kildare Hotel and Country Club.

$$$$ | Manicured gardens and the renowned Arnold Palmer–designed K Club golf course surround this mansard-roof country mansion. The spacious, comfortable guest rooms are each uniquely decorated with antiques, and all have large windows that overlook either the Liffey or the golf course. (The rooms in the old house are best.) The hotel also has a leasing agreement with several privately owned cottages on the property. Chef Michel Flamme serves an unashamedly French menu—albeit with the hint of an Irish flavor—at the Byerly Turk Restaurant (named after a famous racehorse). The K Club had the honor of hosting the biennial Ryder Cup golf tournament in 2006. Pros: all-around luxury; great service; championship golf course on doorstep. Cons: very expensive year-round. | K Club,Co. Kildare | Co. Kildare | 01/601–7200 | www.kclub.ie | 60 rooms, 9 suites, 23 apartments | In-room: a/c, safe, refrigerator, Wi-Fi. In-hotel: 3 restaurants, bars, golf course, pool, spa, Wi-Fi hotspot, parking (paid) | AE, DC, MC, V | BP, MAP.

NAAS

13 km (8 mi) south of Straffan on R407, 30 km (19 mi) southwest of Dublin on N7.

The seat of County Kildare and a thriving market town in the heartland of Irish Thoroughbred country, Naas (pronounced nace) is full of pubs with high stools where short men (trainee jockeys) discuss the merits of their various stables.

Naas has its own small racecourse, but Punchestown Racecourse (3 km [2 mi] south of Naas on R411 | Co. Kildare | 045/897–704) has a wonderful setting amid rolling plains, with the Wicklow Mountains a spectacular backdrop. Horse races are held regularly here, but the most popular event is the Punchestown National Hunt Festival in April.

BLESSINGTON

10 km (6 mi) southeast of Naas on R410, 23 km (14 mi) southwest of Dublin on N181.

Just outside the small village of Blessington are two of the marvels of Ireland: fabulous, art-filled, 18th-century Russborough House and its adjacent Poulaphouca Reservoir. Known locally as the Blessington Lakes, Poulaphouca (pronounced pool-a-fook-a) is a large, meandering, artificial lake minutes from Russborough House that provides Dublin’s water supply. You can drive around the entire perimeter of the reservoir on minor roads; on its southern end lies Hollywood Glen, a particularly beautiful natural spot.

Russborough House.

A conspicuously grand house rising seemingly in the middle of nowhere—actually the western part of County Wicklow—Russborough was an extravagance paid for by the wages of beer. In 1741, a year after inheriting a vast fortune from his brewer father, Joseph Leeson commissioned architect Richard Castle to build him a home of palatial stature, and was rewarded with this slightly over-the-top house, whose monumental 700-foot-long facade one-upped every other great house in Ireland. Following Castle’s death, the project was taken over and completed by his associate, Francis Bindon. Today, the house serves as a showcase for the celebrated collection of Old Master paintings of Sir Alfred Beit, a descendant of the De Beers diamond family, who had bought and majestically restored the property in 1952.

The first sight of Russborough draws gasps from visitors: a mile-long, beech-lined avenue leads to a distant embankment on which sits the longest house frontage in Ireland. Constructed of silver-gray Wicklow granite, the facade encompasses a seven-bay central block, from either end of which radiate semicircular loggias connecting the flanking wings—the finest example in Ireland of Palladio’s “winged device.” The interiors are full of grand period rooms that were elegantly refurbished in the 1950s by their new, moneyed owner under the eye of the legendary 20th century decorator, Lady Colefax. The Hall is centered around a massive black Kilkenny marble chimneypiece and has a ceiling modeled after one in the Irish Parliament. Four 18th-century Joseph Vernet marine landscapes—once missingbut found by Sir Alfred—once again grace the glorious stucco moldings created to frame them in the Drawing Room. The grandest room, the Saloon, is famed for its 18th-century stucco ceiling by the Lafranchini brothers; fine Old Masters hang on walls covered in 19th-century Genoese velvet. The views out the windows take in the foothills of the Wicklow Mountains and the famous Poulaphouca reservoir in front of the house. | Off N81, | Blessington | Co. Wicklow | 045/865–239 | www.russborough.ie | €10 | May–Sept., daily 10–6; Apr. and Oct., Sun. 10–5.

On the western shore of the lakes, the small market town of Blessington, with its wide main street lined on both sides by tall trees and Georgian buildings, is one of the most charming villages in the area. It was founded in the late 17th century, and was a stop on the Dublin–Waterford mail-coach service in the mid-19th century. Until 1932, a steam train ran from here to Dublin.

Beyond the southern tip of the Poulaphouca Reservoir, 13 km (8 mi) south of Blessington on N81, look for a small sign for the Piper’s Stones, a Bronze Age stone circle that was probably used in a ritual connected with worship of the sun. It’s just a short walk from the road.

You can take in splendid views of the Blessington Lakes from the top of Church Mountain, which you reach via a vigorous walk through Woodenboley Wood, at the southern tip of Hollywood Glen. Follow the main forest track for about 20 minutes and then take the narrow path that heads up the side of the forest to the mountaintop for about another half hour.

WHERE TO STAY IN BLESSINGTON

Fodor’s Choice | Rathsallagh House.

$$$$ | At the end of a long drive that winds through a golf course, and set in 530 acres of parkland, is Rathsallagh House, which came into being when low-slung, ivy-covered Queen Anne stables were converted into a farmhouse in 1798. Enveloping couches and chairs, fresh flower arrangements, large windows, fireplaces, and lots of lamps furnish the two drawing rooms. Large rooms have enchanting, pastoral names like Buttercup, Over Arch, and the Yellow Room, with its claw-foot bath set in an alcove. Try to get a room overlooking the walled garden, where the scent of wildflowers wafts in through the beautiful French doors. The outstanding haute-Irish dinner menu changes daily. Specialties include organic Wicklow lamb chops with sweet-and-sour garden turnip and thyme-scented jus. Pros: 530 acres of parkland; luxury bathrooms; superb dining room. Cons: books up easily; some variance in room quality; expensive food. | Dunlavin,Co. Wicklow | Co. Wicklow | 045/403–112 | www.rathsallagh.com | 31 rooms | In-room: a/c, Wi-Fi. In-hotel: restaurant, bar, golf course, tennis court | AE, DC, MC, V | BP, MAP.

THE CURRAGH

8 km (5 mi) southwest of Naas on M7, 25½ km (16 mi) west of Poulaphouca Reservoir.

The broad plain of the Curragh, bisected by the main N7 road, is the biggest area of common land in Ireland, encompassing about 31 square km (12 square mi) and devoted mainly to grazing.

This is Ireland’s major racing center, home of the Curragh Racecourse (N7 | Co. Kildare | 045/441–205 | www.curragh.ie) ; the Irish Derby and other international horse races are run here.

KILDARE TOWN

5 km (3 mi) west of the Curragh on M7, 51 km (32 mi) southwest of Dublin via N7 and M7.

Horse breeding is the cornerstone of County Kildare’s thriving economy, and Kildare Town is the place to come if you’re crazy about horses. But, in addition to all things equine, Kildare boasts such stellar attractions, including the famous Japanese Gardens.

Getting Here

Bus Éireann runs a regular daily bus to the center of town from Dublin (€10.30 one-way, €13.70 round-trip; 1 hour; 14 buses daily).

Kildare Town train station is just outside town but a free bus service meets the trains and drops you into the center of town. Kildare Town is a major rail junction serviced by Irish Rail and has trains to Dublin (€11 one-way, €22 round-trip; 45 minutes; about 10 trains a day); Galway (€18 one-way, €35 round-trip; 2 hours; 4 trains daily); Limerick (€20 one-way, €39 round-trip; 1 hour 45 minutes; 4 trains daily); and Cork (€28 one-way, €56 round-trip; 2 hours 25 minutes; 2 to 4 trains daily).

Visitor Information: Kildare Tourist Office (Market House | Co. Kildare | 045/521–240 | www.kildare.ie/tourism).

EXPLORING KILDARE TOWN

Right off Kildare’s main market square, the Silken Thomas (045/522–232) pub re-creates an old-world atmosphere with open fireplaces, dark wood, and leaded lights; it’s a good place to stop for lunch before exploring the sights here.

The Church of Ireland St. Brigid’s Cathedral is where the eponymous saint founded a religious settlement in the 5th century. The present cathedral, with its stocky tower, is a restored 13th-century structure. It was partially rebuilt around 1686, but restoration work wasn’t completed for another 200 years. The stained-glass west window of the cathedral depicts three of Ireland’s greatest saints: Brigid, Patrick, and Columba. In pre-Christian times Druids gathered around a sacred oak that stood on the grounds and from which Kildare (Cill Dara), or the “church of the oak,” gets its name. Also on the grounds is a restored fire pit reclaimed from the time of Brigid, when a fire was kept burning—by a chaste woman—in a female-only fire temple. Interestingly, Brigid started the place for women, but it was she who asked monks to move here as well. | Off Market Sq. | Co. Kildare | No phone | €2 | May–Sept., Mon.–Sat. 10–1 and 2–5, Sun. 2–5.

The 108-foot-high round tower, in the graveyard of St. Brigid’s Cathedral, is the second highest in Ireland (the highest is in Kilmacduagh in County Galway). It dates from the 12th century. Extraordinary views across much of the Midlands await you if you’re energetic enough to climb the stairs to the top. | 045/521–229 | €4 | May–Sept., Mon.–Sat. 10–1 and 2–5, Sun. 2–5.

If you’re a horse aficionado, or even just curious, check out the National Stud Farm, a main center of Ireland’s racing industry. The Stud was founded in 1900 by brewing heir Colonel William Hall-Walker, and transferred to the Irish state in 1945. It’s here that breeding stallions are groomed, exercised, tested, and bred. Spring and early summer, when mares have foals, are the best times to visit. The National Stud Horse Museum, also on the grounds, recounts the history of horses in Ireland. Its most outstanding exhibit is the skeleton of Arkle, the Irish racehorse that won major victories in Ireland and England during the late 1960s. The museum also contains medieval evidence of horses, such as bones from 13th-century Dublin, and some early examples of equestrian equipment. | 1½ km (1 mi) south of Kildare Town | Co. Kildare | 045/521–617 | www.irish-national-stud.ie | €11, includes entry to Japanese Gardens | Mid-Feb.–mid-Nov., daily 9:30–5:30, mid-Nov.–Dec. daily 9:30–5.

Adjacent to the National Stud Farm, the Japanese Gardens were created between 1906 and 1910 by the Stud’s founder, Colonel Hall-Walker, and laid out by a Japanese gardener, Tassa Eida, and his son Minoru. The gardens are recognized as among the finest Asian gardens in the world, although they’re more of an East–West hybrid than authentically Japanese. The Scots pine trees, for instance, are an appropriate stand-in for traditional Japanese pines, which signify long life and happiness. The gardens symbolically chart the human progression from birth to death, although the focus is on the male journey. A series of landmarks runs along a meandering path: the Tunnel of Ignorance (No. 3) represents a child’s lack of understanding; the Engagement and Marriage bridges (Nos. 8 and 9) span a small stream; and from the Hill of Ambition (No. 13), you can look back over your joys and sorrows. It ends with the Gateway to Eternity (No. 20), beyond which lies a Zen Buddhist meditation sand garden. This is a worthwhile destination any time of the year, though it’s particularly glorious in spring and fall. | About 2½ km (1½ mi) south of Kildare Town, clearly signposted off Market Sq. | Co. Kildare | 045/521–617 | www.irish-national-stud.ie | €11, includes entry to National Stud Farm | Mid-Feb.–mid-Nov., daily 9:30–5:30; mid-Nov.–Dec., daily 9:30–5.

WHERE TO EAT AND STAY IN KILDARE TOWN

Fodor’s Choice | La Serre.

$$$$ | CONTINENTAL | Stunningly beautiful, this restaurant now crowns the baronial estate surroundings of the Lyons Demense. Choosing between a table in the sheltered courtyard or the splendid Turner-designed conservatory is the hardest thing about dining here—nearly everything on chef Paul Carroll’s menu is a winner. He masterfully mixes Mediterranean moods in such stellar choices as the roast scallops with oxtail–Jerusalem artichoke purée or his signature pork loin with pearl onions and apple sage sauce. Others will pounce on the classic fish pie. But the tastiest thing here may be the conservatory: one of the most gorgeous dining rooms in all Europe, it gloriously mixes hard-rock walls, Victorian glasshouse windows, and fanciful farm-utensil “bouquets” (on either side of the soaring fireplace) to create a swooningly delicious ambience. If you can tear yourself away, it will be for the barbecues that are hosted in the courtyard every Sunday in summer. La Serre is part of the impressively restored Village at Lyons complex that is built up around an historic canal stop and manor estate. Adjacent to the restaurant is the Shackleton House, with 12 guest rooms (starting at €175) all done in a flawless mix of Chesterfield sofas, modern luxury, and Irish Palladian decoration. | Celbridge | Co. Kildare | 01/630–3500 | www.villageatlyons.com | AE, DC, MC, V | Closed Mon. and Tues. No dinner Sun.

Keadeen Hotel.

$$$-$$$$ | The luxurious spa and health center are the big attractions at this family-owned hotel on 10 acres of flower-filled gardens. Light is a constant theme in the spacious bedrooms with pastel-color finishings and big windows overlooking the lawns below. Giant wall murals in the Derby Room restaurant are dedicated to the true heroes of Kildare, those famous racehorses. Don’t miss the chance to take a dip in the ancient-Roman-style pool; it’s a real miniature sea of tranquility. Pros: good spa and pool; light-filled rooms. Cons: uninspired architecture; popular for weddings; can feel very busy at times. | Newbridge,Co. Kildare | Co. Kildare | 045/431–666 | www.keadeenhotel.ie | 75 rooms | In-room: a/c, Wi-Fi. In-hotel: restaurant, bar, pool, gym, spa, parking (free) | AE, MC, V | BP, MAP.

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Ireland’s Historic Heart

IRELAND’S HISTORIC HEART

Stone Age, Celtic, Early Christian, and Norman: the country is scattered with sites that act as signposts in the long and twisting story called “Ireland.” But by circumstance of geography and mystical significance many of the great stone ghosts to ancient Ireland are concentrated in the counties immediately surrounding Dublin.

Here, often so closely thrown together as to make an almost Disneyesque mockery of the vastness of time and history, stand the man-made wonders that are impressive but slightly melancholic reminders of more heroic and more savage ages. In fact, a tour down the valley of the River Boyne is a trip into the past, back beyond history, to the Neolithic tombs of Newgrange, the druidic holy place of the Hill of Tara, the monasteries of Early Christianity, and the Norman castles of the chain-mailed invader who brought a bloody end to so much of Celtic Ireland. Not far from Dublin, chart the rise and fall of Irish culture at their glorious monuments.

THE HIGH CROSS

The Celtic High Cross is an endearing symbol of Ireland, and Monasterboice—a former monastic settlement—has more of them than anywhere in Ireland. Dating to AD 923, the twenty-foot-high Muireadach Cross is the best preserved, as its panels depicting the slaying of Abel, David and Goliath, and the Last Judgement prove. The nearby 110-foot round tower gives you a view of the once-glorious monastic site.

NEWGRANGE

Built in the fourth millennium BC, a thousand years before Stonehenge, Newgrange is not only one of the world’s pristine surviving passage tombs but also a great granite reminder of the ingenuity, spirituality, and perseverance of modern Ireland’s Neolithic ancestors. How did they move 250,000 tons of stone? How did they align it to perfectly capture the first rays of the dawn sun on the winter solstice? The thrill of visiting and entering the somber tomb at Newgrange lies not only in what you discover but in the awesome mysteries that can only be answered by the imagination.

GLENDALOUGH

A single early morning hour spent in the isolated and serene Glendalough valley—green jewel set admidst the Wicklow Mountains—should be enough to convince you St. Kevin the monk made the perfect choice when he was searching for sixth century solitude and peace. The simplicity, separation, and sparsness that were at the heart of Early Christianity in Ireland is sublimely apparent in the hermit’s cave called St. Kevin’s Bed and the ruins of the tiny Church of the Oratory.

HILL OF TARA

Visitors are sometimes disappointed when they finally see the mythical Hill of Tara, spiritual and regal heart of Celtic and druidic Ireland. It is now just a hill after all—300-feet-high with awesome views out over the flat central plains of Ireland and all the way to Galway in the west. But with a little reading at the interpretive center and a lot of imagination you can stand here and picture the Iron Age fort that once stood here and the huge feís or national assembly where Celtic Ireland passed its laws and settled its tribal disputes. It is a place that is both beyond history and made of it.

MELLIFONT ABBEY

As well as war, the Normans brought great stone church building to Ireland and one of their greatest religious monuments is Mellifont Abbey. Founded in 1142 Celtic-Ireland by St. Malachy, the main parts of the abbey were built a little later in the Norman style, including the two story chapter house and the octagonal Lavabo, where the monks used to wash. Although much of the abbey is in ruins, it still manages to illustrate the medieval church’s rise to wealth and power in Ireland. Incidentally, the term “Celtic” is derived from the tribes that arrived on Irish shores around 700 BC, first called Galli by the Romans and then named Gaels in Ireland.

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Main Table of Contents

Introducing the Midlands

The Midlands Planner

Getting Around the Midlands

The Eastern Midlands

The Western Midlands

The Midlands in Depth

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Top Reasons to Go | Getting Oriented

Irish schoolchildren were once taught to think of their country as a saucer, with mountains edging the rim and a dip in the middle. The dip is the Midlands—or the Lakelands, as it’s sometimes referred to—and this often-overlooked region comprises nine counties: Cavan, Laois (pronounced leash), Westmeath, Longford, Offaly, Roscommon, Monaghan, Leitrim, and Tipperary. Ask people from other parts of Ireland what the purpose of the Midlands is and they will jest that the region exists simply to hold the rest of the country together.

Indeed, the Midlands is sometimes looked upon with disdain by the Irish people, a few of whom consider the area dull and mundane (the worst of offenses in Ireland). The perception is a bit true: the flat plains of the Midlands are the kind of terrain you rush through on the way to someplace else, and with no major city in the region (Dublin lies to the east, Galway and Limerick to the west, and Cork to the south), it remains a quiet and geographically unspectacular place. Night owls should probably keep going—the wildest thing in these parts is the wind.

But that is precisely why many travelers consider the Midlands a gem in the making. For when it comes to studying how Ireland gets on with its daily life, there are few better places. Here, a town’s main hotel is usually one of its prime social centers and can be a good place from which to partake of local life. If you miss out witnessing a wedding reception, First Communion supper, or meeting of the Lions Club, you can still get to know the locals simply by walking along a village’s main street. Happily so, since there are plenty of folks who have nothing to do but be pleasant. Here, the pace of life is slower, every neighbor’s face is familiar, and there are plenty of minor roads linking the more scenic areas—and if you’re in no particular hurry, these are the ones to take. Spend enough time in the region and you might even get to recognize the difference between a Cavan twang and a Tipperary brogue.

The tourist sun also shines brightly on the region because of its notable cultural highlights. Among them are Clonmacnoise, Ireland’s most important monastic ruins; historic towns with age-old industries, such as lace making and crystal making; the gorgeous gardens of Birr Castle; and some of Ireland’s finest Anglo-Irish houses, including Strokestown Park House, Emo Court, and some of Ireland’s most historically delightful hotels. As for scenic pleasures, this region of the country has its fair share of Ireland’s 800 bodies of water. Speckling this lush countryside, many of these lakes were formed by glacial action some 10,000 years ago. Because of all the water, much of the landscape is blanket bog, a unique ecosystem that’s worth exploring. The River Shannon, one of the longest rivers in Europe and the longest in Britain or Ireland, bisects the Midlands from north to south, piercing a series of loughs (lakes): Lough Allen, Lough Ree, and Lough Derg. The Royal Canal and the Grand Canal cross the Midlands from east to west, ending in the Shannon north and south of Lough Ree.

This chapter is organized into two Midlands sections: eastern and western. The first can be easily covered in an extended visit to the Midlands region, as it starts in Abbeyleix, County Laois, and charts a course almost due north to Northern Ireland. But not quite: the tour makes a loop to head back southward, linking up with the second tour. This includes sights west, which means they can be easily visited if you fly into Shannon and begin your explorations in the western half of the country. No matter which region of the Midlands you explore, you’ll discover that some towns and villages are hives of activity as young Dublin families make their weekend homes in this pastoral, and infinitely more affordable, region beyond the Pale. They reckon if Charlotte Brontë spent her honeymoon here and Anthony Trollope settled in one of the region’s villages to write two of his novels, it’s good enough for them.

TOP REASONS TO GO

Stately Clonmacnoise: Atmospheric and still spirit-warm, this great early Christian monastery survived Viking, Norman, and English invaders over the centuries.

Green Mansions: “The biggest farm in the world,” the Midlands is also home to stately homes and gardens, including fairy-tale Tullynally Castle and Birr Castle.

Hiking the Slieve Bloom Mountains: Dip in and out of the 20-mi Slieve Bloom Trail, ideal hiking country for those with a yen to rise above their surroundings.

Athlone: The newly restored 13th-century castle along with the quirky shops and Europe’s oldest pub on the left bank are worth taking time to visit.

The Treasure House of Emo: A quintessential landmark of 18th-century Palladian elegance, Emo—the former home of the Earl of Portarlington—has a spectacular rotunda inspired by Rome’s Pantheon.

GETTING ORIENTED

Perfect for the relaxed visitor who values the subtle over the spectacular, the flat, fertile plain at the center of Ireland is full of relatively undiscovered historic towns, abbey ruins, and grand houses. Though just two hours from the chaotic rush of Dublin, Cork, or Galway, the region is carpeted with countryside perfect for bicycling: no wonder stressed-out Dubliners love to head here to chill out.

The Eastern Midlands Just an hour from Dublin, this region is essentially rich farmland but is studded with even richer sights: grand homes like Emo Court, Belvedere House, and Tullynally Castle; once-upon-a-time villages such as Abbeyleix; and the historic treats of Fore Abbey and Locke’s Distillery. Leaving the ancient kingdom of Leinster, you come to two counties of Ulster: Cavan and Monaghan. Beyond Cavan Town you enter the heart of the Northern Lakelands, dotted with hundreds of beautiful lakes.

The Western Midlands One of the corners of “hidden Ireland,” this region is unblighted by crowds. While some of the country’s most distinctive boglands are here, cultural treasures also beckon: stately Birr Castle and Strokestown House, and the great early Christian monastery of Clonmacnoise, burial place of the Kings of Tara.

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Transportation Basics | Finding a Place to Stay | A Blaze of Festivals | When to Go | Midlands Musts | Visitor Information

TRANSPORTATION BASICS

The roads of the Midlands offer an easier intro to Irish driving than the hairpin bends of West Cork and Connemara. Because the area has a decent network of main arteries and off-the-beaten-track byroads, a car may deliver the best option for covering the widest itinerary. Happily, bus and train routes in the region have improved greatly over the past two decades. Public transport services are regular through the main towns—Athlone, Portarlington, Abbeyleix, Nenagh, Cavan, and Longford. Of course, you may have to transfer—give time and attention to the appropriate timetables when planning your jaunts.

However, the freedom of your own wheels will bring ample rewards in transporting you to the area’s many hidden lakes and villages. Don’t be surprised to round a bend only to confront a herd of sheep idly grazing with little hurry about them—do what the locals do, slow to a stop and wait for an opening in the woolly mass to occur. The same goes for cows. Refrain from honking your horn on these occasions—it will only confirm your status as an impatient tourist, and, besides, the cows won’t take a bit of notice.

FINDING A PLACE TO STAY

The Irish bed-and-breakfast offers great value in the Midlands—farmhouses and homes geared to paying guests provide direct contact with local families and the lore of their area. Time was when these kinds of accommodations veered toward the spartan—not anymore. Good beds, decent heating, en-suite bathrooms, and the legendary Irish breakfast are now the norm; broadband, flat-screen TVs, and computer games courtesy of the landlady’s kids are often part of the bargain.

Although B&Bs may not offer the same kind of privacy as hotels, they still work delightfully well as the ultimate way to meet genuine Irish folk—a bird’s-eye view into working families and the organized chaos of a country household.

As commercial progress has blossomed in the Midlands, so, too, have the options in hotels, country houses, and cottage rentals increased. Pretty much every town now has more than one decent hotel—most with health centers and spa facilities.

From June to early September, tourism gets into serious stride, bolstered by the many Irish families using their holiday homes and getaway cottages in the region.

Finding accommodation is never a major problem—except for those weekends when a town is holding an annual music festival.

Tourist offices generally cope bravely with these seasonal influxes and if you arrive without local knowledge or reservations, there’s rarely a problem that can’t be solved with a few phone calls.

At a rock concert in Abbeyleix a few years ago, we heard that four travelers found temporary lodgings in a convent, but that’s another story altogether.

A BLAZE OF FESTIVALS

The first decade of the 21st century has produced a blaze of festivals celebrating music, drama, literature, and small-town fairs throughout the Midlands. Music dominates at some, such as Castle Palooza Festival (www.castlepalooza.com), held at Charleville Castle in Tullamore over the August holiday weekend. The Festival of Fires (www.festivalofthefires.com), at Westmeath’s Hill of Uisneach (the historic residence of the High Kings of Ireland and a gathering place for tribes and clans), features theater and music and is Europe’s oldest festival. In mid-July, one of Ireland’s best-loved songwriters, Percy French, is celebrated in Roscommon town and at Castlecoote House (www.percyfrench.ie) with a summer school, complete with concerts and lectures. French was born at Cloonyquinn House near Elphin, and his best-known songs include “Are Ye Right There Michael?,” and “Phil the Fluther’s Ball.”

South Ulster gets in on the act when Virginia in Cavan hosts the annual Pumpkin Festival (www.virginia.ie) on the October holiday weekend with some of Europe’s largest pumpkins. Next door, County Monaghanholds its Flat Lake Festival (www.theflatlakefestival.com) in Clones in mid-August. The event focuses on arts, books, films, and music with numerous literary readings in tents and straw-filled barns—there’s even sheep karaoke. Can a sheep dance?

Many other towns have rural shows or arts festivals. The Terryglass Arts Festival (www.terryglassartsfestival.ie) in North Tipperary, for example, presents music, dance, and street theater for five days in the third week of August.Ireland’s biggest agricultural gathering—the Tullamore Show (www.tullamoreshow.com)—attracts 60,000 annually in early August to its new site on the Butterfield estate near Blueball on the road to Birr. An international visitor center opened in 2009 caters to the huge crowds of overseas visitors who flock to see the largest assembly of cattle anywhere in Ireland competing in 1,000 classes for 42 national titles.

WHEN TO GO

C’mon, this is Ireland, after all—a rain mac or windbreaker should never be far from your side when you visit the Midlands. Though, in fairness, it must be said that the legendary “soft” weather has become noticeably more clement; since 2000, Ireland has been recording more hours of sunshine.

The incremental increase in the number of sunny days each year has prompted many philosophical discussions in Irish pubs on whether that itty-bitty hole in the ozone is really such a bad thing. The best time to visit the Midlands is the spring and summer when there’s at least a better chance of some sunshine, although bring a rain mac just in case.

MIDLANDS MUSTS

With historical monuments such as Clonmacnoise, Fore Abbey, and the Rock of Dunamase, as well as many fine ancient architectural gems such as Emo Court and Carrig Glas Manor, you’ll never be more than 16 km (10 mi) from ancient history.

If you just want to wander where your nose takes you for a few days, the relatively quiet roads, unpopulated countryside, and tucked-away vistas around the Slieve Blooms will deliver many peaceful rewards.

VISITOR INFORMATION

Four Midlands Tourist Information Offices (TIOs) are open all year: Cavan, Monaghan, Mullingar, and Portlaoise.

The Mullingar TIO has information on Counties Westmeath, Offaly, Monaghan, Cavan, and Laois.

Another five Midlands TIOs are open seasonally: Athlone (April–October), Birr (May–September), Clonmacnoise (April–October), Longford (June–September), and Tullamore (mid-June–mid-September).

Find tourist office addresses, phone numbers, and Web sites listed under the main town headings.

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Air Travel | Bus Travel | Car Travel | Road Conditions | Train Travel | Tour Options | A Cyclist’s Paradise

AIR TRAVEL

Dublin Airport is the principal international airport that serves the Midlands; car-rental facilities are available here.

Sligo Airport has daily flights from Dublin on Aer Lingus.

Airport Information: Aer Lingus (0818/365–000 | www.aerlingus.com). Dublin Airport (01/814–1111 | www.dublinairport.com). Sligo Airport (071/916–8280 | www.sligoairport.com).

BUS TRAVEL

With a much more extensive network than trains, buses are a better bet for exploring much of the Midlands. Most small towns and villages are serviced by at least one bus per day, while trains are generally limited to towns on main lines linking cities.

Bus Éireann runs an express bus from Dublin to Mullingar in 1½ hours, with a round-trip fare of €29. Buses depart three times daily.

A regular-speed bus, leaving twice daily, makes the trip in two hours. Express buses also make stops at Longford (2¼ hours), Boyle (3¼ hours), and Sligo (4¼ hours).

There’s also a daily bus from Mullingar to Athlone and an express service connecting Galway, Athlone, Longford, Cavan, Clones, Monaghan, and Sligo.

Details of all bus services are available from the Bus Éireann depots listed below. In addition, the train stations for the following larger towns also act as their bus depots: Athlone, Cavan, and Longford.

Bus Information: Bus Éireann (01/836–6111 in Dublin | www.buseireann.ie). Cavan Bus Office (049/433–1709). Monaghan Bus Office (047/82377). Ulsterbus (004/4289–066–6630 | www.translink.co.uk).

CAR TRAVEL

For optimum touring, a car is sometimes necessary to really explore the region.

Mullingar, Longford, and Boyle are on the main N4 route between Dublin and Sligo.

It takes one hour to drive the 55 km (34 mi) from Dublin to Mullingar and two hours from Mullingar to Sligo (150 km [93 mi]).

If you are coming to Mullingar from southwestern Ireland, take N52 to Nenagh, where it meets N7, and follow that into Limerick.

R390 from Mullingar leads you west to the new Athlone bypass, where it connects with N6 to Galway. The 120-km (75-mi) drive takes about 2½ hours.

ROAD CONDITIONS

Most of the winding roads in the Midlands are uncrowded, although you may encounter an occasional animal or agricultural machine crossing the road.

In Mullingar, the cattle-trading town, roads can become badly congested.

Local Car-Rental Agencies: Gerry Mullin (North Rd., | Monaghan | 047/81396).

TRAIN TRAVEL

All trains are run by Irish Rail. A direct-rail service links Longford (via Mullingar) to Dublin (Connolly Station); on average, eight trains per day make the 1¾-hour journey. This excursion costs €20.50 one-way and €22.50 round-trip. Contact Irish Rail for information.

Trains from Mullingar to Dublin run regularly (i.e., every 2 hours) Monday through Friday, with a restricted service on weekends; stops include Longford (35 minutes), Boyle (1¼ hours), and Sligo (2 hours).

Portlaoise is served by a good commuter service and many of the intercity Dublin–Cork trains stop here.

The intercity service to Galway City from Dublin Heuston serves Portarlington, Tullamore, and Athlone.

Roscrea and Nenagh are served by a twice-daily train to Limerick City.

Train Information: Athlone Railway Station (090/648–4406). Cavan Bus Office (049/433–1709).Irish Rail (01/836–6222 | www.irishrail.ie). Longford Railway Station (043/3345208). Sligo Railway Station (071/916–0066).

TOUR OPTIONS

To plan a trip within any particular county or area, you’re best off starting with the local tourist office (see listings under town name). They will have a thorough list of the must-see attractions in their areas. Several of the region’s larger travel agencies (listed below) also organize tours.

Tour Companies: Airboran Travel (4 Lismard Ct., | Portlaoise | 057/862–1226). Grenham Travel (1 Connaught St., | Athlone | 090/649–2028). O’Hanrahan Travel (59 Dublin St., | Monaghan | 047/81133). Trikon Travel (Castle St., | Roscommon | 090/662–6243).

A CYCLIST’S PARADISE

One of the best ways to immerse yourself in the Midlands is to meander through the region on a bike.

Although the area may not offer the spectacular scenery of the more hilly coastal regions, its level, Netherlands-like terrain means a less strenuous ride.

The twisting roads are generally in good (well, good enough) condition.

Happily, there are picnic spots galore in the many state-owned forests just off the main roads.

Fáilte Ireland recommends two tours: one of the Athlone-Mullingar-Roscommon area, and another of the Cavan-Monaghan-Mullingar region.

The more rural regions of Laois allow you to spend days exploring beautiful glens, waterfalls, nature trails, and wooded regions around the Slieve Bloom Mountains.

Try to avoid the major trunk roads that bisect the region. After all, this is an area that deserves thorough and leisurely exploration!

Contact the regional and township tourist offices for all the details.

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Abbeyleix | Portlaoise | Portarlington | Tullamore | Kilbeggan | Mullingar | Castlepollard | Fore | Cavan | Longford Town

The eastern fringe of the Midlands is about an hour’s drive from Dublin, and a visit to the area could easily be grafted onto a trip to the Dublin environs. In spite of its proximity to the capital, or perhaps because of it, this area is a bit removed from the regular tourist trail and is a source of constant surprises. Unspoiled Georgian villages, ruined castles, and quaint “towns-that-time-forgot” dot the landscape. There are also plenty of opportunities for hill walking, horseback riding, and other outdoor pursuits. Fans of stately homes are in for a treat, as Emo Court and Gardens, Charleville Forest Castle, Belvedere House Gardens, and Tullynally Castle await them.

The Eastern Midlands fan out from the central point of Mullingar. With richer farmland than is found in the northern area of the Midlands, the eastern region tends toward agriculture. But the Dublin commuter culture means that you’re as likely to be delayed on a back road by a badly parked BMW as by a slow-moving tractor on its way home from the dairy.

ABBEYLEIX

99 km (61 mi) southwest of Dublin.

“One of the most pleasing villages in Leinster, with each cottage having a useful garden!” Thus spoke noted 19th-century writer J. M. Brewer of Abbeyleix in 1826. Today it happily remains one of the most elegant small towns in Ireland, having retained its charming Georgian ambience and its broad main street, which is lined with well-appointed, stone-cut buildings and original shop fronts in the traditionally ornate Irish style. The entire tree-lined village was built in the 18th century, on the orders of the Viscount de Vesci, to house servants and tradesmen working on his nearby estate. Many town houses and vernacular buildings date from the 1850s, but more recent buildings, including the Market House, erected in 1906, and the Hibernian Bank, from 1900, contribute greatly to the town’s tranquil and refined character.

Getting Here

From Dublin or Cork, you can catch one of the six daily Bus Éireann Expressway coaches. Journey time is just under two hours from Dublin and 2¾ hours from Cork. Round-trip tickets to either cost €22.

EXPLORING ABBEYLEIX

Don’t miss Morrissey’s Pub and Grocery Store, which has been a working public house since 1775. One of Ireland’s best-loved drinking emporiums, it has a dark, wood-panel interior furnished with antique bar fittings. Customers can warm themselves by an ancient potbelly stove. Until 2005 this establishment still functioned as a shop, and while it retains its stocks of groceries, they are no longer for sale. An evocative time capsule, it serves as a reminder of times when you could purchase a pound of butter, the newspaper, and cattle feed while enjoying the obligatory pint of Guinness. In 2008 the owners extended the bar into a 60-seat lounge called No. 10. Thankfully, the pub’s prevailing genius loci remains unchanged. Food, including an all-day breakfast with bacon, sausage, black-and-white pudding, and eggs, is served 10:30–9 and you can dine alfresco at picnic tables at the front of the bar. | Main St. | 057/873–1281.

The Heritage House, the former North Boys School, has fascinating informative displays on the de Vesci family and the history of Abbeyleix. The school was originally constructed for the education of Catholics (at the other end of the town you’ll find the South School, built for Protestants). Also accessible through the Heritage House is the original Sexton’s House (no extra charge), which boasts a stylish interior from the turn of the 19th century. The center also has a crafts shop and coffee parlor. | Top of town | 057/873–1653 | www.heritagehousemuseum.com | €3 | Apr.–Sept., weekdays 9–5, weekends 1–5; Oct.–Mar. weekdays 9–5.

Ballinakill, a pretty Georgian village about 5 km (3 mi) south of Abbeyleix, contains the Heywood Gardens, designed by the English architect Sir Edwin Lutyens in the early 20th century within an existing 18th-century park. The Lutyenses’ house burned down, but the gardens, with landscaping most likely attributable to the famed Gertrude Jekyll, are worth a detour. Guided tours are available through this gardener’s paradise, where a formal lawn flanked by traditional herbaceous borders leads to a sunken Italian garden. | Ballinakill | 057/873–3563 | www.heritageireland.ie | Free | Daily 9–dusk.

WHERE TO STAY IN ABBEYLEIX

Foxrock Inn.

$ | A friendly red setter by the name of Shannon and a terrier called Marley greet new arrivals at this modest guesthouse in the heart of the County Laois countryside. The main attraction of this inn, set in the tiny village of Clough, is the genuinely warm welcome extended by its owners, Sean and Marian Hyland. The enthusiastic couple can bring you up to date on the 200-year history of the inn and adjacent pub, advise you on hiking in the Slieve Bloom Mountains, and organize golf and angling packages. Traditional music on Tuesday night in summer is a big local draw. Rooms are plain but clean and comfortable. Simple, home-cooked dinners and packed lunches are available by advance booking. Clough is 12 km (8 mi) west of Abbeyleix (signposted off the R434 road to Borris-in-Ossory). Pros: well off the tourist track but plenty of activities in surrounding area; friendly owners who are knowledgeable about the area. Cons: no frills; rooms don’t come with any extras. | Clough, | Ballacolla,Co. Laois | 057/873–8637 | www.foxrockinn.com | 5 rooms | In-room: no a/c, no phone, no TV. In-hotel: restaurant, Internet terminal | AE, V | BP.

PORTLAOISE

14 km (9 mi) north of Abbeyleix.

Near the heart of County Laois, the rich farmland south and west of Portlaoise, an hour by train, bus or car from Dublin, is one of Ireland’s undiscovered gems. Golf, fishing, hiking, and horseback riding are traditional sports hereabouts, and the development of the Grand Canal for recreational purposes is adding to the area’s attractions. Explore the pretty villages and romantic, ivy-covered ruins by car, or follow one of the many hiking trails.

Getting Here

Bus routes leading to Ireland’s three main cities—Dublin, Cork, and Limerick—converge at Portlaoise. Bus Éireann operates frequent daily services on the three-hour journey to Cork via Cashel and Cahir with Dublin a one-hour bus ride away via Monasterevin and Kildare; tickets cost €25 round-trip, while Limerick is a three-hour journey via Mountrath, Roscrea, Moneygall, and Nenagh. An independent operator, JJ Kavanagh & Sons, runs two buses daily except Sunday to Carlow and Kilkenny (€12 round-trip), and Dublin Coach offers a €10 fare to Dublin Airport.

Just 70 minutes from Dublin, Portlaoise has 14 daily Irish Rail trains to the capital and is on the main line linking it with Cork, Limerick, and Tralee. The round-trip journey from Portlaoise’s small station, five minutes from the town center, to Dublin’s Heuston station costs €28.50. Portarlington can be reached by train as it’s a stop on the Dublin–Athlone line; you can also take a southbound train from here to Limerick or continue your journey as far southwest as Killarney (change at Thurles) and Tralee. The fare to Killarney is €54.50 €62 round-trip.

Visitor Information: Portlaoise Tourist Office.

(James Fintan Lawlor Ave.,Co. Laois | 057/862–1178 | www.discoverireland.ie/eastcoast).

Essentials

Transportation Contacts: Dublin Coach (018/627–566 | www.dublincoach.ie). JJ Kavanagh (056/883–1106).

EXPLORING PORTLAOISE

Portlaoise’s name is derived from the Irish for “Fort of Laois” and refers to the town’s strife-filled history. In terms of its architecture, it’s rather eclectic—it feels as if bits of other towns were picked up and dropped randomly onto the site. Once best known for having Ireland’s highest-security prison, which housed the IRA’s most notorious members during the 1970s and ’80s and still looms over the town, Portlaoise is undergoing a renaissance. The main street, which once formed part of the main Dublin–Cork road, is now largely given over to pedestrians; pubs and restaurants are flourishing; and the thriving Dunamaise Arts Centre adds an extra dash of culture.

At the Tourist Information Office in Portlaoise you can pick up a map of the Laois Heritage Trail (www.laoistourism.ie), a signposted, daylong drive on quiet back roads that takes in 13 heritage sites, ranging from Abbeyleix to Emo Court. The circular trail starts in Borris-in-Ossory on N7.

A dramatic 150-foot-high limestone outcrop, the famous Rock of Dunamase dominates the landscape east of Portlaoise. For this reason, it was used as a military stronghold. As far back as AD 140 its occupants kept watch against marauders, and it was fought over in turn by the Vikings, Normans, Irish, and English. Today it’s crowned by the ruins of a 12th-century castle, once home to Diarmuid MacMurrough, king of Leinster, who precipitated the Norman invasion when he invited the famed and feared Norman leader Strongbow to Ireland to marry his daughter, whose dowry included the Rock. Some of the castle’s thick walls still stand. The main reason for visiting the Rock today is to take the short walk to its summit to enjoy the view of the Slieve Bloom Mountains to the north and the Wicklow Mountains to the south. | 5 km (3 mi) east of Portlaoise on N80 (Stradbally Rd.).

WHERE TO EAT AND STAY IN PORTLAOISE

Kingfisher.

$ | INDIAN | In the town center, this is a particularly lively and stylish spot. The high-ceiling room was once a banking hall, but now its softly lighted walls glow with warm terra-cotta tones, the perfect complement to the slightly spicy Punjabi cuisine. Pappadams (crunchy lentil-flour breads) and condiments appear on the table before you order, and the friendly staff in traditional dress can guide you expertly through the long menu. Dishes vary from mild and creamy meat kormas to fresh cod with a mild blend of spices and lemon juice to chicken “cooked with angry green chilies.” Last orders for dinner are taken as late as 10:45 PM, so this is definitely the place to go when your tummy rumbles late on a summer’s eve. | Old AIB Bank, Main St. | 057/866–2500 | www.kingfisherrestaurant.com | AE, MC, V | No lunch Sat.–Tues.

Fodor’s Choice | The Lemon Tree.

$$ | CONTINENTAL | Although on Portlaoise’s main street, this spot is its best-kept culinary secret. It combines an informal atmosphere with modern-but-cozy surroundings. Starters might include duck confit with hoisin sauce; many enjoy the prime Irish Angus sirloin for the main course or loin of Slaney valley lamb roasted in bacon. The popular fresh fish dishes that tantalize the taste buds include scallops, and fillet of sea bass grilled with black olive tapenade. Lunch is available only to groups, by advance reservation. The restaurant is on the first floor of the premises; downstairs, Delaney’s pub serves bar food during the day. | 67 Main St. | 057/866–2200 | www.grellandelaney.com/lemontree | AE, MC, V | No dinner Mon. No lunch.

Fodor’s Choice | Heritage Golf & Spa Resort.

$$$-$$$$ | Step into this hotel’s spacious, light-filled atrium with its touches of marble, cherrywood, and mahogany and you quickly realize you have entered another world. This sprawling complex opened its doors in 2006 and has proved a hugely popular Midlands draw. The rooms—all elegantly appointed with classical furniture and artwork—look out over an 18-hole course and across to the Slieve Bloom Mountains. The Arlington restaurant offers an Irish twist to cooking with such delights as grilled black sole on the bone with nutty butter. More informal options are found in the Sol Oriens Italian restaurant, or opt for the blow-out Pink Afternoon Tea (at €55 for two with a glass of Taittinger rosé Champagne). A tunnel links the hotel to the spa, where the tyranny of endless choices stretches to more than 70 treatments. The parkland championship course (home to a golf school) was codesigned by Seve Ballesteros and features challenging doglegs, as well as lakes (stocked with brown trout). Pros: a haven of peace, calm, and elegance; the smoked haddock at breakfast is a winner. Cons: the grass-cutters start early so prepare for a lawnmower wake-up around 6:30; isolated from any nearby towns. | Killenard | 057/864–5500 | www.theheritage.com | 98 rooms, 13 suites | In-room: a/c, Wi-Fi. In-hotel: 3 restaurants, bars, golf course, tennis court, gym, Internet terminal | AE, MC, V | BP.

Ivyleigh House.

$$ | Owners Dinah and Jerry Campion say they like to give their guests “the best of everything,” and that maxim is certainly in evidence the minute you step inside this elegant Georgian town house next to the Portlaoise railway station. Open fires, antiques, and sumptuously cozy sofas await you in the beige-on-brown, wood-accented sitting room. Upstairs, luxurious drapes grace the sash windows of the spacious bedrooms, most of which are done in dramatic hues like pink and emerald. A virtual avalanche of plump cushions scattered on your antique bed reinforces the tone of rest and relaxation. Guests find it hard to choose from all the goodies on the scrumptious breakfast menu, but few can resist the Cashel Blue cheese cakes. Room TVs are available by request. Pros: breakfasts are lavish, filling, and imaginative; luxury linens. Cons: no baths, so it’s a power shower only; the town lacks much in the way of evening activities. | Bank Pl., | Portlaoise,Co. Laois | 057/862–2081 | www.ivyleigh.com | 6 rooms | In-room: no a/c, no TV (some), Internet | MC, V | BP.

NIGHTLIFE AND THE ARTS IN PORTLAOISE

Also known as Turley’s Bar, the canal-side Anchor Inn (Grand Canal near Stradbally, | Vicarstown | No phone), 10 km (6 mi) east of Portlaoise on N80, is popular for its lively Monday-night traditional-music sessions, which start around 10. Sessions take place more frequently in spring and summer. Fishing, boating, and canal-bank walks are all accessible from this location.

The lively Dunamaise Arts Centre (Main St. | 057/866–3355 | www.dunamaise.ie) has a 240-seat theater, an art gallery, and a friendly coffeehouse (open daily 8:30–5:30). You may catch a professional production on tour or a local amateur show. The exhibition space displays the work, usually of a surprisingly high standard, of contemporary Irish artists. It’s built into the back of the 18th-century stone courthouse on Church Street in a space that used to be the town jail.

PORTARLINGTON

13 km (8 mi) northeast of Portlaoise.

Built on the River Barrow in the late 17th century, Portarlington was originally an English settlement. Later, a Huguenot colony developed here, and French surnames are still common in the area. Some good examples of Georgian architecture can be seen in the town.

A quintessential landmark of Irish Palladian elegance lies just 7 km (4½ mi) south of Portarlington. Emo Court and Gardens is one of the finest large-scale country houses near Dublin that is open to the public. Even if you elect to skip over much of the Midlands, try to tack on a visit to Emo, especially if you’re in Kildare or Wicklow counties. To come upon the house from the main drive, an avenue lined with magisterial Wellingtonia trees, is to experience one of Ireland’s great treasure-house views. Begun in 1790 by James Gandon, architect of the Custom House and the Four Courts in Dublin, Emo (the name derives from the Italian version of the original Irish name Imoe) is thought to be Gandon’s only domestic work matching the grand scale of his Dublin civic buildings. Construction continued on and off for 70 years, as family money troubles followed the untimely death of Emo’s original patron and owner, the first earl of Portarlington.

In 1996 Emo’s English-born owner donated the house to the Irish nation. The ground-floor rooms have been beautifully restored and decorated and are prime examples of life on the grand scale. Among the highlights are the entrance hall, with trompe l’oeil paintings in the apses on each side, and the library, which has a carved Italian-marble mantel with putti frolicking among grapevines. But the showstopper, and one of the finest rooms in Ireland, is the dome rotunda—the work of one of Gandon’s successors, the Irish architect William Caldbeck—inspired by the Roman Pantheon. Marble pilasters with gilded Corinthian capitals support the rotunda’s blue-and-white coffered dome. Emo’s 55 acres of grounds include a 20-acre lake, lawns planted with yew trees, a small garden (the Clocker) with Japanese maples, and a larger one (the Grapery) with rare trees and shrubs. There’s also a tearoom on the premises. | Emo | 057/862–6573 | www.heritageireland.ie | Gardens free, house €3 | Gardens daily 9–dusk, house mid-June–mid-Sept., daily 10–6; last tour at 5.

Coolbanagher Church, the familiar name for the exquisite Church of St. John the Evangelist, was, like Emo Court and Gardens, designed by James Gandon. On view inside are Gandon’s original 1795 plans and an elaborately sculpted 15th-century font from an earlier church that stood nearby. Adjacent to the church is Gandon’s mausoleum for Lord Portarlington, his patron at Emo. The church is open daily spring through autumn; at other times, ask around in the tiny village for a key, or at the rectory, a 10-minute drive away. | 8½ km (5 mi) south of Portarlington on R419 | 057/864–6538 | Free | May–Oct., daily 9–6.

WHERE TO STAY IN PORTARLINGTON

Eskermore House.

¢–$ | In summer, a delightful display of rambling roses adorns the doorway of this charming farmhouse. The old-world quirks of these lovely lodgings also include a chiming grandfather clock and an organ in the sitting room for musically gifted guests (those without a talent for tickling the ivory are gently urged to refrain). Located 9 km (6 mi) west of Edenderry on R402, this is a good base for hiking in the Slieve Bloom Mountains. The guest rooms are simply but comfortably furnished and face south over a beech-tree-lined avenue and semi-wild gardens. The sitting room has an open turf fire, a piano, and cable TV; room TVs are available on request. Host Ann Mooney will prepare a wholesome dinner with advance notice. Pros: great-value accommodation in peaceful surroundings; the open fire is a pure delight. Cons: few frills on offer; rooms are basic. | Mount Lucas, | Edenderry,Co. Offaly | 057/935–3079 | www.eskermore.com | 3 rooms | In-room: no a/c, no phone. In-hotel: Internet terminal, some pets allowed | MC, V

Fodor’s Choice | Roundwood House.

$$ | There’s a dreamlike beauty to this place. As you arrive, a dark tree-lined avenue suddenly opens up to reveal a dramatically gorgeous Palladian villa. A flock of white geese and a friendly dog called Sheridan form the welcoming party to this chateau-esque mansion on the slopes of the Slieve Bloom Mountains. Antique family portraits of the builders—the Sharps, a prominent Quaker family whose wealth derived from the mid-1600s woolen industry—adorn the walls of the curio-filled drawing room. The bedrooms in the main house are elegant and airy, or opt for cozier chambers in the adjacent 17th-century Old House. Tiniest of all is the Cottage, a stone charmer whose original tenants may have been Hansel and Gretel. Affable hosts Hannah and Paddy Flynn often share your table at dinner. Attractive deals make this retreat an affordable and unforgettable experience. The house is 5 km (3 mi) from Mountrath on the scenic road to Kinnitty. Pros: friendly hosts; mature woodland is ideal for walks. Cons: dinner is served at a communal table; renovations are occasionally under way so check if builders are at work. | Mountrath,Co. Laois | 057/873–2120 | www.roundwoodhouse.com | 10 rooms, plus 3 self-catering cottages | In-room: no a/c, no phone, no TV. In-hotel: restaurant, Internet terminal | AE, DC, MC, V | BP.

TULLAMORE

27 km (17 mi) northwest of Portarlington.

The county seat of Offaly, Tullamore is a bustling market town that has thrived since Ireland’s “Celtic Tiger” boom in the mid-1990s and continues to prosper. Its most famous native is Ireland’s Taoiseach and former finance minister Brian Cowen, and the people here share his down-to-earth approach to life. The town’s historical success was based on its location on the Grand Canal, one of Ireland’s most important trading links during the 18th and 19th centuries.

Getting Here

Tullamore’s central location means travelers are reasonably well served by Bus Éireann buses. An enjoyable cross-country Midlands jaunt (weekdays only) links Tullamore with Dublin (two hours east) at one end and Portumna in south Galway at the other. From Dublin, stops include Propserous, Clane, and Celbridge. In the other direction you can travel west from Tullamore to Birr, Banagher, and Portumna. Kilkenny (2¼ hours) and Waterford (3¼ hours) lie in a direct route south with twice-daily services, while a short hop northwest will take you to the neighboring towns of Clara, Moate, or Athlone. Mullingar is served by the Galway–Dundalk Bus Éireann Expressway and the Longford–Dublin service.

Train and bus services coalesce at Cormac Street in Tullamore. Daily from early morning, 10 fast trains leave for Dublin (€27.50 round-trip), 70 minutes away, and six head west to Galway (€17.50 round-trip), a 90-minute trip. The main Sligo–Dublin route has three daily trains to Mullingar, about 32 km (26 mi) north of Tullamore. Dublin is an hour away (€20.30 round-trip); Sligo is a two-hour journey (€34.50 round-trip).

Visitor Information: Tullamore Tourist Office (Bury Quay,Co. Offaly | 057/935–2617 | www.tullamore.org | Mid-June–mid-Sept. only).

EXPLORING TULLAMORE

One relic of Tullamore’s former splendor is found on the southwestern edge of town, where, if you take the road heading to Birr from the center of Tullamore, you’ll find a storybook vision in splendid Tin Soldier Fortress style: Charleville Forest Castle. Perhaps the finest Neo-Gothic, British-style 19th-century castle in Ireland, its Flag Tower and turrets rise above its domain of 30 acres of woodland walks and gardens. The Georgian–Gothic Revival house was built as a symbol of English might triumphing over French force (the French revolutionary forces, to be exact, who had become a little too cozy with the Irish locals). In fact, the floor plan is even modeled on the Union Jack. Commissioned by Baron Tullamore and dating from 1812, the castle is a rural example of the work of architect Francis Johnston, who was responsible for many of Dublin’s stately Georgian buildings. The interiors are somewhat the worse for wear—most are gigantic chambers with a few sticks of furniture—but the William Morris–designed dining room still has its original stenciled wallpaper. Guided tours of the interior are available. Descended through the Bury family, who eventually lost their fortune and left no heirs, the castle became an orphan in the 1960s but has been slowly restored. The surrounding forest is said to be haunted by the spirits of the ancient Druids. | 1½ km (1 mi) outside Tullamore on N52 to Birr | 057/932–3040 | www.charlevillecastle.ie | €16 for one adult or couple. Additional members of same party €6 | May, weekends 2–5; June–Sept., Wed.–Sun. 2–5; Oct.–Apr., by appointment.

Tullamore Dew Irish Whiskey can trace its roots to 1829, when the Tullamore Distillery was founded. It was greatly expanded under the aegis of Daniel E. Williams, whose family became joint shareholders, and his own initials, D-E-W, were added to the whiskey’s name, inspiring the slogan “Give every man his Dew” (which appeared on the bottles for many years). You can visit the Tullamore Dew Heritage Center, a restored 19th-century warehouse once used for storing and maturing the whiskey, where guided tours take place weekdays at 11:30 and 2:30 and include a complimentary tipple of Tullamore Dew Whiskey or the even more famous Irish Mist Liqueur. Sip it slowly and it may reveal the secrets of its Irish Midlands character. Guided tours are available, and there are also self-guided booklets in English. There’s also a tourist kiosk inside. | Bury Quay | 057/932–5015 | www.tullamore-dew.org | €6 self-guided, €8 guided | May–Sept., Mon.–Sat. 9–6, Sun. noon–5; Oct.–Apr., Mon.–Sat. 10–5, Sun. noon–5.

WHERE TO STAY IN TULLAMORE

Annaharvey Farm.

¢–$ | A loving conversion of an old-world grain barn into an elegant accommodation has marked the past several years for innkeepers Lynda and Henry Deverell. Just 6 km (4 mi) outside of Tullamore town on the Portarlington road, this family farmhouse dedicated to all things equestrian contains pitch-pine floors, massive roof beams, and open fireplaces. Guest rooms are cozy and comfy and decorated with equestrian prints. It matters not a bit, however, if your interest doesn’t run to things horsey—the area has all manner of walking, cycling, and golfing opportunities, and Clonmacnoise and Birr Castle are just a short drive away. Horses, though, are a big interest, as the inn hosts many owners giving their treasured Connemara ponies a spin Meals (available to guests only) are served in the kitchen. Pros: well away from the main road, secluded location; the clear Offaly night skies are filled with thousands of stars. Cons: no dinner choice; bathrooms are small; noisy neighing horses may disturb your slumber. | Tullamore,Co. Offaly | 057/934–3544 | www.annaharveyfarm.ie | 7 rooms | In-room: no a/c, Internet | MC, V | Closed Dec. and Jan.

SPORTS AND THE OUTDOORS IN TULLAMORE

Golf

Esker Hills Golf & Country Club (5 km [3 mi] north of Tullamore on N80 | 057/935–5999 | www.eskerhillsgolf.com) is a challenging 18-hole championship course with natural lakes and woodlands.

KILBEGGAN

11 km (7 mi) north of Tullamore.

It’s the whiskey (the Irish spell their traditional tipple with an “e”) that brings most people to the unassuming little town of Kilbeggan. The town is the home of Locke’s Distillery, which is the oldest pot-still distillery in the world and the last of its type in Ireland. This whiskey-lover’s mecca was established in 1757 but was closed down as a functioning distillery in 1954. It has found new life as a museum of industrial archaeology illustrating the process of Irish pot-whiskey distillation and the social history of the workers. Homemade food is available in Locke’s pantry restaurant. | 057/933–2134 | www.lockesdistillerymuseum.ie | €7 | Apr.–Oct., daily 9–6; Nov.–Mar., daily 10–4.

MULLINGAR

24 km (15 mi) northeast of Kilbeggan.

The Irish are great ones for wrapping an insult up in a lyrical turn of phrase. Rather than describe a woman as overweight they’ll say with a wink she’s “beef to the ankle, like a Mullingar heifer.” Of course, the phrase also illustrates Mullingar’s role as Ireland’s beef capital, a town surrounded by rich countryside where cattle trading has historically been one of the chief occupations. It’s also County Westmeath’s major town—a busy commercial and cattle-trading center on the Royal Canal, midway between two large, attractive lakes, Lough Owel and Lough Ennel. Buildings here date mostly from the 19th century. Although best used as a base to tour the surrounding countryside, Mullingar has some sights worthy of your time.

Visitor Information: Mullingar Discover Ireland Centre (Market Sq.,Co. Westmeath | 044/934–8650 | www.discoverireland.ie/lakelands).

EXPLORING MULLINGAR

The town’s largest structure is the Renaissance-style Catholic Cathedral of Christ the King, completed in 1939. Note the facade’s finely carved stonework, and the mosaics of St. Patrick and St. Anne by the Russian artist Boris Anrep in the spacious interior. There’s a museum in the cathedral, and tours are available. | Mary St. | 044/934–8338 | www.mullingarparish.com | Daily 8–8.

Genesis Gift Gallery sells crystal, jewelry, fine art, and furnishings. You can purchase everything from whiskey measures to baby gifts in both pewter and bronze. There’s a coffee shop on the premises. | Great Down, the Downs | 044/934–3078 | www.westmeathdesigners.com | Weekdays 9:30–6, Sat. 10–6.

Belvedere House Gardens occupies a beautiful spot on the northeast shore of Lough Ennel. Access to this stately mid-18th-century hunting lodge with extensive gardens is through the servants’ entrance—so you can see what life behind the scenes was like back then. Cries and whispers haunt this estate. Built in 1740 by architect Richard Cassels for Robert Rochfort, first earl of Belvedere, it became a byword for debauchery and dissipation, thanks to the high jinks of Rochfort’s wife, the “very handsome” Mary Molesworth. After falling passionately in love with Rochfort’s younger brother (and bearing him a child), she was locked up in another family house for decades. Robert regaled guests with the “scandal” while offering sumptuous dinners at this house under its great 18th-century plasterwork ceilings. He spent much of his family fortune dotting the gardens of the estate with “follies,” including the Jealous Wall, a gigantic mock-castle ruin that served to cover up a view of the adjoining estate, owned by another brother, also hated. Today, the interiors are a quirky mix of Georgian stateliness and Victorian charm. The noted bow and Palladian windows have great parkland views sloping down to the lake and its islands. You can tour the 160 acres of the estate and woodland trails on the Belvedere tram. Also on the estate are a restaurant, a coffee shop, an animal sanctuary, and a children’s play area. | 4 km (2½ mi) south of Mullingar on N52 | 044/934–9060 | www.belvedere-house.ie | House and parkland €8.75, tram €2 | Mar., Apr., Sept., and Oct., daily 10–7; May–Aug., daily 10–9; Nov.–Feb., daily 10:30–4:30.

WHERE TO STAY IN MULLINGAR

Temple Country Retreat and Spa.

$$$$ | If you’re hoping to recharge your batteries, this is just the place. This modern retreat is surrounded by 100 acres of parkland, and boasts all you could want in terms of relaxation therapy. One of the 80 available restorative spa therapies is a version of the traditional mudpack, using bog peat (in a country where peat is normally cut from the bog and burned for fuel, this new use for turf has been raising Irish eyebrows). Special bed-and-breakfast rates are available along with pricier spa packages. The menu offers such winners as seared sea bass with caramelized apple with hints of basil, mint, and cream. The owner, Bernadette Fagan, likes to quote Virginia Woolf to guests: “One cannot think well, love well, or sleep well if one has not dined well.” Temple Country Retreat and Spa is along N6, almost equidistant from Mullingar, Tullamore, and Athlone. Pros: serene and peaceful, the perfect escape; top-class food in comfortable surroundings. Cons: no TVs; having to leave. | Horseleap, | Moate,Co. Westmeath | 057/933–5118 | www.templespa.ie | 23 rooms, 2 suites | In-room: no a/c, no TV, Internet. In-hotel: spa, bicycles, no kids under 16 | AE, MC, V | Closed Christmas wk | FAP.

SPORTS AND THE OUTDOORS IN MULLINGAR

Golf

Delvin Castle Golf Club (Delvin | 044/966–4315) is an 18-hole course in a mature parkland setting. It has beautiful views across north Westmeath.

CASTLEPOLLARD

21 km (13 mi) north of Mullingar.

A pretty village of multihue 18th- and 19th-century houses laid out around a large, triangular green, Castlepollard is also home to Tullynally Castle and Gardens, the largest castle in Ireland that still functions as a family home. This is not just any family: the Pakenhams are the famous Irish tribe that has given us Elizabeth Longford (whose biography of Queen Victoria is in most libraries) and Antonia Fraser, wife of the late playwright Harold Pinter and best-selling biographer of Mary, Queen of Scots, among others. In fact, Tullynally—the name, literally translated, means “Hill of the Swans”—has been the home of 10 generations of this family, which also married into the earldom of Longford. Lady Fraser’s brother Thomas, a historian, is the current earl but does not use the title. As a result of an 18th-century “Gothicization,” the former Georgian house was transformed into a faux castle by architect Francis Johnston; the resulting 600 feet of battlements were not just for bluff, as the earls were foes of Catholic emancipation. Inside, the family has struggled to make the vast salons warm and cozy—a bit of a losing battle. The house really comes into its own as a stage set for the surrounding park—the gray-stone structure is so long and has so many towers it looks like a miniature town from a distance. The total circumference of the building’s masonry adds up to nearly ½ km (¼ mi) and includes a motley agglomeration of towers, turrets, and crenellations that date from the first early fortified building (circa 1655) up through the mid-19th century, when additions in the Gothic Revival style went up one after another.

Today, more attention is given to the beautiful parkland, in part because Thomas Pakenham is a tree-hugger extraordinaire. He is the author of several books, his most famous being Meetings with Remarkable Trees (1996), an exceptional art book that includes many of his magnificent photographs. The estate’s rolling parkland was laid out in 1760, much along the lines you see today, with fine rhododendrons, numerous trees, and two ornamental lakes. A garden walk through the grounds in front of the castle leads to a spacious flower garden, a pond, a grotto, and walled gardens. The kitchen garden here is one of the largest in Ireland, with a row of old Irish yew trees. Don’t miss the forest path, which takes you around the perimeter of the parkland and affords excellent views of the romantic castle. | 1½ km (1 mi) west of Castlepollard on the R395 road to Granard | 044/966–1159 | www.tullynallycastle.com | €6 | May and June, weekends 2–6, July–mid-Aug., daily 2–6.

FORE

5 km (3 mi) east of Castlepollard.

You’ve heard of the seven wonders of the ancient world, but here in the heart of the Irish Midlands is a tiny village with seven wonders all to itself! According to Irish myth, this is the place where water runs uphill, where there’s a tree that will not burn and water that will not boil, among other fantastical occurrences. The village is known not only for its legend, but also for its medieval church and the remains (supposedly the largest in Ireland) of a Benedictine abbey.

The spectacular remains of Fore Abbey dominate the simple village—its structure is massive and its imposing square towers and loophole windows make it resemble a castle rather than an abbey. Elsewhere in town, St. Fechin’s Church, dating from the 10th century, has a massive, cross-inscribed lintel stone.

CAVAN

36 km (22 mi) north of Fore, 114 km (71 mi) northwest of Dublin.

Like all the larger towns of the region, Cavan is growing and prosperous. It is perhaps best known for its crystal factory. But as one of the main transporation hubs of the Midlands, Cavan has also attracted an impressive array of restaurant and hotels, so this is a fine base for exploring this region, which lies near the border to Northern Ireland. There are two central streets: with its pubs and shops, Main Street is like many other streets in similar Irish towns; Farnham Street has Georgian houses, churches, a courthouse, and a bus station.

Getting Here

Cavan—the town and surrounding south Ulster area including neighboring Monaghan—relies on an extensive bus network for public transport. The town is on the Bus Éireann Galway–Belfast, Athlone–Belfast, and Dublin–Donegal Expressway routes. Frequent buses run daily to Dublin (€22 round-trip). This service also goes to the northwest Donegal highlands. Twice daily, the cross-border Belfast-bound buses on their way from Galway or Athlone stop in Cavan. The town is equidistant from Belfast and Galway with journey time to both cities about three hours. Services to small towns throughout Cavan and Monaghan operate weekdays. A 90-minute cross-country local service links Dundalk with Cavan calling at Carrickmacross, Kingscourt, Shercock, and Bailieboro.

Visitor Information: Cavan Tourist Office (Farnham St.,Co. Cavan | 049/433–1942 | www.cavantourism.com).

EXPLORING CAVAN

For a quirky Cavan diversion head for the Bear Essentials Ireland & Silver Bear Centre (049/952–3461 | www.bearessentials.ie), where you can view the largest collection of teddy bears in Ireland. Each bear is handcrafted in the workshop from the finest mohair. The Bear Essentials Showroom is next door. The center, run by Anke Morgenroth, originally from Hamburg, is at Tirnawannagh, Bawnboy, and is open daily.

WHERE TO EAT IN CAVAN

Fodor’s Choice | MacNean’s Restaurant.

$$$$ | IRISH | Quality doesn’t come cheap but every bite in Neven Maguire’s restaurant is a sublime taste sensation. No surprise—this is one of the best restaurants in Ireland. The five-course dinner menu, priced at €70, is an unhurried affair—it even comes with pre-starters and pre-desserts. Winning appetizers include an artistically presented study of shellfish, and the confit of Thornhill duck leg served with balsamic jelly. Top mains include rare breed of caramelized pork belly and pan-seared turbot. The Menu Prestige, at €125, delivers a staggering nine courses: your taste buds may never again experience such an explosion of epicurean delights as quail with seared foie gras terrine, poached sea oyster, and glazed fillet of venison oozing with truffle butter. The five-course Sunday lunch at €39 is a great value. Given the remoteness of the town of Blacklion, mattresses may be as important as menus, so why not book an upstairs guest room when reserving a table to avoid a post-dinner, late-night drive? | Blacklion,Co. Cavan | 071/985–3022 | www.macneanrestaurant.com | MC, V | Closed Jan., Mon. and Tues., and Wed. Feb.–Apr. | BP.

Fodor’s Choice | The Olde Post Inn.

$$$ | IRISH | The magic formula of a genuine Irish welcome and immaculate food inspired with a culinary flourish is what draws people to the restaurant in the Olde Post Inn. In a restored stone former post office nestled within an elegantly landscaped garden, the restaurant has won a clutch of awards and, as a result, is often booked solid. Chef-owner Gearóid Lynch gives a dramatic modern twist to some Irish classics, including loin of Finnebrogue venison, monkfish with bacon-and-cabbage terrine, and the positively mouthwatering suckling pig with poitín liquor sauce. A Lynch specialty is Chicken Le Coq Hardi, which comes stuffed with potato, apple, bacon, and herbs served with a whiskey sauce. The five-course dinner menu costs €56. Ingredients are sourced with care and the owner respects local and regional food. To get here, take the N53 to Cloverhill from Cavan Town. | Cloverhill | 047/55555 | www.theoldepostinn.com | Closed Mon. | MC, V.

Fodor’s Choice | Pol O’D Restaurant.

$$ | IRISH | Consisting of two rooms spread over two floors, this characterful restaurant of stripped pine and exposed stonework is a busy dinner place much favored by locals. Chef-owner Paul O’Dowd opts for contemporary Irish fare with a little adventure in dishes such as smoked duck salad, quails’ egg salad, and a seafood medley with prawns and lemon sauce. Standard dishes reflecting traditional rural tastes include steak, lamb, and duck. Pristine starched tablecloths, simple candlelight, and local staff make Pol O’D an unexpected pleasure in an area not generally blessed with multiple options come dinnertime. Children are welcome, as is traditional music, which happens on a spontaneous basis. | Main St., | Ballyconnell | 049/952–6228 | AE, MC, V | Closed Sun.–Tues.

WHERE TO STAY IN CAVAN

Cabra Castle.

$$–$$$ | A spectacular collection of mock-Gothic towers, turrets, and crenellations, this hotel-castle stands sentinel amid charming parkland with mature trees and pristine lawns. Cabra boasts rooms of all shapes and sizes, from cozy attic rooms to elaborate, supersize suites. Rooms in the castle are recommended, but many of the bedrooms are in the adjoining courtyard area, in a carefully restored stone outbuilding overlooking a walled garden. The Victorian-Gothic theme of the main castle is carried through in the bar and the restaurant (reservations are a must for lunch or dinner) with varying degrees of success. Don’t miss the castle gallery, which has hand-painted ceilings and leaded-glass windows. Pros: stunning views of the surrounding countryside; a romantic retreat with attentive personal service. Cons: emphasis appears to be on weddings. | 65 km (40 mi) south of Cavan, on R 179 Carrickmacross Rd., | Kingscourt,Co. Cavan | 042/966–7030 | www.cabracastle.com | 80 rooms, 6 suites, 6 self-catering lodges | In-room: no a/c. In-hotel: restaurant, bar, golf course, tennis courts | AE, MC, V | BP.

Fodor’s Choice | MacNean House & Restaurant.

$$ | With his famous restaurant set in an isolated location, it wasn’t long before chef Neven Maguire decided to add on some cosseting guest rooms to his establishment. Now diners who work their way through his nine-course tasting menu can simply repair to the 10 accommodations, done up in a traditional but cool Irish style. As many diners have learned, the 65-km (40-mi) detour makes a lot more sense if you are heading from Dublin northwest to Sligo or Donegal and also take in an overnight. But be warned: this place is perpetually busy, and there’s a long waiting list for weekends; Maguire has a simple epigram summing up his dining and accommodation: “We don’t sleep five-star but we eat five-star.” In 2010, he extended his Blacklion “empire” to cater to the overnight crowds by opening new overspill rooms in two properties on the outskirts of the village: the Rectory (four rooms) and the Courtyard (two rooms). There is a pick-up and drop-off service to and from the restaurant. Pros: a classy and exceptionally comfortable house with flawless service; freshly made cookies are delivered to your room each day. Cons: rooms feel more like B&B standard; little else to do in the area apart from feasting. | Blacklion,Co. Cavan | 071/985–3022 | www.macneanrestaurant.com | MC, V | Closed Jan. and Mon.–Wed. Feb.–Dec. | BP.

Fodor’s Choice | The Olde Post Inn.

$ | In the village of Cloverhill, this lovingly restored former post office (if you hadn’t guessed from the name) has won a clutch of awards and, as a result, is often booked solid. Having a top-rated restaurant doesn’t hurt. Big open turf fires and cut-stone walls provide the key to the warm feeling you get when you step inside. Dark beams and simple wooden furniture help create a rustic feel; if you’re in an energetic frame of mind there are some easy walking routes in this largely flat part of Ulster. The six guest bedrooms, all in the original part of the postmaster’s residence, have been modernized with contemporary bathrooms and plasma-TV screens. There’s also a conservatory. To get here, take the N53 to Cloverhill from Cavan Town. Pros: guests are assured of a friendly and hospitable south Ulster welcome; an old-world place with a modern feel. Cons: some bathrooms are on the small side; little nighttime activity in the immediate area. | Cloverhill,Co. Cavan | 047/55555 | www.theoldepostinn.com | 6 rooms | In-room: no a/c. In-hotel: restaurant | MC, V | BP.

LONGFORD TOWN

37 km (23 mi) southwest of Cavan, 124 km (77 mi) northwest of Dublin.

Longford, the seat of County Longford and a typical small market-town community, is rich in literary associations, though after Oliver Goldsmith, the names in the county’s pantheon of writers may draw a blank from all but the most dedicated Irish literature enthusiasts. Longford Town provides a good base for exploring the largely untouristed countryside surrounding it. A day trip to the pretty heritage village of Ardagh (10 km [7 mi] southeast of Longford Town), with its quaint houses and village green, is a popular option. The Genealogy Centre(17 Dublin St. | 043/337–1235) is worth visiting to search of your roots.

Getting Here

Convenient for making Midlands connections, Longford buses stop outside Longford train station. Bus Éireann routes fan out in all directions. Nine buses ply the Longford–Dublin airport and city route (2¼–2½ hours, €29 return), and buses run west to Galway and Ballina, south to Athlone, Kilkenny, and as far as Waterford on the south coast, a 4¾-hour trek. Buses also run to Belfast from Longford (travel time is four hours, €39 round-trip). You can catch a bus to nearby towns, such as Cavan, Boyle, Carrick-on-Shannon, Roscommon, and Mullingar. There are six buses serving Sligo; there’s also a cross-border bus from Longford to Derry operated in conjunction with Ulsterbus; journey time is four hours.

Unlike many Midlands towns, Longford is doubly blessed with both train and bus links. The town is on the main Irish Rail Dublin–Sligo railway line and eight trains call here. Dublin is 1¾ hours (€22.50 round-trip), and Sligo is 1¼ hours (€20.30 round-trip). You can take trains west along this route to Dromod, Carrick-on-Shannon, and Boyle or east to Edgeworthstown, Mullingar, and Maynooth.

Visitor Information: Longford Town Tourist Office (Market Sq.,Co. Longford | 043/334–2577 | June–Sept. only).

EXPLORING LONGFORD TOWN

A lovely spot near Longford Town is Newtowncashel, on the banks of Lough Ree, where you can visit Bogwood Sculptures, a fascinating workshop run by sculptors Michael and Kevin Casey. The center displays sculptures and keepsakes made from bogwood, which is hewn from the 5,000-year-old trees submerged and ultimately preserved by the area’s ancient peatlands. To get there from Longford drive 14 km (9 mi) on the N63 to Lanesborough, then take the R392 for 2 km (1 mi) and follow signs for Turreen–Newtowncashel. | Barley Harbour, | Newtowncashel | 043/332–5297 | www.bogwood.net | Free | Mon.–Sat. 10–6.

WHERE TO EAT AND STAY IN LONGFORD TOWN

Fodor’s Choice | The Purple Onion.

$ | IRISH | A perfect resting place for tired and hungry travelers on the road to the west of Longford Town, this pub and restaurant is on the main street of a tiny Shannon-side village. This place was originally a standard public house with the obligatory low ceilings, nooks, crannies, and snugs, but under the patronage of Pauline Roe and Paul Dempsey it has been transformed into a gourmet’s delight—a special “gastro pub,” now abustle with locals, cruise-boat tourists, and food lovers from all over. Specialties include baked guinea fowl on chanterelle mushroom risotto with sherry gravy, and roast rump of lamb on colcannon with mint gravy and tomato chutney. Potatoes and vegetables are abundant and even served (atypically, for an Irish pub) al dente. After all that, it’s worth leaving space for the Toblerone cheesecake, which has become the sweet talk of Longford. An upstairs gallery has work by some of the finest and best-known Irish artists, including Jack B. Yeats and Paul Henry, among 100 others. To get here from Longford Town drive 10 km (6 mi) west on the N5. |Tarmonbarry | 043/335–9919 | www.purpleonion.ie | AE, MC, V.

Keenan’s Hotel.

$–$$ | Initially known as a pub, Keenan’s has evolved into a first-rate restaurant perfectly capable of challenging the Purple Onion next door for culinary polish and panache. Meanwhile, the B&B on the west side of the pub and the hotel accommodations overlooking the Shannon make Keenan’s a virtual village within a village at this East Midlands junction. Pros: friendly and helpful family-run operation. Cons: Tarmonberry is best as a one-night stand on your way east or west. | Rte. N5, Longford–Tarmonberry,Co. Roscommon | 043/332–6052 | www.keenans.ie | 20 rooms | In-room: a/c. In-hotel: restaurant, bar, Wi-Fi hotspot, parking (free) | AE, DC, MC, V.

Viewmount House.

$–$$ | An exquisite Georgian home once owned by the Earl of Longford, Viewmount has been restored to its former charm by James and Beryl Kearney. The bedrooms are full of character and have impressive period wallpapers and antique mahogany wardrobes and beds. Breakfast is served in a vaulted room cheerily painted in Wedgwood blue. The 4 acres of grounds that surround the house are a gardener’s paradise with an old orchard, a formal garden, and a Japanese garden complete with full-size pagoda. In 2008 the owners converted a stable block, retaining the stone walls, and turning it into the VM Restaurant with seating for 60. It serves flavor-filled delights, like pan-roasted saddle of rabbit with sweet-potato puree, cooked by head chef Gary O’Hanlon, and at €53 the five-course dinner menu is great value. The house is 2 km (1 mi) outside Longford Town, just off the old Dublin road (R393). Pros: a wonderfully restored house; comfort and hospitality are the order of your stay. Cons: 20-minute walk into town; limited amount to do in Longford. | Dublin Rd.,Co. Longford | 043/334–1919 | www.viewmounthouse.com | 12 rooms, 7 suites | In-room: no a/c, Internet. In-hotel: restaurant | AE, MC, V | BP.

NIGHTLIFE AND THE ARTS IN LONGFORD TOWN

The center of a thriving local arts scene is the Backstage Theatre (Farneyhoogan, Longford | 043/334–7888 | www.backstage.ie). In a country where many patriotic souls see the indigenous sports of Gaelic football and hurling as art forms, it’s perhaps appropriate that the venue is on the grounds of the local Gaelic Athletic Association club, whose team has the intimidating title of the “Longford Slashers.” Catch a local match before heading into the theater for a dose of drama, dance, classical music, or opera. The theater and club are located a mile outside Longford on the road to Athlone.

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Athlone | Clonmacnoise | Banagher | Birr | Moneygall | Roscrea

This section of the Midlands covers the area’s western fringe, making its way from the heart of the region, the town of Longford, and skirting the hilly landscape of County Leitrim, dappled with lakes and beloved of anglers for its fish-filled waters. The area is the country’s most sparsely populated, though it has a light sprinkling of villages and, until his death in 2006, was the home of one of Ireland’s leading writers, John McGahern; at the end of July, the John McGahern International Seminar and Summer School—a series of lectures, workshops, and tours—is held in Carrick-on-Shannon in his honor. Moving south through Roscommon, western Offaly, and the northern part of Tipperary, the scenery is generally low on spectacle but high on unspoiled, lush, and undulating countryside. The towns are small and undistinguished, except Birr and Strokestown, both designed to complement the “big houses” that share their names. This is one of the parts of the country where you’re most likely to encounter the “hidden Ireland”—a place unblighted by the plastic leprechaun syndrome of the more touristy areas to the south and west. The historic highlight of this region is the ancient site of Clonmacnoise, an important monastery of early Christian Ireland. The route then takes you southward, to northern County Tipperary.

In 2008 the Irish President, Mary McAleese, launched a trail to honor the celebrated English Victorian novelist Anthony Trollope (1815–82), who lived in the village of Drumsna in County Leitrim. The Anthony Trollope Trail takes in 27 locations throughout Leitrim and incorporates many fascinating topographical locations including an area along the River Shannon known as Flaggy Bottoms. Trollope, a senior civil servant, was sent to Drumsna in 1843 to investigate the financial affairs of the postmaster. While living there he wrote his first novel The Macdermots of Ballycloran, drawing inspiration from the nearby ruin of Headford House. A leaflet and information on the trail is available from the tourist office (071/962–0170) in Carrick-on-Shannon, 34 km (21 mi) southeast of Longford Town, 127 km (79 mi) west of Dublin, 121 km (75 mi) east of Limerick.

ATHLONE

The mighty Shannon flows majestically through the heart of Athlone, yet for years it seemed as if the town was happy to turn its back on one of Europe’s great waterways. That trend has been well and truly reversed and with it has come a real buzz of regeneration. The area around Athlone Castle has transformed into a veritable “Left Bank,” and on both sides of the Shannon, new restaurants and stylishly modern architecture have sprung up along streets lined with 200-year-old buildings that have been given some imaginative repurposing alongside one of Ireland’s most architecturally dazzling churches. Once upon a time, tourists were few and far between in what was cuttingly termed the “dead center” of Ireland—but the renaissance has made Athlone an increasingly attractive destination.

Getting Here

With its central location, Athlone is an important Bus Éireann hub with connecting Expressway services to more than 20 principal towns and cities as well as dozens of smaller destinations across Ireland. Major routes embrace roads west to Galway, east to Dublin, south to Limerick, Killarney, Cork, Waterford, and Kilkenny. Northwards, some routes are operated in conjunction with Ulsterbus; choose from Westport, Sligo, and Derry; Longford, Cavan, and Belfast; or direct to Dundalk. Typical fares are €23.50 round-trip to Dublin, €15.50 round-trip to Galway, and €33.50 round-trip to Kilkenny.

Trains branch out in three main directions from Athlone: southwest to Galway, west to Westport, and east to Dublin. Regular daily trains link the capital of the Midlands with a network of towns. From Athlone, the east–west intercity Irish Rail Galway-Dublin service takes 1¾ hours to reach Dublin.

Visitor Information: Athlone Tourist Office.

(Athlone Castle,Co. Westmeath | 090/649–4630 | www.discoverathlone.ie | Apr.–Oct. only).

EXPLORING ATHLONE

Beside the River Shannon, at the southern end of Lough Ree, stands Athlone Castle, a Norman stronghold built in the 13th century. After their defeat at the Battle of the Boyne in 1691, the Irish retreated to Athlone and made the river their first line of defense. To celebrate its 800th anniversary in 2010, the castle underwent a program of modernization and upgrading that included repairing the courtyard and ramp with cobblestones. The castle, a fine example of a Norman stronghold with a strategic role in Irish history, houses a small museum of artifacts relating to Athlone’s eventful past. The castle gatehouse serves as the town’s tourist office. Admission includes access to the newly remodeled interpretive center depicting a re-enactment of the siege of Athlone in 1691, and the life of the tenor John McCormack (1884–1945), an Athlone native and a global phenomenon of his day. | Town Bridge | 090/649–2912 | www.athlone.ie | €6 | May–Sept., daily 10–5; Oct.–Apr., by appointment.

Revitalized and gleaming after an ambitious makeover completed in 2010, St. Peter and St. Paul Catholic Church sparkles with its newly restored granite walls—a striking ecclesiastical and architectural Baroque landmark that many come to see. Built in a completely different style from that generally adopted in Ireland, the church opened on June 29, 1937—the feast day of the patron saints of St. Peter and St. Paul. Repair work on the impressive interior included re-decoration of the vaulted ceiling, walls, floors, and pews. Dominating the skyline for many miles around, the twin campanili symbolize the saints, while the squat copper dome adds to the overall grace of this much-loved building. Look out too for the six fine stained-glass windows from the famed Harry Clarke Studios in Dublin. The tribute window to St. Patrick is a riot of glorious color. | Market Sq. | 090/649–2171 | www.drum.ie/parish | Daily 8–6.

GOLDSMITH COUNTRY

All that glitters may not be Goldsmith but that hasn’t prevented the Irish tourist board from promoting the Northern Lakelands to the burgeoning literary tourism market as “Goldsmith Country.”

Yes, this is the region that gave birth to the writer Oliver Goldsmith (1730–74), celebrated for his farcical drama She Stoops to Conquer and his classic novel The Vicar of Wakefield. Goldsmith left his homeland as a teenager and returned rarely. However, he is thought to have drawn on memories of his native Longford for his most renowned poem, “The Deserted Village.” At Goldsmith’s childhood home in Lissoy in County Longford, only the bare walls of the family house remain standing. At Pallas, near Ballymahon in County Longford, his birthplace, there’s a statue in his memory but little else. The plot of She Stoops to Conquer involves a misunderstanding in which a traveler mistakes a private house for an inn. This actually happened to Goldsmith at Ardagh House, now a college, in the center of the village of Ardagh (just off N55) in County Longford. In the same play the character Tony Lumpkin sings a song about a pub called the Three Jolly Pigeons; today the pub of the same name, on the Ballymahon road (N55) north of Athlone, is the headquarters of the Oliver Goldsmith Summer School.

Every year on the first weekend in June, leading academics from around the world speak on Goldsmith at this pub and other venues, and there are readings by the best of Ireland’s contemporary poets and evening traditional-music sessions in the tiny, atmospheric, traditional country pub. Call the Athlone Tourist Office (090/649–4630) for more information.

WHERE TO EAT AND STAY IN ATHLONE

Kin Khao Thai Restaurant.

$$ | THAI | You can’t miss (and you’d be foolish to pass by) the distinctive yellow-and-red insignia of what is widely regarded as the leading Thai restaurant in the Midlands, if not in all of Ireland. Adam Lyons runs a slick first-floor operation in a 650-year-old building on the west bank. The extensive menu features dishes rarely available outside Thailand, including the Crying Tiger (grilled fillet of beef on a sizzling hot platter with a hot chili sauce) and Jungle Curry (an extremely hot curry made with mixed vegetables and chicken, beef, or prawns). Ceiling fans and balloon bamboo lights help create the perfect gastronomic scene—it’s not hard to imagine yourself in Chiang Mai. Just keep the water jug handy (or a glass of Curim Gold Celtic wheat beer), as the smooth richness of coconut milk doesn’t offset this fiery food. | Abbey La. | 090/649–8805 | www.kinkhaothai.ie | MC, V.

Fodor’s Choice | The Left Bank Bistro.

$$$ | ECLECTIC | One of Athlone’s culinary gems, this bistro is noted for its early-bird menu which now runs through the evening, filled with such delights as roast salmon fillet, beef Stroganoff, or South Indian vegetable curry with rice and yogurt. The main dinner menu favors Asian fusion with steaks, fish, and duck dominating. For lunch the most popular dish is tandoori chicken breast on focaccia bread with sautéed potatoes. Irresistible desserts include Mississippi mud pie, pavlova roulade, and lemon-and-lime cheesecake. Ask Annie McNamara, one of the joint owners, about the Left Bank dressing, a specially bottled vinaigrette that people come from all across Ireland and farther afield to buy. | Fry Pl. | 090/649–4446 | www.leftbankbistro.com | AE, MC, V | Closed Sun. and Mon.

Bastion B&B.

¢–$ | An inviting glow hits you as you step into the long narrow corridor of this unconventional B&B, all nooks and little staircases, and with a high funky and fun quotient. Run by two brothers, Anthony and Vinny McCay, the Bastion occupies a former drapery shop. Simply and tastefully furnished with crisp white linens and comfy beds, this is an easygoing place to chill for a few days. You’re spoiled for dining options, surrounded by Italian, Indian, Thai, Lebanese, and modern Irish restaurants as well as several pubs within a few minutes’ walk on Athlone’s left bank.Pros: healthy buffet breakfasts offer up cereal, fresh breads, fruit and cheese; minimalist chic and no clutter; historic character of neighborhood. Cons: bathrooms are small; no phones, TVs, or elevators. | 2 Bastion St. | , Co. Westmeath | 090/649–4954 | www.thebastion.net | 7 rooms | In-room: a/c, Wi-Fi. In-hotel: Wi-Fi hotspot | MC, V.

Fodor’s Choice | Glasson Hotel and Golf Club.

$$$-$$$$ | Stand on the third green on a sunny day and you can appreciate just why golfers love this idyllically sited, 18-hole championship course. With views extending out to Hare Island and beyond to Lough Ree, this hotel has seen its popularity rise with golfers every year since 1993, when the welcoming hosts Tom and Breda Reid turned a 70-acre field into a challenging course (designed by Christy O’Connor Jr.). To their 1780 stone manor house, they added wings that wed traditional architecture with plate-glass and steel frames. Guest rooms are decorated in buffs and creams with beds with pocket-sprung mattresses and fluffy duvets. The restaurant offers winning dishes like honey-roast duck with bacon champ. Non-golfing visitors can avail themselves of free boat service into Athlone for shopping—the courtesy cabin cruiser transports shoppers for hour trip. Pros: family-run; an enthralling place to de-stress with woodland walks and boat trips all nearby. Cons: strong winds can whip in off the lake on breezy days—bring a sweater; bunker discussions dominate the conversation at breakfast, so be prepared. | Glasson,Co. Westmeath | 090/648–5120 | www.glassongolfhotel.ie | 65 rooms, 9 suites | In-room: a/c, Wi-Fi. In-hotel: restaurant, bar, golf course, gym | AE, DC, MC, V | BP.

Radisson Blu Hotel.

$$–$$$ | In a prime location on the banks of the Shannon, this 127-room property has a distinctive water theme. More than half the units have superb views of the meandering river and look across to the Sts. Peter and Paul’s church. Guest rooms are clean, comfortable, and modern, decorated in two styles: urban or ocean. Swans preen around the bridge and cruisers are berthed beside the hotel. The Elements Restaurant presents lunch and dinner, and you can snack on lighter fare at the Quayside Bar. Everything you need to see and do in Athlone is a short walk away. Between May and September, Friday Fever barbecues light up the terrace.Pros: stunning views; top-notch location for exploring the town, castle, and left bank; free parking. Cons: precooked breakfasts are mediocre; good pool but no spa. | Northgate S | t., Co. Westmeath | 090/644–2600 | www.radissonblu.ie/hotel-athlone | 127 rooms, 10 suites | In-room: Wi-Fi. In-hotel: restaurant, bar, pool | AE, DC, MC, V.

Wineport Lodge.

$$$–$$$$ | Once a wooden boathouse, this lakeside restaurant-with-rooms is billed as Ireland’s first “wine hotel.” Stylishly modern—all orange cedarwood and plate-glass windows—and set against parkland groves of trees, the striking light-filled wood-and-glass building seems like it was airlifted from Sweden. Inside, guests make a beeline to the restaurant, where chef Feargal O’Donnell draws praise for his imaginative cooking and the way he matches food to the extensive wine menu. Mouthwatering offerings such as smoked Ardrahan rarebit or pan-roasted breast of duckling with goat cheese and spiced pear risotto are standard fare. The guest rooms are minimalist but stylishly adorned with leopard-skin prints and goose-down duvets. All face the setting sun and look out over the placid waters of Killinure Lough. Glasson lies 5 km (3 mi) north of Athlone. Pros: catch the right sunset, and this is one of the most enchanting hideaways in Ireland; the under-floor bathroom heating is luxurious. Cons: the serenity is occasionally broken by jet-skiers on the lough; restaurant service can be slow. | Glasson,Co. Westmeath | 090/643–9010 | www.wineport.ie | 29 rooms, 14 suites | In-room: a/c, Wi-Fi. In-hotel: restaurant, bar | AE, DC, MC, V | BP.

NIGHTLIFE IN ATHLONE

In Athlone’s buzzing Left Bank sector, Sean’s Bar (13 Main St. | 090/649–2358 | www.seansbar.ie) styles itself as the world’s oldest pub (a claim some cynics dispute although a framed certificate from the Guinness Book of Records says otherwise), dating to 900 AD. Sawdust on the floor of this dimly lighted, low-ceiling, long narrow bar helps give it a rustic look and soaks up spillages. Framed pictures and prints line the walls alongside maps of the Shannon navigation system, and the beer garden stretches almost down to the water. There’s traditional music most nights.

SHOPPING IN ATHLONE

The Left Bank district is a jumble of lanes and small streets lined with pubs, antiques shops, bookstores, and one of the few surviving Irish bookbinders. The funky Bastion Gallery (6 Bastion St. | 090/649–4948) sells quirky gifts, books, and toys and is an Aladdin’s cave of a place in which to browse. Michael Jackson, on a recording trip to the Irish Midlands, spent two hours in the shop one evening in 2006.

John’s Bookshop (9 Main St. | 090/649–4151), owned and run since 1997 by the affable John Donohue, is exactly the way a secondhand bookstore should be: cluttered, disorganized, and heaving with rare and signed Irish-related, and general books. Make time for a stop at the Ballinahown Irish Designer Craft Village (N62, south from Athlone to Limerick | 090/643–0222 | www.irishdesignercraftvillage.com). Two separate and distinctive stores—Core Crafted Design and Celtic Roots Studio—sell distinctive local crafts, ranging from bog-oak sculpture to honey as well as an outstanding choice of ceramics, jewelry, glasswork, and textiles. It’s the last village in Westmeath as you travel to Clonmacnoise. Core is based in the Old Schoolhouse, and Celtic Roots Studio is next door.

SPORTS AND THE OUTDOORS IN ATHLONE

Bicycling

A combination of unfrequented back roads and lakeside scenery makes this attractive biking country. Rent bikes from Buckleys Cycles (Kenna Centre, Dubljn Rd. | 090/647–8989 | www.buckleycycles.ie).

Boating

A boat trip reveals the importance of Athlone’s strategic location on the River Shannon as well as the beauty of the region. For the complete scoop on getting out on the water, see our special section on “Cruising on the Shannon” in this chapter. The Viking (The Strand | 090/647–3383 | www.vikingtours.ie) is a replica of a Viking longboat that travels up the Shannon to nearby Lough Ree. Originally built in 1923, it’s the longest-serving timber passenger boat in Ireland or the United Kingdom. The cost is €15; sailings take place daily March through October. Check the Web site for exact times. River cruisers can be rented from Athlone Cruisers Ltd. (Jolly Mariner Marina | 090/647–2892).

Golf

Athlone Golf Club (Hodson Bay | 090/649–2073 | www.athlonegolfclub.ie) is a lakeside 18-hole parkland course.

CLONMACNOISE

20 km (12 mi) south of Athlone, 93 km (58 mi) east of Galway.

Many ancient sites dot the River Shannon, but Clonmacnoise is early Christian Ireland’s foremost monastic settlement and, like Chartres, a royal site. The monastery was founded by St. Ciaran between 543 and 549 at a location that was not as remote as it now appears to be: near the intersection of what were then two of Ireland’s most vital routes—the Shannon River, running north–south, and the Eiscir Riada, running east–west. Like Glendalough, Celtic Ireland’s other great monastic site, Clonmacnoise benefited from its isolation; surrounded by bog, it’s accessible only via one road or via the Shannon.

Getting Here

It takes dedication to get here. Clonmacnoise is well-nigh impossible to reach by public transport, with no trains and the nearest Bus Éireann in Ballinahown, a request stop on the Limerick–Athlone route. Even then you need a taxi at a cost of up to €40 to complete the 15-minute journey to the site. If you haven’t a car, it’s best to book a trip with companies such as CIE Tours, Paddywagon, Shamrocker, or Midland Tours. Or opt to board a boat in Athlone for 90-minute journey to the jetty beside Clonmacnoise visitor center. Trips are run on the Viking and advance booking is necessary. The round-trip journey is €15.

Visitor Information: Clonmacnoise Tourist Office (Shannonbridge,Co. Offaly | 090/967–4134 | Apr.–Oct. only).

EXPLORING CLONMACNOISE

Thanks to its location, Clonmacnoise survived almost everything thrown at it, including raids by feuding Irish tribes, Vikings, and Normans. But when the English garrison arrived from Athlone in 1552, they ruthlessly reduced the site to ruin. Still, with a little imagination, you can picture life here in medieval times, when the nobles of Europe sent their sons to be educated by the local monks.

The monastery was founded on an esker (natural gravel ridge) overlooking the Shannon and a marshy area known as the Callows, which today is protected habitat for the corncrake, a wading bird. Numerous buildings and ruins remain. The small cathedral dates to as far as the 10th century but has additions from the 15th century. It was the burial place of kings of Connaught and of Tara, and of Rory O’Conor, the last high king of Ireland, who was buried here in 1198. The two round towers include O’Rourke’s Tower, which was struck by lightning and subsequently rebuilt in the 12th century. There are eight smaller churches, the littlest of which is thought to be the burial place of St. Ciaran. The High Crosses have been moved into the visitor center to protect them from the elements (copies stand in their original places); the best preserved of these is the Cross of the Scriptures, also known as Flann’s Cross. Some of the treasures and manuscripts originating from Clonmacnoise are now housed in Dublin, most at the National Museum.

Clonmacnoise has always been a prestigious burial place. Among the ancient stones are many other graves dating from the 17th to the mid-20th century. The whole place is time-burnished, though in midsummer it can be difficult to avoid the throngs of tourists. There are tours every hour during the summer season. | Near Shannonbridge | 090/967–4195 | www.heritageireland.ie | €6 | Nov.–mid-Mar., daily 10–5:15; mid-Mar.–mid-May and mid-Sept.–Oct., daily 10–6; mid-May–mid-Sept., daily 9–7. Last admission 45 mins before closing.

BANAGHER

31 km (19 mi) south of Clonmacnoise.

“Well, that beats Banagher!” This small Shannon-side town is best known in Ireland because of this common phrase, which dates from the 19th century when the town was the very worst example of a “rotten borough”—a corrupt electoral area controlled by the local landed gentry. In short, if something “beats Banagher” it’s either pretty bad or rather extraordinary. Nowadays, Banagher is a lively marina town that is a popular base for water-sports enthusiasts. Charlotte Brontë (1816–55) famously spent her honeymoon here.

Flynn’s (Main St. | 057/915–1312), in the center of town, is worth visiting to appreciate its light and spacious Victorian-style design. The lunch menu includes generously filled sandwiches, salad platters, a roast meat of the day, and chicken, fish, or burgers with chips.

If you happen to be in Banagher in summer, consider taking a Shannon cruise on The River Queen, an enclosed launch that seats 54 passengers and has a full bar on board. Silver Line Cruisers Ltd. | The Marina | 057/915–1112 | www.silverlinecruisers.com | €12 | Cruises June–mid-Sept., Sun. at 2.

Paddling a canoe is a nice alternative to a river cruise. Shannon Adventure Canoeing and Camping Holidays rents Canadian-class canoes, which allow you to explore the Shannon and other waterways on your own terms. | The Marina | 057/915–1411 | www.discoverireland.ie | May–Oct., daily.

NIGHTLIFE IN BANAGHER

Travelers love J. J. Hough’s (Main St. | No phone), where on spring and summer nights there’s usually a sing-along around the German piano. Note the walls decorated with business cards, testifying to the pub’s popularity the world over. Side rooms lead to a beer garden with wooden chairs and tables.

BIRR

12 km (7 mi) southeast of Banagher, 130 km (81 mi) west of Dublin.

Beautifully reminiscent of an English country town with its tree-lined malls and well-preserved houses, the heritage town of Birr has roots that date to the 6th century. Still, it’s that mid-18th-century Georgian building boom that sets the tone.

Visitor Information: Birr Tourist Office (Brendan St.,Co. Offaly | 057/912–0110 | www.discoverireland.ie/offaly | May–Sept. only).

EXPLORING BIRR

Fodor’s Choice | Birr Castle Demesne, a gorgeous Gothic Revival castle (built around an earlier 17th-century castle that was damaged by fire in 1823) that is still the home of the earls of Rosse. It’s not open to the public, but you can visit the surrounding 150 acres of gardens. The present earl and countess of Rosse continue the family tradition of making botanical expeditions all over the world for specimens of rare trees, plants, and shrubs. The formal gardens contain the tallest box hedges in the world (at 32 feet) and vine-sheltered hornbeam allées. In spring, check out the wonderful display of flowering magnolias, cherries, crab apples, and naturalized narcissi; in autumn, the maples, chestnuts, and weeping beeches blaze red and gold. The grounds are laid out around a lake and along the banks of two adjacent rivers, above one of which stands the castle. The grounds also contain Birr Castle Demesne, a gorgeous Gothic Revival castle (built around an earlier 17th-century castle that was damaged by fire in 1823) that is still the home of the earls of Rosse. It’s not open to the public, but you can visit the surrounding 150 acres of gardens. The present earl and countess of Rosse continue the family tradition of making botanical expeditions all over the world for specimens of rare trees, plants, and shrubs. The formal gardens contain the tallest box hedges in the world (at 32 feet) and vine-sheltered hornbeam allées. In spring, check out the wonderful display of flowering magnolias, cherries, crab apples, and naturalized narcissi; in autumn, the maples, chestnuts, and weeping beeches blaze red and gold. The grounds are laid out around a lake and along the banks of two adjacent rivers, above one of which stands the castle. The grounds also contain Ireland’s Historic Science Centre, an exhibition on astronomy, photography, botany, and engineering housed in the stable block. The giant (72-inch-long) reflecting telescope, built in 1845, remained the largest in the world for 75 years. Allow at least two hours to see everything. There’s a crafts shop, and the Courtyard Café serves soup, salads, sandwiches, and daily lunch specials. | Rosse Row | 057/912–0336 | www.birrcastle.com | Castle grounds €9 | Nov.–Mar., daily noon–4; Apr.–Oct., daily 9–6.

WHERE TO EAT AND STAY IN BIRR

The Thatch Bar.

$ | IRISH | It’s worth venturing 2 km (1 mi) south of Birr, just off the N62 Roscrea road, into this thatched country pub and restaurant, which offers a warm welcome and imaginative food. Inexpensive meals are available at the bar at lunchtime and early evening (until 7:30); in the evening, the restaurant offers a choice of a five-course dinner menu or an à la carte menu. Pigeon and rabbit terrines and sirloin steaks with mushrooms in garlic sauce vie for diners’ attention with more exotic dishes like kangaroo and locally farmed ostrich. |Crinkil | 057/912–0682 | DC, MC, V | No dinner Mon.; no dinner Sun. Oct.–Apr.

Dooly’s.

$$ | This unpretentious country hotel began life as a coach house some 275 years ago and has retained its old-style charm. Floral patterns, open fires, and a relaxed welcome invite you in. It’s in Birr’s central square, and a five-minute walk from the castle. The bustling bar and coffee shop are popular with locals. For a more formal dining experience you could try the Emmet Room restaurant, where fish dishes such as medallions of monkfish or grilled salmon fillet with garlic potato are specialties alongside a selection of Italian offerings. All guest rooms were given a makeover in 2008 to add some zest to this old staging post. Pros: huge rooms with acres of space for moving around in; a handy Midlands stopover, if you’re on your way to the west coast. Cons: the weekend disco goes on until the early hours, so bring your earplugs; stairs can be difficult for the disabled or elderly. | Emmet Sq.,Co. Offaly | 057/912–0032 | www.doolyshotel.com | 18 rooms | In-room: no a/c, Wi-Fi. In-hotel: restaurant, bar | AE, DC, MC, V | BP.

The Maltings.

¢ | Sheltered beneath the eaves of Birr Castle on a riverbank, this converted cut-stone storehouse—built to store malt for Guinness in 1810—is a good option for families and offers special rates for children. The spacious rooms have small windows, country pine furniture, and simple matching floral drapes and spreads. Pros: idyllic location; attractive rooms; great breakfasts. Cons: beginning to show signs of wear and tear; no dinner available, but there are several restaurants in the area. | Castle St.,Co. Offaly | 057/912–1345 | 10 rooms | In-room: no a/c, Internet | MC, V | BP.

MONEYGALL

18 km (12 mi) south of Birr, 9 km (6 mi) southwest of Roscrea, 38 km (27 mi) northeast of Limerick.

The village of Moneygall (population 298) is an unassuming place on the main N7 Dublin–Limerick road, but it was thrust into the spotlight in November 2008 with President Obama’s election. The reason? His great-great-great grandfather came from Moneygall. Records found by historians show that his maternal ancestors lived and worked in the Moneygall area more than 160 years ago and worshipped at Templeharry church, 4 mi from the village. President Obama’s late mother Ann Dunham was a descendant of Fulmouth Kearney, who was Obama’s great-great-great-grandfather, and who left the village for New York in 1850 to eventually settle in Ohio. Kearney’s birthplace was thought to have been demolished, but researchers from Trinity College Dublin have discovered the house—albeit substantially rebuilt—still standing just yards from Ollie Hayes’s Bar on the main street. The pub has an “Obama Corner,” decorated with press clippings, framed letters and photos, and a tall cardboard cutout. On a Thursday evening you may see the Obama Set Dancers strutting their Cashel and Ballycommon sets and practicing a mix of jigs, reels, polkas, and hornpipes. There are two Hayes’ pubs in Moneygall, but Ollie’s is easily distinguished as it flies the Stars and Stripes outside.

ROSCREA

19 km (12 mi) south of Birr.

Every corner you turn in this charming town will offer reminders of its rich and sometimes turbulent past. Ancient castles, towers, and churches dot the skyline, proof of a heritage that dates to the 7th century. Roscrea is on the main N7 road between Dublin and Cork, making it ideal as a stopover en route to the south. The road cuts right through the remains of a monastery founded by St. Cronan. It also passes the west facade of a 12th-century Romanesque church that now forms an entrance gate to a modern Catholic church. Above the structure’s rounded doorway is a hoodmold enclosing the figure of a bishop, probably St. Cronan.

Getting Here

The Bus Éireann Expressway from Busaras station in Dublin takes 2½ hours to Roscrea. Thirteen buses a day pass through en route from Dublin to Limerick (€22 round-trip). The Roscrea–Limerick leg of the journey is 70 minutes (€12.50 round-trip). From Roscrea you can also catch a bus south to Cashel (2¼ hours) and Cork (3 hours) as well as north to Athlone (70 minutes) or as far northwest as Sligo, a journey time of nearly 5 hours.

The Irish Rail Dublin–Limerick train stops in Roscrea twice on weekdays. Dublin is a 90-minute journey by train (€42.50 round-trip). In the other direction, Limerick is 90 minutes away (€28.50 round-trip). Nenagh is 30 minutes by train (€12 round-trip).

EXPLORING ROSCREA

In the very center of town is Roscrea Castle, a Norman fortress dating from 1314, given by King Richard II to the duke of Ormonde. Inside are vaulted rooms graced with tapestries and 16th-century furniture. A ticket to it also gains entry to the adjacent Damer House, a superb example of an early-18th-century town house on the grand scale. It was built in 1725 within the curtain walls of the castle, at a time when homes were often constructed beside or attached to the strongholds they replaced. The house has a plain, symmetrical facade and a magnificent carved-pine staircase inside; on display are exhibits about local history. To get here, start with your back to St. Cronan’s monastery, turn left, and then turn right onto Castle Street. | Castle St. | 0505–21850 | www.heritageireland.ie | €4 | May–Sept., daily 9:30–6; Oct.–Apr., weekends 10–5.

For a real taste of some honest-to-goodness Tipperary home baking, try to catch the Roscrea Country Market, held every Friday afternoon. At 1:45 a large queue forms outside the Abbey Hall for wholegrain scones and breads, apple and rhubarb tarts, fruit and sponge cakes, and homemade jams. Potatoes, vegetables, eggs from free-range chickens, and flowers are also on offer. The market has been running since 1962, and is open only for an hour—so get there early.

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Cruising on the Shannon | The Midlands Peat Bogs

CRUISING ON THE SHANNON

Whether you opt for a one-hour or one-week journey—and choose between a guided boat tour or private boat hire—cruising on the River Shannon is a never-to-be-forgotten experience, giving a new perspective on ’oul Ireland.

Think of blissful relaxing times on the river, mooring for lunch at a quayside inn, or sampling traditional culture with gregarious lock-keepers. Along the Shannon’s 334-km (207-mi) length you can head to major boating hubs like Athlone, or to historic stretches where it meanders past ancient settlements (such as Clonmacnoise), or to lakes aplenty. The biggest is Ireland’s “inland sea,” Lough Derg, bordered by easygoing villages like Terryglass and Mountshannon that offer appealingly quiet streets, stone-built cottage restaurants, and rustic harbor-side bars with picnic tables (many with evening music or Irish dancing sessions). Remember the motto of Shannon cruising is: “There’s no hurry”—the boats travel at only 11 kph (7 mph), so a river journey is a slow affair with time to drink in the history, wildlife, and inland gems of an older Ireland many thought had disappeared.

BEST TIME TO GO

Good times to cruise are in May through early June. Rentals are cheaper, the waterways are less crowded, the weather is generally favorable, and daylight stretches well into late evening. Whenever you go, get the scoop on permits, moorings, and river by-laws from Waterways Ireland (www.waterwaysireland.org).

A WONDERFUL DAY ON THE WATER

On the map, the scale of the Shannon may look daunting—it is the longest river in Ireland or Britain—but that’s one reason why many people opt for an idyllic day-long exploration. If you’ve time only for a short guided journey then one of the best is up river from Athlone to Lough Ree on a three-hour trip on board the Viking boat, costing €10–€20. Or opt to go down river to magnificent Clonmacnois. You can also board pleasure cruisers at Killaloe and Dromineer. If you’re feeling romantic, try an evening cruise with the Moon River company which operates a luxurious 100-seater from Carrick-on-Shannon. A detailed commentary is provided on these cruises.

Guided Cruises: Moon River.

| Carrick-on-Shannon,Co. Leitrim | 071/962–1777 | www.moonriver.ie.

The Viking.

| Athlone, Co. Westmeath | 090/647–3383 | www.vikingtoursireland.ie.

Silver Line Cruisers (The River Queen).

| Banagher, Co. Offaly | 057/915–1112 | www.silverlinecruisers.com.

The Spirit of Killaloe.

| Killaloe, Co. Clare | 086/814–0559 | www.killaloe.ie/thespiritofkillaloe.

GOING WITH THE SHANNON FLOW

As the Shannon has its own slow-paced signature—a place where you are alive to the layers of history along the riverside and sequestered villages, which are a joy to explore—why not consider your own boat hire? The beauty of a personal cruise is that you can concoct your own itinerary, moving at your own speed and stopping off where the notion, and the motion, takes you.

There are four main boating towns for hiring cruisers: Carrick-on-Shannon, Portumna, Banagher, and Williamstown. From luxury cabin cruisers to barges or smaller boats, a glittering array of vessels is available for rent. Prices range from €650 for a two- to four-berth cruiser for one week in the quieter off-season, and from €1,750 in the more expensive summer months. With most companies, you can also rent for three-night/four-day short breaks. Rates start from €450 for the fall and early spring periods, rising to €1,600 in summer.

Boat Hires: Carrick Craft.

| Carrick-on-Shannon,Co. Leitrim | 071/962–1777 | www.carrickcraft.com.

Emerald Star.

| Portumna,Co. Galway | 071/962–7633 | www.emeraldstar.ie.

Silver Line Cruisers.

| Banagher, Co. Offaly | 057/915–1112 | www.silverlinecruisers.com.

Shannon Castle Line.

| Williamstown Harbor, Whitegate, Co. Clare | 061/927–042 | www.shannoncruisers.com.

THE MIDLANDS PEAT BOGS

Like the Eskimos with their 100 different words for snow, the natives of the Midlands retain a historic attachment to their vast boglands and will extol its virtues at length if prompted by a stranger.

In rural parts, turf, or peat, still accounts for much of the winter fuel supply and locals can always be counted upon to discuss in great detail the quality and consistency of this uniquely native resource.

“Grand year for the turf” will generally indicate a sunny August—key drying time when the “sods” are cut and allowed to dry along the banks. Conversely, “wicked bad turf” denotes a typically soft Irish summer with poor drying.

Along country lanes, the sight of reeks of cut turf is still commonplace. If you’re tired of using the weather as a conversational icebreaker, try turf as an alternative and virtually guaranteed discourse igniter.

No matter that from a distance an Irish peat bog looks like a flat, treeless piece of waterlogged land. A close-up view shows a much more exciting landscape.

Bogs support an extraordinary amount of wildlife, including larks and snipe, pale-blue dragonflies, and Greenland white-fronted geese. Amid the pools and lakes of the peat bog, amazing jewel-like wildflowers thrive, from purple bell heather to yellow bog asphodel, all alongside grasses, lichens, and mosses.

As you pass through the small town of Shannonbridge, 10 km (6 mi) south of Clonmacnoise, on either side of the road are vast stretches of chocolate-brown boglands and isolated industrial plants for processing the area’s natural resource.

Bord na Móna, the same government agency that makes commercial use of other boglands, has jurisdiction over the area.

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Main Table of Contents

Introducing the Southeast

The Southeast Planner

Getting Around the Southeast

Kilkenny City

Southeast Inlands

Wexford Town

Waterford and the Southeast Coast

In and Around County Tipperary

The Southeast in Depth

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Getting Oriented

The Irish like to label their regions, and “Ireland’s Sunny Southeast” is the tag they’ve applied to counties Wexford, Carlow, Kilkenny, Tipperary, and Waterford. The moniker is by no means merely fanciful: the weather station on the coast at Rosslare reports that this region receives more hours of sunshine than any other part of the country. Little wonder the outdoors-loving Irish have made the Southeast’s coast a popularthe m, warm-weather vacation destination.

Receiving almost double the rays found anywhere else, the shore resorts buzz with activity from May to October. Thousands of families take their annual summer holidays here, where picnics and barbecues—often a rain-washed fantasy elsewhere in Ireland—are a golden reality.

The entire Southeast is rich with natural beauty—not the rugged and wild wonders found to the north and west, but a coast that alternates between long, sandy beaches and rocky bays backed by low cliffs, and an inland landscape of fertile river valleys and lush, undulating pastureland. The landscape of the region is diverse, the appeal universal: you’ll find seaside fishing villages with thatched cottages, and Tipperary’s verdant, picturesque Golden Vale. The region doesn’t lack for culture, either. History-rich Ardmore, Carlow Town, the cities of Kilkenny and Waterford, and Wexford Town have retained traces of their successive waves of invaders—Celt, Viking, and Norman.

The most important of these destinations is Kilkenny City, a major ecclesiastic and political center until the 17th century and now a lively market town. Its streets still hold remnants from medieval times—most notably St. Canice’s Cathedral—and a magnificent 12th-century castle that received a sumptuous Victorian makeover. Wexford’s narrow streets are built on one side of a wide estuary, giving it a delightful maritime air. Waterford, although less immediately attractive than Wexford, is also built at the confluence of two of the region’s rivers, the Suir and the Barrow. It offers a rich selection of Viking and Norman remains, some attractive Georgian buildings, and the visitor center and shop at the famed Waterford Glass Factory (which, a few years ago, stopped manufacturing here).

Deeper into the countryside, rustic charms beckon. The road between Rosslare and Ballyhack passes through quiet, atypical, flat countryside dotted with thatched cottages. In the far southwest of County Waterford, near the Cork border, Ardmore presents early Christian ruins on an exposed headland, while, in the wooded splendor of the Blackwater Valley, the tiny cathedral town of Lismore has a hauntingly beautiful fairy-tale castle.

TOP REASONS TO GO

Sacred Ardmore: St. Declan founded Ireland’s first Christian settlement near this beautifully situated fishing village on the Waterford coast.

Kilkenny, Ireland’s Medieval Capital: With its famous 14th-century “witch,” Petronilla, Camelot-worthy Black Abbey, and fairy-tale Kilkenny Castle, the city still conjures up the days of knights and damsels.

Pretty-as-a-postcard Lismore: Presided over by the neo-Baronial castle of the Dukes of Devonshire, this storybook village has attracted visitors ranging from Sir Walter Raleigh to Fred Astaire.

Cashel of the Kings: Ireland’s “Rock of Ages,” this spectacular 200-foot-tall rock bluff was the ancient seat of the Kings of Munster.

Wexford and Waterford: Big-city lights shine brightest here, thanks to such attractions as the famed Wexford Opera Festival and the 1,000-year-old saga retold at Waterford Treasures.

GETTING ORIENTED

Set around Tipperary—Ireland’s largest inland county—the Southeast is a vast region that stretches from the town of Carlow near the border of County Wicklow in the north to Ardmore near the border of County Cork in the south. Although main towns can be packed with camera-wielding tourists, you can easily escape the tour buses thanks to endless expanses of tranquil countryside.

Kilkenny City Creativity is evident in every aspect of this town, from its medieval stonework to its array of modern and traditional craft and design found in galleries and studios as well as the many festivals and events held here year-round.

Southeast Inlands Redolent of the Middle Ages, this once-upon-a-time-ified region is home to some thrilling medieval sights, including Leighlinbridge’s Black Castle, the tiny village of Old Leighlin, and Jerpoint Abbey, the most famous Cistercian ruins in Ireland.

Wexford Town The warm welcome, the ancient Viking streets, and the tiny, atmospheric Theatre Royal add to the cultural pleasures as this proud town puts on its Sunday best for the Wexford Opera Festival, a weeklong binge of arias and charm held every October.

Southeast Coast Combining the best of Ireland’s climate with some wonderful sand-and-sea settings, this coastal headland is noted for quaint villages like Kilmore Quay and Ballyhack, the bustling and historic city of Waterford, and beachfront locations that attract Dubliners by the droves.

In and Around County Tipperary The greatest group of monastic ruins in Ireland—the Rock of Cashel—lords it over miles of the idyllic region known as the Golden Vale along with some relentlessly romantic sights, like the 19th-century village of Lismore and Cahir’s charming Swiss Cottage.

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Transportation Basics | Finding a Place to Stay | Talk Radio | Eating Well in the Southeast | Wexford Opera Festival | Feeling Festive? | When to Go | Visitor Information

TRANSPORTATION BASICS

The Southeast is well served with transportation infrastructure. Waterford Airport allows easy access to the United Kingdom, while Rosslare allows the option of ferry crossings to France and beyond. Train and bus services are plentiful, with Waterford, Kilkenny, and Wexford the main hubs for connections to Dublin and Cork. A car is the best option for covering ground quickly and easily. Unlike the Midlands, where the volume of traffic is generally mellow, roads in this Southeast corner can be busy during the summer months.

FINDING A PLACE TO STAY

Festivals, the good weather, and commerce make the Southeast popular, so plan way ahead for a stay in any of the main towns (and in many country manors, which usually have fewer than six bedrooms and fill up fast). As always, the local tourist offices can offer assistance if you arrive without reservations. Assume that all hotel rooms reviewed have in-room phones, TVs, and private bathrooms, unless otherwise indicated.

TALK RADIO

As you’ll no doubt spend a good portion of your time behind the wheel during your travels, tune in to Irish radio for another angle on the country. If you want to feel the true pulse of the nation, check out any of the RTE Radio 1’s morning and afternoon programs with well-known jocks like Ryan Tubridy and Joe Duffy allowing the nation to give full vent to their spleens across the airwaves. Smaller local radio stations are another good option and in a country still reeling from the government mismanagement and social damage of the recent economic crash, the radio has become Ireland’s modern confessional and a serious insight into what makes the Irish tick.

EATING WELL IN THE SOUTHEAST

Other than its fabled strawberries, the Southeast is probably best known for its rich seafood, especially Wexford mussels, crab, and locally caught salmon. Kilmore Quay, noted for lobster and deep-sea fishing, hosts an annual Seafood Festival the second week of July. Many restaurants serve local lamb, beef, and game in season.

Food is usually prepared in a simple, country-house style, but be ready for some pleasant surprises, as there are a number of ambitious Irish chefs at work in the Southeast’s restaurants and hotels. The best of the region’s cuisine rests on modern interpretations of classic dishes.

One leading light in the area, chef Kevin Dundon at Dunbrody House, expounds a philosophy of understated but delicious food both in his cooking school and in his cookbook, Full On Irish. Informed by his culinary experience, dishes such as tea-smoked chicken and tarragon-glazed lamb exemplify Dundon’s modern, international take on his Irish roots.

Another of the Southeast’s prominent chefs, Paul Flynn of the Tannery is renowned among Irish foodies for his wonderful inventiveness using local ingredients with a French twist; his seafood dishes are often works of art.

WEXFORD OPERA FESTIVAL

Held in late October–early November, the two-week-long annual Wexford Opera Festival(www.wexfordopera.com)is the biggest social and artistic event in the entire Southeast.

From mid-September until the final curtain comes down, Wexford becomes home to a colorful cast of international singers, designers, and musicians, as the town prepares for the annual staging of three grand opera productions at the brand new Wexford Opera House.

The festival has a huge international cachet, and the actual productions are expensive, full-dress affairs. The selection of operas runs toward the recherché and the choice is usually the envy of opera maestros around the world.

In 2009 the operas featured were two conversation pieces: Virginia by Saverio Mercadante and The Golden Ticket, a new opera based on the children’s book Charlie and The Chocolate Factory.

Prices are around €25–€130 a ticket, but the extensive fringe events and concerts are usually around €20, and sometimes far more fun. The best thing about the festival for non–opera buffs, though, is the excitement in the air: art exhibitions, street music, parades, and window-dressing contests are held every year, and local bars compete in a Singing Pubs competition.

The bad news: nearly every single bed within a large radius of Wexford is booked during the festival weeks, and usually for months before the actual event kicks off.

FEELING FESTIVE?

With practically every hamlet and village across the country glorying in its own festival or excuse for later pub opening, the Southeast delivers some of Ireland’s most popular gatherings.

Carlow’s Eigse Arts festival is a 10-day celebration of visual arts in June.

In August the Spraoi festival is a display of talented exuberance in Waterford City, using the city’s extensive pedestrian areas; and Kilkenny’s Arts Festival attracts many global premieres to its weeklong calendar in August.

Check with the tourist boards for listings and dates of all events, big and small.

WHEN TO GO

As well as having some of the richest land in the country, the Southeast is the envy of all Ireland for that most elusive element—sunshine.

The region is also one of the driest in Ireland, which is saying something in a country where seldom do more than three days pass without some rain.

Compared with an average of 80 inches on parts of the west coast, the Southeast gets as little as 40 inches of rainfall per year, varying from the finest light drizzle (a soft day, thank goodness!) to full-blown downpours.

VISITOR INFORMATION

Eight Tourist Information Offices (TIOs) in the Southeast are open all year.

They are Carlow Town, Dungarvan, Enniscorthy, Gorey, Kilkenny, Lismore, Waterford City, and Wexford Town.

Another five TIOs are open seasonally: Cahir (May–September); Cashel (April–September); Rosslare (April–September); Tipperary Town (May–October); and Tramore (June–August).

If traveling extensively by public transportation, be sure to load up on information (schedules, the best taxi-for-hire companies, etc.) upon arriving at the train and bus stations in Kilkenny City, Wexford Town, and Waterford City.

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Air Travel | Boat and Ferry Travel | Bus Travel | Car Travel | Train Travel | Tour Options

AIR TRAVEL

Aer Arann flies five times daily in both directions between Waterford City and London’s Luton Airport. There are also flights to Manchester, Birmingham, and Galway.

Waterford Regional Airport is on the Waterford–Ballymacaw road in Killowen. Waterford City is less than 10 km (6 mi) from the airport. A hackney cab from the airport into Waterford City costs approximately €18.

Carrier: Aer Arann (1890/462–726 | www.aerarann.ie).

Airport Information: Waterford Regional Airport (051/875–589 | www.waterfordairport.ie).

BOAT AND FERRY TRAVEL

If you are coming to Ireland from England or the Continent, chances are you’ll end up on a ferry bound for Rosslare Harbor, 19 km (12 mi) south of Wexford, one of Ireland’s busiest ferry ports.

Happily, right by the main ferry harbor in Rosslare, officially known as Rosslare-Europort, are the town’s trail depot and bus station.

There are two main companies that service Rosslare. Irish Ferries connects Rosslare to Pembroke, Wales, and France’s Cherbourg and Roscoff. Stena Line sails directly between Rosslare Ferryport and Fishguard, Wales.

They both have small information kiosks in the ultramodern terminal, which also has a tourist office, lockers, and a sprawling waiting room. There’s also a mediocre café, where you can get fast food and coffee.

You can purchase ferry tickets at the terminal, but try to reserve a space in advance through the companies’ Cork or Dublin office to avoid the frequent sellouts, particularly in summer and any time the Irish soccer team is playing in a major tournament abroad.

Reservations are also a must if you’re traveling by car or motorcycle because onboard parking space is at a premium.

The journey from France to Ireland is free for EurailPass holders, last time we checked.

In most months, Irish Ferries makes the nearly four-hour crossing to Pembroke, Wales, twice daily. Departure times vary from season to season; check the Web site for schedules. The journey to Cherbourg and Rosscoff, France, is usually once daily.

Stena Line usually sails twice daily to Fishguard, a voyage that takes approximately three hours.

Boat and Ferry Information: Irish Ferries (053/913–3158 | www.irishferries.com). Passage East Car Ferry Company (051/382–480 | www.passageferry.ie). Stena Line (053/916–1590 | www.stenaline.ie).

BUS TRAVEL

Bus Éireann makes the Waterford–Dublin journey 10 times a day for about €12.20 one-way and €15 round-trip. There are six buses daily between Waterford City and Limerick, and four between Waterford City and Rosslare. The Cork–Waterford bus runs 13 times a day. In Waterford City, the terminal is Waterford Bus Station.

Bus Information: Bus Éireann (01/836–6111 in Dublin; 051/879–000 in Waterford | www.buseireann.ie). J.J. Kavanagh & Sons (2056/883–1106 | www.jjkavanagh.ie).

CAR TRAVEL

Waterford City, the regional capital, is easily accessible from all parts of Ireland.

From Dublin, take N7 southwest, change to N9 in Naas and then to the M9, and continue along this as it bypasses Carlow Town and Thomastown until it terminates in Waterford. N25 travels east–west through Waterford City, connecting it with Cork in the west and Wexford Town in the east. From Limerick and Tipperary Town, N24 stretches southeast until it, too, ends in Waterford City.

For the most part, the main roads in the Southeast are of good quality and are free of congestion. Side roads are generally narrow and twisting, and you should keep an eye out for farm machinery and animals on country roads.

TRAIN TRAVEL

Waterford City is linked by Irish Rail service to Dublin. Trains run from Plunkett Station in Waterford City to Dublin four times daily, making stops at Thomastown, Kilkenny, Bagenalstown, and Carlow Town.

The daily train between Waterford City and Limerick makes stops at Carrick-on-Suir, Clonmel, Cahir, and Tipperary Town. The train between Rosslare and Waterford City runs twice daily.

Train Information: Irish Rail (01/836–6222 in Dublin; 051/873–401 in Waterford | www.irishrail.ie). MacDonagh Station (St. John’s St.,Kilkenny City). O’Hanrahan Station (Redmond Pl.,Wexford). Plunkett Station (Dock Rd.,Waterford).

TOUR OPTIONS

Irish City Tours in Kilkenny operates open-top coach tours from the castle gate Easter through September, daily 10:30–5.

Burtchaell Tours in Waterford City leads a Waterford walk at noon and 2 PM daily from March through September. Tours depart from the Granville Hotel. Walking tours of Kilkenny are arranged by Tynan Tours from the Kilkenny TIO. These tours take place daily April through October, and Tuesday through Saturday, November to March.

Walking tours of historic Wexford Town can be prebooked for groups by contacting Wexford Walking Tours. Book tours through town tourist offices.

Walking Tours: Burtchaell Tours of Waterford City (051/873–711). Irish City Tours (01/458–0054). Tynan Tours of Kilkenny City (087/265–1745).

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Exploring Kilkenny City

101 km (63 mi) southwest of Dublin via N9 and N10.

Dubbed “Ireland’s Medieval Capital” by its tourist board, and also called “the Oasis of Ireland” for its many pubs and watering holes, Kilkenny is one of the country’s most alluring destinations. It demands to be explored by foot or bicycle, thanks to its easily circumnavigated town center, a 900-year-old Norman citadel that is now a lovely place of Georgian streets and Tudor stone houses. The city (population 25,000) is impressively preserved and attractively situated on the River Nore, which forms the moat of the magnificently restored Kilkenny Castle. In the 6th century, St. Canice (aka “the builder of churches”) established a large monastic school here. The town’s name reflects Canice’s central role: Kil Cainneach means “Church of Canice.” Kilkenny did not take on its medieval look for another 400 years, when the Anglo-Normans fortified the city with a castle, gates, and a brawny wall. Kilkenny City’s central location means that it’s not too far from anywhere else in Ireland. It’s 101 km (62 mi) southwest of Dublin via the N9, M9, and M10. Major road improvements mean it only takes 1 hour 45 minutes. Cork is 2-hour drive, while Waterford City is only a 40-minute hop.

GETTING HERE

The bus station is a bit down from the train station on St. John’s Street and Bus Éireann runs eight buses a day to Dublin for a 2 hour 10 minute trip that costs €10.80 one-way and €13.50 round-trip. Three buses a day go to Cork for a three-hour trip that costs €16.70 one-way and €21.60 round-trip. J.J. Kavanagh & Sons runs five buses a day from the station directly to Dublin airport for a three-hour journey that costs €18 one-way and €28 round-trip.

MacDonagh Station, the city train station, is a short walk from the city center at the top of St. John’s Street. The station is on the Dublin—Waterford City line, which also serves Athy, Carlow, Bagenalstown, and Thomastown. Irish Rail runs six trains a day in each direction and the trip to Dublin takes about 1 hour 45 minutes and costs €20 each way. There is no direct train to Cork, but five trains a day go via Newbridge for a four-hour journey that costs €20.

Visitor Information: Kilkenny Tourist Office (Shee Alms House, Rose Inn St.,Co. Kilkenny | 056/775–1500 | www.kilkennytourism.ie).

EXPLORING KILKENNY CITY

The city center is small, and despite the large number of historic sights and picturesque streets—in particular, Butter Slip and High Street—you can easily cover it in less than three hours. One of the most pleasant cities south of Dublin (and one of its most sports-minded—from July to September practically the only topic of conversation is the fate of the city’s team at the All-Ireland Hurling Championship), Kilkenny City has become in recent years something of a haven for artists and craft workers seeking an escape from Dublin. At such venues as the Kilkenny Design Centre, you can find an array of crafts, especially ceramics and sweaters, for sale. The city has more than 60 pubs, many of them on Parliament and High streets, which also support a lively music scene. Many of the town’s pubs and shops have old-fashioned, highly individualized, brightly painted facades, created as part of the town’s 1980s revival of this Victorian tradition. So after taking in Kilkenny Castle and the Riverfront Canal Walk—an overgrown pathway that meanders along the castle grounds—mosey down High and Kieran streets. These parallel avenues, considered the historic center of Kilkenny, are connected by a series of horse cart–wide lanes and are fronted with some of the city’s best-preserved pubs and Victorian flats. Be sure to look up over the existing modern storefronts to catch a glimpse of how the city looked in years past, as many of the buildings still have second-floor facades reflecting historic decorative styles. High and Kieran streets eventually merge into Parliament Street—the main commercial street—which stretches down to Irishtown.

Kilkenny holds a special place in the history of Anglo-Irish relations. The infamous 1366 Statutes of Kilkenny, intended to strengthen English authority in Ireland by keeping the heirs of the Anglo-Norman invaders from assimilating into the Irish way of life, was an attempt at apartheid. Intermarriage became a crime punishable by death. Anglo-Norman settlers could lose their estates for speaking Irish, for giving their children Irish names, or for dressing in Irish clothing. The native Irish were forced to live outside the town walls in shantytowns. Ironically, Irish and Anglo-Norman assimilation was already well under way by the time the statutes went into effect; perhaps if this intermingling had been allowed to evolve naturally, Anglo-Irish relations in the 20th century might have been more harmonious.

By the early 17th century, Irish Catholics began to chafe under such repression; they tried to bring about reforms with the Confederation of Kilkenny, which governed Ireland from 1642 to 1648, with Kilkenny as the capital. Pope Innocent X sent money and arms. Cromwell responded in 1650 by overrunning the town and sacking the cathedral, which he then used as a stable for his horses. This marked the end of Kilkenny’s “Golden Age”; however, the succeeding centuries were not uneventful. In 1798 the city was placed under martial law due to a revolt by the United Irishmen; in 1904 King Edward VII paid a visit; and in 1923, at the height of Ireland’s civil war, forces opposed to a government peace deal with the British briefly occupied Kilkenny Castle.

TOP ATTRACTIONS IN KILKENNY CITY

Black Abbey.

With a stained-glass, carved-stone interior that seems right out of the musical Camelot, the 13th-century Black Abbey is one of the most evocative and beautiful Irish medieval structures. Note the famous 1340 five-gabled Rosary Window, an entire wall agleam with ruby and sapphire glass, depicting the life of Christ. Home to a Dominican order of monks since 1225, the abbey was restored as a church by the order, whose black capes gave the abbey its name. Interestingly, it’s also one of the few medieval churches still owned by the Roman Catholic Church, as most of the oldest churches in Ireland were built by the Normans and reverted to the Church of Ireland (Anglican) when the English turned to Protestantism. Nearby is the Black Freren Gate (14th century), the last remaining gateway to the medieval city of yore. | South of St. Canice’s Cathedral | 056/772–1279 | Free | Daily 9–1 and 2–6.

Kyteler’s Inn.

The oldest inn in town, Kyteler’s is notorious as the place where Dame Alice Le Kyteler, a member of a wealthy banking family and an alleged witch and “brothel keeper,” was accused in 1324 of poisoning her four husbands. So, at least, said the enemies of this apparently very merry widow. The restaurant retains its medieval aura, thanks to its 14th-century stonework and exposed beams down in the cellar, built up around Kieran’s Well, which predates the house itself. Food and drink in this popular pub are as simple and plentiful as they would have been in Dame Alice’s day—but minus her extra ingredients. | Kieran St. | 056/772–1064 | www.kytelersinn.ie.

Kilkenny Castle.

A bewitching marriage of Gothic and Victorian styles, the town “castle” dominates the south end of town. Amid rolling lawns beside the River Nore, the gray-stone castellated mansion bristles with battlements, spire towers, and numerous chimneys, which the Victorians loved to use to conjure up fairy-tale images of knights and damsels. Standing on 50 acres of landscaped parkland (look for the garden shaped in the form of a gigantic Celtic cross), Kilkenny Castle was built in 1172. Kilkenny Castle served for more than 500 years, beginning in 1391, as the seat of one of the more powerful clans in Irish history, the Butler family, members of which were later designated earls and dukes of Ormonde. Around 1820, William Robert, son of the first marquess of Ormonde, overhauled the castle to make it a wonderland in the Victorian Feudal Revival style. In 1859 John Pollen was called in to redo the most impressive part of the interior, the 150-foot-long, aptly named Long Gallery, a refined, airy hall. Its dazzling green walls are hung with a vast collection of family portraits and frayed tapestries, while above hangs a skylighted, marvelously decorated ceiling, replete with oak beams carved with Celtic lacework and brilliantly painted animal heads. The main staircase was also redone in the mid-1800s to become a showpiece of Ruskinian Gothic. In 1967 the sixth marquess of Ormonde handed over the building to the state for the rather pathetic sum of 75. A guided tour visits many of the salons, and the castle’s Butler Gallery houses a superb collection of Irish modern art, including examples by Nathaniel Hone, Jack B. Yeats, Sir John Lavery, Louis Le Brocquy, and James Turrell. | The Parade | 056/772–1450 | www.kilkennycastle.ie | Castle tour €6, grounds and Butler Gallery free | Apr., May, and Sept., daily 9:30–5:30; June–Aug., daily 9:30–5:30; Oct.–Feb., daily 9:30–4:30, Mar. 9:30–5.

St. Canice’s Cathedral.

The recent discovery that President Obama’s great-great-great-Uncle John Kearney was once the bishop of Ossory and is buried on the grounds of St. Canice’s Cathedral boosted its public image no end. In spite of Cromwell’s defacements this is still one of the finest cathedrals in Ireland; it’s the country’s second-largest medieval church, after St. Patrick’s Cathedral in Dublin. The bulk of the 13th-century structure (restored in 1866) was built in the early English style. Inside the massive walls is an exuberant Gothic interior, given a somber grandeur by the extensive use of a locally quarried black marble. Many of the memorials and tombstone effigies represent distinguished descendants of the Normans, some depicted in full suits of armor. Look for a female effigy in the south aisle wearing the old Irish, or Kinsale, cloak; a 12th-century black-marble font at the southwest end of the nave; and St. Ciaran’s Chair in the north transept, also made of black marble, with 13th-century sculptures on the arms. The biggest attraction on the grounds is the 102-foot-high round tower, which was built in 847 by King O’Carroll of Ossory and is all that remains of the monastic development reputedly begun in the 6th century, around which the town developed. If you have the energy, climb the tower’s 167 steps for the tremendous 360-degree view from the top, as well as for the thrill of mounting 102 steps on makeshift wooden stairs. Next door is St. Canice’s Library, containing some 3,000 16th- and 17th-century volumes. | Dean St. | 056/776–4971 | www.stcanicescathedral.com | Cathedral €4, tower €3 | Cathedral June–Aug., Mon.–Sat. 9–6, Sun. 2–6; Apr., May, and Sept., Mon.–Sat. 10–1 and 2–5, Sun. 2–5; Oct.–Mar., Mon.–Sat. 10–1 and 2–4, Sun. 2–4. Tower access depends on weather.

WORTH NOTING IN KILKENNY CITY

Rothe House.

Set with splendidly sturdy stonework, Rothe House is one of the finest examples in Ireland of a Tudor-era merchant’s house. There’s a feeling of time travel as you step off the busy main street and into this medieval complex with its stone-wall courtyards, one of which houses a medieval well. Built by John Rothe between 1594 and 1610, it’s owned by the Kilkenny Archaeological Society and houses a collection of Bronze Age artifacts, ogham stones (carved with early Celtic symbols and messages), and period costumes. The reconstruction of the Burgage Garden was recently completed and recreates, down to the plant types themselves, a typical 17th-century Irish merchant’s garden. There’s also a genealogical research facility that can help you trace your ancestry. | Parliament St. | 056/772–2893 | www.rothehouse.com | €5, garden only €2 | Apr.–Oct., Mon.–Sat. 10:30–5, Sun. 3–5; Nov.–Mar., Mon.–Sat. 10:30–4:30.

Tholsel.

Kilkenny’s town hall was built in 1761 on Parliament Street and stands near the site of the medieval Market Cross. With its distinctive clock tower and grand entrance portico, this limestone-marble building stands on the site of the execution of poor Petronilla, the “witch” burned at the stake in the 14th century in lieu of her mistress, Dame Alice Le Kyteler. The building itself burned down in 1985, but has since been completely rebuilt and now houses the city’s municipal archives. Adjacent to the Tholsel is Alice’s Castle, a town jail rather grandly fitted out in 18th-century architectural ornamentation.

Tourist Information Office (TIO). This is housed in the Shee Alms House (off the east side of High Street). The building was erected in 1582 by Sir Richard Shee as a hospital for the poor and functioned as such until 1895. | Rose Inn St. | 056/775–1500 | www.discoverireland.ie/southeast | Apr.–Oct., Mon.–Sat. 9–6; Nov.–Mar., Mon.–Sat. 9:15–5.

WHERE TO EAT IN KILKENNY CITY

Café Sol.

$$ | MEDITERRANEAN | There’s always a lively buzz about this small eatery, with its tropics-tinted decor and chirpy staff. Chef Liam O’Hanlon gives European flair to the best of local produce, famous Kilkenny beef, and fish bought daily off the quays at Dunmore East. The emphasis is on contemporary Mediterranean-influenced cuisine. The slow roasted pork belly with wholegrain mustard creamed potatoes and roasted root vegetables is one of the more delicious offerings. During the day, light meals and sandwiches are on offer; at night, dining is more formal. | William St. | 056/776–4987 | www.cafesolkilkenny.com | MC, V.

Langton’s.

$ | IRISH | When it comes to restaurants and pubs, this is Kilkenny Central. A landmark since the 1940s, Langton’s is a labyrinth of interconnected bars and eateries. Most of the seating areas, all with open fires, have different personalities—from the leather-upholstered gentlemen’s club in the Horseshoe Bar to an attempt at art deco in the spacious dining room. Up front is one of Ireland’s most famous “eating pubs,” often crammed with punters to the rafters of its low ceiling. For more tranquil environs, head out back, where you can chow down in a neo-Gothic garden framed by a stretch of the old city walls. The main restaurant has a great reputation and offers well-prepared traditional dishes, including (of course) Irish stew. They also have 30 art-deco-style hotel rooms upstairs. | 69 John St. | 056/776–5133 | www.langtons.ie | MC, V.

Ristorante Rinuccini.

$$ | ITALIAN | A warm glow emanates from this excellent Italian restaurant as you descend the steps into its dining room in the basement of a Georgian town house. Owner-chef Antonio Cavaliere is intensely involved in preparing such luscious pasta dishes as tortelloni stuffed with ricotta and spinach and served in a Gorgonzola sauce. Other specialties, such as rack of Irish lamb slow cooked with herbs and rend wine, go particularly well with Antonio’s garlic roasted potatoes—highly recommended as a side dish. A splendid all-Italian wine list complements the menu, and there’s a host of delicious homemade desserts. This is one of the best Italian options in town. The restaurant accommodates overnight guests in the town house above. | 1 The Parade, across from Kilkenny Castle | 056/776–1575 | www.rinuccini.com | Reservations essential | AE, DC, MC, V.

WHERE TO STAY IN KILKENNY CITY

Butler House.

$$$ | The closest you’ll get to living in Kilkenny Castle during your stay in the city, the Dowager Duchess of Ormonde’s 18th-century former town house is still an integral part of the castle complex. It’s a charming piece of Georgian grandeur with an ivy-covered three-bay facade and a walled garden. Inside, the reception salon has a magnificent plaster ceiling and marble fireplaces. Upstairs, any grande dame might look askance—a gradual renovation of the guest rooms is ongoing, so the decor ranges from muted 1970s minimalist to bright modern. The rooms vary in size, with some big as a house and others on the snug side. If you can, treat yourself to one of the huge, high-ceiling bedrooms overlooking the garden and castle. The only slight disadvantage (if you look at things that way) is that breakfast is not served on the premises; for your morning meal you must saunter through the walled rose garden to the adjoining Kilkenny Design Centre. Pros: live in a castle for a few days; serene walled garden; breakfast in the old stables of Kilkenny Castle. Cons: books up quickly; no restaurant or bar; some rooms a lot smaller than others. | 16 Patrick St.,Co. Kilkenny | 056/776–5707 | www.butler.ie | 12 rooms, 1 suite | In-room: no a/c, Wi-Fi. In-hotel: parking (free) | AE, DC, MC, V | BP.

Zuni Townhouse and Restaurant.

$–$$ | This popular, family-owned, city-center hotel boasts the chichi gloss of a big-city boutique lodging but without the icy-cool reception you get in some fashionable joints. The clientele is mainly Dublin weekenders in search of Kilkenny’s legendary nightlife, as well as a good cross section of local businesspeople and foreign tourists. Relaxed and welcoming, rooms are minimalist in style, with walls painted in strong, modern colors. Zuni also has a good nouvelle restaurant, where the food, like the decor, is contemporary and light. The new café is a perfect for a light lunch. Pros: right in the heart of the city; family owned and run; only 13 rooms. Cons: books up quickly; business clientele can stifle atmosphere; can get noisy outside on weekends. | 26 Patrick St.,Co. Kilkenny | 056/772–3999 | www.zuni.ie | 13 rooms | In-room: no a/c, Wi-Fi. In-hotel: restaurant, bar, Wi-Fi hotspot, parking (free) | AE, DC, MC, V | BP.

NIGHTLIFE AND THE ARTS IN KILKENNY CITY

Every August, Kilkenny becomes the focus for Ireland’s culture vultures when the Kilkenny Arts Festival (056/776–3663 | www.kilkennyarts.ie) takes over the city for about two weeks. The emphasis in the past was on classical music, but the program has grown increasingly populist. Street theater, elaborate parades, and even a rock concert (staged in the conveniently named Woodstock Desmesne) have lent the festival a more contemporary air and there’s even speculation that it might soon eclipse Ireland’s premier arts festival in Galway.

If you’re craving a pint, you have a choice of pubs along Parliament and High streets. John Cleere’s (22 Parliament St. | 056/776–2573) is the best pub in town for a mix of live traditional music, poetry readings, and theatrical plays. The Pumphouse (26 Parliament St. | 056/776–3924) has traditional music during the week and live rock and pop on weekends. Tynan’s Bridge House (2 Horseleap Slip | 056/21291) is set on one of Kilkenny’s famous “slips,” and was first used as an exercise run for dray horses. Inside, you can guess that the pub is more than 200 years old from all the gas lamps, silver tankards, and historic teapots on display. The Widow McGraths (29 Parliament St. | 056/775–2520) celebrates July 4 with a barbecue in its beer garden. It’s also a good spot for live music.

The Watergate Theatre (Parliament St. | 056/776–1674 | www.watergatetheatre.com) hosts opera, plays, concerts, comedy, and other entertainment at reasonable prices.

SPORTS AND THE OUTDOORS IN KILKENNY CITY

Gaelic Football

The 1366 Statutes of Kilkenny expressly forbade the ancient Irish game of hurling. No matter: today, Kilkenny is considered one of the great hurling counties. Like its neighbor and archenemy, Wexford, Kilkenny has a long history of success in hurling, and as the annual All-Ireland Hurling Championships draws to its final stages during June and July, interest in the county’s team runs to fever pitch. Catch the home team at matches held at Kilkenny GAA Grounds (Nowlan Park | 056/777–0008 | www.gaa.ie).

SHOPPING IN KILKENNY CITY

Kilkenny is a byword for attractive, original crafts that combine traditional arts with modern design elements.

You can see glass being blown at the Jerpoint Glass Studio (16 km [10 mi] south of Kilkenny in the valley of the River Nore, | Stoneyford | 056/772–4350 | www.jerpointglass.com), where the glass is heavy, modern, uncut, and hand finished. The studio’s factory shop is a good place to pick up a bargain. The town’s leading outlet, the Kilkenny Design Centre (Kilkenny Castle | 056/772–2118 | www.kilkennydesign.com), in the old stable yard opposite the castle, sells ceramics, jewelry, sweaters, and handwoven textiles.

Murphy Jewellers (85 High St. | 056/772–1127 | www.murphyjewellers.com) specializes in heraldic jewelry.

Nicholas Mosse Pottery (Bennettsbridge | 056/772–7505 | www.nicholasmosse.com) is the best-known name in Irish ceramics. Nicholas first set up his potter’s wheel in an old flour mill in this quiet village (16 km [10 mi] south of Kilkenny) in 1975. Since then, the business has boomed and the rustic floral-pattern pottery created here is instantly recognizable for its “spongeware” designs. A visit here allows you to see the pottery being made, and the adjoining factory shop often has good bargains.

Rudolf Heltzel (10 Patrick St. | 056/772–1497 | www.heltzel.ie) is known for its striking, modern designs in gold and silver jewelry.

Stoneware Jackson Pottery (Bennettsbridge | 056/772–7175 | www.stonewarejackson.com) makes distinctive, hand-thrown tableware and lamps.

The Sweater Shop (81 High St. | 056/776–3405 | www.sweatershop.ie) carries a great selection of Irish-weave sweaters.

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North of Kilkenny City is a region notably rich in historical sights. Travel through the farmlands of the Barrow Valley to the small county seat of Carlow Town, with scenic detours to Leighlinbridge’s picturesque castle and Old Leighlin’s time-stained cathedral.

LEIGHLINBRIDGE

14 km (9 mi) northeast of Kilkenny City on N10.

Sure, Ireland ‘tis a land of sweet vistas, and one of the most romantic is found here on the east bank of Leighlinbridge: romantic, Norman-era Black Castle, poetically mirrored in the waters of the River Barrow and framed by the bulk of a grandly medieval bridge. With five stone arches spanning the river since 1320, this is reputed to be one of the oldest functioning bridges in Europe and makes a magnificent repoussoir for the castle. Built in 1181 as one of the earliest Norman fortresses in Ireland, it has been the scene of countless battles and sieges. Its hulking, 400-year-old main tower still stands, all but daring you to set up your easel and canvas on the adjoining ageless towpath.

WHERE TO EAT AND STAY IN LEIGHLINBRIDGE

Lord Bagenal Inn.

$$–$$$ | Old and new spectacularly collide at this noted hostelry. Its historic heart, a famous 19th-century pub, still nestles on the banks of the River Barrow in the center of Leighlinbridge. Built in the early 1800s, its maze of nooks and fireplaces gives away its age in spite of renovations. A quaint walled garden complete with water accents adds to the charm. These days, his Lordship also offers a stopover for weary travelers, thanks to a hypermodern wing built in the past few years. The showpiece is a vast, contempo-vibe restaurant, where prices run upwards of the $$ category: The Waterfront (reservations essential), where signature dishes include crubeen (pickled pigs’ feet) braised in port and stuffed with truffles; baked monkfish fillet wrapped in Serrano ham with a mango salsa; or fresh turbot with asparagus in beurre blanc. As for the nearly 40 guest rooms, they shimmer in modern style and the lobby and hallways are fetchingly adorned with new Irish artworks. Niceties include an award-winning wine cellar and a pungent array of fine cigars on stock—although with Ireland’s smoking ban now in full effect, you will be asked to enjoy your Cohiba outside. Pros: winning mix of ancient and modern. Cons: miserably unhelpful Web site; uncommunicative staff. | Main St., Co. Carlow | 059/972–1668 | www.lordbagenal.com | 40 rooms | In-room: Wi-Fi. In-hotel: a/c, restaurant, Wi-Fi hotspot | AE, MC, V.

OLD LEIGHLIN

5¾ km (3 mi) west of Leighlinbridge, signposted to right off N9.

Home to one of Ireland’s undiscovered gems of late-medieval architecture, the tiny village of Old Leighlin first found fame as the site of a monastery, founded in the 7th century by St. Laserian, that once accommodated 1,500 monks. It hosted the church synod in 630 at which the Celtic Church first accepted the Roman date for the celebration of Easter (the date was officially accepted at the Synod of Whitby in 664); this decision marked the beginning of a move away from old Brehon Law and the deliberalization of the Church. The old monastery was rebuilt in the 12th century as St. Laserian’s Cathedral. Sitting among green fields, with a castellated tower and Irish-Gothic windows, it evokes a stirring sense of Wordsworthian forlornness. Enlarged in the 16th century, its interior is noted for its 11th-century font, a 200-year-old grand wind organ, and a fine wood vaulted ceiling. Guided tours are available. General admission is free but a donation of €1 is suggested. | 059/972–1411 | www.cashel.anglican.org | Free | Mid-June–Aug., weekdays 10–4.

THOMASTOWN

14½ km (9 mi) south of Kilkenny on R700 and N9.

Thomastown, originally the seat of the kings of Ossory (an ancient Irish kingdom), is a pretty, stone-built village on the River Nore. It takes its name from Thomas FitzAnthony of Leinster, who encircled the town with a wall in the 13th century. Fragments of this medieval wall remain, as do the partly ruined 13th-century church of St. Mary, and Mullins Castle, adjacent to the town bridge.

Fodor’s Choice | Jerpoint Abbey, near Thomastown, is one of the most notable Cistercian ruins in Ireland, dating from about 1160. The church, tombs, and the restored cloisters are must-sees for lovers of the Irish Romanesque. The vast cloister is decorated with affecting carvings of human figures and fantastical mythical creatures, including knights and knaves (one with a stomachache) and the assorted dragon or two. Dissolved in 1540, Jerpoint was taken over, as was so much around these parts, by the earls of Ormonde. The one part of the abbey that remains alive, so to speak, is its hallowed cemetery—the natives are still buried here. Guided tours of the impressive complex are available from mid-June to mid-September (last admission is 45 minutes before closing). | Jerpoint Abbey, near Thomastown, is one of the most notable Cistercian ruins in Ireland, dating from about 1160. The church, tombs, and the restored cloisters are must-sees for lovers of the Irish Romanesque. The vast cloister is decorated with affecting carvings of human figures and fantastical mythical creatures, including knights and knaves (one with a stomachache) and the assorted dragon or two. Dissolved in 1540, Jerpoint was taken over, as was so much around these parts, by the earls of Ormonde. The one part of the abbey that remains alive, so to speak, is its hallowed cemetery—the natives are still buried here. Guided tours of the impressive complex are available from mid-June to mid-September (last admission is 45 minutes before closing). | 2 km (1 mi) south of Thomastown on N9 | 056/24623 | www.heritageireland.ie | €3 | Mar.–May and mid-Sept.–Oct., daily 10–5; June–mid-Sept., daily 10–6; Nov.–Feb., daily 10–4.

WHERE TO EAT AND STAY IN THOMASTOWN

Ballyduff House.

$ | This wonderfully picturesque house was used as a location in the nostalgic movie adaptation of Maeve Binchy’s Circle of Friends. As the clematis-clad mansion comes into view at the top of a gently curving driveway you can understand why. Relaxation, long walks, and a warm welcome are the order of the day here. Four large, period bedrooms (one is a heavenly, super-stylish vision in multiple hues of green) are decorated with Georgian furniture and ornate wallpaper and afford wonderful views of the river. You are welcome to walk around the gardens and participate in trout and salmon fishing. Mount Juliet Golf Course is less than a five-minute drive away. Pros: family-owned and -run; stunningly authentic mansion; guests can use kitchen to prepare a picnic. Cons: only four rooms, so often full; few modern facilities; breakfast so good you’ll want seconds. | Co. Kilkenny | 056/775–8488 | www.ballyduffhouse.com | 4 rooms | In-room: no a/c, Internet. In-hotel: Internet terminal | No credit cards | Closed Dec.–Feb. | BP.

Mount Juliet.

$$$$ | Once part of the nearby medieval Jerpoint Abbey estate and then famous as the seat of a horse-racing stud, Mount Juliet has long been an address of note in County Kilkenny. Today, this 1,500-acre kingdom is still lorded over by its three-story Georgian mansion, which the second earl of Carrick built along the banks of the River Nore and named in honor of his wife, Lady Juliana. Now a Conrad hotel, this estate proffers the full princely treatment, thanks to a spa, a famous golf course, and an array of restaurants that tempt one never to leave the grounds (from casual bistro to the haute Lady Helen’s Restaurant). The imposing mansion, whose elegant sash windows and mansard roof are creeper-covered in the best stately house manner, was subjected to full-blast renovation treatment in 1968. Begone, creaky floors and time-stained walls (and yesteryear’s charm?); hello, large accommodations decorated with vibrant hues and fine fabrics, and suites with super-king-size beds and original fireplaces. Rooms are also available in a separate building, the Hunters Yard, plus there are modern and very luxe two-room lodges. For many, the Jack Nicklaus–designed golf course—which has hosted the Irish Open on three occasions—is the reason to head here. Pros: great golf on your doorstep; pampering spa; aside beautiful River Nore. Cons: rooms outside main house a little inferior; some authentic charm sacrificed for modern comfort. | Thomastown,Co. Kilkenny | 056/777–3000 | www.mountjuliet.ie | 29 rooms, 2 suites, 11 lodges | In-room: no a/c, Wi-Fi (some). In-hotel: 2 restaurants, bar, golf course, tennis court, pool, spa, Wi-Fi hotspot | AE, DC, MC, V.

SPORTS AND THE OUTDOORS IN THOMASTOWN

Golf

Visitors are welcome at the 18-hole Mount Juliet Golf Course (Mount Juliet Estate | 056/772–4455), the famous championship parkland course. The course was designed by Jack Nicklaus and includes practice greens and a driving range.

ENNISCORTHY

32 km (20 mi) east of Graiguenamanagh on R744.

Visitor Information: Enniscorthy Tourist Office (1798 Rebellion Centre, Millpark Rd.,Co. Wexford | 054/923–4699).

Enniscorthy, on the sloping banks of the River Slaney and on the main road between Dublin and Wexford, to the south of the popular resort of Gorey, is a thriving market town that is rich in history.

The town is dominated by Enniscorthy Castle, built in the first quarter of the 13th century by the Prendergast family. The imposing Norman castle was the site of fierce battles against Oliver Cromwell in the 17th century and during the Uprising of 1798. The castle is currently closed to the public while it is being renovated.

The National 1798 Centre tells the tale of the United Irishmen and the ill-fated 1798 rebellion. | Arnold’s Cross | 053/923–7596 | www.1798centre.ie | €6 | June–Aug., weekdays 9:30–5, weekends 1–5; Sept.–May, weekdays 9:30–4.

St. Aidan’s Cathedral stands on a commanding site overlooking the Slaney. This Gothic Revival structure was built in the mid-19th century under the direction of Augustus Welby Pugin, architect of the Houses of Parliament in London. | Cathedral St. | 053/923–5777 | Free | Daily 10–6.

WHERE TO STAY IN ENNISCORTHY

Fodor’s Choice | Kilmokea Country House.

$$$-$$$$ | A former Georgian rectory dating to 1794, Kilmokea presides over 7 acres of gardens blooming by the River Barrow. It recently earned an Irish Heritage Garden certificate—a justifiable reward for 52 years of horticultural creation and dedication. The formal walled gardens were originally started in 1947 and contain over 130 different species to delight green-thumbers. Presiding over this domain are Mark and Emma Hewlett, who have managed to gild this lily with all manner of delights. Guest bedrooms are lavish with four-poster beds and great window views. For dinner, a grand, maroon-hue salon offers ambitious and expensive prix-fixe meals; for lunches and teas repair to the Georgian Tea Rooms conservatory. Kilmokea is located on the R733 south from New Ross to Ballyhack—look out for the signpost to Kilmokea Gardens. Pros: family-owned and -run; incredible gardens; four-poster beds. Cons: no Internet in rooms; some rooms are expensive for this region; books up quickly. | Great Island, | Campile,Co. Wexford | 051/388–109 | www.kilmokea.com | 6 rooms | In-room: no a/c, Wi-Fi. In-hotel: restaurant, tennis court, pool, spa, Wi-Fi hotspot | MC, V.

Salville House.

$ | Local legend has it that this fine Victorian farmhouse was once the home of a couple of “disreputable” ladies who danced at the Folies Bergère in Paris. Things are much more respectable nowadays: Gordon and Jane Parker have created a hilltop haven where food and relaxation are the order of the day. Gordon’s inspired contemporary cuisine has a growing group of fans. Guests dine around a mahogany table and are invited to bring their own wine. The bedrooms are spacious, with plenty of books on the shelves and a great view of the River Slaney. In summer a grass tennis court in front of the house adds to its charm. To get here, look for the signpost, 2 km (1 mi) out of Enniscorthy on the Wexford road. Pros: family-owned and -run; wonderful home-style food; great views. Cons: only five rooms; no air-conditioning; can be a little tricky to find. | Wexford Rd.,Co. Wexford | 053/923–5252 | www.salvillehouse.com | 5 rooms | In-room: no a/c, no phone, no TV, Wi-Fi (some). In-hotel: tennis court, Wi-Fi hotspot | No credit cards | BP.

SHOPPING IN ENNISCORTHY

Kiltrea Bridge Pottery (Kiltrea, | Caime | 053/923–5107 | www.kiltreapottery.com) stocks garden pots, plant pots, and country kitchen crocks.

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Exploring Wexford Town

19 km (12 mi) south of Enniscorthy, 62 km (39 mi) northeast of Waterford City, 115 km (72 mi) southwest of Dublin.

Wexford’s history goes back to prehistoric times, though you’ll find scant traces of them now. Much more obvious are the Viking and Norman associations, evident in alleys as well as in the town walls, some of which are still standing. Today, this coastal town is most famed for the Wexford Opera Festival, usually held in October, which has been seducing the world with wonderful productions of rare opera for over 50 years. The warm and vivacious welcome, the narrow and ancient Viking streets, and the tiny, atmospheric Theatre Royal add to the pleasure of this event and of any visit to Wexford Town. Wexford is reached by car using the N11/M11 and the N25. The drive to Dublin on improved roads takes about two hours.

GETTING HERE

Bus Travel

Inter-city buses leave from O’Hanrahan train station on Redmond Place. Bus Éireann has nine buses a day going to Dublin (three hours; €14.90 one-way, €17.60 round-trip), nine a day going to Rosslare (30 minutes; €4.50 one-way, €7.50 round-trip), and six a day Monday–Saturday, three on Sunday, going to Waterford City (three hours; €7.50 one-way, €17.60 round-trip).

Train Travel

O’Hanrahan Station serves Irish Rail trains at the northern end of town on Redmond Place. Wexford is on the Dublin–Roslare line and three trains a day go to and from Dublin; the 2½-hour trip costs €22.50 one-way or same-day return and €28.50 open return. The short hop to Rosslare costs €4 and takes 25 minutes. There are no direct trains to Cork or Waterford.

Visitor Information: Wexford Tourist Office (Crescent Quay,Co. Wexford | 053/912–3111 | www.wexfordtourism.com).

EXPLORING WEXFORD TOWN

From its appearance today, you would barely realize that Wexford is an ancient place, but in fact it was defined on maps by the Greek cartographer Ptolemy as long ago as the 2nd century AD. Its Irish name is Loch Garman, but the Vikings called it Waesfjord—the harbor of the mudflats—which became Wexford in English. Wexford became an English garrison town after it was taken by Oliver Cromwell in 1649.

The River Slaney empties into the sea at Wexford Town. The harbor has silted up since the days when Viking longboats docked here; nowadays only a few small trawlers fish from here. Wexford Town’s compact center is on the south bank of the Slaney. Running parallel to the quays on the riverfront is the main street (the name changes several times), the major shopping street of the town, with a pleasant mix of old-fashioned bakeries, butcher shops, stylish boutiques, and a share of Wexford’s many pubs. It can be explored on foot in an hour or two. Allow at least half a day in the area if you also intend to visit the Heritage Park at nearby Ferrycarrig, and a full day if you want to take in Johnstown Castle Gardens and its agricultural museum, or walk in the nature reserve at nearby Curracloe Beach. The town is at its best in late October and early November, when the presence of the Wexford Opera Festival creates a carnival atmosphere.

Rising above the town’s rooftops are the graceful spires of two elegant examples of 19th-century Gothic architecture. These twin churches have identical exteriors, their foundation stones were laid on the same day, and their spires each reach a height of 230 feet. The Church of the Assumption is on Bride Street. The Church of the Immaculate Conception is on Rowe Street.

TOP ATTRACTIONS IN WEXFORD TOWN

Irish National Heritage Park.

A 35-acre, open-air living history museum beside the River Slaney, this is one of Ireland’s most successful and enjoyable family attractions. In about 1½ hours, a guide takes you through 9,000 years of Irish history—from the first evidence of humans on this island, at around 7000 BC, to the Norman settlements of the mid-12th century. Full-scale replicas of typical dwelling places illustrate the changes in beliefs and lifestyles. Highlights of the tour include a prehistoric homestead, a crannóg (lake dwelling), an early Christian rath (fortified farmstead), a Christian monastery, a horizontal water mill, a Viking longhouse, and a Norman castle. There are also examples of pre-Christian burial sites and a stone circle. Most of the exhibits are “inhabited” by students in appropriate historic dress who will answer questions. The riverside site includes several nature trails. | 5 km (3 mi) north of Wexford Town on N11, | Ferrycarrig | 053/910–733 | www.inhp.com | €8 | May–Aug., daily 9:30–6:30; Sept.–Apr., daily 9:30–5:30.

Fodor’s Choice | Johnstown Castle Gardens.

Only Walt Disney might have bettered the storybook look of the massive, Victorian Gothic, gray-stone castle set at the heart of this beautiful garden estate. Located 5 km (3 mi) southwest of Wexford following the N25 (direction Rosslare), these magnificent parklands—with splendid towering trees, lakes, and ornamental gardens—offer a grand frame to the castle. A Gothic Revival extravaganza, this turreted, battlemented, and machicolated edifice, which bristles in silver-gray ashlar, was built for the Grogan-Morgan family between 1810 and 1855. Unfortunately, you can’t tour the building (it houses a national agricultural college) other than its entrance hall, but the well-maintained grounds are open to the public. The centerpiece is the 5-acre lake, one side of which has a terrace, lined with statues, from which to take in the panorama of the mirrored castle. Because there’s such a variety of trees framing the view—Japanese cedars, Atlantic blue cedars, golden Lawson cypresses—there’s color through much of the calendar. Nearby are the Devil’s Gate walled garden—a woodland garden set around the ruins of the medieval castle of Rathlannon—and the Irish Agricultural Museum. The latter, housed in the quadrangular stable yards, shows what life was once like in rural Ireland. It also contains a 5,000-square-foot exhibition on the potato and the Great Famine (1845–49). | Signposted just off N25, 6 km (4 mi) southwest of Wexford Town | 053/914–2888 | www.irishagrimuseum.ie | Gardens May–Sept. €2 (€6 for a car), Oct.–Apr. free. Museum €6 | Gardens daily 9–5:30. Museum Apr.–mid-Nov., weekdays 9–5, weekends 11–5; mid-Nov.–Mar. weekdays 9–12:30 and 1:30–5.

Westgate Tower.

The largest of five fortified gateways in the Norman and Viking town walls, Westgate is the only one remaining. The early-13th-century tower has been sensitively restored. Keep an eye out as you wander this part of town for other preserved segments of the old town walls. | Westgate.

Wexford Bull Ring.

Once the scene of bull baiting, a cruel medieval sport that was popular among the Norman nobility, this arena was sad witness to other bloody crimes. Notoriously, in 1649, Cromwell’s soldiers massacred 300 panic-stricken townspeople who had gathered here to pray as the army stormed their town. The memory of this heartless leader has remained a dark folk legacy for centuries and is only now beginning to fade. A housing development at the old Cromwell’s Fort is one of the ritzier addresses in town. | Quay St., back toward quays.

Wexford Wildfowl Reserve.

A nature lover’s paradise, this is found just a short walk across the bridge from the main part of town. Today, it shelters one-third of the world’s Greenland white-fronted geese. As many as 10,000 of them spend their winters on the mudflats, known locally as slobs, which also draw ducks, swans, and other waterfowl. Observation hides are provided for bird-watchers, and an audiovisual show and exhibitions are available at the visitor center. Lectures on the teeming birdlife of the reserve can be arranged on request. | North Slob, Wexford Harbor | 053/912–3129 | www.heritageireland.ie | Free | Daily 9–5.

WORTH NOTING IN WEXFORD TOWN

Commodore John Barry Statue.

Standing in the center of Crescent Quay, this large bronze commemorates the man who came to be known as the father of the American Navy. Born in 1745 in nearby Ballysampson, Barry (1745–1803) settled in Philadelphia at age 15, became a brilliant naval fighter during the War of Independence (thus avenging his Irish ancestors), and trained many young naval officers who went on to achieve fame.

Franciscan Friary.

This town landmark has a ceiling worth noting for its fine, locally crafted stuccowork. | School St. | 053/912–2758 | Free | Daily 8:30–6:30.

Selskar Abbey.

This 12th-century abbey witnessed the first treaty between the Irish and the Normans signed in 1169. Today only ruins remain. | Selskar St., south of Westgate Tower.

Tourist Information Office.

A good place from which to start exploring Wexford Town on foot, this also is a font of information with leads about guided walking tours organized by local historians. | Quay Front | 053/912–3111.

WHERE TO EAT IN WEXFORD TOWN

La Dolce Vita.

¢ | ITALIAN | You might have to queue behind a few locals to get seated in this little Italian deli-eatery in a surprisingly serene spot just off the busy shopping area. Hearty food, high standards, people’s prices: it’s the perfect place to break up a day sightseeing with one of their classy salads or genuinely fresh pasta dishes. They also do a soup and risotto of the day and an imaginative fish and meat dish for hungrier folk. | 6 Trimmers La. | 053/917–0806 | MC, V | Closed Sun. No dinner.

Reed Restaurant.

$$ | IRISH | Local seafood is the big draw at this independent restaurant located at the family-popular Ferrycarrig hotel. Fresh-off-the-boat fish from Kilmore Quay is a favorite, but the Killurin lamb is just as local and tasty while more exotic dishes like ostrich fillet are also on offer. Check out the wine menu, one of the better ones in the Southeast. While the tables are formally appointed with crisp white linen, the light-filled dining room has a friendly, relaxed vibe. Try to grab a table that allows you to enjoy the romantically serene riverfront view. | Ferrycarrig Hotel, Ferrycarrig Bridge | 053/912–0999 | AE, DC, MC, V.

WHERE TO STAY IN WEXFORD TOWN

Ferrycarrig.

$$$-$$$$ | MEDITERRANEAN | A real favorite with families, this spot, 4 km (2½ mi) outside town, offers plenty of peace and tranquility for parents thanks to its pleasant riverside location. They have special “family rooms,” but the spacious bedrooms have wonderful views of the river, and some also have balconies. The Reed restaurant overlooks its pleasant waterside location with a menu concentrating on seafood. For the kids they have a day-care facility and a swimming pool. There’s also a well-equipped health center. Pros: family-friendly; good restaurant; riverside location. Cons: can get a bit hectic in summer; a little overpriced; some rooms better than others. | Ferrycarrig Bridge (3 km/2 mi from Wexford Town on the N11),Co. Wexford | 053/912–0999 | www.ferrycarrighotel.ie | 98 rooms, 4 suites | In-room: no a/c, Wi-Fi. In-hotel: restaurant, bar, pool, gym, Wi-Fi hotspot | AE, DC, MC, V | BP.

McMenamin’s Townhouse.

$ | From opera divas to Hollywood stars, they’ve all stayed at this cozy Victorian town house. It’s become one of the lodgings of choice for the annual opera festival held in the town each autumn and is also popular as a last stopover for travelers heading for the Rosslare ferry to France. The bedrooms are spacious, warm, and immaculate, with large pieces of highly polished Victorian furniture and antique beds, including a mahogany half-tester. There are about eight choices at breakfast, including fresh fish of the day and hot porridge. Make sure you taste Kay and Seamus McMenamin’s homemade whiskey marmalade. Pros: family-owned and -run; great breakfast; beautiful antique beds in rooms. Cons: only four rooms so it books up quickly; no Internet in rooms; no TVs in rooms. | 6 Glena Terr., Spawell Rd.,Co. Wexford | 053/914–6442 | www.wexford-bedandbreakfast.com | 4 rooms | In-room: no a/c, no phone, no TV. In-hotel: Wi-Fi hotspot | MC, V | Closed last 2 wks of Dec. | BP.

NIGHTLIFE AND THE ARTS IN WEXFORD TOWN

Wexford’s grand and hoary landmark, the Theatre Royal has been entirely rebuilt to serve as the Wexford Opera Theatre for the world-famous Wexford Opera Festival (27 High St. | 053/912–2144 box office | www.wexfordopera.com), held in this new house during the last two weeks of October and the beginning of November. The town’s leading cultural event, the festival has been going strong since 1951 and features seldom-performed operas sung by top talent from all over the world. The strikingly modern, Keith Williams-designed  building is custom built for opera and offers fabulous views out over Mount Lenister to the northwest and Tuskar Rock lighthouse to the southeast. The surprisingly large main auditorium seats 749 with a smaller second space for 172. Along with an ever-expanding offering of more populist fare performed in small venues and pubs, the festival supplies a feast of concerts and recitals that start at 11 AM and continue until midnight. For the full aria, see “Passion on the High ‘C’s” in the Planner at the front of this chapter. Year-round, touring companies and local productions are also seen at these venues.

As the saying goes, if you can find a street without at least one bar on it, you’ve left Wexford. Centenary Stores (Charlotte St. | 053/912–4424) is a Victorian-style pub. The adjoining nightclub makes it a popular place for the young crowd. Lunch is Monday through Saturday, and there’s traditional music every Sunday morning. The Sky and the Ground (112 S. Main St. | 053/912–1273) is one of the best pubs in town and is a mecca for Irish music sessions, which pack in the crowds from Monday through Thursday. Dating to the 13th century, the Thomas Moore Tavern (Cornmarket | 053/912–4348) is Wexford’s oldest pub, named after the renowned Irish poet whose parents lived here. The pub has its original medieval walls and fine old beams along the ceiling. It’s the perfect place for a quiet drink by the fire. Light lunches and snacks are served on weekdays between noon and 3.

SPORTS IN WEXFORD TOWN

Gaelic Football

You can watch Gaelic football and hurling at the Wexford Park GAA (Clonard Rd. | 053/9144808 | www.wexford.gaa.ie).

SHOPPING IN WEXFORD TOWN

Barker’s (36 S. Main St. | 053/912–3159) stocks Waterford crystal, local pottery, and crafts. Martins Jewellers (Lower Rowe St. | 053/912–2635) specializes in handmade Celtic jewelry. Westgate Design (22 N. Main St. | 053/912–3787) carries a good selection of Irish crafts, clothing, pottery, candles, and jewelry; there’s also a restaurant here.

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This journey takes you along mainly minor roads through the prettiest parts of the coast in Counties Wexford and Waterford, pausing midway to explore Waterford City—home of the dazzling cut glass—on foot. Along the way expect to see long golden beaches, quaint fishing villages like Kilmore Quay and Ballyhack, some of the country’s best nature reserves, and Tramore, Ireland’s most unredeemable family waterside resort. If you’re coming from the Continent or England, chances are you’ll end up on a ferry bound for Rosslare Harbour, one of Ireland’s busiest ferry ports.

ROSSLARE

16 km (10 mi) southeast of Wexford Town on R470.

Sometimes called Ireland’s sunniest spot, the village of Rosslare is a seaside getaway with an attractive beach. Many vacationers head here to hike, golf, sun, and swim. But the truth is that most visitors are only here to take the ferry from the Rosslare-Europort terminal, the only reason (some point out) you should find yourself in this otherwise dull little town. As Rosslare is so well connected to the ferry port the roads to major cities to and from here are very good: N81, N11, and N25. The car trip from Dublin takes around 2 hours 12 minutes. Cork is 179 km (111 mi) northwest or 2 hours 45 minutes away via the N25. Rosslare is only 16 km (9 mi) southeast of Wexford Town on the R470.

GETTING HERE

Boat Travel

Stena Line Express sails May to September between Rosslare Harbor and Fishguard in Wales (adult €30, car and driver €117–€222; 2 hours; 2 sailings per day). Stena Line also runs its Superferry (adult €30, car and driver €72–€182; 3½ hours; 2 sailings per day) year-round. Irish Ferries sails to Pembroke in Wales (3¾ hours, twice daily). Single fares start at €30 for a foot passenger, €69 for a car and driver. Between April and December there are ferries to Cherbourg, France (19½ hours, up to three a week).

Bus Travel

Bus Éireann has services from Rosslare-Europort to many cities and towns in Ireland including Dublin (€16.70 one-way, €23 round-trip; 3 hours; 13 daily Monday–Saturday, 11 on Sunday) and Cork (€21.20 one-way, €30.20 round-trip; 4 hours; five daily Monday–Saturday, 3 on Sunday) that goes via Waterford City (€14.90 one-way, €20.70 round-trip; 1½ hours).

Train Travel

Irish Rail runs three trains daily on the Dublin–Rosslare Europort line via Wexford Town. The trip to Dublin takes three hours (€22.50 one-way, €28.50 round-trip) and to Wexford Town only 25 minutes (€5.90 one-way, €8.20 round-trip). Trains on the Rosslare Europort–Limerick route stop in Waterford City (€17 one-way, €28 round-trip; 1¼ hours) twice a day from Monday to Saturday.

EXPLORING ROSSLARE

Rosslare Harbour, 8 km (5 mi) south of the village, is the terminus for car ferries from Fishguard and Pembroke in Wales (a four-hour trip) and from Cherbourg and Roscoff in France (a 22-hour trip). The two ferry companies, Irish Ferries and Stena Sealink serving Rosslare Harbour have small information kiosks in the ultramodern terminal, which also has lockers, a sprawling waiting room, and a café. You can purchase ferry tickets at the terminal. Reservations are also a must if you’re traveling by car because onboard parking space is at a premium. The Rosslare Harbour rail depot (053/915–7937 | www.irishrail.ie), adjacent to the ferry terminal, is served by frequent trains to Dublin’s Connolly Station and Cork (change at Limerick Junction). Bus Éireann’s Rosslare Harbour depot also adjoins the rail station.

WHERE TO STAY IN ROSSLARE

Kelly’s.

$$$-$$$$ | CONTINENTAL | Somewhat of a legend with Irish vacationers, the Kelly family started this place in 1895 and it has become exceedingly popular. The reasons are numerous—a stunning beachfront location, second-to-none entertainment and leisure facilities, a child-friendly approach, and a reputation for good food being just a few. The guest rooms are comfort-laden havens decked out with rustic furnishings—try to get one with views of Rosslare Strand. The SeaSpa incorporates a Seawater Vitality Pool, Bio Sauna, Mud Rooms, and seaweed baths among its many eco-friendly pleasures. Note that in July and August the hotel insists on a one-week minimum stay at full-board prices. Pros: great value for families; lots of activities; quality spa on-site. Cons: lots of kids can make it hectic in summer; fairly basic facilities in rooms; quite pricey in current climate. | Co. Wexford | 053/913–2114 | www.kellys.ie | 114 rooms, 4 suites | In-room: refrigerator. In-hotel: a/c, 2 restaurants, golf course, tennis courts, pools, gym, spa, bicycles, Wi-Fi hotspot | AE, MC, V | Closed Dec.–mid-Feb. | BP, MAP.

NIGHTLIFE AND THE ARTS IN ROSSLARE

The Porthole Bar (Rosslare Harbor | 053/913–3110), at the Hotel Rosslare, is a trendy spot with designer decor featuring stonework and fish tanks. It’s popular for live music on weekends.

SPORTS IN ROSSLARE

Rosslare Golf Club (Rosslare Strand | 053/913–2203 | www.rosslaregolf.com) is a 27-hole championship links. A mixture of links and parkland can be found at the 27-hole St. Helen’s Bay (Kilrane | 053/913–3234 | www.sthelensbay.com).

KILMORE QUAY

22 km (14 mi) south of Rosslare on R739.

Noted for its fishing industry, this quiet, old-fashioned seaside village of thatched and whitewashed cottages is also popular with recreational anglers and bird-watchers. From the harbor there’s a pleasant view to the east over the flat coast that stretches for miles. Recent development has turned the harbor into a popular leisure marina.

Kehoe’s Pub (Kilmore Quay | 053/912–9830) is the hub of village activity; its collection of maritime artifacts is as interesting as that of many museums.

During two weeks in July (generally midmonth), the village hosts a lively seafood festival (053/912–9922 or 086/389–3278) with a parade, seafood barbecues, and other events.

Eight-kilometer-long (5-mi-long) Ballyteigue Burrow is one of the finest sand-dune systems in Europe and runs all the way from Kilmore Quay to Cullenstown. The western end is a nature reserve rich in butterflies and flowers and the whole expanse is great for a long stroll in summer.

WHERE TO EAT AND STAY IN KILMORE QUAY

Silver Fox.

$$ | SEAFOOD | A busy family-run seafood restaurant, this is considered one of the best in the area. Naturally, given its quayside location, seafood is the specialty here. Fisherman’s pie is a real favorite—scrumptious freshly caught prawns, monkfish, salmon, and cod in a dill and Pernod cream sauce topped with a mashed-potato crust. The seafood platter is another fresh-as-today treat. Non-seafood options include chicken Angelica stuffed with potatoes and leeks and wrapped in bacon with mushroom sauce. Simplicity and freshness define the food here. | Kilmore Quay | 053/912–9888 | www.thesilverfox.ie | Reservations essential | AE, MC, V | Closed mid-Jan.–mid-Feb.

Quay House.

$ | A perfect base for those interested in boating or fishing, this family-run guesthouse is a three-minute walk from the pier. The homey interior has Douglas fir pine floors throughout and country pine bedroom furniture. The cozy rooms have slightly nautical themes and are all neat and tidy as a ship’s cabin. If you’re the outdoors type you’ll feel right at home: nearby are great waterside walks and boating options (a room for drying and storing diving and fishing equipment is available). Packed lunches can be provided. Pros: great angling and diving spot; nonresidents can join you for the tranquil breakfast. Cons: rooms are not huge; few facilities; fills up in fishing and diving seasons. | Kilmore Quay,Co. Wexford | 053/912–9988 | www.quayhouse.net | 10 rooms | In-room: no a/c. In-hotel: Wi-Fi hotspot | MC, V | BP.

SHOPPING IN KILMORE QUAY

Country Crafts (Kilmore Quay | 053/912–9885), which overlooks the harbor of Kilmore Quay, sells Irish-made crafts, country-style furniture, and paintings by local artists. Open daily in summer but on weekends only in winter.

BALLYHACK

54 km (24 mi) west of Kilmore Quay.

On the upper reaches of Waterford Harbor, this pretty village with a square castle keep, wooden buildings, thatch cottages, and a green, hilly background is admired by painters and photographers. A small car ferry makes the five-minute crossing to Passage East and Waterford.

The gray-stone keep of Ballyhack Castle dates from the 16th century. It was once owned by the Knights Templars of St. John of Jerusalem, who held the ferry rights by royal charter. The first two floors have been renovated and house local-history exhibits. Guided tours are available by appointment, and the last admission is 45 minutes before closing. | 051/389–468 | www.4heritageireland.ie | Free | Mid-June–mid-Sept., weekdays 10–1 and 2–6, weekends 10–6.

Twelve kilometers (8 mi) to the north of Ballyhack lies the John F. Kennedy Arboretum, with more than 600 acres of forest, nature trails, and gardens, plus an ornamental lake. The grounds contain some 4,500 species of trees and shrubs, and serve as a resource center for botanists and foresters. Go to the top of the park to get fine panoramic views. The arboretum is clearly signposted from New Ross on R733, which follows the banks of the Barrow southward for about 5 km (3 mi). The cottage where the president’s great-grandfather was born is in Dunganstown; Kennedy relatives still live in the house. About 2 km (1 mi) down the road at Slieve Coillte you can see the entrance to the arboretum. | Dunganstown | 051/388–171 | www.heritageireland.ie | €3 | May–Aug., daily 10–8; Apr. and Sept., daily 10–6:30; Oct.–Mar., daily 10–5.

WHERE TO EAT AND STAY IN BALLYHACK

Harvest Room.

$$$$ | CONTEMPORARY | Gourmands come to this restaurant at Dunbrody House to stuff themselves cross-eyed in the ruby-red dining room, irresistibly drawn by master celebrity chef Kevin Dundon’s Barbary duck in burnt-orange sauce, char-grilled fillet of slow-roasted pork belly with seared scallops and a lime confit, and a chocolate “selection of indulgences.” (In fact, you can learn how to cook these delights yourself; Kevin runs a cooking school on the premises, with classes scheduled for weekends.) After a dinner that is likely to be memorable sip-to-sup, sit back with a goblet of Irish mist in hand and catch a dramatic sunset fading over the Hook Peninsula. | Arthurstown, | New Ross | 051/389–600 | www.dunbrodyhouse.com | Reservations essential | AE, MC, V | Closed Mon. and Tues. No lunch Mon.–Sat.

Fodor’s Choice | Dunbrody Country House.

$$$$ | A rural jewel, this sprawling two-story 1830s Georgian manor house used to be the digs of the seventh marquess of Donegal, Dermot Chichester (who now lives nearby). Under the magic touch of current chatelains, Kevin and Catherine Dundon, the gardens are soul-restoring, the manse’s public salons are a soigné symphony of mix-and-match tangerine-hue fabrics and stuffed armchairs, the views over the Barrow estuary remain grand, and the guest rooms charm with a judiciously luxe combination of period antiques and fine reproductions. They recently added a delightful three-bedroom lodge house that you can rent. No need to rush the next morn: the famous breakfasts are served until 11:30. Pros: authentic Georgian feel to the place; wonderful strolling gardens; great restaurant. Cons: expensive for this region; facilities limited for luxury hotel; giant Irish breakfast too good to resist. | Arthurstown, | New Ross,Co. Wexford | 051/389–600 | www.dunbrodyhouse.com | 15 rooms, 7 suites | In-room: no a/c, Wi-Fi (some). In-hotel: restaurant, bar, Wi-Fi hotspot | AE, MC, V | BP.

WATERFORD CITY

10 km (6 mi) west of Ballyhack by ferry and road (R683), 62 km (39 mi) southwest of Wexford Town, 158 km (98 mi) southwest of Dublin.

The largest town in the Southeast and Ireland’s oldest city, Waterford was founded by the Vikings in the 9th century and was taken over by Strongbow, the Norman invader, with much bloodshed in 1170. The city resisted Cromwell’s 1649 attacks, but fell the following year. It did not prosper again until 1783, when George and William Penrose set out to create “plain and cut flint glass, useful and ornamental,” and thereby set in motion a glass-manufacturing industry long without equal but, beginning in 2008, sadly hit by the global economic slump.

GETTING HERE AND AROUND

Boat Travel

It can be a long drive around the coast from Wexford to Waterford and the Passage East Car Ferry Company operates year-round from Passage East in Wexford to Ballyhack near Waterford City. The five-minute crossing are continuous from from 7 AM until 10 PM April through September and until 8 PM the rest of the year (with first sailing on Sundays at 9:30 AM). The cost is €8 one-way and €12 round-trip for a car and passengers and €2 one-way, €3 round-trip for a foot passenger.

Bus Travel

Bus Éireann has a station on the waterfront at Merchant’s Quay and runs regular buses to cities and towns all over the country including Dublin (€12.20 one-way, €14.40 round-trip; 3 hours); Tramore (€2.50 one-way, €5 round-trip; 30 minutes); Wexford (€7.20 one-way, €17.60 round trip; 1½ hours); Dungarvan (€10.30 one-way, €13.70 round-trip; 50 minutes); and Cork (€17.10 one-way, €23.40 round-trip; 2¼ hours). Bus Éireann also runs a local city bus service in Waterford city, with five routes (Nos. 601, 602, 605, 609, 610) that cover the city center.

Train Travel

Plunkett Station is on the north side of the river in Waterford’s city center. Irish Rail runs trains to Dublin (€10 one-way, €20 round-trip; 2¾ hours; four to six daily); Kilkenny (€10 one-way, €20 round-trip; 45 minutes; four to six daily); and Limerick (€17 one-way, €34 round-trip; 2¾ hours; three daily Monday–Saturday).

Visitor Information: Waterford City Tourist Office (41 The Quay,Co. Waterford | 051/875–823 | www.waterfordtourism.org).

EXPLORING WATERFORD CITY

Waterford has better-preserved city walls than anywhere else in Ireland but Derry. Initially, the slightly run-down commercial center doesn’t look promising. You need to park your car and proceed on foot to discover the heritage that the city has made admirable efforts since the mid-1990s to preserve, in particular the grand 18th-century Georgian buildings that Waterford architect John Roberts (1714–96) built, including the town’s Protestant and Catholic cathedrals.

If arriving by car, Waterford City is a little isolated in the southwest corner of Ireland but it is now only a 2-hour 12-minute drive from Dublin on the vastly improved N9/M9. Cork is 125 km (77 mi) west on the N25 and N27 with the drive taking nearly 2 hours. It’s only 52 km (32 mi) and 45 minutes to Kilkenny on the N9 and N10.

Waterford’s compact town center can be visited in a couple of hours. Do note, unhappily, that the famous Waterford Glass Visitor Centre is no longer in existence, but plans are in the offing to unveil a new Waterford attraction or museum sometime in the near future. For now, happily, the town still offers an impressive Waterford Treasures exhibition.

The city quays—at the corner of Custom House Parade and Peter Street—are a good place to begin a tour of Waterford City. (The TIO is also down here, at the Granary on Merchant’s Quay.) The city quays stretch for nearly 2 km (1 mi) along the River Suir and were described in the 18th century as the best in Europe.

If the weather is favorable, consider taking a cruise along Waterford’s harbor and the wide, picturesque estuary of the River Suir. You can enjoy lunch, afternoon tea, or dinner aboard a luxury river cruiser or simply take in the sights. The boat departs from the quay opposite the TIO, where you can purchase tickets. | Merchant’s Quay | 051/421–723 Galley Cruises | www.rivercruises.ie | Cruises Apr.–Oct., daily at 12:30, 3, and 7, weather permitting.

WATERFORD CRYSTAL: ROLLS-ROYCE OF CRYSTAL

Silica sand + potash + litharge = Waterford crystal: it reads like cold science, but something magical happens when the craftsmen of Waterford produce arguably the top crystal in the world (although France’s Baccarat might have something to say about that).

When the Waterford Glass Factory opened in 1783, it provided English royalty and nobility with a regular supply of ornate handcrafted stemware, chandeliers, and decorative knickknacks. Since then, Waterford crystal has graced the tables of heads of state the world over, and Waterford’s earlier pieces have become priceless heirlooms.

The best Waterford glass was produced from the late 18th century to the early 19th century. This early work, examples of which can be found in museums and public buildings all over the country, is characterized by a unique, slightly opaque cast that is absent from the modern product.

Crystal glass is not cheap: each piece is individually fashioned by almost two-dozen pairs of hands before it passes final inspection and receives the discreet Waterford trademark.

The first thing on the itinerary of any visitor to Waterford was for many years a tour of the glass factory, a buzzing hive of master craftspeople. But the global downturn has seen the factory close and the future of glassblowing in the area is in doubt. There is talk of a smaller specialist facility reopening soon to use some of the vast local talent going to waste, and the popular visitor center is also due to reopen in a new form and a new home.

TOP ATTRACTIONS IN WATERFORD CITY

City Hall.

One of Waterford’s finer Georgian buildings, the City Hall on the Mall, dates from 1783 and was designed by John Roberts, a native of the city. Nearby are some good examples of domestic Georgian architecture—tall, well-proportioned houses with typically Irish semicircular fanlights above the doors. The arms of Waterford hang over City Hall’s own entrance, which leads into a spacious foyer that originally was a town meeting place and merchants’ exchange. The building contains two lovely theaters, an old Waterford dinner service, and an enormous 1802 Waterford glass chandelier, which hangs in the Council Chamber (a copy of the chandelier hangs in Independence Hall in Philadelphia). The Victorian horseshoe-shaped Theatre Royal is the venue for the annual Festival of Light Opera in September. | The Mall | 051/309–900 | Free | Weekdays 9–5.

Christ Church Cathedral.

Lovers of Georgian decorative arts will want to visit this late-18th-century Church of Ireland cathedral designed by local architect John Roberts and the only Neoclassical Georgian cathedral in Ireland. Inside, all is cup-of-tea elegance—yellow walls, white-stucco trim in designs of florets and laurels, grand Corinthian columns—and you can see why architectural historian Mark Girouard called this “the finest 18th-century ecclesiastical building in Ireland.” It stands on the site of a great Norman Gothic cathedral. The then Bishop Cheneix, it’s oft told, wouldn’t consider knocking that great edifice down—never, that is, until it was arranged for a little stone vaulting to fall in his path. Medievalists will be sad, but those who prize Age of Enlightenment high style will rejoice. Try catch one of the regular choral concerts held here (see Web site for details) to get the full atmospheric reward. | Henrietta St. | 051/858–958 | www.christchurchwaterford.com | €3 | Weekdays 10–1 and 2–5, Sat. 2–4 (rest of year by appointment only for tours).

Reginald’s Tower.

A waterside circular tower on the east end of Waterford’s quays, this marks the apex of a triangle containing the old walled city of Waterford. Built by the Vikings for the city’s defense in 1003, it has 80-foot-high, 10-foot-thick walls; an interior stairway leads to the top. The tower served in turn as the residence for a succession of Anglo-Norman kings (including Henry II, John, and Richard II), a mint for silver coins, a prison, and an arsenal. It’s said that Strongbow’s marriage to Eva, the daughter of Dermot MacMurrough, took place here in the late 12th century, thus uniting the Norman invaders with the native Irish. It has been restored to its original medieval appearance and furnished with appropriate 11th- to 15th-century artifacts. | The Quay | 051/304–220 | www.heritageireland.ie | €3 | June–Sept., daily 10–6; Easter–May and Oct., daily 10–5; Nov.–Easter, Wed.–Sun. 10–5.

Fodor’s Choice | Waterford Treasures.

Located above the Southeast’s main TIO, Waterford Treasures uses interactive audiovisual technology to guide you through 1,000 years in the history of Waterford. Entertaining and educational, the exhibition displays Waterford’s rich inheritance of rare and beautiful artifacts—from the Charter Roll of 1372, a list of all charters granted to Waterford up to that time, written in Latin on vellum, to the sword of King Edward IV, to 18th-century crystal. A restaurant and a shop are also on the premises. | The Granary, Merchant’s Quay | 051/304–500 | www.waterfordtreasures.com | €7 | Sept.–May, Mon.–Sat. 9–5, Sun. 11–5; June–Aug., Mon.–Sat. 9:30–6, Sun. 11–6.

WORTH NOTING IN WATERFORD CITY

Bishop’s Palace.

Among the most imposing of the remaining Georgian town houses, the Bishop’s Palace is now used by the local council but the foyer is open to the public. | Alongside City Hall on the Mall | Free | Weekdays 9–5.

Blackfriars Abbey.

The ruined tower of Blackfriars belonged to a Dominican abbey founded in 1226 and returned to the Crown in 1541 after the dissolution of the monasteries. It was used as a courthouse until Cromwellian forces destroyed it in the 17th century. | High St.

French Church.

Roofless ruins are all that remain of French Church, a 13th-century Franciscan abbey. The church, also known as Greyfriars, was given to a group of Huguenot refugees (hence the “French”) in 1695. A splendid east window remains amid the ruins. The key is available at Reginald’s Tower. | Greyfriars St.

Holy Trinity Cathedral.

This Roman Catholic cathedral has a simple facade and a richly (some would say garishly) decorated interior with high, vaulted ceilings and ornate Corinthian pillars. It was designed in Neoclassical style by John Roberts, who also designed Christ Church Cathedral and City Hall. Surprisingly, it was built in the late 18th century—when Catholicism was barely tolerated—on land granted by the Protestant city fathers. | Barronstrand St., between High St. and clock tower on quays | 051/875–166 | www.waterford-cathedral.com | Free | Daily 8:30–5:30.

St. Olaf’s Church.

Built, as the name implies, by the Vikings in the mid-11th century, this church has one sole extant remnant: its original door, which has been incorporated into the wall of the existing building (a meeting hall). | St. Olaf’s St.

Victorian Clock Tower.

Built in 1864 with public donations, this landmark has little great architectural merit but does serves as a reminder of the days when Waterford was a thriving, bustling port. | Merchant’s Quay.

WHERE TO EAT IN WATERFORD CITY

Bodega.

$$ | MEDITERRANEAN | All the county newspapers comment on this as the fun place to eat in Waterford and this casual Mediterranean eatery does like to put on a bit of a party. Bright colors and comfortable couches are festive. The extensive and inventive wine menu gets everyone warmed up for some lively dishes like Kilmore Quay fishcakes with Thai red curry oil followed by a delicious main course of seafood pie with salmon, smoked haddock, white wine, and a pureed potato and crumb crust. Almost everything seems to be sourced from suppliers in a few-square-mile radius. The place also hosts intimate gigs by some of Irelands top folk singers. | Manor Court Lodge, Cork Rd. | 051/844–177 | www.bodegawaterford.com | DC, MC, V | Closed Sun. No lunch Sat.

Fodor’s Choice | Fitzpatricks Restaurant.

$$$ | FRENCH | The new owner of the much-loved former O’Grady’s Restaurant and Guesthouse had a tough act to follow, but somehow P.J. Reddy has managed to pull it off. The restaurant is in a beautifully restored lodge house on the outskirts of the city, and though the interior has had a pleasing makeover, it’s still traditional enough not to shock the regulars. The cuisine is firmly in the fine-dining camp with a Gallic flavor to the seafood-rich dishes on offer. Try the roulade of lemon sole with crabmeat mousse, and served with a saffron beurre blanc or the confit of duck with buttered cabbage and Toulouse sausage. | Manor Court Lodge, Cork Rd. | 051/378–851 | www.fitzpatricksmanorlodge.com | AE, MC, V | No lunch Sat.

Munster Dining Room.

$$$$ | FRENCH | At the heart of the noted hotel that is Waterford Castle (Fbelow) beats the Munster Dining Room, whose luxe—oak paneling darkened with age, and ancestral portraits spotlighted in gilt frames—hints at one of the most stylish menus around. The dress code is smart (jackets for the men) and the place does suggest a big night out. They only do a fixed-price, three-course menu that includes St. Tola’s goat cheese parfait with spiced pear as a favorite starter; main course winners include the best of Irish steaks or the roast wild cod with pepperonata, aioli, tapenade, and Parmesan crisp. | The Island, (2 km [1 mi] south of Waterford), | Ballinakill | 051/878–203 | AE, DC, MC, V.

WHERE TO STAY IN WATERFORD CITY

Fodor’s Choice | Arlington Lodge Country House.

$$$ | For a pretty, if not perfect, old-school Georgian experience take the ten-minute walk from Waterford’s center to this 1760 heritage house. A somewhat simple two-story affair, the house inside has salons overflowing with ruffled drapes, thick carpets, and plush armchairs. Outside, huge windows afford great views looking down on the city. There’s a really family home feel to the place that extends to the welcoming cup of tea on arrival including some melt-in-the-mouth homemade teabrack cake. Guest rooms are comfy and antiques-accented; the master suite affords a real fireplace in the winter. The restaurant, a bastion of hearty, country-house cooking, comes complete with grand piano while the William Morris bar is ideal for hot toddies on a chilly night. Pros: a real piece of Waterford’s heritage; sumptuous breakfast included; family-run, personal feel to the service. Cons: popular with weddings; interior design a little too frilly; facilities limited. | John’s Hill, | Waterford City,Co. Waterford | 051/878–584 | www.arlingtonlodge.com | 20 rooms | In-room: no a/c, Wi-Fi (some). In-hotel: restaurant, bar, Wi-Fi hotspot, parking (paid) | MC, V.

Dooley’s Hotel.

$–$$ | A friendly, perfect-for-families air pervades this unpretentious hotel on the banks of the River Suir right at the heart of the city and just a few minutes’ walk from all the main attractions. The rooms are big, bright, and decorated in vibrant reds and yellows; some have four-poster beds. The service is excellent and the traditional-style bar is popular with locals. The New Ship restaurant serves Continental dishes and has an early-bird menu. The hotel also hosts live music shows at times. Pros: city center location; large guest rooms; popular bar is a good place to meet locals. Cons: attracts a business clientele; can get more luxury for same price elsewhere; can be a little noisy. | 30 The Quay,Co. Waterford | 051/873–531 | www.dooleys-hotel.ie | 113 rooms | In-room: no a/c, Wi-Fi. In-hotel: restaurant, bar, Wi-Fi hotspot | AE, DC, MC, V | BP.

Fodor’s Choice | Waterford Castle.

$$$$ | Not only does this fairy-tale castle come with an 800-year history, but it sits in the middle of a 310-acre island and allows lucky guests to be bed-and-boarded in the grandest Irish style. Back in Norman times, the Kfyeralds built a keep here and over the centuries—as their name became Fitzgerald, “Kings of Ireland in all but name”—they expanded, adding two Elizabethan-style wings in the 17th century, fitting them out with rooftop gargoyles brought from Castle Irwell in Manchester. Today, the air of exclusivity lingers as the private ferry picks you up on the shores of the River Suir, and heightens with one step inside the Great Hall, a magnificent faux-baronial room in Portland stone hung with medieval tapestries. Most guest rooms are exquisitely done in real “country-house” style, some with canopied beds, chintz armchairs, and dark mahogany furniture. Downstairs, dine in style in the luxurious Munster Dining Room. To top it all off, a highly rated 18-hole golf course adjoins the castle. Obviously, the last great Fitzgerald to occupy the house, Mary Frances (whose son, Edward Fitzgerald, translated the Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam into English) would be happy to see her former domain so lovingly cared for. Pros: unique, historic building; great golf course on-site; the awe-inspiring Great Hall. Cons: expensive for this region; books up early in summer; popular with weddings. | The Island, | Ballinakill, | 2 km (1 mi) south of Waterford,Co. Waterford | 051/878–203 | www.waterfordcastle.com | 14 rooms, 5 suites | In-room: no a/c, Wi-Fi. In-hotel: restaurant, golf course, tennis courts, Wi-Fi hotspot | AE, DC, MC, V.

NIGHTLIFE AND THE ARTS IN WATERFORD CITY

The Spraoi Festival (051/841–808 | www.spraoi.com) is billed as the “biggest street carnival in Ireland”—with street theater, live music, and fireworks. This free outdoor festival, which appeals to children and adults alike, takes place annually during the August bank holiday, the first weekend of the month.The elegant Theatre Royal (City Hall, The Mall | 051/874–402 | www.theatreroyal.ie), one of the oldest theaters in Ireland, has reopened after a major renovation and is devoted to large-scale theater and musical productions as well as live concerts. An Emigrant’s Tale (Dooley’s Hotel, The Quays | 051/642–813 | www.anemigrantstale.net) is a musical/cabaret-style show featuring “trad” music and dancing with a splash of storytelling thrown in; shows are every Thursday evening.

The Forum (The Glen | 051/871–111 | www.forumwaterford.com) is a large multipurpose entertainment venue. Here you can watch local productions or those of traveling theater companies. Two music venues host big names as well as local acts performing all kinds of music. Culture buffs shouldn’t miss the Garter Lane Arts Centre (22A O’Connell St. | 051/855–038 | www.garterlane.ie), which hosts concerts, exhibits, and theater productions. Garter Lane is home to many productions of Red Kettle (www.red-kettle.com), Waterford’s most successful theater company.

Geoffs (9 John St. | 051/874–787) is a dimly lighted pub frequented by a mixed crowd including students and locals. Big flagstones cover the floors, and seating is on old wooden benches. An outdoor area is available for those keen to avoid Ireland’s smoking ban. A wide selection of food is served until 9, every day. Known to the natives as Meade’s Under the Bridge, Jack Meades (Cheekpoint Rd., Halfway House, | Ballycanavan | 051/873–187) is snug under a time-stained stone bridge. In centuries past it was a stop on the coach road from Waterford to Passage East. There’s a pub menu from May through September, and sing-along sessions are held throughout the year on the weekends. In winter the fireplaces roar, illuminating the wood beams and bric-a-brac.

Housed in an 800-year-old building, the Old Ground (10 The Glen | 051/852–283) is a popular pub with locals. Lunch is served daily, and traditional-music sessions sometimes break out. The circa-1700 T & H Doolan’s Bar (32 George’s St. | 051/872–764), reputed to be one of the oldest pubs in Ireland, hosts traditional Irish music most summer nights and Monday through Wednesday nights year-round.

SPORTS AND THE OUTDOORS IN WATERFORD CITY

Gaelic Football

Watch Gaelic football and hurling at the Waterford GAA Grounds (Walsh Park | 51/591–5544 | www.waterfordgaa.ie).

Golf

Faithlegg Golf Club (Faithlegg House, | Checkpoint | 051/382–241 | www.faithlegg.com) is an 18-hole course set in mature landscape on the banks of the River Suir. Waterford Castle Golf Club (The Island, | Ballinakill | 051/871–633 | www.waterfordcastle.com/golf) is an 18-hole course that claims to be Ireland’s only true island course.

SHOPPING IN WATERFORD CITY

City Square Shopping Centre (City Sq. | 051/853–528) has more than 40 shops, ranging from small Irish fashion boutiques to large international department stores. Fashion shows and other forms of entertainment take place on the stage area in the center of the mall.

Kellys (75–76 The Quay | 051/873–557) has excellent Irish souvenirs, including traditional musical instruments, dolls, Irish linen, jewelry, Waterford crystal, and CDs.

Although the famed Waterford Glass factory has sadly shut down, you can still get quality, handmade crystal at Penrose Crystal (32a Johns St. | 051/876–537 | www.penrosecrystal.com). With a bit of notice they’ll have a personally engraved piece waiting for you when you arrive.

TRAMORE

11 km (7 mi) south of Waterford City on R675, 4 km (2½ mi) west of Dunmore East.

Tramore’s 5-km-long (3-mi-long) beach is a popular escape for families from Waterford and other parts of the Southeast, as the many vacation homes and camper parks indicate. The beach is adjacent to the giant Tramore Amusement Park, which features all the usual rides, including Ferris Wheel, Crazy Mouse Spinning Roller Coaster, and old-fashioned dodgems. Kiddie heaven, in other words.

GETTING HERE

Bus Travel

Bus Éireann runs frequent daily buses from Tramore to Waterford City (€2.70 one-way, €5.40 round-trip; 30 minutes) where there are connecting buses to Dublin, Cork, and Kilkenny. This bus also goes to the train station in Waterford for rail connections. The Bus Éireann bus stop is outside the tourist office near Splashworld.

Visitor Information: Tramore Tourist Office (Town Centre,Co. Waterford | 051/381–572).

EXPLORING TRAMORE

This is Ireland’s biggest seaside resort and a dream-come-true for young children, but it’s not to everybody’s taste. The 50-acre Tramore Amusement Park, a miniature railway, and vacation-home developments overshadow part of the seafront. (The upper half of town is more quiet and reserved.)

WHERE TO EAT IN TRAMORE

Rockett’s.

$ | IRISH | One mile beyond Tramore is Rockett’s, part of The Metal Man pub—an unusual and tasty stop for thoroughly Irish refreshments. An old and welcoming place always packed with local farmers, truckers, and Southeast Willie Loman types, the house specialty is thoroughly unpretentious—crubeens (pig’s feet). You know what’s in store for you by the open sink provided for rinsing your fingers. Long before roasted nuts and potato chips arrived, every Irish pub served crubeens, but nowadays you have to look long and hard to find them. An Irish version of spare ribs with all their attendant oily, finger-licking goodness, crubeens will surely stave off hunger pangs for exhausted travelers. The menu also includes bacon and cabbage and colcannon. | Westown | 051/381–496 | AE, DC, MC, V | No lunch Mon.–Thurs.

DUNGARVAN

42 km (26 mi) southwest of Tramore on R675.

With their covering of soft grasses, the lowlands of Wexford and eastern Waterford gradually give way to heath and moorland; the wetter climate of the hillier western Waterford countryside creates and maintains the bog. The mountains responsible for the change in climate rise up behind Dungarvan, the largest coastal town in County Waterford. This bustling fishing and resort spot sits at the mouth of the River Colligan, which empties into Dungarvan Bay here. It’s a popular base for climbers and hikers.

GETTING HERE

Bus Travel

Bus Éireann picks up and drops off on Davitt’s Quay. They have regular daily services to and from Waterford (€10.30 one-way, €13.70 round-trip; 1 hour; 11 daily); Cork (€14.90 one-way, 20.70 round-trip; 1½ hours; 13 daily); and Dublin (14.40 one-way, 16.70 round-trip; 11 daily).

Visitor Information: Dungarvan Tourist Office (The Courthouse,Co. Waterford | 058/41741 | www.dungarvantourism.com).

EXPLORING DUNGARVAN

In Ring (An Rinne), a Gaeltacht area on Dungarvan Bay, the Irish language is still in daily use—this is unusual in the south and east of the country. At Colaiste na Rinne, a language college, courses in Irish have been taught since 1909. | 7 km (4½ mi) southeast of Dungarvan, off N674F.

WHERE TO EAT AND STAY IN DUNGARVAN

Fodor’s Choice | The Tannery.

$$$ | ECLECTIC | Clearly, out there in Knockmealdown, the mountain air must do something to clear the brain and allow chefs to focus and purify. Perhaps that’s why this place is besieged on weekends, when Dubliners head here to taste the creations of culinary wizard Paul Flynn. He worked for almost a decade with London culinary legend Nico Ladenis and now wins raves from the likes of Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber. The dishes on offer may look slightly odd on the menu but they taste sensational on the palate. Check out the seared scallops with parsnip, fennel, and chorizo dressing. Or if that doesn’t tickle your taste buds opt for the braised rabbit and bacon with sweet pickled vegetables and Riesling cream. Fanatical foodies who want to stay as close to the culinary action as possible can now overnight in the adjoining guesthouse, opened by the Flynns in 2005. Your waistline may never be the same again. | 10 Quay St. | 058/45420 | www.tannery.ie | AE, DC, MC, V | Closed Mon. and 2 wks in Jan. No dinner Sun. Sept.–May. No lunch Mon.–Thurs. and Sat.

The Gold Coast Golf Hotel.

$–$$ | Overlooking Dungarvan Bay, this hotel is part of a family-run and family-friendly property that also includes self-catering holiday cottages (built around the hotel) and golf villas on the edge of a woodland course on a links setting. Hotel rooms are bright, comfortable, and spacious. Guests can use the facilities of the Gold Coast’s sister hotel, the Clonea Strand, just 2½ km (1½ mi) away, which include a games room, a leisure complex, and Clonea’s 3-km-long (2-mi-long) sandy beach. Pros: great location; owners love kids; great value even in high season. Cons: gets a bit hectic with all those kids around; guest rooms are a little mundane; no Internet in rooms. | Co. Waterford | 058/42249 or 058/42416 | www.clonea.com | 35 rooms, 2 suites, 16 cottages, 12 villas, 27 lodges | In-hotel: a/c, restaurant, bar, golf course, tennis court, pool, gym, Internet terminal | AE, DC, MC, V | BP.

NIGHTLIFE AND THE ARTS IN DUNGARVAN

Several miles away from Dungarvan, a ceilí (Irish dance) is held nightly in summer at Colaiste na Rinne (Ring | 058/46104).

ARDMORE

29 km (18 mi) southwest of Dungarvan on R672.

Historic spiritual sites, white beaches, dramatic cliff walks, brawny fishermen—little Ardmore is a picture-postcard Irish town that packs a whole lot of wonder into a small peninsula at the base of a tall cliff. With a few notable exceptions—including John F. Kennedy and Gregory Peck—the cute but very real village is often overlooked by most overseas tourists.

In the 5th century, St. Declan is reputed to have disembarked here from Wales and founded a monastery, 30 years before St. Patrick arrived in Ireland. Ardmore’s monastic remains are found on the top of the cliff. The ruined 12th-century Cathedral of St. Declan has some ogham stones inside and weathered but interesting biblical scenes carved on its west gable. The saint is said to be buried in St. Declan’s Oratory, a small early Christian church that has been partially reconstructed. St. Declan’s Well—a genuinely ancient place—and the ruins of his Hermitage are just on the other side of town.

On the grounds of the ruined cathedral, the 97-foot-high Round Tower, one of 70 round towers remaining in Ireland, is in exceptionally good condition. Round towers were built by the early Christian monks as watchtowers and belfries but came to be used as places of refuge for the monks and their valuables during Viking raids. This is the reason the doorway is 15 feet above ground level—once inside, the monks could pull the ladder into the tower with them.

WHERE TO EAT AND STAY IN ARDMORE

The House Restaurant.

$$$$ | ECLECTIC | Celebrated Dutch chef Martjin Kajuiter presides over the compact little dining room of the new Cliff House hotel. Go in summer, when you can eat out on the expansive terrace, which winds its way down the cliffside toward the sea. The food is all locally sourced and innovatively prepared—“trad” Irish is often the base but garnishes and sauces lend a festive, nouvelle air. Dinner is a fixed-price, three-course meal with the warm Ballynatray Partridge with celeriac, foie gras, and green apple vinaigrette making the perfect starter. And you can’t go wrong with the Skeaghanore duck breast seared with sweet potato dauphine morels and beetroot as your main course. | Ardmore | 024/87800 | www.thecliffhousehotel.ie | AE, DC, MC, V | No lunch weekdays.

Fodor’s Choice | Cliff House.

$$$$ | Sewn into the cliffs overlooking the fishing village of Ardmore at a head-turning slant, this new glass-and-grass (well, there’s some grass on the roof) luxury hotel and spa is one of the most adventurous and innovative additions to Irish accommodations in years. Ageless nature here confronts modernist design, thanks to massive plate-glass windows; huge, winding public terraces that trickle down to the water; and an atrium filled with the bright blues of sea and sky. Guest rooms aren’t huge, but they are neatly designed with original art and sharp, modern furniture. If you luckily land one of the 15 suites, you’ll find you have a private veranda jutting right over the ocean below. In the glassed-in dining room, Irish and international influences are deftly combined. Pros: the sea is everywhere; great spa and pool; up the road from the wonderful Ardmore Pottery shop. Cons: quite pricey for the region; often have two-day minimums in summer; younger staff still learning their trade. | Ardmore,Co. Waterford | 024/87800 | www.thecliffhousehotel.com | 24 rooms, 15 suites | In-room: refrigerator, Wi-Fi. In-hotel: a/c, restaurant, bar, pool, gym, spa, Wi-Fi hotspot | AE, DC, MC, V.

SHOPPING IN ARDMORE

Ardmore Pottery & Craft Gallery (The Cliff | 024/94152 | www.ardmorepottery.com), home to potter Mary Lincoln, is one of the most beloved, creative, and cleverly stocked craft shops in the country, with anything from Alan Ardiff gold jewelry to Veronica Molloy’s famed homemade jams. You can even watch Mary at work at the wheel and purchase some of her own beautiful, delicate but simple designs.

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“It’s a long way to Tipperary…” So run the words of that famed song sung all over the world since World War I. Actually, Tipperary is not so far to go, considering that, as Ireland’s biggest inland county, it’s within easy striking distance of Waterford and Cork. Moving in from the coastline, you can travel through some of Ireland’s most lush pasturelands and to some of its most romantic sights, such as Lismore Castle. The Blackwater Valley is renowned for its beauty, peacefulness, and excellent fishing. Some of the finest racehorses in the world are raised in the fields of Tipperary, which is also the county where you can find the Rock of Cashel—the greatest group of monastic ruins in all Ireland.

LISMORE

20 km (13 mi) northwest of Dungarvan on N72.

Lismore is one of Ireland’s grandest places to get lost in. Popular with both anglers and romantics, the enchanting little town of Lismore is built on the banks of the Blackwater, a river famous for its trout and salmon. From the 7th to the 12th century it was an important monastic center, founded by St. Carthac (or Carthage), and it had one of the most renowned universities of its time. The village has two cathedrals: a soaring Roman Catholic one from the late 19th century and the Church of Ireland St. Carthage’s, which dates from 1633 and incorporates fragments of an earlier church. Glamour arrived in the form of the dukes of Devonshire, who built their Irish seat here, Lismore Castle (their main house is Chatsworth in England); in the 1940s, Fred Astaire, whose sister, Adele, had married Lord Charles Cavendish, younger son of the ninth duke, would bend the elbow at the town’s Madden’s Pub. There were darker interludes in the town’s history: Lismore was hard hit by the Great Famine of 1845 and its Famine Graveyard bears poignant witness. Other architectural jewels include a quaint library funded by Andrew Carnegie and the Ballysaggartmore “folly”—a Gothic-style gateway to a 19th-century house that was so costly the house itself was never erected.

Visitor Information: Lismore Tourist Office (Heritage Centre,Co. Waterford | 058/54975 | www.discoverlismore.com).

EXPLORING LISMORE

As you cross the bridge entering Lismore, take in the dramatic view of magnificent Lismore Castle, a vast, turreted, gray-stone building atop a rock that overhangs the River Blackwater. There has been a castle here since the 12th century, but the present structure, built by the sixth duke of Devonshire, dates from the mid-19th century. Today, the house remains the Irish estate of the Cavendish family and most of it is not open to the public (although you can call it your own for a very high rental fee). In 2007, however, an impressive new contemporary art gallery, designed by Cork architect Gareth O’Callaghan, opened in the west wing, perhaps a sign that the new duke, who inherited the family title in 2004, is intent on making his own mark. Happily, the upper and lower gardens, which consist of woodland walks, including an unusual yew walk said to be more than 800 years old (Edmund Spenser is said to have written parts of The Faerie Queene here), are open during certain months of the year. Comprising 7 acres set with 17th-century defensive walls, the gardens have an impressive display of magnolias, camellias, and shrubs, and are adorned with examples of contemporary sculpture. | 058/54424 | www.lismorecastle.com | €8 | Mid-Mar.–Sept., daily 11–4:45.

Almost the definitive example of an estate town, Lismore has in recent years taken the firm decision to project a pride of place linked with a deep sense of history. The Lismore Heritage Center in the former town courthouse lies at the core of the town, and its exhibits focus on the town’s Celtic origins and its links to many famous people from Sir Walter Raleigh to Prince Charles to Fred Astaire. An impressive video presentation on the history of the town from its monastic 7th-century origins up to the present day is shown. | The Old Courthouse | 058/54975 | www.discoverlismore.com | €6 | May–Oct., weekdays 9:30–5:30, Sat. 10–5, Sun. noon–5; Nov.–Apr., weekdays 9:30–5:30.

Mount Melleray Abbey was the first post-Reformation monastery, founded in 1832 by the Cistercian Order in what was then a barren mountainside wilderness. Over the years the order has transformed the site into more than 600 acres of fertile farmland. The monks maintain strict vows of silence, but you’re welcome to join in services throughout the day and are permitted into most areas of the abbey. It’s also possible to stay in the guest lodge by prior arrangement. If you’re heading into the Knockmealdown Mountains from Lismore, you can easily stop on the way at the abbey for a visit. There’s a small heritage center about the history of Irish monasticism with a few ogham stones and a short film. | South of Vee Gap, signposted off R669, 13 km (8 mi) from Lismore, | Cappoquin | 058/54404 | www.cappoquin.org/abbey.shtml | Free | Daily 8–8.

Leaving Lismore, heading east on N72 for 6½ km (4 mi) toward Cappoquin, a well-known angling center, you can pick up R669 north into the Knockmealdown Mountains.

Your route is signposted as the Vee Gap road, the Vee Gap being its summit, from where you’ll have superb views of the Tipperary plain, the Galtee Mountains in the northwest, and a peak called Slievenamon in the northeast. If the day is clear, you should be able to see the Rock of Cashel, ancient seat of the Kings of Munster, some 32 km (20 mi) away. Just before you enter the Vee Gap, look for a 6-foot-high mound of stones on the left side of the road. It marks the grave of Colonel Grubb, a local landowner who liked the view so much that he arranged to be buried here standing up so that he could look out over the scene for all eternity.

WHERE TO EAT AND STAY IN LISMORE

Richmond House.

$$ | IRISH | It’s been 300 years since the Earl of Cork and Burlington built this handsome country house and it still retains its imposing aura of courtly elegance. Today, happily, owners Claire and Paul Deevy give it a relaxed and welcoming touch. The public rooms, with log fires and traditional rust-and-cream decor, are reminiscent of a classic country hotel, although one graced with silver plate, a tapestry, and a stuffed owl. The pièce de résistance here, however, is the restaurant (reservations essential), where Paul and his small staff wow critics and diners alike. Famous for his warm asparagus wrapped in smoked salmon, he prides himself on using local game in season and fish from Helvic, Dunmore, and Ardmore, adding his personal flair. Triumphs include tian of fresh crabmeat with herbs, garden salad, and a chive mayonnaise, the spring roll with smoked duck breast, and the rabbit with black pudding. |Cappoquin,Co. Waterford | 058/54278 | www.richmondhouse.net | 9 rooms | In-room: no a/c. In-hotel: restaurant, bar | AE, DC, MC, V | Closed late Dec.–mid-Jan. | BP.

CAHIR

37 km (23 mi) north of Lismore, at crossroads of R668, N24, and N8.

Cahir (pronounce it “Care”) is a busy but easygoing market town with a pleasant Georgian square at its heart. It is built on the river Suir at the eastern end of the Galtee mountain range. The Suir is known for its good salmon and trout fishing, as is the Aherlow river which joins it above town.

Visitor Information: Cahir Tourist Office (Castle Car Park,Co. Tipperary | 052/614–1453).

Cahir Castle remains the unavoidable focal point of the town. Perched on a rocky island on the River Suir, it’s one of Ireland’s largest and best-preserved castles, retaining its dramatic keep, tower, and much of its original defensive structure. An audiovisual show and guided tour are available upon request. | 052/744–1011 | www.heritageireland.ie | €3 | Mid-Mar.–mid-June and Sept.–mid-Oct., daily 9:30–5:30; mid-June–Aug., daily 9–6:30; mid-Oct.–mid-Mar., daily 9:30–4:30; last entry 45 mins before closing.

Fodor’s Choice | Swiss Cottage is a dreamy relic from the days when Romanticism conquered 19th-century Ireland. A mile south of town on a particularly picturesque stretch of the River Suir, this “cottage orné” was probably designed by John Nash, one of the Regency period’s most fashionable architects. Half thatch-roof cottage, half mansion, bordered by verandas constructed of branched trees, it was a veritable theater set that allowed the lordly couple to fantasize about being “simple folk” (down to the fact that secret doorways were constructed to allow servants to bring drinks and food without being noticed). Inside, some of the earliest Dufour wallpapers printed in Paris charm the eye. The Cottage is signposted from the R670 along the Cahir to Ardfinnan road, or you can hike from Cahir Castle on a footpath along the enchanting river. In peak season, crowds can be fierce. | 052/744–1144 | www.heritageireland.ie | €3 | Mid-Apr.–mid-Oct., daily 10–6.

WHERE TO STAY IN CAHIR

Aherlow House.

$$$ | Built in 1928 to replace a house destroyed in Ireland’s Civil War, Aherlow started life as an old Tudor hunting lodge but is now a hotel blessed by its location. Set on the slopes of Sliabh na Muc (Mountain of the Pigs), it comes with its own private forest and incredible views of the magnificent Galtee Mountains and the ancient Glen of Aherlow. Inside, the decor is a mix of modern and antiques: lots of blank walls plus slightly overdone furnishings, such as cushion-laden four-posters and heavy curtains getting in the way of those special vistas out the windows. But the really special places to stay here are the luxury (three-bedroom) family lodges, replete with wraparound sun decks and big open fireplaces. The Treetop restaurant is a bright-red showplace for tempting dishes and has the best views in the whole place. Pros: rooms are big; families will love the lodges; stunning natural surroundings. Cons: popular with local weddings and parties; gets booked up summer weekends. | Glen of Aherlow, Co. Tipperary | 062/56153 | www.aherlowhouse.ie | 29 rooms | In-room: no a/c. In-hotel: restaurant, bar | MC, V | Closed Sun.–Thurs. during Jan.–Mar.

The Old Convent.

$$$ | A former convent run by the Sisters of Mercy dating back over 100 years, this prim and proper country house is situated in a spectacularly scenic location close to the Vee Gap in the Knockmealdown Mountains. A wonderfully tucked-away sanctuary, overlooking rolling fields, mountains, and the famous abundance of rhododendrons in spring months, this retreat has now been tastefully restored—in all senses of the word—by Christine and Dermot Gannon. Dermot’s well-established credentials as one of Ireland’s most innovative chefs are lovingly displayed in the restaurant (no lunch; no dinner Monday–Wednesday; reservations essential) and his special skills in fusing Irish and Far Eastern tastes result in winners like 20-hour slow-cooked Goodherdsmen organic beef; mozzarella popover with smoked salmon; and hot-buttered-rum baked brill with a crab, pea, and pistachio risotto, all offered on eight-course tasting menus. He also prides himself on artisanal foodstuffs, so you may well find yourself munching on Keating’s Baylough Cheese, Mrs. Fryday’s Lettuce, and Mrs. Houlihan’s Meringues. Upstairs, Georgian-style marble titles in the hallways, living rooms in restful shades of gray and fawn, chandeliers, and bold-hue accent pillows and original artworks lend life to the Victorian manse. Bedrooms have antique furniture, silk curtains, and large bathrooms. Book in advance, as The Old Convent lies almost equidistant from Cahir and Lismore, attracting overnighters from both popular destinations. Pros: passionate owner/manager couple; extra-comfortable mattresses; serenity of natural surroundings. Cons: a trek to the nearest town; not really ideal for kids. | Clogheen, Co. Tipperary | 052/746–5565 | www.theoldconvent.ie | 7 rooms | In-room: no a/c. In-hotel: restaurant | MC, V.

TIPPERARY TOWN

22 km (14 mi) northwest of Cahir on N24.

Tipperary Town, a dairy-farming center at the head of a fertile plain known as the Golden Vale, is a good starting point for climbing and walking in the hills around the Glen of Aherlow. The small country town, on the River Ara, is also worth visiting in its own right. In New Tipperary, a neighborhood built by local tenants during Ireland’s Land War (1890–91), buildings such as Dalton’s Heritage House have been restored; you can visit the Heritage House by calling the offices of Clann na Éireann. You can also visit the old Butter Market on Dillon Street; the Churchwell at the junction of Church, Emmet, and Dillon streets; and the grave of the grandfather of Robert Emmett—one of the most famous Irish patriots—in the graveyard at St. Mary’s Church. A statue of Charles Kickham, whose 19th-century novel The Homes of Tipperary chronicled the devastation of this county through forced emigration, has a place of honor in the center of town. Adjacent to Bridewell Jail on St. Michael’s Street is St. Michael’s Church, with its stained-glass window depicting a soldier killed during World War I.

Visitor Information: Tipperary Tourist Office (Mitchel St.,Co. Tipperary | 062/80520).

The Tipperary Excel (Mitchel St. | 062/80520 | www.tipperary-excel.com) arts and culture center contains the local tourist office and the Tipperary Family History research center—a top spot for all those hunting for their Irish roots.

CASHEL

17 km (11 mi) northeast of Tipperary Town on N74.

Cashel is a market town on the busy Cork–Dublin road, with a lengthy history as a center of royal and religious power. From roughly AD 370 until 1101, it was the seat of the Kings of Munster, and it was probably at one time a center of Druidic worship. Here, according to legend, St. Patrick arrived in about AD 432 and baptized King Aengus, who became Ireland’s first Christian ruler. One of the many legends associated with this event is that St. Patrick plucked a shamrock to explain the mystery of the Trinity, thus giving a new emblem to Christian Ireland. By car, Cashel is on the busy N8/M8 road between Dublin and Cork. The road has recently been upgraded to a motorway for nearly the entire length of the trip, but at the time of writing one 20-mi section still needs to be completed. Dublin is 162 km (100 mi) or 2 hours northeast of Cashel on the N8/M8 and N7/M7. Cork City is 97 km (60 mi) or 1 hour 11 minutes south of Cashel on the N8/M8 and the N74.

GETTING HERE

Bus Travel

Bus Éireann runs buses between Cashel and Cork (€11.70 one-way and 19.80 round-trip; 1 1/2 hours; eight daily) via Cahir (€3.90, 15 minutes) and Fermoy (€11.70, 1 hour 20 minutes). The bus stop for Cork is outside the Bake House on Main St. The Dublin stop (€11.70 one-way, €19.80 round-trip; 3 hours; six daily) is directly opposite. Tickets are available from the nearby Spar shop or you can buy them on the bus.

Train Travel

To head to the Rock of Cashel directly from Dublin many travelers opt to use the Irish Rail route that heads to the small town of Thurles and then take a 20-minute bus or taxi ride to Cashel.

Visitor Information: Cashel Tourist Office (Cashel Heritage Centre,Co. Tipperary | 062/62511 | www.cashel.ie).

EXPLORING CASHEL

The Rock of Cashel.

Seat of the Kings of Munster and the hallowed spot where St. Patrick first plucked a shamrock to explain the mystery of the Trinity, the Rock of Cashel is Ireland’s greatest group of ecclesiastical ruins. Standing in the middle of a sloped, treeless valley, the Rock’s titanic grandeur and majesty creates what one ancient scribe called “a fingerpost to Heaven.”

Today, the great limestone mass still rises 300 feet to command a panorama over all it surveys—fittingly, the name derives from the Irish caiseal, meaning “stone fort,” and this gives a good idea of the strategic importance of Cashel in days of yore.

For centuries, Cashel was known as the “city of the kings”—from the 5th century, the lords of Munster ruled over much of southern Ireland from here. In 1101, however, they handed Cashel over to the Christian fathers, and the rock soon became the center of the reform movement that reshaped the Irish Church. Along the way, the church fathers embarked on a centuries-long building campaign that resulted in the magnificent group of chapels, round towers, and walls you see at Cashel today.

Built in the 15th century—though topped with a modern reconstruction of a beautifully corbeled medieval ceiling—the Hall of the Vicar’s Choral was once the domain of the cathedral choristers. Located in the hall’s undercroft, the museum includes the original St. Patrick’s Cross.

The real showpiece of Cashel is Cormac’s Chapel, built in 1127 by Cormac McCarthy, King of Desmond and Bishop of Cashel. It is the finest example of Hiberno-Romanesque architecture. Preserved within the chapel is a splendid but broken sarcophagus, once believed to be Cormac’s final resting place. At the opposite end of the chapel is the nave, where you can look for wonderful medieval paintings now showing through old plasterwork.

With thick walls that attest to its origin as a fortress, the now roofless St. Patrick’s Cathedral is the largest building on the site. In The Choir, look for the noted Tomb of Myler McGrath. Note the tombs in the North Transept, whose carvings—of the apostles, other saints, and the Beasts of the Apocalypse—are remarkably detailed. The octagonal staircase turret that ascends the cathedral’s central tower leads to a series of defensive passages built into the thick walls—from the top of the tower, you’ll have wonderful views. At the center of the cathedral is the area known as The Crossing, a magnificently detailed arch where the four sections of the building come together.

Directly beyond the Rock’s main entrance is this 7-foot-tall High Cross, carved from one large block and resting upon what is said to have been the original coronation stone of the Munster kings. The cross was erected in St. Patrick’s honor to commemorate his famous visit to Cashel in 450. This cross is a faithfully rendered replica—the original now rests in the Rock’s museum.

As the oldest building on the Rock, the Round Tower rises 92 feet to command a panoramic view of the entire Vale of Tipperary. A constant lookout was posted here to warn of any advancing armies and food was always provisioned in the tower so as to outlast any prolonged siege.

The best approach to the rock is along the Bishop’s Walk, a 10-minute hike that begins outside the drawing room of the Cashel Palace hotel on Main Street in the town of Cashel, just to the south of the rock. | Rock of Cashel | 062/61437 | www.cashel.ie | €6 | Mid-Mar.–early June, daily 9:30–5:30; early June–mid-Sept., daily 9–7; mid-Sept.–mid-Oct., daily 9–5:30; mid-Oct.–mid-Mar., daily 9–4:30.

In the same building as the town TIO, the Cashel Heritage Centre explains the historic relationship between the town and the Rock and includes a scale model of Cashel as it looked during the 1600s. | City Hall, Main St. | 062/62511 | wwwcashel.ie | Free | Mar.–Oct., daily 9:30–5:50; Nov.–Feb., weekdays 9:30–5:30.

The G. P. A. Bolton Library, on the grounds of the St. John the Baptist Church of Ireland Cathedral, has a particularly fine collection of rare books, manuscripts, and maps, some of which date from the beginning of the age of printing in Europe. | John St. | 062/61944 | €2 | Mon.–Thurs. 10–2:30.

WHERE TO EAT AND STAY IN CASHEL

Chez Hans.

$$$$ | MODERN IRISH | It’s rather fitting that this restaurant is in a converted church, as it’s become something of a foodies’ shrine. Gourmands travel from Dublin and Cork to get their fix of chef Jason Matthia’s cuisine, which is contemporary with a hint of nouvelle. He works wonders with fresh Irish ingredients, especially seafood. The cassoulet of seafood—half a dozen varieties of fish and shellfish with a delicate chive velouté—is legendary. Another specialty is panfried hake with prawns, lemon, coriander, and tomato. The atmosphere is wonderful, too, with dark wood and tapestries providing an elegant background for the white linen. | Moore La. | 062/61177 | Reservations essential | AE, DC, MC, V | Closed Sun. and Mon. and late Jan.–early Feb. No lunch.

Fodor’s Choice | Cashel Palace.

$$ | IRISH | Built in 1730 for archbishop Theophilus Bolton, this grand house truly is a palace in every sense. It was designed by Sir Edward Lovett Pearce, who also created the Old Parliament House in Dublin, and is gorgeously offset by parkland replete with fountains and centuries-old trees. Inside, red-pine paneling, barley-sugar staircases, Corinthian columns, and a surfeit of cosseting antiques all create an air of Georgian volupté. Guest rooms on the second floor are cozier, though not small. The coach house has also been converted into 10 smaller rooms. The Bishop’s Buttery restaurant relies on game in season, local lamb and beef, and fresh fish creatively prepared, and also serves simple, light meals all day; the linguini of seared prawns and crayfish is irresistible. Don’t miss the lovely gardens at the rear of the house, where you can see the descendants of the original hop plants used by Richard Guinis to brew the first “Wine of Ireland.” Guinis went on, with his son, Arthur, to found the Guinness Brewery in Dublin. Pros: glorious period main house; great strolling gardens; good restaurant. Cons: expensive for this region; popular for weddings; few in-room facilities. | Main St.,Co. Tipperary | 062/62707 | www.cashel-palace.ie | 21 rooms | In-room: no a/c. In-hotel: restaurant, bar, Wi-Fi hotspot | AE, DC, MC, V | BP.

Dundrum House Hotel.

$$–$$$ | Nestled beside the River Multeen, 12 km (7½ mi) outside busy Cashel, is this imposing, four-story 1730 Georgian house. Sixteen high-ceiling bedrooms take up the main house; the rest are in a three-story wing built during the house’s previous incarnation as a convent. Opened as a hotel in 1981 by Austin and Mary Crowe, the renovation of the manor house was substantial and sensitive. Although highly renovated, many of the older rooms have accent pieces of early Victorian furniture. A big plus: lovely views of the surrounding parkland. The old convent chapel, stained-glass windows intact, is now a cocktail bar. Elaborate plaster ceilings, attractive period furniture, and open fires make the spacious dining room and lounge inviting. The latest draw is a new, award-winning health and leisure club, along with an 18-hole championship golf course designed by Ryder Cup hero Philip Walton. There are also self-catering apartments and homes available on the grounds. Pros: good value for Georgian comfort; wonderful parkland views; lively cocktail bar. Cons: main house rooms superior to others; can get a bit noisy when full; attracts flush crowd. | Dundrum,Co. Tipperary | 062/71116 | www.dundrumhousehotel.com | 70 rooms, 16 holiday homes | In-room: no a/c. In-hotel: 2 restaurants, bars, golf course, pool, gym, Wi-Fi hotspot | MC, V | BP.

NIGHTLIFE AND THE ARTS IN CASHEL

You can enjoy folksinging, storytelling, and dancing from mid-June through September, Tuesday through Saturday, at the Bru Boru Centre (062/61122) at the foot of the Rock of Cashel. Entertainment usually begins at 7 PM and costs €20, €50 with dinner.

SPORTS AND THE OUTDOORS IN CASHEL

Gaelic Football and Hurling

About 20 km (12 mi) north of Cashel, Semple GAA Stadium (Thurles | 0504/22702 | tipperary.gaa.ie) is where major hurling and Gaelic football championships in the Southeast take place, as well as many exciting minor contests.

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The Southeast Through the Ages | Hurling: Fast and Furious

THE SOUTHEAST THROUGH THE AGES

The Southeast’s coastal and inland areas have long, interesting histories. The Kings of Munster had their ceremonial center on the Rock of Cashel, a vast, cathedral-top rock rising above the plain.

Legend has it that St. Patrick converted the High King of Ireland to Christianity here. In the 7th century, Cashel became an important monastic settlement and bishopric, and there were also thriving early Christian monasteries at Kilkenny, Ardmore, and Lismore.

But the quiet life of Christian Ireland was disrupted from the 9th century onward by a series of Viking invasions.

Liking what they found here—a pleasant climate, rich, easily cultivated land, and a series of sheltered harbors—the Vikings stayed on, founding the towns of Wexford and Waterford. (Waterford’s name comes from the Norse Vadrefjord, Wexford’s from Waesfjord.)

But less than two centuries later, the Southeast was the location of the most significant turning point in Ireland’s recorded history.

In 1169 the Normans (who had conquered England a hundred years before) landed at Bannow Bay in County Wexford. It was the beginning of what Irish patriots commonly describe as “800 years of English oppression.”

The English were invited into Ireland by the former king of Leinster, Dermot MacMurrough, who hoped to regain his crown with the help of the Norman earl, Richard FitzGilbert de Clare, famously known as “Strongbow.” To seal their pact, Dermot’s daughter Aoife married Strongbow.

It was symbolic of the way that the Normans, once they had conquered the country, integrated into Irish life. It wasn’t long before the Normans were described as being “more Irish than the Irish themselves.”

To this day, reminders of the Norman influence on Ireland remain strongest in the Southeast.

Norman surnames are the most obvious indicator of the region’s history, as names like Butler, Fitzgerald, Roche, and Fitzmaurice are all commonplace hereabouts. The architectural legacy of the Normans is also easy to spot in this part of Ireland.

The streetscapes of Kilkenny, Wexford, and Waterford cities owe their origins to the Normans. Travel the rural side roads of the region and it won’t be long before you come across the ruins of a Norman castle, or “keep.”

Some are used to house animals or hay, while the best preserved are those that were integrated into later medieval or Georgian structures.

The Anglo-Normans and the Irish chieftains soon started to intermarry, but the process of integration came to a halt in 1366 with the Statutes of Kilkenny, based on English fears that if such intermingling continued they would lose whatever control over Ireland they had.

Oliver Cromwell’s Irish campaign of 1650, attempted to crush Catholic opposition to the English parliament, brought widespread woe, as did the failed, bloody rebellion of 1798, which centered on Wicklow and Wexford.

HURLING: FAST AND FURIOUS

Get chatting with the locals in almost any pub across the Southeast, mention the sport of hurling, and an enthusiastic and often passionate conversation is bound to ensue. The region is the heartland of this ancient sport, whose followers have an almost religious obsession with the game.

Hurling is a kind of aerial field hockey with players wielding curved sticks. Its history comes from Ireland’s Celtic ancestors, but it bears about the same relation to field hockey as ice hockey does to roller-skating. It’s no accident that prowess on the hurling field is regarded as a supreme qualification for election to public office. A man who succeeds at hurling is eminently capable of dealing with anything that fate and the spite of other politicians can throw at him. Hurling is also an extremely skillful sport. A player must have excellent hand-eye coordination combined with an ability to run at high speeds while balancing a small golf-ball-size ball on his camán (hurling stick). Fans will proudly tell you it’s also the world’s fastest team sport.

Ireland’s other chief sporting pastimes, including soccer and hurling’s cousin, Gaelic football, take a backseat in this part of the country. Stars like Kilkenny’s Henry Shefflin, rather than professional soccer players, are sporting icons for local kids. Counties Tipperary, Wexford, and Waterford are among the top teams in the region, but Kilkenny (nicknamed “The Cats”) is currently the undisputed top team in the country. It has won the last three All-Ireland hurling championships and is considered one of the best teams in history.

There’s an intense rivalry between the counties, especially between old foes Tipperary and Kilkenny. When it gets down to club level, passions run even higher. Almost every parish in the region has a hurling club, and a quick inquiry with locals will usually be enough to find out when the next game is on. Even for the uninitiated, hurling is a great spectator sport. Sporty types wishing to give it a go, be warned; it’s fast, furious, and entails more than a hint of danger, as players flail the air to capture the bullet-fast sliotar (hurling ball).

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Main Table of Contents

Getting Here and Around

Essentials

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By Air | By Boat | By Bus | By Car | By Train

BY AIR

Flying time to Ireland is 6½ hours from New York, 7½ hours from Chicago, 10 hours from Los Angeles, and 1 hour from London.

Flying into Ireland involves few hassles, although an increase in traffic in the last decade has caused a slight increase in flight delays and time spent waiting for baggage to clear customs. Flights within Ireland tend to be filled with business travelers. Increased competition on internal routes has led internal flights to be competitive with rail travel if you can travel outside peak business hours. However, given problems with passenger numbers and long lines for security clearance at Dublin Airport, rail is often preferable.

Checking in and boarding an outbound plane tends to be civilized. Security is professional but not overbearing, and airport staffers are usually helpful and patient. In the busy summer season lines can get long, and you should play it safe and arrive a couple of hours before your flight.

Airlines and Airports: Airline and Airport Links.com (www.airlineandairportlinks.com) has links to many of the world’s airlines and airports.

Airline Security Issues: Transportation Security Administration (www.tsa.gov) has answers for almost every question that might come up.

AIRPORTS

The major gateways to Ireland are Dublin Airport (DUB) on the east coast, 10 km (6 mi) north of the city center, and Shannon Airport (SNN) on the west coast, 25 km (16 mi) west of Limerick. Two airports serve Belfast: Belfast International Airport (BFS) at Aldergrove, 24 km (15 mi) from the city, handles local and U.K. flights, as well as all other international traffic; Belfast City Airport (BHD), 6½ km (4 mi) from the city, handles local and U.K. flights only. In addition, the City of Derry Airport (LDY) receives flights from Dublin and Manchester, Liverpool, East Midlands, and Glasgow in the United Kingdom. If you plan to visit mainly the Southwest of Ireland, use Cork Airport (ORK), which handles flights from Dublin and the U.K., and has daily direct flights from Paris, Malaga, and Rome.

Airport Information: City of Derry Airport (028/7181–0784 | www.cityofderryairport.com). Cork Airport (021/431–3131 | www.corkairport.com). Dublin Airport (01/814–1111 | www.dublinairport.com). George Best Belfast City Airport (028/9093–9093 | www.belfastcityairport.com). Belfast International Airport at Aldergrove (028/9448–4848 | www.belfastairport.com). Shannon Airport (061/712–000 | www.shannonairport.com).

FLIGHTS

From North America and the United Kingdom, Aer Lingus, the national flag carrier, has the greatest number of direct flights to Ireland.

Aer Lingus operates regularly scheduled flights to Shannon and/or Dublin from New York’s JFK (John F. Kennedy Airport), Chicago’s O’Hare, Boston, Washington D.C., San Francisco, and Orlando. Delta has a daily departure from New York’s JFK that flies first to Shannon and then to Dublin. Continental flies daily direct to Dublin, Shannon and Belfast, departing from Newark Liberty International Airport in New Jersey. With the exception of special offers, the prices of the three airlines tend to be similar. London to Dublin is one of the world’s busiest international air routes. Aer Lingus, British Airways, British Midlands, and CityJet all have several daily flights. Ryanair—famous for its cheap, no-frills service—offers several daily flights from London Gatwick, Luton, and Stansted airports, while its low-cost rival, EasyJet, flies to many of these same destinations. With such healthy competition, bargains abound. British Airways, BMI, andEasyJet offer regularly scheduled flights to Belfast from London Gatwick, Luton, and Stansted airports.

Within Ireland, Aer Lingus provides service to Dublin, Cork, Galway, Kerry, and Shannon. Aer Arann Express flies from Dublin to Cork, Derry, Donegal, Galway, Knock, and Sligo. British Airways has daily service between Dublin and Derry.

As for telephoning these carriers, keep in mind: if you are dialing the Aer Arann number (for instance) within the Republic of Ireland you must put a zero before the 1844, making it 01/844–7700, a Dublin number; if you are dialing from outside Ireland it is country code +353, then drop the zero and dial 1844, etc.; in the Republic of Ireland, you do not, of course, dial the 353.

Airline Contacts: Aer Arann (0800/587–2324, 353/1844–7700 in Republic of Ireland | www.aerarann.com). Aer Lingus (800/474–7424 | www.aerlingus.com). American Airlines (800/433–7300 | www.aa.com). BMI (0870/607–0555 | www.flybmi.com). British Airways (800/147–9297 | www.ba.com). Continental Airlines (800/231–0856 | www.continental.com). Delta Airlines (800/221–1212 | www.delta.com). EasyJet (www.easyjet.com). Ryanair (www.ryanair.com).

BY BOAT

TO AND FROM IRELAND

The ferry is a convenient way to travel between Ireland and elsewhere in Europe, particularly the United Kingdom. There are five main ferry ports to Ireland; four in the republic at Dublin Port, Dun Laoghaire, Rosslare and Cork, and two in Northern Ireland at Belfast and Larne. The cost of your trip can vary substantially, so spend time with a travel agent and compare prices carefully. Bear in mind, too, that flying can be cheaper, so look into all types of transportation before booking.

Irish Ferries operates the Ulysses, the world’s largest car ferry, on its Dublin to Holyhead, Wales, route (3 hrs, 15 mins); there’s also a swift service (1 hr, 50 mins) between these two ports. There are several trips daily. The company also runs between Rosslare and Pembroke, Wales (3 hrs, 45 mins), and has service to France. Stena Line sails several times a day between Dublin and Holyhead (3 hrs, 15 mins) and has swift service to Dun Laoghaire (2 hrs). The company also runs a fast craft (2 hrs) and a superferry (3 hrs) between Belfast and Stranraer, Scotland, as well as a fast craft (2 hrs) between Rosslare and Fishguard, Wales. There are several trips daily on both routes. The Fastnet Line sails a cruise ferry between Cork and Swansea (10 hrs) with at least five sailings a week. Swansea is on the M4 motorway, and the crossing saves about 600 km (375 mi) driving, compared to traveling to Cork from Fishguard or Pembroke Dock via Rosslare.

Norfolk Line offers a Dublin and Belfast to Liverpool service (8 hrs). P&O Irish Sea vessels run between Larne and Troon, Scotland (2 hrs), a couple of times a day. The company also sails from Dublin to Liverpool twice daily (8 hrs) with a choice of daytime or overnight sailings.

WITHIN IRELAND

There are regular services to the Aran Islands from Rossaveal in County Galway, and Doolin in County Clare. Ferries also sail to Inishbofin off the Galway coast and Arranmore off the Donegal coast, and to Bere, Whiddy, Sherkin, and Cape Clear Islands off the coast of County Cork. Bere and Whiddy have a car ferry, but the other islands are all small enough to explore on foot, so the ferries are for foot passengers and bicycles only. Other islands—the Blaskets and the Skelligs in Kerry, Rathlin in Antrim, and Tory, off the Donegal coast—have seasonal ferry services running daily between May and September, less frequently outside these months. Fáilte Ireland publishes a free guide and map with ferry details, Ireland’s Islands, or see www.irelandsislands.com. Alternatively, check with the nearest Tourist Information Office near the time of your visit, or see www.discoverireland.ie. Boating the Shannon River system is an appealing alternative to traveling overland. In some places bicycles can be rented so you can drop anchor and explore. See the Getting Here sections in the various regional towns and cities for other ferry routes.

FARES AND SCHEDULES

You can get schedules and purchase tickets, with a credit card if you like, directly from the ferry lines. You can also pick up tickets at Dublin tourism offices and at any major travel agent in Ireland or the United Kingdom. Payment must be made in the currency of the country of the port of departure. Bad weather can delay or cancel ferry sailings so it’s always a good idea to call before departing for the port.

Information: Fastnet Line (0844/544–3323 in Ireland, 0844/544–3323 in U.K. | www.fastnetline.com). Irish Ferries (1890/313–131 in Ireland, 08705/171–717 in U.K., 0143/944–694 in France | www.irishferries.com). Norfolk Line (01/819–2999 in Ireland, 0844/499–0007 in U.K. | www.norfolkline.com). P&O Irish Sea (1800/409–049 in Ireland, 0871/664–4999 in U.K. | www.poirishsea.com). Stena Line (01/204–7777 in Ireland, 028/9074–7747 in Northern Ireland, 08705/707–070 in U.K. | www.stenaline.co.uk).

Boat Travel on the Shannon: Carrickcraft (Lurgan | 028/3834–4993 | www.cruise-ireland.com). Emerald Star (Connaught Harbor, | Portumna | 071/962–7633 | www.emeraldstar.ie). Riversdale Barge Holidays (Ballinamore | 071/964–4122 | www.riversdalebargeholidays.com). Shannon Castle Line (Williamstown Harbor, | Whitegate | 061/927–042 | www.shannoncruisers.com). Silver Line Cruisers (The Marina, | Banagher | 0509/51112 | www.silverlinecruisers.com). Waveline Cruisers (Quigley’s Marina, Killinure Point, | Glassan | 0906/485–711 | www.waveline.ie).

BY BUS

In the Republic of Ireland, long-distance bus services are operated by Bus Éireann, which also provides local service in Cork, Galway, Limerick, and Waterford. There’s only one class, and prices are similar for all seats. Note, though, that outside of the peak season, services are limited; some routes (e.g., Ring of Kerry) disappear altogether.

A new chapter in Bus Éireann service opened several years ago with the addition of their Expressway service. Expressway buses go directly, in the straightest available line, from one biggish town to another, and stop at a limited number of designated places only. There’s sometimes only one trip a day on express routes. Their other divisions comprised commuter buses, as in the rest of the world, and then a kind of community service bus that rambles around the countryside passing through as many villages as possible, and stopping whereever anyone wants to get on or off, allowing as many people as possible to get to the nearest big town at least once a week. This used to be the only kind of bus service 30 years ago, which is why Bus Éireann so proudly trumpets their Expressway network.

Rural bus services shut down at around 7 or 8 PM. To ensure that a bus journey is feasible, buy a copy of Bus Éireann’s timetable—€3 from any bus terminal—or check online. Many of the destination indicators are in Irish (Gaelic), so make sure you get on the right bus.

Numerous bus companies run between Britain and the Irish Republic, but be ready for long hours on the road and possible delays. All use either the Holyhead–Dublin or Fishguard/Pembroke–Rosslare ferry routes. Eurolines, a subsidiary of National Express, the British bus company, has services from all major British cities to more than 90 Irish destinations. Buses are cheap but slow: the journey from London to Galway takes around 17 hours.

In Northern Ireland, all buses are operated by the state-owned Ulsterbus. Service is generally good, with particularly useful links to those towns not served by train. Ulsterbus also offers tours. Buses to Belfast run from London and from Birmingham, making the Stranraer–Port of Belfast crossing. Contact National Express for that specific route.

Check with the bus office to see if reservations are accepted for your route; if not, show up early to get a seat. Note: prepaid tickets don’t apply to a particular bus time, just a route, so if one vehicle is full you can try another. You can buy tickets online, or at the main tourist offices, at the bus station, or on the bus (though it’s cash only for the latter option). A round-trip from Dublin to Cork costs €22 and Dublin to Galway return is €19.

You can save money by buying a multiday pass, some of which can be combined with rail service. There are also cost-cutting passes that will give access to travel in both Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland. An iLink Card costs £55 for seven days’ unlimited bus and rail travel in all parts of Northern Ireland—a really good deal when you consider that a one-day ticket costs £15. In the republic, passes include the Irish Explorer Rail and Bus Pass, which gives you eight days’ bus travel out of 15 consecutive days for €245. The bus-only Irish Rover Card costs €190 for eight days’ travel out of 15 consecutive days across both Northern Ireland and the republic. Contact Bus Éireann or Ulsterbus for details.

An Irish Rover bus ticket from Ulsterbus covers Ireland, north and south, and costs £56 for 3 days, £127 for 8, and £188 for 15. It also includes city center bus travel in Cork, Waterford, Limerick, Galway, and on the Metro services in Belfast—but not Dublin.

Bus Information: Bus Éireann (01/836–6111 in Republic of Ireland | www.buseireann.ie). Eurolines (08717/818–181 in U.K. | www.eurolines.co.uk). Ulsterbus (028/9033–3000 in Northern Ireland | www.ulsterbus.co.uk).

BY CAR

U.S. driver’s licenses are recognized in Ireland.

Roads in the Irish Republic are generally good, though four-lane highways, or motorways, are the exception rather than the rule. In addition, many roads twist and wind their way up and down hills and through towns, which can slow you down. On small, rural roads, watch out for cattle and sheep; they may be just around the next bend. Reckless drivers (surveys says that Irish drivers are among the worst) are also a problem in the countryside, so remain cautious and alert. Road signs in the republic are generally in both Irish (Gaelic) and English; destinations in which Irish is the spoken language are signposted only in Irish. The most important one to know is An Daingean, which is now the official name of Dingle Town. It is best to get a good, bilingual road map. Knowing the name of the next town on your itinerary is more important than knowing the route number: neither the small local signposts nor the local people refer to roads by official numbers. Traffic signs are the same as in the rest of Europe, and roadway markings are standard. On the new green signposts in the republic distances are in kilometers; on some of the old white signposts they’re still miles, but the majority of signposts are in kilometers. Most importantly, remember that speed limits are signposted in the republic (but not in Northern Ireland) in kilometers.

There are no border checkpoints between the republic and Northern Ireland, where the road network is excellent and, outside Belfast, uncrowded. Road signs and traffic regulations conform to the British system.

All ferries on both principal routes to the Irish Republic take cars. Fishguard and Pembroke are relatively easy to reach by road. The car trip to Holyhead, on the other hand, is sometimes difficult: delays on the A55 North Wales coastal road aren’t unusual. Car ferries to Belfast leave from the Scottish port of Stranraer and the English city of Liverpool; those to Larne leave from Stranraer and Cairnryan. Speed limits are generally 95 to 100 KPH (roughly 60 to 70 MPH) on the motorways, 80 KPH (50 MPH) on other roads, and 50 KPH (30 MPH) in towns.

Gasoline

You can find gas stations along most roads. Self-service is the norm. Major credit cards and traveler’s checks are usually accepted. Prices are near the lower end for Europe, with unleaded gas priced around €1.25 in Ireland and £1.12 a liter in Northern Ireland—gasoline prices in the United States are a bit more than half the price in Ireland. Prices vary significantly from station to station, so it’s worth driving around the block.

Road Conditions

Most roads are paved and make for easy travel. Roads are classified as M, N, or R: those designated with an M for “motorway” are double-lane divided highways with paved shoulders; N, or national, routes are generally undivided highways with shoulders; and R, or regional, roads tend to be narrow and twisty.

Rush hour traffic in Dublin, Cork, Limerick, Belfast, and Galway can be intense. Rush hours in Dublin run 7 AM to 9:30 AM and 5 PM to 7 PM; special events such as football (soccer) games will also tie up traffic in and around the city as will heavy rain.

Roadside Emergencies

Membership in an emergency car service is a good idea if you’re using your own vehicle in Ireland. The Automobile Association of Ireland is a sister organization of its English counterpart and is highly recommended. Note that the AA can help you or your vehicle only if you are a member of the association. If not, contact your car-rental company for assistance. If involved in an accident you should note the details of the vehicle and the driver and witnesses and report the incident to a member of the Garda Síochána (the Irish Police) or the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) as soon as possible. Since traffic congestion is chronic in Dublin, emergency services are more likely to be dispatched quickly to help you and to clear the road. If your car does break down, if at all possible try to stop it in a well-lighted area near a public phone. If you’re on a secondary or minor road, remain in your car with the doors locked after you call for assistance. If you break down on the motorway, you should pull onto the hard shoulder and stay out of your car with the passenger side door open and the other doors locked. This will allow you to jump into the car quickly if you sense any trouble. Make sure you check credentials of anyone who offers assistance—note the license-plate number and color of the assisting vehicle before you step out of the car.

Emergency Services: An Garda Síochána (Police) (112 or 999 | www.garda.ie). Automobile Association of Ireland (01/617–9999 in Ireland, 0800/887–766 in Northern Ireland, 08457/887–766 from cell phone in Northern Ireland | www.aaireland.ie;www.theaa.com for Northern Ireland). Police Service of Northern Ireland (999 | www.psni.police.uk).

Rules of the Road

The Irish, like the British, drive on the left-hand side of the road in whatever direction they are headed (not, as in America, on the right-hand side). Safety belts must be worn by the driver and all passengers, and children under 12 must travel in the back unless riding in a car seat. It’s compulsory for motorcyclists and their passengers to wear helmets. Speed limits in Ireland are posted in kilometers per hour and in Northern Ireland in miles per hour, so if crossing the border be sure to make the adjustment. In towns and cities the speed limit is 50 KPH (31 MPH). On Regional (R) and Local (L) roads, the speed limit is 80 KPH (50 MPH), indicated by white signs. On National (N) roads, the speed limit is 100 KPH (62 MPH), indicated by green signs. On Motorways (M), the speed limit is 120 KPH (74 MPH), indicated by blue signs.

Drunk-driving laws are strict. The legal limit is 80 mg of alcohol per 100 ml of blood. Ireland has a Breathalyzer test, which the police can administer anytime. If you refuse to take it, the odds are you’ll be prosecuted anyway. As always, the best advice is don’t drink if you plan to drive.

Speed cameras and radar are used throughout Ireland. Speeding carries an on-the-spot fine of €80 and if the Gardaí (police) charges you with excessive speeding you could be summoned to court. This carries a much higher fine and you will be summoned within six months (meaning you could be required to return to Ireland).

Note that a continuous white line down the center of the road prohibits passing. Barred markings on the road and flashing yellow beacons indicate a crossing, where pedestrians have right of way. At a junction of two roads of equal importance, the driver to the right has right of way. On a roundabout, vehicles approaching from the right have right of way. Also, remember there are no left turns permitted on a red light. If another motorist flashes their headlights at you, they are not warning of a speed trap ahead, they are giving you right of way.

Despite the relatively light traffic, parking in towns can be a problem. Signs with the letter P indicate that parking is permitted; a stroke through the P warns you to stay away or you’ll be liable for a fine of €20–€65; however, if your car gets towed away or clamped, the fine is around €180. In Dublin and Cork, parking lots are your best bet, but check the rate first in Dublin; they vary wildly.

In Northern Ireland there are plenty of parking lots in the towns (usually free except in Belfast), and you should use them. In Belfast, you can’t park your car in some parts of the city center, more because of congestion than security problems.

BY TRAIN

The republic’s Irish Rail trains are generally reliable, reasonably priced, and comfortable. You can easily reach all the principal towns from Dublin, though services between provincial cities are roundabout. To get to Cork City from Wexford, for example, you have to go via Limerick Junction. It’s often quicker, though perhaps less comfortable, to take a bus. Most mainline trains have one standard class. Round-trip tickets are usually cheapest. Visitors aged 66 and over are entitled to free rail travel on all rail routes, including intercity, Dublin Area Rapid Transport (Dart), and commuter trains. You can access the scheme on the Fáitle Ireland Web site before arriving to arrange for a Golden Trekker reservation, or once in Ireland, by visiting any Fáilte Ireland Tourist Information Office. Tickets are issued in blocks of four days, giving unlimited rail travel during that time, a saving on the normal rate of about €100. These tickets are not valid in Northern Ireland.

Northern Ireland Railways has three main rail routes, all operating out of Belfast’s Central Station. These are north to Derry, via Ballymena and Coleraine; east to Bangor along the shores of Belfast Lough; and south to Dublin and the Irish Republic. Note that Eurail Passes aren’t valid in Northern Ireland.

You should plan to be at the train station at least 30 minutes before your train departs to ensure you’ll get a seat. It’s not uncommon on busier routes to find that you have to stand since all seats have been sold and taken.

Ireland (excluding Northern Ireland) is one of 17 countries in which you can use an InterRail Pass, which provides unlimited rail travel in all of the participating countries for the duration of the pass. If you plan to rack up the miles, get a standard pass. These are available from Rail Europe (the company that services many of the passes listed here), for 15 days (£373), 21 days (£439), and one month (£560). In addition to standard Eurail Passes, ask about special rail-pass plans. Among these are the Eurail Youth Pass (for those under age 26), the Eurail Saver Pass (which gives a discount for two or more people traveling together), the EurailDrive Pass and the Eurail Select Pass ’n Drive (which combines travel by train and rental car). Whichever pass you choose, you must purchase your pass before you leave for Europe. For these passes, buy online from www.Eurail.com or through your travel agent.

The Irish Explorer Rail & Bus Pass covers all the state-run and national railways and bus lines throughout the republic. It does not apply to the North or to transportation within cities. An eight-day ticket for use on buses and trains during a 15-day period is €245. Irish Rail provides details on both (bus and rail) passes.

In Northern Ireland, the iLink Card entitling you to up to seven days’ unlimited travel on scheduled bus and rail services throughout Northern Ireland is available from main Northern Ireland Railways stations. It costs about £55 for adults (half price for children under 12 and senior citizens). InterRail tickets are also valid in Northern Ireland.

Train schedules are easy to obtain and available in a variety of formats. Irish Rail and Northern Ireland Railways have Web sites that produce a schedule in response to your input of an itinerary. Alternatively you can visit any train station to obtain a printed schedule or call either company’s customer service line.

Sample fares? A return ticket from Dublin to Cork will cost around €60; Dublin to Belfast is approximately €55. Considerable savings can be made by booking online where off-peak tickets are sold for as little as €10 each way on most long journeys.

Tickets can be purchased online or at the train station. Cash, traveler’s checks, and credit-card payments are accepted. You must pay in the local currency. Dublin, Connolly, and Heuston stations have automated ticket machines that take either cash or credit-card payments, offering a convenient way to avoid long lines at ticket windows.

Many travelers assume that rail passes guarantee them seats on the trains they wish to ride. Not so. You need to book seats ahead even if you’re using a rail pass. Seat reservations are required on some European trains, particularly high-speed trains, and are a good idea on trains that may be crowded—particularly in summer on popular routes. You’ll also need a reservation if you purchase sleeping accommodations.

There’s only one class of train travel in Ireland (with the exception of the Enterprise, the express train that travels from Dublin to Belfast, for which you can purchase a First Class or Standard Class ticket, and the Dublin to Cork train). All tickets bought online on the Cork–Dublin train include a seat reservation. Otherwise, specific seat reservations can be made only for trains deemed to be busy (ask when buying your ticket if they’re taking reservations for your route). For example, the train traveling from Dublin to Cork on a Friday evening is considered a peak time, thanks to all the students and business travelers heading home for the weekend, and it would be advisable to have a seat reservation, and to board the train early. At peak hours and for popular routes, it’s advisable to arrive early at the station to purchase your ticket (or buy it online) or you may find yourself standing for a significant portion of your journey.

Information and Passes: Eurail (www.eurail.com). Fáilte Ireland (www.discoverireland.com).

Train Information: Irish Rail (Iarnrod Éireann | 01/836–6222 | www.irishrail.ie). Northern Ireland Railways (028/9089–9411 | www.translink.co.uk).

Train Station Information: Belfast Central Station (East Bridge St., | Belfast | 028/9089–9400 | www.translink.co.uk). Connolly Station (Amiens St., | Dublin | 01/703–2358 | www.irishrail.ie). Galway Station (Station Rd., | Galway | 091/564–222 | www.irishrail.ie). Heuston Station (Dublin | 8 | 01/703–3299 | www.irishrail.ie). Kent Station (Lower Glanmire Rd., | Cork | 021/450–6766 | www.irishrail.ie).

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Previous Chapter | Contents

Essentials | Accommodations | Communications | Customs and Duties | Eating Out | Electricity | Emergencies | Guided Tours | Hours of Operation | Language Do’s and Taboos | Mail | Money | Packing | Passports | Rental Cars | Restrooms | Taxes | Time | Tipping | Visitor Information

ESSENTIALS

ACCOMMODATIONS

From cottages to castles, Ireland has a vast range of accommodations. And while some of them rank among Europe’s prettiest and priciest, the recent economic downturn has meant one thing: bargains galore. One minute of research will uncover deals like two nights and a B&B with two dinners, all for about half of the full price, sometimes with a third night free. Many hotels have halved their prices since 2008, the height of the Celtic Tiger boom years. So remember to ask for a discount and see what they offer.

In Dublin and other cities, boutique hotels combine luxury with contemporary (and often truly Irish) design. Manors and castles offer a unique combination of luxury and history. Less impressive, but equally charming, are the provincial inns and country hotels with simple but adequate facilities.

You can meet a wide cross section of Irish people by hopping from one bed-and-breakfast to the next, or you can keep to yourself for a week or two in a thatched cottage. B&Bs approved by Tourism Ireland display a green shamrock outside and are usually considered more reputable than unregistered ones. Hotels and other accommodations in Northern Ireland are similar to those in the Republic of Ireland.

Fáilte Ireland has a grading system and maintains a list of registered hotels, guesthouses, B&Bs, farmhouses, hostels, and campgrounds. For each accommodation, the list gives a maximum charge that can’t be exceeded without special authorization. Prices must be displayed in every room; if the hotel oversteps its limit, don’t hesitate to complain to the hotel manager and/or Fáilte Ireland.

The lodgings we list are the cream of the crop in each price category. We always list the facilities that are available, but we don’t specify whether they cost extra; when pricing accommodations, always ask what’s included and what costs extra. Lodgings are assigned price categories based on the range from their least-expensive standard double room at high season (excluding holidays) to the most expensive.

Most hotels and other lodgings require you to give your credit-card details before they will confirm your reservation. If you don’t feel comfortable e-mailing this information, ask if you can fax it (some places even prefer faxes). However you book, get confirmation in writing and have a copy of it handy when you check in.

Be sure you understand the hotel’s cancellation policy. Some places allow you to cancel without any kind of penalty—even if you prepaid to secure a discounted rate—if you cancel at least 24 hours in advance. Others require you to cancel a week in advance or penalize you the cost of one night. Small inns and B&Bs are most likely to require you to cancel far in advance. Most hotels allow children under a certain age to stay in their parents’ room at no extra charge, but others charge for them as extra adults; find out the cutoff age for discounts.

TIP Assume that hotels operate on the European Plan (EP, no meals) unless we specify that they use the Breakfast Plan (BP, with full breakfast), Continental Plan (CP, Continental breakfast), Full American Plan (FAP, all meals), Modified American Plan (MAP, breakfast and dinner) or are all-inclusive (AI, all meals and most activities).

APARTMENT AND HOUSE RENTALS

Local Agents: Bord Fáilte (01/602–4000 | www.discoverireland.ie).

Days Serviced Apartments (01/639–1100 | www.apartments-dublin.com).

ONLINE BOOKING RESOURCES

Contacts: At Home Abroad (212/421–9165 | www.athomeabroadinc.com). Barclay International Group (516/364–0064 or 800/845–6636 | www.barclayweb.com). Drawbridge to Europe (541/482–7778 or 888/268–1148 | www.drawbridgetoeurope.com). Hosted Villas (416/920–1873 or 800/374–6637 | www.hostedvillas.com). Interhome (954/791–8282 or 800/882–6864 | www.interhomeusa.com). Suzanne B. Cohen & Associates (207/622–0743 | www.villaeurope.com). Villanet (206/417–3444 or 800/964–1891 | www.rentavilla.com). Villas & Apartments Abroad (212/213–6435 or 800/433–3020 | www.vaanyc.com).Villas International (415/499–9490 or 800/221–2260 | www.villasintl.com). Villas of Distinction (707/778–1800 or 800/289–0900 | www.villasofdistinction.com). Wimco (800/449–1553 | www.wimco.com).

BED AND BREAKFASTS

B&Bs are classified as either town homes, country homes, or farmhouses. Many B&Bs now have at least one bedroom with a bathroom, but don’t expect this as a matter of course. The Irish farms that offer rooms by the week with partial or full board are more likely to be modern bungalows or undistinguished two-story houses than creeper-clad Georgian mansions. Room and part board—breakfast and an evening meal—starts at around €60 per person per night. Many travelers don’t bother booking a B&B in advance. They are so plentiful in rural areas that it’s often more fun to leave the decision open, allowing yourself a choice of final destinations for the night. However, if you have discerning taste and enjoy meeting a variety of pleasant characters, check out the places listed by Friendly Homes of Ireland. Long weekends are the exception to this rule, with B&Bs often getting booked up far in advance, so keep an eye on the calendar of local holidays.

To qualify as a guesthouse, establishments must have at least five bedrooms. Some guesthouses are above a bar or restaurant; others are part of a home. As a rule, they’re cheaper (some include an optional evening meal) and offer fewer amenities than hotels. But often that’s where the differences end. Most have high standards of cleanliness and hospitality, and most have a bathroom, a TV, and a direct-dial phone in each room. Premier Guesthouses are generally small inns, run by the owner, and hard to distinguish from hotels.

Local Services: Bed & Breakfast Association of Northern Ireland (28/4461–5542).Friendly Homes of Ireland (01/660–7975 | www.tourismresources.ie). Irish Farm Holidays (061/400–700 | www.irishfarmholidays.com). Town, Farm and Country Homes (B&B Ireland) (071/982–2222 | www.bandbireland.com). Premier Guesthouses (01/205–2826 | www.premierguesthouses.com).

CASTLES AND MANORS

Among the most magical experiences on an Irish vacation are stays at some of the country’s spectacular castle-hotels, such as Dromoland (Newmarket-on-Fergus), Ashford (Cong), and Castle Leslie (Glaslough). For directories to help you get to know the wide array of manor house and castle accommodations, including a goodly number of private country estates and castles, contact Ireland’s Blue Book of Country Houses & Restaurants, or Hidden Ireland.

Reservations Services: Hidden Ireland (98/66650 | www.hiddenireland.com). Ireland’s Blue Book (01/676–9914 | www.irelandsbluebook.com).

COTTAGES

Vacation cottages, which are usually in clusters, are rented by the week. Although often built in the traditional style, most have central heating and all the other modern conveniences. It’s essential to reserve in advance.

Reservations Services: Irish Cottage Holiday Homes Association (Bracken Court, Bracken Rd.,Sandyford, | Dublin | 8 | 01/205–2777 | www.irishcottageholidays.com). Northern Ireland Self-Catering Holidays Association (63 Somerton Rd.,North Belfast, | Belfast | BT15 4DD | 28/9077–6174 | www.nischa.com).

HOME EXCHANGES

With a direct home exchange you stay in someone else’s home while they stay in yours. Some outfits also deal with vacation homes, so you’re not actually staying in someone’s full-time residence, just their vacant weekend place.

Exchange Clubs: Home Exchange.com (800/877–8723 | www.homeexchange.com) ; $59.95 for a 1-year online listing. HomeLink International (800/638–3841 | www.homelink.org) ; $80 yearly for Web-only membership; $125 includes Web access and two catalogs. Intervac U.S.

(800/756–4663 | www.intervacus.com) ; $78.88 for Web-only membership; $126 includes Web access and a catalog.

HOSTELS

Hostels offer bare-bones lodging at low, low prices—often in shared dorm rooms with shared baths—to people of all ages, though the primary market is young travelers, especially students. Most hostels serve breakfast; dinner and/or shared cooking facilities may also be available. In some hostels you aren’t allowed to be in your room during the day, and there may be a curfew at night. Nevertheless, hostels provide a sense of community, with public rooms where travelers often gather to share stories. Many hostels are affiliated with Hostelling International (HI), an umbrella group of hostel associations with some 4,500 member properties in more than 70 countries. Other hostels are completely independent and may be nothing more than a really cheap hotel.

Membership in any HI association, open to travelers of all ages, allows you to stay in HI-affiliated hostels at member rates. One-year membership is about $28 for adults; hostels charge about $10–$30 per night. Members have priority if the hostel is full; they’re also eligible for discounts around the world, even on rail and bus travel in some countries.

Information: Hostelling International—USA (301/495–1240 | www.hiusa.org). Independent Holiday Hostels (01/836–4700 | www.hostels-ireland.com). Irish Youth Hostel Association (An Óige | 67 Mountjoy St.,North City Centre, | Dublin | 7 | 01/830–4555 | www.anoige.ie). Northern Ireland Hostelling International (22–32 Donegal Rd.,University Area, | Belfast | BT12 5JN | 28/9032–4733 | www.hini.org.uk).

HOTELS

Standard features in most hotels include private bath, two twin beds (you can usually ask for a king-size instead), TV (often with DVD), free parking, and no-smoking rooms. There’s usually no extra charge for these services. All hotels listed have private bath unless otherwise noted.

Information: Ireland Hotels Federation (01/808–4419 | www.irelandhotels.com). Northern Ireland Hotels Federation (28/9077–6635–0 | www.nihf.co.uk). Tourism Ireland (www.tourismireland.com).

COMMUNICATIONS

INTERNET

If you’re traveling with a laptop, carry a spare battery and adapter. Most laptops will work at both 120V and 220V, but you will need an adapter so the plug will fit in the socket. In the countryside, a surge protector is a good idea.

Going online is becoming routine in Dublin, thanks, in part, to the Wi-Fi hot spots—which allow you to make a wireless connection from your laptop onto a network—popping up across the city. Net House, an Internet café chain, has the most locations in the country, with nine in Dublin and one in Cork.

There are also many independent Internet cafés across the country. Prices vary from the low end in Dublin of €2.60 per hour to €5 per hour in smaller cities. There are also many Wi-Fi hot spots (not just focused on Internet users) throughout the country, such as the Insomnia Coffee/Sandwich Bar chain in Galway. Dublin Airport and Dun Laoghaire Harbor have facilities to access wireless connection to the Internet. Most hotels in cities and large towns now offer a Wi-Fi hotspot in the lobby or lounge. A Wi-Fi connection can cost about €9 for an hour or €22 for unlimited access within a 24-hour period. In most cases, however, Wi-Fi access is free if you are using the facilities of the hotel or café.

Contacts: Cybercafes (www.cybercafes.com) lists over 4,000 Internet cafés worldwide.

PHONES

The good news is that you can now make a direct-dial telephone call from virtually any point on earth. The bad news? You can’t always do so cheaply. Calling from a hotel is almost always the most expensive option; hotels usually add huge surcharges to all calls, particularly international ones. In some countries you can phone from call centers or even the post office. Calling cards usually keep costs to a minimum, but only if you purchase them locally. And then there are mobile phones (Fbelow), which are sometimes more prevalent—particularly in the developing world—than land lines; as expensive as mobile phone calls can be, they are still usually a much cheaper option than calling from your hotel.

Ireland’s telephone system is up to the standards of the United Kingdom and the United States. Direct-dialing is common; local phone numbers have five to eight digits. You can make international calls from most phones, and some cell phones also work here, depending on the carrier.

Do not make calls from your hotel room unless it’s absolutely necessary. Practically all hotels add 200% to 300% to the cost.

The country code for Ireland is 353; for Northern Ireland, which is part of the United Kingdom telephone system, it’s 44. The local area code for Northern Ireland is 028. However, when dialing Northern Ireland from the republic you can simply dial 048 without using the U.K. country code. When dialing an Irish number from abroad, drop the initial 0 from the local area code. The country code is 1 for the United States and Canada, 61 for Australia, 64 for New Zealand, and 44 for the United Kingdom.

Public pay phones can be found in street booths and in restaurants, hotels, bars, and shops, some of which display a sign saying YOU CAN PHONE FROM HERE. There are at least three models of pay phones; read the instructions or ask for assistance.

Calling Within Ireland

If the operator has to connect your call, it will cost at least one-third more than direct dial.

Directory Information: Republic of Ireland (11811 for directory inquiries in the republic and Northern Ireland, 11818 for U.K. and international numbers, 114 for operator assistance with international calls, 10 for operator assistance for calls in Ireland, Northern Ireland, and U.K.). Northern Ireland and the U.K. (192 for directory inquiries in Northern Ireland and U.K., 153 for international directory inquiries, which includes the republic, 155 for the international operator, 100 for operator assistance for calls in U.K. and Northern Ireland).

Public phones take either coins or cards, but not both. Card phones are rapidly replacing coin-operated phones, and are also cheaper. Phone cards can be bought at newsagents, convenience stores, and post offices in units of €5 upwards. It’s worth carrying one, especially in rural areas where coin-operated phones are a rarity. In the republic, €0.40 will buy you a three-minute local call; around €1.50 is needed for a three-minute long-distance call within the republic. In Northern Ireland, a local call costs 20p.

To make a local call, just dial the number direct. To make a long-distance call, dial the area code, then the number. The local code for Northern Ireland is 028, unless you’re dialing from the republic, in which case you dial 048 or 004428, followed by the eight-digit number.

Calling Outside Ireland

The country code for the United States is 1.

The international prefix from Ireland is 00. For calls to Great Britain (except Northern Ireland), dial 0044 before the exchange code, and drop the initial zero of the local code. For the United States and Canada dial 001, for Australia 0061, and for New Zealand 0064.

Access Codes: AT&T Direct (1800/550–000 from Republic of Ireland, 0500/890–011 from Northern Ireland). MCI WorldPhone (1800/551–001 from Republic of Ireland, 0800/890–222 from Northern Ireland using British Telecom [BT], 0500/890–222 using Cable & Wireless [C&W]). Sprint International Access (1800/552–001 from Republic of Ireland, 0800/890–877 from Northern Ireland using BT, 0500/890–877 using C&W).

Calling Cards

“Callcards” are sold in post offices and newsagents. These range in price from €5 to €30.

Mobile Phones

If you have a multiband phone (some countries use different frequencies than what’s used in the United States) and your service provider uses the world-standard GSM network (as do T-Mobile, Cingular, and Verizon), you can probably use your phone abroad. Roaming fees can be steep, however: 99¢ a minute is considered reasonable. And overseas you normally pay the toll charges for incoming calls. It’s almost always cheaper to send a text message than to make a call, since text messages have a very low set fee (often less than 5¢).

If you just want to make local calls, consider buying a new SIM card (note that your provider may have to unlock your phone for you to use a different SIM card) and a prepaid service plan in the destination. You’ll then have a local number and can make local calls at local rates. If your trip is extensive, you could also simply buy a new cell phone in your destination, as the initial cost will be offset over time.

TIP If you travel internationally frequently, save one of your old mobile phones or buy a cheap one on the Internet; ask your cell phone company to unlock it for you, and take it with you as a travel phone, buying a new SIM card with pay-as-you-go service in each destination.

Contacts: Cellular Abroad (800/287–5072 | www.cellularabroad.com) rents and sells GMS phones and sells SIM cards that work in many countries. Mobal (888/888–9162 | www.mobalrental.com) rents mobiles and sells GSM phones (starting at $49) that will operate in 140 countries. Per-call rates vary throughout the world. Planet Fone (888/988–4777 | www.planetfone.com) rents cell phones, but the per-minute rates are expensive.

CUSTOMS AND DUTIES

You’re always allowed to bring goods of a certain value back home without having to pay any duty or import tax. But there’s a limit on the amount of tobacco and liquor you can bring back duty-free, and some countries have separate limits for perfumes; for exact figures, check with your customs department. The values of so-called “duty-free” goods are included in these amounts. When you shop abroad, save all your receipts, as customs inspectors may ask to see them as well as the items you purchased. If the total value of your goods is more than the duty-free limit, you’ll have to pay a tax (most often a flat percentage) on the value of everything beyond that limit.

Duty-free allowances have been abolished for those traveling between countries in the EU. For goods purchased outside the EU, you may import duty-free: (1) 200 cigarettes or 100 cigarillos or 50 cigars or 250 grams of smoking tobacco; (2) 2 liters of wine, and either 1 liter of alcoholic drink over 22% volume or 2 liters of alcoholic drink under 22% volume (sparkling or fortified wine included); (3) 50 grams (60 ml) of perfume and ¼ liter of eau de toilette; and (4) other goods (including beer) to a value of €175 per person (€90 per person for travelers under 15 years of age).

Goods that cannot be freely imported to the Irish Republic include firearms, ammunition, explosives, indecent or obscene books and pictures, oral smokeless tobacco products, meat and meat products, poultry and poultry products. Plants and plant products (including shrubs, vegetables, fruit, bulbs, and seeds) can be imported from other countries within the EU only, provided they are eligible under the EU’s plant passport scheme. Domestic cats and dogs from outside the United Kingdom and live animals from outside Northern Ireland must be quarantined for six months, unless they are traveling under the EU’s Pet Travel Scheme.

Information in Ireland: Customs and Excise (Irish Life Building, 2nd fl., Middle Abbey St., | Dublin | 1 | 01/878–8811 | www.revenue.ie). HM Customs and Excise (Portcullis House,21 Cowbridge Rd. E, | Cardiff | CF11 9SS | 0845/010–9000, 0208/929–0152, 0208/929–6731, 0208/910–3602 complaints | www.hmce.gov.uk).

For details of the Pet Travel Scheme see (www.agriculture.gov.ie).

U.S. Information: U.S. Customs and Border Protection (www.cbp.gov).

EATING OUT

MEALS AND MEALTIMES

Unless otherwise noted, the restaurants listed in this guide are open daily for lunch and dinner.

No longer will you “enjoy” your favorite tipple in the blue haze of a smoke-filled pub. The Republic of Ireland became the first European country to ban smoking in all pubs and restaurants in March 2004. A smoking ban was introduced in Northern Ireland in 2007.

Breakfast is served from 7 to 10, lunch runs from 12:30 to 2:30, and dinners are usually mid-evening occasions.

Pubs are generally open Monday and Tuesday 10:30 AM–11:30 PM and Wednesday–Saturday 10:30 AM–12:30 AM. On Sunday, pubs are open 12:30 PM–11 PM or later on certain Sundays. All pubs close on Christmas Day and Good Friday, but hotel bars are open for guests.

Pubs in Northern Ireland are open 11:30 AM–11 PM Monday–Saturday and 12:30 PM–2:30 PM and 7 PM–10 PM on Sunday (note that Sunday openings are at the owner’s or manager’s discretion).

PAYING

Traveler’s checks and credit cards are widely accepted, although it’s cash-only at smaller pubs and takeout restaurants. Note that in Dublin, Southeast, and Southwest chapters prices are a few euros higher.

RESERVATIONS AND DRESS

Regardless of where you are, it’s a good idea to make a reservation if you can. In some places, it’s expected. We mention them specifically only when reservations are essential (there’s no other way you’ll ever get a table) or when they are not accepted. For popular restaurants, book as far ahead as you can (often 30 days), and reconfirm as soon as you arrive. (Large parties should always call ahead to check the reservations policy.) We mention dress only when men are required to wear a jacket or a jacket and tie.

WINES, BEER, AND SPIRITS

All types of alcoholic beverages are available in Ireland. Beer and wine are sold in shops and supermarkets, and you can get drinks “to go” at some bars, although at inflated prices. Stout (Guinness, Murphy’s, Beamish) is the Irish beer; whiskey comes in many brands, the most notable being Bushmills and Jameson, and is smoother and more blended than Scotch.

ELECTRICITY

The current in Ireland is 220 volts, 50 cycles alternating current (AC); wall outlets take plugs with three prongs.

Consider making a small investment in a universal adapter, which has several types of plugs in one lightweight, compact unit. Most laptops and mobile phone chargers are dual voltage (i.e., they operate equally well on 110 and 220 volts), so require only an adapter. These days the same is true of small appliances such as hair dryers. Always check labels and manufacturer instructions to be sure. Don’t use 110-volt outlets marked FOR SHAVERS ONLY for high-wattage appliances such as hair dryers.

Contacts: Steve Kropla’s Help for World Travelers (www.kropla.com) has information on electrical and telephone plugs around the world.

EMERGENCIES

The police force in the Republic of Ireland is called the Garda Síochána (“Guardians of the Peace,” in English), usually referred to as the Gardaí (pronounced gar-dee). The force is unarmed and is headed by a government-appointed commissioner, who is answerable to the Minister for Justice, who in turn is accountable to the Dáil (the Irish legislature). Easily identified by their fluorescent yellow blazers in winter, or, if weather permits in summer, by a dark blue shirt and peaked cap, the Gardaí are generally very helpful. They, and all other emergency forces, can be contacted by dialing 999 (in the Republic of Ireland, 112, the European standard, is also in use). These numbers will connect you with local police, ambulance, and fire services. You can expect a prompt response to your call. The Garda Síochána Web site provides contact information for local stations. In Northern Ireland the police force is the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI). They are distinguished by their dark blue coats and white shirts. They can be contacted by dialing 999 in Northern Ireland.

United States Embassy (42 Elgin Rd.,Ballsbridge, | Dublin | 4 | 01/668–7122 ). United States Consulate General (Danesfort House,223 Stranmills Rd., | Belfast | BT9 5GR | 028/9038–61009).

General Emergency Contacts: Ambulance, fire, police ( | 999 or 112). An Garda Síochána (www.garda.ie). Police Service of Northern Ireland (www.psni.police.uk).

GUIDED TOURS

Guided tours are a good option when you don’t want to do it all yourself. The companies below all offer tours to Ireland on a “land-only” basis. A “land-only” tour includes all your travel (by bus, in most cases) once you arrive in the destination country, but not necessarily your flights to your destination. And remember that you’ll be expected to tip your guide (in cash) at the end of the tour.

GENERAL TOURS

CIE Tours International is one of the biggest and longest-established (75 years) tour operators in the Irish market. They offer a selection of fully inclusive, escorted bus tours, or independent fly-drive vacations. An eight-day itinerary with car rental and confirmed hotel bookings starts at $607 per person, with two people traveling. The Heritage Tour is an eight-day bus tour, starting with two nights in Dublin, and taking in Bunratty Castle and Folk Park, Blarney Castle, the Cliffs of Moher, the Skellig Experience, and the lakes of Killarney, among other attractions, with accommodation in top hotels.

Myguideireland, a young company set up by three friends on their return to Ireland from living and working in Philadelphia, aims to create the best holiday experience by using enthusiastic local guides. A customized seven-day self-drive tour across Ireland starts from $478 per person, with two people traveling. The price includes six nights at a B&B, car rental, and toll-free calls to your vacation specialist. Escorted bus tours include the Irish Jaunt, which includes one day in Dublin, a drive to Blarney Castle via the Rock of Cashel, Killarney, the Ring of Kerry, and the Cliffs of Moher, and offers five days, four nights, five meals, and accommodation in superior hotels, and costs from $640 per person.

Contacts: CIE Tours International (1800/243–8687 | www.cietours.com). myguideireland (1800/255–9302 | www.myguideireland.com).

SPECIAL-INTEREST TOURS

Biking

Irish Cycling Safaris pioneered cycling holidays in Ireland, and offer easygoing to moderate cycling trips along rural back roads with luggage transfer and accommodation in small family-run hotels and guesthouses. A weeklong tour of the Beara Peninsula in County Cork costs €670 per person sharing. Tour groups are accompanied by a local guide who drives the support van. Alternatively, you can opt for a self-led tour that includes bike rental, itinerary, and prebooked accommodation, also €670 per person sharing.

Iron Donkey gets raves from Fodor’s readers. Offering something for everyone from novices to hammerheads, their mainstay are guided group tours: for instance, the Clare and Burren itinerary sets out from Ennis and includes Kilkee, Loop Head, Spanish Point, the Cliffs of Moher, the Burren coastline, and Bunratty Castle (cost is about €900 per person sharing). But others swear by the super-thorough and well-run custom tours, where they meet you at the first lodging (all great options, incidentally) with your bikes and size them to you, go over your route, and beautifully prep you for the ride.

TIP Most airlines accommodate bikes as luggage, provided they’re dismantled and boxed.

Contacts: Irish Cycling Safaris (01/260–0749 | www.cyclingsafaris.com). Iron Donkey (028/908–13200 | www.irondonkey.com).

Culture

Adams & Butler is Ireland’s leading purveyor of customized vacations, with an unbeatable range of contacts in the upper end of the market. Most of their tours are customized for small groups in chauffeur-driven cars or on small luxury buses. They can offer you a week in Ireland with a self-drive car, with and itinerary and B&B in 4-star luxury hotels from $599; up that price to $4,000 per person for a luxury hotel with driver guide and 5-star accommodation. Should you prefer to travel by helicopter and stay in the presidential suites of Ireland’s top hotels your week could run to $48,000. Charter a whole country house hotel for the family, or stay in a smaller historic or haunted house: whatever your whim, Adams & Butler will be able to indulge it—or so they say.

Contacts: Adams & Butler (1800/894–5712 or 3531/288–9355 | www.adamsandbutler.com).

Golf

Executive Golf and Leisure, Scotland-based golf specialists, offer customized golf breaks or packages, such as a six-day golf tour of Ireland for $6,540 with luxury accommodation, transfers, and rounds on some of the finest courses: the K Club, Old Portmarnock, Royal Dublin, Waterville, Tralee, and the Old Head of Kinsale.

Golfbreaks.com will customize a golf tour for you, and also have tours of different regions of Ireland. Their Northern Ireland and the Northwest package includes rounds at the legendary Royal County Down and Royal Portrush courses.

Contacts: Executive Golf and Leisure (1877/295–2247 or 044/1786/832–244 | www.execgolf-leisure.com). Golfbreaks.com (0800/279–7988 | www.golfbreaks.com).

Hiking

Isle Inn offers self-drive holidays and escorted tours, and has an interesting range of activity holidays and escorted hiking holidays averaging 10 to 12 mi a day, staying in family-run guesthouses and characterful small hotels, while walking through scenic areas, including Donegal coast, the Glens of Antrim, and Achill island and Mayo. The Yoga Trek starts at $1,405, while escorted hiking holidays start from $1,320 and cycling from $855. Savor the Journey (from $1,539) combines culture and cuisine, offering six nights at top hotels with three gourmet dinners and a driver to escort you.

Contacts: Isle Inn (1800/237–9376 | www.isleinntours.com).

Rail

Railtours Ireland uses the Irish railway network for major transfers, and coaches for sightseeing at the destination, avoiding long, leg-numbing stretches of coach travel. The five-day tour starts with a train ride from Dublin to Cork (2 hours, 45 minutes) including breakfast, and continues with a bus tour to Blarney, train to Killarney, bus tour of the Ring of Kerry, and also visits Galway, the Cliffs of Moher, and Connemara, starting at €599 per person, with accommodation in B&Bs and modest hotels.

Contacts: Railtours Ireland (3531/856–0045 | www.railtoursireland.com).

HOURS OF OPERATION

Business hours are 9–5, sometimes later in the larger towns. In smaller towns, stores often close from 1 to 2 for lunch. If a holiday falls on a weekend, most businesses are closed on Monday.

Banks are open 10–4 weekdays. In small towns banks may close from 12:30 to 1:30. They remain open until 5 one afternoon per week; the day varies but it’s usually Thursday. Post offices are open weekdays 9–5 and Saturday 9–1; some of the smaller branches close for lunch.

In Northern Ireland bank hours are weekdays 9:30–4:30. Post offices are open weekdays 9–5:30, Saturday 9–1. Some close for an hour at lunch (1–2).

There are some 24-hour gas stations along the highways; otherwise, hours vary from morning rush hour to late evenings.

Museums and sights are generally open Tuesday–Saturday 10–5 and Sunday 2–5.

Most pharmacies are open Monday–Saturday 9–5:30 or 6. Larger towns and cities often have 24-hour establishments.

Most shops are open Monday–Saturday 9–5:30 or 6. Once a week—normally Wednesday, Thursday, or Saturday—shops close at 1 PM. These times do not apply to Dublin, where stores generally stay open later, and they can vary from region to region, so it’s best to check locally. Larger malls usually stay open late once a week—generally until 9 on Thursday or Friday. Convenience stores, supermarkets, and gas stations in both Dublin and rural Ireland are generally open until 8 or 9 PM.

Shops in Belfast are open weekdays 9–5:30, with a late closing on Thursday, usually at 9. Elsewhere in Northern Ireland, shops close for the afternoon once a week, usually Wednesday or Thursday. In addition, most smaller shops close for an hour or so at lunch.

HOLIDAYS

Irish national holidays in 2011 are as follows: January 3 (New Year’s Day); March 17 (St. Patrick’s Day); April 22 (Good Friday); April 25 (Easter Monday); May 2 (May Day); June 6 and August 2 (summer bank holidays); October 31 (autumn bank holiday); and December 25, 26, and 27 (Christmas and St. Stephen’s Day). If you plan to visit at Easter, remember that theaters and cinemas are closed for the last three days of the preceding week.

In Northern Ireland the following are holidays: January 3 (New Year’s Day); March 17 (St. Patrick’s Day); April 22 (Good Friday); April 25 (Easter Monday); May 2 (early May bank holiday); May 30 (spring bank holiday); July 12 (Battle of the Boyne); August 29 (summer bank holiday); and December 25, 26, and 27 (Christmas and Boxing Day).

LANGUAGE DO’S AND TABOOS

In the old days, Ireland’s native language was called Gaelic and some people chuckled that it was the world’s most perfect medium for prayers, curses, and lovemaking.

These days, Gaelic is called Irish and no one is joking any longer.

In March 2005, legislation was passed to restore the sovereignty of Irish, originally a Celtic language related to Scots Gaelic, Breton, and Welsh, as Ireland’s official national language.

English is technically the second language of the country but it is, in fact, the everyday tongue of 95% of the population.

However, the western coastlands of Ireland are still home to the Gaeltacht (pronounced gale-taukt).

These Irish-speaking communities are found mainly in sparsely populated rural areas along the western seaboard, on some islands, and in pockets in West Cork and County Waterford.

Travelers to these western seaboard regions in counties Donegal and Galway should note that new laws have mandated Irish as the sole language for signage.

In these Gaeltacht areas, English is now outlawed in road signs and official maps.

As the Associated Press reported, “Locals concede the switch will confuse foreigners in an area that depends heavily on tourism, but they say it’s the price of patriotism.”

The Gaeltacht includes some big tourist destinations.

For instance, if travelers are in Killarney and now wish to go to Dingle, they will have to follow signposts that say AN DAINGEAN, which is Dingle in Irish. Other instances include: Oileáin Árainn (Aran Islands); Corca Dhuibne (Dingle Peninsula); and Arainn Mhor (Aranmore Island).

As this changeover affects more than 2,000 other place-names, have an updated or Irish-friendly map if touring these Gaeltacht regions. Don’t rely on official Ordnance Survey maps, which can now print only Irish place-names in these areas.

This is even in cases where the English versions remain popular in local parlance (many hotels will retain their English names, such as the Dingle Bay Hotel).

Main place-names are given in both Irish and English in this guidebook for the affected regions.

Outside these Gaeltacht areas, Ireland remains officially bilingual in its road signs.

“This will allow you to get lost in both Irish and English,” as Mr. O’Reilly pointed out on Fodor’s Talk Forums on their Web site.

With just 55,000 native Irish speakers in a population of 4 million, a major national debate has sprung up, with local councils and tourist authorities beginning to protest the new laws. (You can follow the debate by searching online for “Official Languages Act 2003”. Of course, some basic Irish vocabulary certainly wouldn’t hurt: fir (men) and mná (women) should prove useful when inquiring about public restrooms.

MAIL

Outside of Dublin and Northern Ireland, postal codes aren’t used; what’s more important here is the county, so be sure to include it when addressing an envelope.

Letters by standard post take a week to 10 days to reach the United States and Canada, 3 to 5 days to reach the United Kingdom.

Airmail rates to the United States and Canada from the Irish Republic are €0.82 for letters and postcards. Rates are also €0.82 for letters and postcards to Europe. Mail to overseas can be sent economy or airmail. Letters and postcards within the Irish Republic cost €0.55.

Rates from Northern Ireland are 56p for letters and postcards (not over 10 grams) to continental Europe, and 62p to the United States and Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. To the rest of the United Kingdom and the Irish Republic, rates are 39p for first-class letters and 30p for second-class.

Mail can be held for collection at any post office for free for up to three months. It should be addressed to the recipient “c/o Poste Restante.” In Dublin, use the General Post Office. The postal service in the Reuplic of Ireland, known as An Post, has a Web site with a branch locator and loads of other postal information. In Northern Ireland mail service is run by the Royal Mail.

Contact: An Post (www.anpost.ie). General Post Office (O’Connell St., | Dublin | 1 | 01/705–8833).

MONEY

A modest hotel in Dublin costs about €140 a night for two; this figure can be reduced to under €90 by staying in a registered guesthouse or inn, and reduced to about €70 by staying in a suburban B&B. Lunch, consisting of a good one-dish plate of bar food at a pub, costs around €10–€14; a sandwich at the same pub costs about €5. In Dublin’s better restaurants, dinner will run €45–€60 (dinner being a three-course meal) per person, excluding drinks and tip.

Theater and entertainment in most places are inexpensive—about €18 for a good seat, and double or triple that for a big-name, pop-music concert. For the price of a few drinks and (in Dublin and Killarney) a small entrance fee of about €2, you can spend a memorable evening at a seisun (pronounced say-shoon when referring to this folk music session), in a music pub. Entrance to most public galleries is free, but stately homes and similar attractions charge anywhere from €4 to a whopping €12 per person.

Just about everything is more expensive in Dublin, so add at least 10% to these sample prices: cup of coffee, €2; pint of beer, €5; soda, €2.40; and 2-km (1-mi) taxi ride, €8. Due to the exchange rate, Canadians, Australians, New Zealanders, Americans, and U.K. residents will find Ireland a little pricey when they convert costs to their home currency.

Hotels and meals in Northern Ireland are less expensive than in the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland. Also, the lower level of taxation makes taxable goods such as gasoline, alcoholic drinks, and tobacco cheaper.

Prices throughout this guide are given for adults. Substantially reduced fees are almost always available for children, students, and senior citizens.

TIP Banks never have every foreign currency on hand, and it may take as long as a week to order. If you’re planning to exchange funds before leaving home, don’t wait till the last minute.

ATMS AND BANKS

Your own bank will probably charge a fee for using ATMs abroad; the foreign bank you use may also charge a fee. Nevertheless, you’ll usually get a better rate of exchange at an ATM than you will at a currency-exchange office or even when changing money in a bank. And extracting funds as you need them is a safer option than carrying around a large amount of cash.

TIP PINs with more than four digits are not recognized at ATMs in many countries. If yours has five or more, remember to change it before you leave.

ATMs are found in all major towns and are, by far, the easiest way to keep yourself stocked with euros and pounds. Most major banks are connected to Cirrus or PLUS systems; there’s a four-digit maximum for your PIN.

CREDIT CARDS

Throughout this guide, the following abbreviations are used: AE, American Express; DC, Diners Club; MC, MasterCard; and V, Visa.

It’s a good idea to inform your credit-card company before you travel, especially if you’re going abroad and don’t travel internationally very often. Otherwise, the credit-card company might put a hold on your card owing to unusual activity—not a good thing halfway through your trip. Record all your credit-card numbers—as well as the phone numbers to call if your cards are lost or stolen—in a safe place, so you’re prepared should something go wrong. Both MasterCard and Visa have general numbers you can call (collect if you’re abroad) if your card is lost, but you’re better off calling the number of your issuing bank, since MasterCard and Visa usually just transfer you to your bank; your bank’s number is usually printed on your card.

If you plan to use your credit card for cash advances, you’ll need to apply for a PIN at least two weeks before your trip. Although it’s usually cheaper (and safer) to use a credit card abroad for large purchases (so you can cancel payments or be reimbursed if there’s a problem), note that some credit-card companies and the banks that issue them add substantial percentages to all foreign transactions, whether they’re in a foreign currency or not. Check on these fees before leaving home, so there won’t be any surprises when you get the bill.

When using your credit card, check that the merchant is putting the transaction through in euros or pounds sterling. If he or she puts it through in the currency of your home country—a transaction called a dynamic currency conversion—the exchange rate might be less favorable and the service charges higher than if you allow the credit-card company to do the conversion for you. Be sure to ask at the time, and insist on being billed in euros to get the most advantageous rate and avoid the service charge.

Reporting Lost Cards: American Express (800/992–3404 in U.S. or 336/393–1111 collect from abroad | www.americanexpress.com). Diners Club (800/234–6377 in U.S. or 303/799–1504 collect from abroad | www.dinersclub.com). MasterCard (800/622–7747 in U.S. or 636/722–7111 collect from abroad | www.mastercard.com). Visa (800/847–2911 in U.S. or 410/581–9994 collect from abroad | www.visa.com).

CURRENCY AND EXCHANGE

The Irish Republic is a member of the European Monetary Union (EMU). Euro notes come in denominations of €500, €200, €100, €50, €20, €10, and €5. The euro is divided into 100 cents, and coins are available as €2 and €1 and 50, 20, 10, 5, 2, and 1 cent.

The unit of currency in Northern Ireland is the pound sterling (£), divided into 100 pence (p). The bills (called notes) are 50, 20, 10, and 5 pounds. Coins are £2, £1, 50p, 20p, 10p, 5p, 2p, and 1p. The bank of Northern Ireland prints its own notes, which look different from the English or Scottish Sterling.

Check out today’s rates at | www.oanda.com.

At this writing, €1 is equal to U.S. $1.35. One pound sterling is equal to U.S. $1.5. Rates fluctuate regularly, though, particularly for the euro, so monitor them closely.

TIP Even if a currency-exchange booth has a sign promising no commission, rest assured that there’s some kind of huge, hidden fee. (Oh … that’s right. The sign didn’t say no fee. ) And as for rates, you’re almost always better off getting foreign currency at an ATM or exchanging money at a bank.

TRAVELER’S CHECKS AND CARDS

Some consider this the currency of the cave man, and it’s true that fewer establishments accept traveler’s checks these days. Nevertheless, they’re a cheap and secure way to carry extra money, particularly on trips to urban areas. Both Citibank (under the Visa brand) and American Express issue traveler’s checks in the United States, but Amex is better known and more widely accepted; you can also avoid hefty surcharges by cashing Amex checks at Amex offices. Whatever you do, keep track of all the serial numbers in case the checks are lost or stolen.

Contacts: American Express (888/412–6945 in U.S., 801/945–9450 collect outside of U.S. to add value or speak to customer service | www.americanexpress.com).

PACKING

In Ireland you can experience all four seasons in a day. There can be damp chilly stretches even in July and August, the warmest months of the year. Layers are the best way to go. Pack several long- and short-sleeve T-shirts (in winter, some should be thermal or silk), a sweatshirt, a lightweight sweater, a heavyweight sweater, and a hooded, waterproof windbreaker that’s large enough to go over several layers if necessary. A portable umbrella is absolutely essential, and the smaller and lighter it is, the better, as you’ll want it with you every second. You should bring at least two pairs of walking shoes; footwear can get soaked in minutes and then take hours to dry.

The Irish are generally informal about clothes. In the more expensive hotels and restaurants people dress formally for dinner, and a jacket and tie may be required in bars after 7 PM, but very few places operate a strict dress policy. Old or tattered blue jeans and running shoes are forbidden in certain bars and dance clubs.

If you’re used to packing things or stowing dirty clothes in plastic shopping or drawstring bags, bring your own. About the only place you can find the latter here is in the closets of better hotel rooms (for on-site dry cleaning and laundry). Plastic bags carry a 22¢ government levy and can be sold by supermarkets, but it’s illegal to give them away. Most stores use paper bags or recycle boxes.

PASSPORTS

All U.S. citizens, even infants, need a valid passport to enter Ireland for stays of up to 90 days. Citizens of the United Kingdom, when traveling on flights departing from Great Britain, do not need a passport to enter Ireland but it’s advisable to carry some form of photo ID. Passport requirements for Northern Ireland are the same as for the republic.

We’re always surprised at how few Americans have passports—only 25% at this writing. This number is expected to grow in coming years, now that it is impossible to reenter the United States from trips to neighboring Canada or Mexico without one.

U.S. passports are valid for 10 years. You must apply in person if you’re getting a passport for the first time; if your previous passport was lost, stolen, or damaged; or if your previous passport has expired and was issued more than 15 years ago or when you were under 16. All children under 18 must appear in person to apply for or renew a passport. Both parents must accompany any child under 14 (or send a notarized statement with their permission) and provide proof of their relationship to the child.

TIP Before your trip, make two copies of your passport’s data page (one for someone at home and another for you to carry separately). Or scan the page and e-mail it to someone at home and/or yourself.

There are 13 regional passport offices, as well as 7,000 passport acceptance facilities in post offices, public libraries, and other governmental offices. If you’re renewing a passport, you can do so by mail. Forms are available at passport acceptance facilities and online.

The cost to apply for a new passport is $100 for adults, $85 for children under 16; renewals are $75. Allow six weeks for processing, both for first-time passports and renewals. For an expediting fee of $60 you can reduce this time to about two weeks. If your trip is less than two weeks away, you can get a passport even more rapidly by going to a passport office with the necessary documentation. Private expediters can get things done in as little as 48 hours, but charge hefty fees for their services.

U.S. Passport Information: U.S. Department of State (877/487–2778 | http://travel.state.gov/passport).

U.S. Passport and Visa Expediters: A. Briggs Passport & Visa Expeditors (800/806–0581 or 202/464–3000 | www.abriggs.com). American Passport Express (800/455–5166 or 603/559–9888 | www.americanpassport.com). Passport Express (800/362–8196 or 401/272–4612 | www.passportexpress.com). Travel Document Systems (800/874–5100 or 202/638–3800 | www.traveldocs.com). Travel the World Visas (866/886–8472 or 301/495–7700 | www.world-visa.com).

RENTAL CARS

When you reserve a car, ask about cancellation penalties, taxes, drop-off charges (if you’re planning to pick up the car in one city and leave it in another), and surcharges (for being under or over a certain age, for additional drivers, or for driving across state or country borders or beyond a specific distance from your point of rental). All these things can add substantially to your costs. Request car seats and extras such as GPS when you book.

Rates are sometimes—but not always—better if you book in advance or reserve through a rental agency’s Web site. There are other reasons to book ahead, though: for popular destinations, during busy times of the year, or to ensure that you get certain types of cars (vans, SUVs, exotic sports cars).

TIP Make sure that a confirmed reservation guarantees you a car. Agencies sometimes overbook, particularly for busy weekends and holiday periods.

If you’re renting a car in the Irish Republic and intend to visit Northern Ireland (or vice versa), make this clear when you get your car, and check that the rental insurance applies when you cross the border.

Renting a car in Ireland is far more expensive than organizing a rental before you leave home. Rates in Dublin for an economy car with a manual transmission and unlimited mileage are from €35 a day and €160 a week to €50 a day and €190 a week, depending on the season. This includes the republic’s 12.5% tax on car rentals. Rates in Belfast begin at £25 a day and £130 a week, including the 17.5% tax on car rentals in the North.

Both manual and automatic transmissions are readily available, though automatics cost extra. Typical economy car models include Volkswagen Lupo, Ford Focus, Fiat Panda, and Nissan Micra. Minivans, luxury cars (Mercedes or Alfa Romeos), and four-wheel-drive vehicles (say, a Jeep Cherokee) are also options, but the daily rates are high. Argus Rent A Car and Dan Dooley have convenient locations at Dublin, Shannon, Belfast, and Belfast City airports as well as at ferry ports.

Most rental companies require you to be over 24 to rent a car in Ireland (a few will rent to those over 21) and to have had a license for more than a year. Some companies refuse to rent to visitors over 70, or in some cases, 74. Children under 12 years of age aren’t allowed to ride in the front seat unless they’re in a properly fitted child seat.

Drivers between the ages of 21 and 26, and 70 and 76 will probably be subject to an insurance surcharge—if they’re allowed to drive a rental car at all. An additional driver will add about €5 a day to your car rental, and a child seat costs about €20 for the rental and will require 24-hour advance notice.

Your driver’s license may not be recognized outside your home country. You may not be able to rent a car without an International Driving Permit (IDP), which can be used only in conjunction with a valid driver’s license and which translates your license into 10 languages. Check the AAA Web site for more info as well as for IDPs ($10) themselves. Happily, U.S. driver’s licenses are recognized in Ireland.

CAR RENTAL RESOURCES

Local Agencies: Local and international car hire companies in both the Republic and Northern Ireland are listed on | www.carhireireland.com. Argus Rent A Car (499–9608 in Dublin, 048/9442–3444 in Belfast | www.argus-rentacar.com). Dan Dooley Car Rentals (800/331–9301 in U.S., 0800/282–189 in U.K., 062/53103 in Ireland | www.dan-dooley.ie).

Major Agencies: Alamo (800/522–9696, 1800/301–401 in Ireland, 01/260–3771 in Dublin | www.alamo.com). Avis (800/331–1084, 1890/405–060 in Ireland, 01/605–7500 in Dublin | www.avis.com). Budget (800/472–3325, 1850/575–767 in Ireland | www.budget.com). Dollar (800/800–6000 in U.S., 01/670–7890 in Dublin | www.dollar.com). Hertz (800/654–3001, 01/676–7476 in Ireland | www.hertz.com). National Car Rental (800/227–7368, 01/844–4162 in Dublin, 1800/301–401 in Ireland | www.nationalcar.com).

Wholesalers: Auto Europe (888/223–5555 | www.autoeurope.com). Europe by Car (800/223–1516, 212/581–3040 in New York | www.europebycar.com). Eurovacations (877/471–3876 | www.eurovacations.com). Kemwel (877/820–0668 | www.kemwel.com).

RESTROOMS

Public restrooms are in short supply in Ireland. They’ll be easy enough to find in public places such as airports, train stations, and shopping malls, but if you don’t find yourself in one of these locations your best bet is to look for the nearest pub (never more than a few minutes away in Ireland!). Restrooms are often labeled in Irish—FIR (men) and MNÁ (women). Pubs are increasingly putting up signs saying that restrooms are for customers only—but this is difficult to enforce. If it’s outside of shopping or pub hours your last option may be the nearest hotel. Most gas stations will have toilets available. Only toilets in hotels or shopping centers will be up to a polished North American standard. Although many toilets look well-worn they are generally clean. Unfortunately, few toilets are heated and an open window is typically used for ventilation, making for uncomfortably cold restrooms in the colder months.

Find a Loo: The Bathroom Diaries (www.thebathroomdiaries.com) is flush with unsanitized info on restrooms the world over—each one located, reviewed, and rated.

TAXES

When leaving the Irish Republic, U.S. and Canadian visitors get a refund of the value-added tax (V.A.T.), which currently accounts for a hefty 21% of the purchase price of many goods and 13.5% of those that fall outside the luxury category. Apart from clothing, most items of interest to visitors, right down to ordinary toilet soap, are rated at 21%. V.A.T. is not refundable on accommodation, car rental, meals, or any other form of personal services received on vacation.

Many crafts outlets and department stores operate a system that enables U.S. and Canadian visitors to collect V.A.T. rebates in the currency of their choice at Dublin or Shannon Airport on departure. Some stores give you the rebate at the register; with others you claim your refund after you’ve returned home. Refund forms, known as a Tax-Free Shopping Cheque, must be picked up at the time of purchase, and they must be stamped by customs, and mailed back to the store before you leave for home. It may take months for your refund to be processed. Many merchants work with a service such as Global Refund, which has offices at major ports and airports, and will refund your money immediately in return for a 4% fee. If a store gives you a refund at the register, you’ll also be given papers to have stamped by customs; you’ll then put the papers in an envelope (also provided by the store) and mail it before you leave. Most major stores deduct V.A.T. at the time of sale if goods are to be shipped overseas; however, there’s a shipping charge.

When leaving Northern Ireland, U.S. and Canadian visitors can also get a refund of the 17.5% V.A.T. by the over-the-counter and the direct-export methods. Most larger stores provide these services on request and will handle the paperwork. For the over-the-counter method, you must spend more than £75 in one store. Ask the store for Form V.A.T. 407 (you must have identification—passports are best), to be given to customs when you leave the country. The refund will be forwarded to you in about eight weeks (minus a small service charge) either in the form of a sterling check or as a credit to your charge card. The direct-export method, where the goods are shipped directly to your home, is more cumbersome. V.A.T. Form 407/1/93 must be certified by customs, police, or a notary public when you get home and then sent back to the store, which will refund your money.

When making a purchase, ask for a V.A.T. refund form and find out whether the merchant gives refunds—not all stores do, nor are they required to. Have the form stamped like any customs form by customs officials when you leave the country or, if you’re visiting several European Union countries, when you leave the EU. After you’re through passport control, take the form to a refund-service counter for an on-the-spot refund (which is usually the quickest and easiest option), or mail it to the address on the form (or the envelope with it) after you arrive home. You receive the total refund stated on the form, but the processing time can be long, especially if you request a credit-card adjustment.

Global Refund is a Europe-wide service with 225,000 affiliated stores and more than 700 refund counters at major airports and border crossings. Its refund form, called a Tax Free Check, is the most common across the European continent. The service issues refunds in the form of cash, check, or credit-card adjustment.

V.A.T. Refunds: Global Refund (800/566–9828 | www.globalrefund.com).

TIME

Dublin is five hours ahead of New York and eight hours ahead of Los Angeles.

TIPPING

In some hotels and restaurants a service charge of around 10%—rising to 15% in plush spots—is added to the bill. If in doubt, ask whether service is included. In places where it’s included, tipping isn’t necessary unless you have received particularly good service. If there’s no service charge, add a minimum of 10% to the total. Taxi drivers or hackney cab drivers, who make the trip for a prearranged sum, don’t expect tips. There are few porters and plenty of baggage trolleys at airports, so tipping is usually not an issue; if you use a porter, €1 is the minimum. Tip hotel porters at least €1 per suitcase. Hairdressers normally expect about 10% of the total spent. You don’t tip in pubs, but for waiter service in a bar, a hotel lounge, or a Dublin lounge bar, leave about €1. It’s not customary to tip for regular concierge service.

Tipping Guidelines for Ireland

Bellhop

€1 to €2, depending on the level of the hotel

Hotel Concierge

€5 or more, if he or she performs a special service for you

Hotel Doorman

€1–€2 if he helps you get a cab

Hotel Maid

€1–€3 a day (either daily or at the end of your stay, in cash)

Hotel Room-Service Waiter

€1 to €2 per delivery, even if a service charge has been added

Taxi Driver

10%, or just round up the fare to the next euro amount

Tour Guide

10% of the cost of the tour

Valet Parking Attendant

€1–€2, but only when you get your car

Waiter

Just small change (up to a euro or two) to round out your bill if service is included

Restroom Attendant

Restroom attendants in more expensive restaurants expect some small change or €1.

VISITOR INFORMATION

For information on travel in the Irish Republic, contact Tourism Ireland, the international marketing authority for Fáilte Ireland (pronounced fal-cha), as the tourist information network is called within the Republic of Ireland. They have two Web sites, one for people logging on internationally (www.discoverireland.com) and one for people logging on domestically (www.discoverireland.com). Information on travel in the north is available from the Northern Ireland Tourist Board.

Information: Fáilte Ireland (88–95 Amiens St., | Dublin | 1 | 01/884–7700, 1890/525–525 toll-free within Ireland | www.failteireland.ie). Northern Ireland Tourist Board (NITB | 59 North St., | Belfast | BT1 1NB | 028/9023–1221 | www.discovernorthernireland.com). Tourism Ireland (www.discoverireland.com, www.discoverireland.ie). Tourism Ireland, Canada office (2 Bloor St. W, Suite 1501, | Toronto,Ontario | M4W 3E2 | 416/925–6368 or 1800/223–6470). Tourism Ireland, U.K. office (Nation House,103 Wigmore St., | London | W1U IQS | 020/7518–0800 or 0800/039–7000 | www.discoverireland.com). Tourism Ireland, U.S. office (345 Park Ave., 17th fl., | New York,NY | 10154 | 212/418–0800 or 1800/223–6470 | www.discoverireland.com).

ONLINE TRAVEL TOOLS

The main Web site for the Irish tourist board, Tourism Ireland is www.discoverireland.com; this is meant for people logging on internationally. Fáilte Ireland (the National Tourism Development Authority) sponsors Discover Ireland, at www.discoverireland.ie., which is geared for people logging on domestically. For lots of entertaining bits—Irish and otherwise—visit www.irishabroad.com. Some of the most popular sites are www.browseireland.com and www.heritageireland.ie. The Web site www.ireland-information.com is dedicated to providing as many free resources and as much free information about Ireland as possible on an array of topics from genealogy to shopping. For a central directory of links to all things Irish, log on to www.finditireland.com. Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Eireann is an association that promotes the music, culture, and art of Ireland, and its Web site www.comhaltas.ie has helpful news about the Irish traditional music scene. For listings of all music, film, and theater events, see www.entertainment.ie. For general information on Irish current affairs, sport, entertainment, and more log on to www.ireland.com. Keep in mind that many of the leading newspapers of Ireland have Web sites, which can be gold mines of timely information. See, for example, the Irish Times’ Web site, www.irishtimes.com. For a weekly newsletter to keep Irish people abroad up-to-date on events at home, log on to www.emigrant.ie.

Officially designated Heritage Towns are featured on www.heritagetowns.com. A range of heritage attractions are flagged on www.heritageisland.com. For information on arts events of all kinds, try www.art.ie, which is affiliated with the arts councils of both the Irish Republic and Northern Ireland. For more information on counties in the west of Ireland, try www.discoverireland.com/west. A handy regional site for the area near Shannon Airport is www.shannonregiontourism.com, while www.visitdublin.com has all you need to know about the capital. Portions of the Tourism Ireland’s eloquent magazine, Ireland of the Welcomes, are available online at www.irelandofthewelcomes.com. For an eloquent site devoted to some of Ireland’s most historic houses, castles, and gardens see www.castlesgardensireland.com, while the castle lover will enjoy www.celticcastles.com. Food lovers should check out www.bordbia.ie.

All About Ireland

Currency Conversion: Google (www.google.com) does currency conversion. Just type in the amount you want to convert and an explanation of how you want it converted (e.g., “14 Swiss francs in dollars”), and then voilà. Oanda.com (www.oanda.com) also allows you to print out a handy table with the current day’s conversion rates. XE.com (www.xe.com) is a good currency conversion Web site.

Safety: Transportation Security Administration (TSA; www.tsa.gov).

Time Zones: Timeanddate.com (www.timeanddate.com/worldclock) can help you figure out the correct time anywhere.

Weather: Accuweather.com (www.accuweather.com) is an independent weather-forecasting service. Weather.com (www.weather.com) is the Web site for the Weather Channel.

Other Resources: CIA World Factbook (www.odci.gov/cia/library/publications/the-world-factbook) has profiles of every country in the world. It’s a good source if you need some quick facts and figures.

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Southeast

FODOR’S DUBLIN AND SOUTHEASTERN IRELAND

Editors: Robert I.C. Fisher, Salwa Jabado

Editorial Contributors: Paul Clements, Andrew Collins, Alannah Hopkin, Anto Howard

COPYRIGHT

Copyright © 2011 by Fodor's Travel, a division of Random House, Inc.

Fodor's is a registered trademark of Random House, Inc.

All rights reserved. Published in the United States by Fodor's Travel, a division of Random House, Inc. Distributed by Random House, Inc., New York.

No maps, illustrations, or other portions of this work may be reproduced in any form without written permission from the publisher.

1st Edition

ISBN 978-0-307-92828-3

Excerpted from Fodor's Ireland (ISBN 978-1-4000-0490-4)

AN IMPROTANT TIP & AN INVITATION

Although all prices, opening times, and other details in this work are based on information supplied to us at publication, changes occur all the time in the travel world, and Fodor's cannot accept responsibility for facts that become outdated or for inadvertent errors or omissions. So always confirm information when it matters, especially if you're making a detour to visit a specific place. Your experiences—positive and negative—matter to us. If we have missed or misstated something, please write to us. We follow up on all suggestions. Contact us at fodors.com/contact-us.

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PHOTO CREDITS

Dublin and Southeastern Ireland cover, Gail Johnson/Shutterstock. Dublin and Southeastern Ireland Contents, Dublin Tourism. Experience Dublin and Southeastern Ireland, infomatique/Flickr. What’s New, Jasper from Union City/wikipedia.org. When to Go, Pilgab/wikipedia.org.What’s Where, 2010- Northern Ireland Tourist Board. Planner, Kathleen Noehren, Fodors.com member. Ireland Today, Brendan Duffy/Dublin Tourism. Top Attractions, Michal Rozanski/iStockphoto. Top Experiences, Dublin Tourism. Quintessential Ireland, carolel, Fodors.com member. Great Outdoors, Dermot McBrierty/shutterstoc. Ancestor-Hunting, Peter Forde, Fodors.com member. Irish Family Names, David Mason/iStockphoto. Dublin, upthebanner/Shutterstock. Introducing Dublin, dahon/Flickr. Dublin Planner, Razvan Stroie/Shutterstock. Getting Around Dublin, Amanda Bullock. Exploring Dublin, Dublin Tourism. Where to Eat in Dublin, Ludo Plichon. Where to Stay in Dublin, Marriott International, Inc. Nightlife and the Arts in Dublin, ctoverdrive/Flickr. Sports and the Outdoors in Dublin, Eoghan McNally/shutterstock. Shopping in Dublin, bjaglin/Flickr. Side Trips: North County Dublin, Amanda Bullock. Dublin in Depth, Nic McPhee/wikipedia.org. Dublin Environs, fineartfotography/Shutterstock. ntroducing Dublin Environs, Chris Hill/Tourism Ireland. Dublin Environs Planner, UnaPhoto/Shutterstock. Getting Around Dublin Environs, Amanda Bullock. The Boyne Valley, James Harries/wikipedia.org County Wicklow, Warrenfish/wikipedia.org. County Kildare to West Wicklow, infomatique/Flickr. Dublin Environs in Depth, Russborough. The Midlands, NL Buttonfreak/wikipedia.org. Introducing the Midlands, JohnArmagh/wikipedia.org. The Midlands Planner, Markus Niebanck, Fodors.com member. Getting Around the Midlands, Peter Gavigan/wikipedia.org. The Eastern Midlands, Holger Leue/Tourism Ireland. The Western Midlands, Andrea Seemann/Shutterstock. The Midlands In Depth, Charles Bishop/wikipedia.org. The Southeast, Panaspics/Shutterstock. Introducing the Southeast, Alan O Connor/Tourism Ireland. The Southeast Planner, Panaspics/Shutterstock. Getting Around the Southeast, Patryk Kosmider/Shutterstock. Kilkenny City, Roger Kinkead/Tourism Ireland. Southeast Inlands, Sarah777/wikipedia.org. Wexford Town, Chris Hill/Tourism Ireland. Waterford and the Southeast Coast, Cameron Swinton/Shutterstock. In and Around Tipperary, Marc C. Johnson/Shutterstock. The Southeast In Depth, Jeff Meade/wikipedia.org. Travel Smart, beamillion/Flickr. Getting Here and Around, Hochgeladen von Tormod/wikipedia.org. Essentials, Laurent Walter.