Stories and photos by Gail Clifford (unless otherwise indicated)
One of the very best things about Dublin is the multitude of play possibilities. And, like many expensive cities, many of them are low or no cost if you know where to look. Four national museums, the Chester Beatty Library, and Dublin City Hall have free admission. If you want to pack in as much as possible in a relatively short period of time, 13 of the attractions listed below, and more, can be visited with the purchase of the Dublin Pass (but the Pass does not include the Book of Kells).
11 Top Attractions to Visit in Dublin
Trinity College- Dublin
Book of Kells
Guinness Storehouse
Jameson Distillery Bow St.
Hop On / Hop Off Bus
EPIC The Irish Emigration Museum
Jeannie Johnston Tall Ship and Famine Museum
GPO Witness History Visitor Centre
Glasnevin Cemetery Museum & Guided Tour
Christ Church Cathedral
St. Patrick’s Cathedral
Trinity College – Dublin
Trinity College, Ireland’s oldest university, was founded in 1592 by Queen Elizabeth I of England for two primary purposes. To train administrators for expanding the colony in Ireland, and to train religious ministers for newly established protestant faith Church of Ireland. Trinity College, with Oxford and Cambridge, remains the “Ivy League” of Europe.
Women were admitted to Trinity College in 1904. The Provost at the time, George Salmon, was against it. He stated, “They’ll enter over my dead body.” Legend had it, he died that morning.
The Book of Kells
The Book of Kells, a luminous illustrated manuscript of the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, is the most visited attraction at Trinity College, but a bit of a misnomer because the manuscript actually originated on the Sky of Iona. When Iona was raided by Vikings, the manuscript was moved to Kells, then subsequently below the Long Hall at Trinity College – Dublin.
Guinness Storehouse
The single most common images shared by tourists on social media come from the Guinness Storehouse, with the favorite a photo in front of St. James Gate. It’s harder to get a good shot of the pint glass that forms the central atrium.
Sir Arthur Guinness, along with his wife Olivia Whitmore Guinness, opened the Guinness Storehouse in 1759. Guinness signed a lease for £45/year for 9,000 years. They were great philanthropists who helped form Dublin as we meet her today.
Sir Arthur Guinness, along with his wife Olivia Whitmore Guinness, opened the Guinness Storehouse in 1759. Guinness signed a lease for £45/year for 9,000 years. They were great philanthropists who helped form Dublin as we see her today.
Their brewing process takes barley, hops, yeast and specially sourced clean water and turns it into a dark beer enjoyed billions of times a year. They brew more than 3 million pints every day at this Guinness Brewery to keep up with demand.
The Storehouse has 7 levels of exhibits on the making of beer and the history of the family and Dublin, entwined ever since opening. You’ll see a floor devoted to advertising (Who knew Kilroy started here?) and be able to have your photo taken as part of the campaign. Specialty restaurants with beer laden items are scattered throughout the storehouse, even gluten free (funny since the barley used to make the beer is a primary source of gluten). You can stop and learn to pour the perfect pint of Guinness from the tap. And spend time at the Gravity Bar where you turn your ticket in for a beverage and enjoy the well-marked 360° panorama of Dublin City.
Leaving Guinness, it’s an easy walk to Temple Bar, famous for its hipster music and art scene as well as a plethora of pubs. It should be experienced at least once – even during the daylight hours. If you are travelling with children, lunch in the area may be your best bet.
Jameson Distillery on Bow Street
The Jameson Distillery (Dublin 7), with its welcoming pub (yes, a free Jameson after the tour), a tour and historical artifacts makes this another great attraction to visit. Colm, our guide on this tour of the family’s founding of Jameson, regales on the resources and research behind it and the family motto, “Have No Fear.”
Enter a theater that shows the growth and fermentation of barley, and the distribution across the Irish countryside for product, including water. Because of Irish growing conditions, maize is imported from France.
You’re invited to try the unmalted (rub it between your hands, it has no scent, but is important in creating the spice you’ll note in the whiskey later) and malted (rub it between your hands and you’ll smell a vanilla or sweet note) barley, show the distillation process (once for American Whiskey, twice for Scotch Whiskey and three times to get double the smoothness for Irish Whiskey), both pot still and machine still, then the casking process. And don’t forget the angels’ share – the equivalent of one bottle evaporates every 3 seconds.
One part of the process is essentially the formation of beer. Whiskey drinkers worldwide are glad that Jameson didn’t stop there. After three rounds, the whiskey was ready. Finally, what most people had been waiting for, the tasting room.
Hop On / Hop Off Bus
Dublin’s Green Hop On / Hop Off Bus has two routes, red and black, and starts at 9am on O’Connell Street. It runs every half hour off peak and every 10 minutes at peak times. Plan to ride the Hop On / Hop Off Bus the first day to get the lay of the land and get to the distant locations such as Phoenix Park (Zoo) and Glasnevin (Cemetery and Botanical Gardens).
EPIC The Irish Emigration Museum
“I left Ireland, but Ireland never left me”
– anonymous Irish emigrant
This best European Attraction tells the story of Irish emigration in a way that helps you understand how the Irish have become part of 157 other countries and counting. Whether they left in happiness to help others or in sorrow when Ireland couldn’t sustain them, their story can be found here. The interactive exhibits provide enough information that you could spend a day, but allow at least 3 hours and you’ll have an excellent sense of the story telling, dance, famine years, literary and sports contributions.
Jeannie Johnston Tall Ship and Famine Museum
This beautifully recreated tall ship sits on the River Liffey, moored as a museum to honor all that crossed the Atlantic to escape the famine years. One of its many points of honor? Not a single life was lost during her crossings, due in large part to the Captain and the ship’s doctor who insisted on good hygiene and civil behaviors for the protection of all. The 50-minute guided tour allows you a carefully crafted inside glimpse of what those passengers survived. When your tour is complete, walk down the Quay to the famine statues. There’s a corresponding series in Toronto, Canada.
GPO Witness History Visitor Centre
The General Post Office (GPO) on O’Connell Street stands today following extensive reconstruction as a working post office. There is a very special museum on the north side. Descend into a shockingly well-developed museum specific to the 1916 Rebellion, the Easter Rising. With multi-media presentations, you’ll achieve a much better understanding of the complicated history between the English and the Irish. Videos reveal ongoing issues of the time. Interactive exhibits allow you to guess what was happening to whom. And the theater reveal of the battles that occurred from this very building (check the exterior sides for bullet holes) of the courageous men and women on both sides all entwine to sadden but enlighten you.
Glasnevin Cemetery Museum and Guided Tour
Glasnevin makes most people’s “must see” list because of a very special tavern, John Kavanaugh’s “The Gravediggers.” Adjacent to Glasnevin Cemetery, this family owned pub has a special side window … so the men working in the cemetery can have a pint. The museum provides special insight into several of the lives of the 1.5 million people buried here.
Christ Church Cathedral
A church is thought to have stood at this Christ Church site since 800AD. Christ Church Cathedral, a wooden building at that stage, was founded in 1030 by King Sitric Silkenbeard, the Viking King of Dublin, after a pilgrimage to Rome. By this time, the Vikings had become Christian.
Its spacious crypts used for both ceremonial and business transactions, it now stores priceless museum exhibits, including Ireland’s copy of the Magna Carta.
Through restorations and change of religion, thanks to King Henry VIII’s break with the Roman Catholic Church, the facility expanded.
When the Church of Ireland was established independent of the Church of England, in 1871, Christ Church was disestablished as the state church. The financial abandonment of the cathedral by the state left lay people responsible for the building’s maintenance and governance. The Roe brothers (Distillery fortune) stepped in and saved the church, spending £250,000 (appx €38M today) and renovating towards what we visit today.
St. Patrick’s Cathedral
Arthur’s grandson, Benjamin Lee Guinness, continuing the family legacy, was part of St. Patrick’s congregation and volunteered all funds needed for the restoration, with one caveat. As an amateur architect, he insisted he be given free rein at the renovations. Under fear of destruction and loss of priceless artifacts, the cathedral’s dean, Henry Pakenham, acquiesced. The renovations were completed under the watchful eye of Pakenham’s successor, John West.
In 1860, Benjamin spent approximately £150,000 pounds (appx €21M today). His descendants continue as donors for regularly required repairs.
Beautiful Dublin Parks and More
Make a point of visiting Dublin’s parks. St. Stephen’s Green, Merrion Square (Oscar Wilde Statue and WWI memorial) and the park behind Dublin Castle (Garda memorial) are beautiful places for a walk or a picnic.
Enjoy your stay and begin to plan your next visit. There’s always more to see and explore and play.
