Custom House Custom House Quay 878-7660 Mar.-Oct. 10-5 Mon.-Fri. 2-5 Sat., Sun. Admission charged. The Custom House, the most magnificent building in Dublin, was planned in secret by local merchants who were eager to keep the ships coming all the way into the commercial heart of the city after the old building had been outgrown. The foundation stone was laid quietly in August of that year, in spite of mobs hired by the opposition to attack the builders and their work. The architect, James Gandon, received threatening letters and found it advisable to carry a sword when he visited the building site. The site contained little more than sand and mud, and Gandon’s elaborate foundations caused some head-shaking at the time. Despite the death of Gandon’s wife early in the work, and a fire in the partly completed building, the new Customs House opened in 1791. Gandon, stayed in Ireland for the rest of his life. He later designed the Four Courts and the Kings Inns. A massive restoration began in 1986 and the entire building was restored by the time of its bicentennial celebration in 1991. The Custom House now houses a Visitor Center with access to a small building in which there are displays relating to the history of the Center and its uses over the years. Four Courts Inns Quay 872-5555 Admission Free. Home to the Irish law courts since 1796 and also on the north of the Liffey, they were designed by Custom House architect, James Gandon. The four law courts were those of Chancery, King’s Bench, Exchequer and Common Pleas. Despite political intrigues and a history of blockages and objections, the building was opened in 1796 and completed in 1802. In 1922, at the outbreak of Civil War in Ireland, anti-treaty forces occupied the Four Courts. After a siege of two months, Government forces opened fire with field guns, causing massive damage. The scars of the encounter are still visible on the columns of the portico. The three-day battle ended with a huge explosion and fire which destroyed the dome and the nearby Public Records Office with its irreplaceable contents. Many of Ireland’s historical records, including wills and other official deeds, were destroyed . Since then, the building has been beautifully restored. Inside is a magnificent central hall, sixty-four feet across and usually busy with lawyers in their traditional wigs and gowns. To the right of the entrance is a panel with more detailed information about the building and its history. There are fine views of the city from the upper rotunda of the central building. Open only when the Courts are in session. Trinity College and Dublin Experience Dublin 2 677-2941 Old Library and Book of Kells open 9:30-5 Mon.-Sat. 9 and noon-4:30 Sun. Admission charged. Children Free. Dublin Experience open 9:15-5:45 daily May-Oct. Admission charged Trinity College is uppermost in the list of attractions south of the river. It is wise to arrive early in the day to avoid crowds. Founded by Elizabeth I in 1592, the university complex contains a campanile and many glorious old buildings. A major attraction is the library containing the Book of Kells: an illuminated manuscript of the Gospels dating from around 800 AD, making it one of the oldest books in the world.. The library houses some three million books in buildings constructed between 1712 and 1732. Bank of Ireland and House of Lords 2 College Green Dublin 2 661-5933 10-4 Mon-Wed, Fri. 10-5 Thurs. Guided tours Free Admission Free. Originally built to house the Irish Parliament, the fine wood paneling and vaulted ceiling add an air of grandeur to the House of Lords. Eighteenth century tapestries depict scenes from Irish history. The Parliament was abolished in 1800 with the Act of Union and Francis Johnston converted the buildings for use as a bank. Christchurch Cathedral Christchurch Place, Dublin 8 677-8099 10-5 Mon.-Sat. Sunday Service: 11 AM Parts of the cathedral date back to the original wooden building constructed in 1038 and to the 1172 replacement built for Ireland’s first invader, Richard deClare. Edward VI was crowned king of England here in 1487 and 100 years later King Henry VIII burned the church, after which it was turned into law courts. The church is high, gray and dark inside with stone sculptures. A huge crypt spans the length of the building under the church. A bridge leads into what was the Synod Hall and is now Dublinia. Dublinia Christchurch DUBLIN 8 Tel: 6794611 Bus Number 50 from Eden Quay; Bus Number 78A from Aston Quay April - September 10.00am - 5.00pm daily October - March 11.00am - 4.00pm Monday to Saturday, 10.00am - 4.30pm Sunday and Bank Holidays Admission charged. Dublinia has been developed by The Medieval Trust to recreate the formative period in the city's growth from the arrival of the Anglo Normans in 1170 to the closure of its monasteries by Henry VIII in 1540. It is situated in a beautifully preserved building in the heart of the old city, next to Christchurch Cathedral, to which it is linked by abridge. Journey through time and experience the drama and magic in life-like displays of memorable episodes in Dublin's history over 400 years. A scale model of the city, shows the location of public buildings and the layout of the streets. Life-size reconstructions illustrate the city environment of the Middle Ages. As a finale to the exploration of Dublin’s past, climb the 17th century St Michael's Tower for a unique panoramic view of modern Dublin. St Patrick's Cathedral Patrick’s Close; Lower Dublin 7 475-4817 9-6 Mon.-Fri. April-Oct. 9-11AM and 12:30-3PM Sat. Admission charged Services: 8:30 daily and 11:45AM Sunday. St. Patrick’s is the oldest Christian site in Dublin. It is said that it was built on the grounds where St Patrick baptized converts during the 5th century. The present building dates from 1190 (or possibly 1225). Writer Jonathan Swift was dean here from 1713-1745, and his tomb is in the church. The cathedral choir school dates back to 1432, and is still in existence. Dublin Castle Dame Street 677-7129 Bus 49; 50; 54A; 77; 77A 10-5 Mon-Fri. 2-5 Sat; Sun. Admission charged More a palace than a fort, it was originally built on the orders of King John in 1204. The state chambers contain a large collection of antiques. The castle has been rebuilt, renovated and extended. Deep scars in the stone work can be seen in the Guardroom at the main entrance. They are the result of bayonet sharpening by the guards during the 950 years of British rule. Many of the state apartments are open to the public. The Chapel Royale is an elaborate area designed and decorated in 1814 in the neo-Gothic style. It contains some 90 carved heads of famous historical figures. The interior has lavish plaster vaulting and carved oak galleries. Temple Bar An area that has been renovated in recent years and now contains many restaurants and pubs that have become the center of Dublin’s nightlife. It is located behind Dame Street and offers excellent views of the River Liffey. In addition to the restaurants and pubs there is also the Irish Film Center which shows a wide range of rare films and the Art House, a multimedia center where one can surf the Net The well known Irish rock band U2 performs at The Kitchen nightclub in the Temple Bar area. Rounding out the offerings are a number of trendy shops, book stores, antique shops and boutiques. The National Museum of Ireland in association with Dublin Bus has available a bus service linking the 3 Museum sites in Dublin. Hop on the 'Museumlink' bus to visit any of the locations of the National Museum of Ireland. National MuseumKildare Street Dublin 2 677-7444 DART Pearse Station/ bus 10,11,13 or Museumlink. 10-5 Tues.-Sat. 2-5 Sunday Admission: Free This is one of Dublin’s most popular attractions. It is split between the 19th century building on Kildare Street and the newer section at the restored Collins Barracks (see below) The Kildare Street site concentrates on archeological material and artifacts relating mostly to Ireland. There is a permanent display of Bronze Age Irish gold and another of metalwork from the Iron Age to the Middle Ages. There are also displays of artifacts from prehistoric and Viking Ireland and from ancient Egypt. National Museum of Ireland, Collins Barracks Collins Barracks Benburb Street DUBLIN 7 Tel: 677-7444 Buses: 90 (from Busaras, Connolly and Tara Street DART station) , 25, 25A, 66, 67 (from Middle Abbey Street) Open: Tuesday to Saturday 10 - 5, Sunday 2 - 5 Closed Good Friday On display are artifacts ranging from weaponry, furniture, folk life and costumes to silver, ceramics and glassware. Natural History Museum Merrion Street DUBLIN 2 Tel: 6777444 Directions: Buses: 7, 7A, 8 (Burgh Quay). Nearest DART Station: Pearse Station (Westland Row) or Museumlink. Tues.-Sat. 10 - 5, Sunday 2 - 5 Closed Good Friday Admission: Free The Natural History Museum which is part of the National Museum of Ireland, is a zoological museum containing collections illustrative of the wild life, both vertebrate and invertebrate, of Ireland. Skeletons of two whales found stranded on the Irish coast are suspended from the roof. National Gallery of Ireland Merrion Square West Dublin 2 661-5133 Fax: 661-5372 DART Pearse station/ bus 5,6,7,7A and 10 10-5:15 Mon-Fri., Sat. Thurs. 10-8:30 Sun. 2-5 Admission: Donation Ireland’s National Gallery houses a premier collection of European and Old Master works from the 14th – 20th centuries. George Bernard Shaw was a major benefactor. There is also an excellent collection of the work of Irish masters. Jack Yeats, Roderic O’Connor, William Arpen, Nathaniel Hone and Walter Osborne are all represented. Caravaggio’s “The Taking of Christ” is on permanent display. There is a multimedia center where the collection can be researched via computer. Heraldic Museum2 Kildare Street 677-7444 Bus 10,11,13 10:00-8:30 Mon.-Wed. 10:30-4:30 Thurs.,Fri. 10:30-12:30 Sunday Admission: Free The museum is an integral part of the National Library, and is housed in a colorful mid-nineteenth century building, the former Kildare Street Club. Decorative birds and monkeys playing billiards and musical instruments form the window carvings. Modern banners of Ireland’s ancient chieftains hang from the ceiling. Visitors seeking to trace their Irish ancestry and family history can make inquiry at the Consultancy Service at the National Library itself which is located just a few doors away. Dublin Civic Museum58 South William Street Dublin 2 679-4260 All cross city buses 10-6 Tues.-Sat. 11-2 Sunday. Admission: Free. The highlights of this small museum for history buffs are: Charles Brookings’s 1728 map of Dublin and a set of James Malton aquatints from 1793 that show Dublin at the height of it Georgian development. Abbey Theater 26 Abbey Street Lower Dublin 1 878-7222 box office (open 10:30-7 Mon.-Sat.) 456-9569 Ticketmaster (open 24 hours daily) All cross-city buses Admisison: £10-£16 Abbey Theater was founded in 1904 as the Irish National Theatre by William Butler Yeats, Lady Augusta Gregory and Edward Martyn. \ In recent years, the theater has presented exciting work by the new generation of Irish playwrights. Telephone for current schedules. Peacock Theater: Since 1925 the Abbey has incorporated a smaller theater suitable for experimental productions and intimate performances. The Peacock gives a venue to new, young Irish writers. It has presented Dublin with some of its best and most exciting new talent. The Gate Theater 1 Cavendish Row Dublin 2 874-4045 All cross-city buses. Box office open 10-7 Mon.-Sat. Admission charged. This theater was built in 1784-86 as part of the complex of entertainment buildings attached to the Rotunda Hospital and known as the assembly Rooms.. Orson Welles and James Mason began their acting careers here, and the theater achieved an international reputation. In recent years the Gate has enjoyed considerable success with productions of classic plays. Rotunda Hospital Parnell Street The founder of the hospital, Dr. Bartholomew Mosse, took up midwifery in Dublin in 1742 and launched a campaign to provide a suitable hospital for mothers to promote safety in pregnancy and childbirth. He and his committee acquired the Parnell Square site in 1748 and invested as a fundraising venture. The ceiling of the chapel, decorated by the stuccodore Barthelemy Cramillion, has gained an international reputation. The woodwork of the pews, paneling and fluted columns is of mahogany and the gallery has some intricate ironwork. Mosse died at the age of 47 in 1759, three years before the Chapel was opened. Saint Michan’s Church Church Street Lower Dublin 7 872-4154 10-12:45 and 2-4:45 Mon.-Fri. 10-12:45 Saturday Admission charged St. Michan’s was for five hundred years the only parish church in Dublin north of the River Liffey. It was founded in about 1095 by residents of the Danish colony in Oxmanstown. The present structure dates from 1685 when it was completely rebuilt. The church contains a magnificent organ, on which Handel is believed to have played while composing ‘The Messiah’. A remarkable panel on the organ gallery, carved from a single block of wood portrays a collection of musical instruments in high relief. There is a Penitent’s Stool (the only one of its kind in Dublin) and an eighteenth century pulpit and font. Among other treasured items is a chalice dating from 1516. St. Michan’s is especially famous for its vaults and the mummified bodies which lie there, preserved by the limestone in the ground which keeps the air absolutely dry. Some of the bodies, in a fine state of preservation, are on view to the public. St. Mary and All Angels Church Street This Roman Catholic Church belongs to the Franciscan Capuchin Fathers and has an impressively decorated interior. Some of the altars and sculptures are by James Pearse, father of the 1916 national leader, Patrick Pearse. St. Saviour’s Dominick Street St. Saviour’s is a Dominican church that was built 1852-1861 to the designs of J.J. McCarthy and is considered to be one of the most beautiful churches in the city. One of the stained glass windows in the south aisle commemorates Thomas Burke, an undersecretary in Dublin Castle who was one of the two victims in the infamous Phoenix Park murders of 1882. National Wax Museum Granby Row Parnell Square DUBLIN 1 Tel: 8726340 Monday to Saturday 10am - 5.30pm, Sunday noon - 5.30pm Admission charged Buses: 11, 13, 16, 22, 22A from Westmoreland Street Discover a world where fantasy and reality combine and heroes of the past and the present come alive before your eyes. The Children’s World of Fairytale and Fantasy is a display that especially appeals to children as they wander through the Kingdom of Fairytales to find the magical lamp and the all powerful genie! The main section of the wax exhibition broadly reflects the historical and cultural development of Ireland. Here are found life sized figures of heroes such as Robert Emmet, Wolfe Tone, Robert Parnell, the 1916 leaders and the Presidents; together with leading literary figures: Joyce, Yeats, and their contemporaries. A particularly attractive feature is the life-size replica of Leonardo de Vinci's 'Last Supper'. Displays have an informative and educational narrative which can be heard at the touch of a button. The Municipal Gallery of Art The Hugh Lane Gallery Parnell Square Dublin 1 874-1903 Bus 3,10,11,13,16,19,22 9:30-6 Tues.-Fri. 9:30-5 Sat. 11-5 Sun. Admission: Free The museum which now occupies the building, was established with the presentation in 1905 by the connoisseur Sir Hugh Lane of his valuable collection of Impressionist paintings to Dublin Corporation on condition that they would be housed in a suitable building. The museum also features an exhibit of art nouveau stained glass panels by Harry Clarke. Additionally, there is a collection of works by international and local contemporary Irish artists. Free Sunday concerts are held on premises. (Call for schedule) The Dublin Writers Museum 18 Parnell Square Dublin 1 475-0854 Fax: 872-2231. Ten minutes walk frim DART Connolly Station. Bus 10,11,11A,11B,13,13A,16,16A,19,19A. Dublin is famous for four winners of the Nobel prize for Literature: George Bernard Shaw; William Butler Yeats; Samuel Beckett and Seamus Heaney and for many other world-famous writers who were born or lived in Dublin. This museum was established to interpret the tradition and the lives, works and literary heritage of its writers over the past 300 years.. The building itself is a fine example of eighteenth century craftsmanship, with ornate plasterwork, an impressive central staircase and a magnificent gallery on the first floor. Guinness Brewery and HopstoreCrane Street Dublin 8 Bus 21A,78A,123 453-6700 Mon.-Sat. 10-5:30 Sun. 2:30-5:30 Admission charged The Hopstore is a Guinness Museum within the brewery that chronicles the process of producing Guinness stout, the world-renowned thicker, darker beverage that is unrivaled for its consistency and taste. Admission includes a pint of the famous stout. James Joyce Center 35 North Great George’s Street Dublin 1 878-8547 DART Connolly Station Bus 3,10,11,113,16,19,22 9:30-4:45 Mon.-Sat. 12:30-5 on Sunday. Admission charged The setting of the Center in an 18th century house amid other restored red brick Georgian residences just off O’Connell Street is further authenticated by the fact that tours are conducted by members of Joyce’s family. There is an extensive library, exhibits and information about James Joyce and his work. There are even cassette tapes available which offer the opportunity to hear Joyce reading from Ulysses and Finnegan’s Wake. The Garden of Remembrance North end of Parnell Square The Garden was opened in 1966 on the fiftieth anniversary of the Easter Rising of 1916 and was dedicated to those who gave their lives in the cause of Irish freedom. The mosaics on the floor of the central pool depict broken and discarded weapons as a sign of peace. At the end of the garden is a large bronze sculpture by Oisín Kelly depicting The Children of Lir, who according to an ancient Irish legend were transformed into swans. St. Mary’s Catholic Pro-Cathedral Marlborough Street Dublin 1 874-5441 DART – Connolly Station Although Dublin’s population is predominantly Roman Catholic, its two cathedrals are both of the Protestant faith. St. Mary’s, dedicated in 1825, became known as the Pro-Cathedral and is still ‘standing in’. One of Dublin’s most noted neo-classical buildings, its Greek Doric design is based on the church of St. Philippe-le-Roule in Paris. National Print Museum Old Garrison Church Beggars Bush Haddington Road DUBLIN 4 Tel: 660-3770 May to –Sept. Mon – Fri. 10. - 12.30, 2.30 - 5.00 Saturday, Sunday and Bank Holidays 12 - 5. Built in the 1860's, the National Print Museum houses a unique collection of artifacts and machines from all sectors of the printing industry in Ireland. The emphasis is on industrial printing. The Beggars Bush building was originally a barracks and the central garrison building houses the Irish Labour History Museum . Irish Jewish Museum3-4 Walworth Road Portobello Dublin 8 453-1797 Bus 16,16A,19,19A,22,22A May-Sept. 11-3:30 Tues., Thurs.,Sun. Oct.-April 10:30 Sunday. Other times: Call for appointment. Admission: Donation The collection of documents and artifacts relating to the Jewish community in Dublin includes a replica of a turn of the century Jewish kitchen from a Jewish neighborhood. A synagogue preserved with ritual fittings is also present. An exhibit chronicles the pogroms against the Jews in Limerick in the 1920’s. Rabbi Herzog, Irelans’s first chief rabbi is commemorated by a plaque, as is Ireland’s most famous Jew of fiction, James Joyce’s Leopold Bloom. Kilmainham GaolInchicore Road Dublin 8 453-5984 Bus 51,51B,78A,79 9:30-6 daily (April-Sept.) 9:30-5 Mon-Fri. (Oct. – March) 10-6 Sunday Guided tours only. Admission charged Kilmainham is the best known and most notorious of Irish prisons. It was here that the leaders of the 1916 Easter Rising were executed. Displays chronicle events of Ireland’s uprisings from 1800 on. Other displays show conditions in 19th century prisons. Note: Some exhibits such as the one that shows the process of death by hanging in detail are extremely graphic. Parental discretion is advised. General Post Office O’Connell Street Dublin 1 705-7077 DART Connolly Station All cross city buses 8-8 Mon.-Sat. Admission: Free The General Post Office is one of the last great public buildings of the Georgian era. Built between 1815 and 1818, it was designed by Francis Johnston, who had already overseen the construction of Nelson’s Pillar nearby. Its great Ionic portico with six fluted columns contains three stone figures representing Mercury (the messenger of the gods), Hibernia and Fidelity. The GPO holds a special place in Irish history as the headquarters of the Irish Volunteers in the Easter Rising of 1916. The Rising began on Easter Monday when armed detachments of the Irish Volunteers and the Citizen Army, commanded by the patriots Patrick Pearse and James Connolly, seized and occupied the building. Other strategic locations in the city were also taken over. The Proclamation of the Irish Republic outside the building by Patrick Pearse is commemorated by a tablet on the wall. In 1922, after eight centuries of occupation, an independent Irish State was established. Reconstruction of the gutted GPO began in 1925 and the interior was splendidly restored. CEOL Irish Traditional Music Center Smithfield Village Ireland Dublin 7 817-3820 9.30 am - 6.00 Mon- Sat. 12.- 6 Sundays all year. Admission charged Buses 25, 25A, 67, 67A from Middle Abbey Street, 68, 69, 79, from Aston Quay, 90 from Connolly, Tara and Heuston Stations. Ceol, the Irish word for music, pays homage to the greatness of past musicians and performers as it celebrates Irish music of today. You can listen to the fiddle, pipes , accordion, concertina, flute, whistle, and the whole range of traditional instruments. The emotional experiences of the Irish People are captured in songs that tell of their victories and their defeats. Dance is central to Irish traditional music. Examples of the three major forms: set dancing, ceili dancing, and the performance tradition are presented. Dublin Bay Sea Thrill Carlisle Terminal East Pier Dun Laoghaire 260-0949 Dublin Bay Sea Thrill: You are taken from DunLaoghaire Pier out around Dalkey Island, Muglins Island and Killiney Bay. Traveling on the boat rather than in it you are perched on the rim to have your bones rattled by every rolling wave and splashed by every torrent of sea spray that the boat whips up. | 
