Beginner's Guide to Dublin, Ireland

Jenn: [00:00:00] Hey everyone and welcome back to the Travel Mug podcast. I am Jenn joined as always by my partner in podcasting, Meggan, we are so excited to bring you another beginner's guide this week, all about Dublin, Ireland. So Meggan visited a few years ago, it's on my radar for this year. So we'll see if we get there. But let's dive in with a short history of the city.

So the origins of, uh, the city of Dublin can be traced back more than a thousand years, which is mind blowing to this, uh, per person from a baby

Meggan: Right, right. Our little, our, our big baby country.

Jenn: Yeah. So this area was originally settled by Vikings in the ninth and 10th centuries. By the 12th century, Dublin was under the control of the Anglo Normans after the invasion of Ireland. Dublin, as [00:01:00] we'll mention, uh, later on, became the center of English power in Ireland. In 1801, it became part of the United Kingdom. However, the 1916 Easter Rising was a major turning point for Irish independence, and this rebellion sparked a series of events that would lead to the creation of the Irish free state in 1922 and Dublin was its capital and remains the capital today of Ireland. And today it is the economic hub of Ireland. And in 2024, an estimated 6.6 million international visitors came to Dublin and the European Commission named it the European Smart Tourism Capital in 2024. So I guess I'm not the only person planning to head to Dublin.

Meggan: You and a few million others. Smart Tourism Capital. Hmm, never heard of that award.

Jenn: Yeah. Yeah. So let's talk about getting there. That's usually [00:02:00] where you have to start. So if you're flying into Dublin, the Dublin International airport is Ireland's busiest airport and only 10 kilometers away from the center city center. So that's, uh, pretty convenient. You can take a bus or a taxi into the city.

I also learned that you can take a ferry to Dublin from Holyhead in the UK on the Stina line. The journey is approximately three and a half hours. The prices vary, uh, from what I was seeing, it's like 134 pounds, 30 for a car and a driver. So nearly $250 Canadian or $175 USD. So Dublin does have public transport to get around, including buses and trams, but it seems like a super walkable city.

Meggan, how did you get around when you were there?

Meggan: Yeah, so we spent a couple of nights in Dublin. Otherwise we had rented a [00:03:00] car to see the other portions of the country that we were able to make it to. So, uh, when we arrived at, in Dublin, at the end of our trip, we actually went to the airport, dropped the car back off at the airport and caught a taxi to our lodging and then a taxi back to the airport at the very end of our trip. While we were in Dublin, we walked the entire time. We did u not, uh, need to use any other means of transportation. And we had good weather. So rain was not a factor, which was a blessing.

Jenn: Nice. Yeah.

Meggan: So besides getting around, of course, I think oftentimes besides whether you're transportation to and from, the country you're visiting, obviously how to get around next is where do you stay? And I think that that's such a big piece. And something of course to be done in advance. Now, during our stay in Dublin, we did stay at an apartment.

We booked it on booking.com. So I think at the time I didn't feel badly thinking, oh, it isn't an Airbnb, but like, of course it was. it just wasn't on Airbnb, so I can't [00:04:00] change that now. So onward we must go, but how, however, it was really centrally located on Cable Street, so just a few blocks from the River Liffey, which runs through Dublin and was within walking distance of all the things we wanted to see and do, which I guess is probably why we booked it.

The most popular rated areas of the city. Uh, so the Temple bar area for fun, but what I would also assume would be pretty noisy.

Jenn: Right.

Meggan: I'm, I'm just guessing, but I'm, I'm assuming, but it's really according to your age and what you're looking for and your tolerance for noise. So that is up to you. Trinity, which is nearby to the college Dublin Castle and the Molly Malone statue, uh, plus just across the river from the post office, and I will explain later the significance of that.

There's Marion Square area, so be sure to check out the park near there as well as the Oscar Wilde statue. Phibsborough, so this is, uh, near Griffith Park and the [00:05:00] National Botanic Gardens, and it's a little bit more north in the city. And then of course, central Dublin itself, such as Portobello, which is close to St. Stephen's Green, and some great shopping, which we'll talk about a little bit later as well. And if price is prohibitive for you or you prefer your accommodations to be a bit removed from the center of things, which some people do, there are options just outside of Dublin, which are just a few stops away, via public transportation such as Dalkey, Howth, and Manahide. So those are just a few options. If staying in Dublin isn't right for you.

Jenn: Yeah, it sounds like it's pretty easy to like get around, so no matter where you're staying, you can, uh, find your way to all the things that you wanna do.

Meggan: Definitely. So you've got your, you are there, you know, you've got your accommodation now what are you going to do? So of course, like a lot of capital cities, there's so much to do. , and the Guinness Storehose, we will start there. [00:06:00] So the Guinness storehouse, there is a lot to see and it has seven floors.

They are serious and I know they're very serious about it. And if you really want to explore plan to be there three or four hours or even more, especially if you do the Brewery tour. So we bought our tickets in advance, same day, and by booking in advance, we did save money. So that's something you could look into as well.

If you sort of know when you would like to go. You can do a myriad of things. So you can do a perfect pour, they call it, by taking part in the Guinness Academy, where they actually teach you to pour Guinness properly. Uh, Peter did that. He has a certificate he's very proud of. I know, I know. Um, you can have a beer with your picture made into the foam called a stoutie.

Jenn: Mm-hmm.

Meggan: so you can visit all of the exhibits, of course. Honestly, there's just so much. There are two tiers of tickets, as there is with everything, standard and [00:07:00] premium, which each includes certain aspects of the storehouse experience. So check that out on the website to see what you wanna do there and book in advance.

We'll put the link in the show notes.

Um, there's a lot to read through and a lot to sort of understand what you'd actually like to do, uh, while you're visiting.

Jenn: So do you like Guinness? Meggan?

Meggan: I don't love beer.

Peter really enjoys a Guinness. Of course. Yesterday was, uh, St. Patty's Day as we record, and he of course celebrated. He has more Irish heritage than me. I only have two or 3%, and he's up in the 30 percentiles range. So I did have a few while I was there, it felt right. If that makes, if that makes sense.

We went to a few pubs and I'm like, yes, I'll have a Guinness because we're in Ireland, but not typically. No, what about you?

Jenn: I, I also am not a beer person, so I was wondering if you thought that the Guinness experience is a good experience for someone who doesn't love Guinness?

Meggan: Yeah. Yeah, like, I mean we definitely [00:08:00] went 'cause Peter enjoys it, but also it was a huge experience with a lot to see and do. If you don't care about Guinness at all, you, you probably shouldn't go, you know? That, that's my advice. I wouldn't. Um, cool. So the next thing I wanna mention, and this is a pretty quick excursion, is to walk across the ha' penny bridge.

So the ha' penny bridge or the half penny bridge, which is for pedestrian use only. And it's officially called the Liffey Bridge. And of course goes over the river Liffey. It was built in 1816, which makes it the oldest pedestrian bridge. It gets its name, of course because between 1816 and 1919, pedestrians had to pay half a penny to cross the bridge.

Jenn: Oh

Meggan: Yes, yes. It, uh, you no longer have to pay that steep toll. Um, it is made of cast iron and it was [00:09:00] newly painted when we were there, and it won't take you long to cross it, but of course, it's one of those historic things that sort of people recommend that you do. But we'll be very quick, but still pretty cool to walk over a bridge from 1816.

Jenn: Yeah, that's super cool.

Meggan: is. Um, next I would suggest to explore Saint Stephens Green. It is a beautiful green space in Dublin with deep historic meaning for Ireland. There are many paths, flowers, trees, and a really great spot overall to relax, play Frisbee, read or have a picnic. However, during the Easter rising of 1916. Which was an attempt to overthrow the governing British, St. Stephens Green was one of the spots seized by the Irish citizen Army. So not only do you get to sort of be out in nature while you're there, but it's also a part of deep part of Irish history as well. I.

Jenn: yeah. Cool.

Meggan: Now there's pedestrianized shopping streets, so Grafton Street and Henry Street, and they are directly, really [00:10:00] close actually, when you come out of the St. Stephens Green, at one of the corners, you're actually on Grafton Street, so very close to the same area. you can do some shopping on these pedestrian only streets.

Of course, we walk down these back to the city center after visiting the park. And nearby is also a mall of the same name, St. Stephen's Mall. and don't miss out on the eclectic side streets off of Grafton and Henry as well for smaller shops and markets. So not as sort of commercialized. And there are also, of course, lots of pubs and restaurants along the walk as well.

So it's great to maybe do you know, in the evening after you've had a, a day and get out and just sort of stroll around, it could be a, a great option that way. Now Trinity College, , it seems weird to recommend for people to go to a college, but there are various tours you can book there, including seeing the college campus, if you wish, or a guided tour of the book of Kells and the old library.

And in our style, we chose the self-guided tour [00:11:00] to see the book of Kells and the long room in the old library, which honestly was one of my favorite things I experienced in Dublin. I'm not sure of the cost in 2019 for us to do a self-guided tour, but the self-guided tour now is 25 Euros per person for 90 minutes,

Jenn: Okay.

Meggan: and the book of Kells.

Do you know what did you, if you may have looked it up since we, you knew we were gonna do this, but did you know what this was?

Jenn: I definitely have heard of it, but like I can't like pull it out of my brain of what it actually is, you know?

Meggan: I totally do. And I didn't know about it, but for those of, and also I'll share for those who also don't know right now, because of course I didn't. Um, it is written in Latin and it is a religious script for medieval times. So it contains four gospels of the New Testament and would've been crafted by Celtic Monks around the year 18, sorry, 800.

I wouldn't expect to say 800, so therefore I was gonna say 18, but no, [00:12:00] let's go back to eight. 800. So it is obviously an important part of history and you aren't able to take photos, but of course Peter did not read that and got one Anyway, so I guess you can check out our socials when the episode comes out to see a picture of the book of Kells.

Um. Now the long room is just that. It is a long room with high ceilings and it is essentially a library. I'm sure you're may be thinking like big deal, but it is really beautiful with dark wood and vaulted, round ceilings. And even though it was busy. It was quiet and I just loved being able to walk around and sort of like take the, it was like dark teak wood or something.

I don't know what it's made of, but it was very calming and I loved it. It was definitely worth the price of admission alone, the Book of Kells, I guess. It's cool to see history, but the library was, or the long Hall was my favorite part.

So, a lot like our home city of Halifax, Dublin has no shortage of pubs, so don't despair. You will find a spot to have a [00:13:00] pint or two. Or more, it's up to you.

Uh, Temple Bar is the face of a lot of pubs and nightlife in Dublin. So when you see or hear about the pub culture, temple Bar is usually brought up. We didn't go in as it's kind of touristy because it is so popular, but we did snap a picture of it, which is kind of my point. That's why people go to look at it.

It's, it's that popular that people do. It is family owned, and seen as a staple for Irish pubs. So it's definitely an option for you. The oldest pub in Dublin is the brazen head established in 1198. I think these dates are so hard for us is because our Canadian brains can't wrap our heads around it.

Jenn: Cannot cannot.

Meggan: No, and it used to be a meeting spot for historic Irish rebels. I know now you can go and listen to some live music. It sounds a little more calm, but these are just a few examples. There are a lot more including Merchant's Arch, which, uh, has a beautiful stairway, lively atmosphere. We enjoyed it there, but just [00:14:00] trust me, you'll find a spot somewhere.

Pub culture is huge there. And the last thing.

Yeah, I know, I know it. It is kind of reminiscent of Halifax 'cause people always talk about Halifax that way, but I don't think we have anything on Dublin.

Jenn: No, I, I'm sure we don't, but it is funny. I, you know, we recently rewatched Rick Steve's, uh, episode like featuring Dublin and I, I think they were in Temple, but I can't remember. But, uh, just the music that was playing, I'm like, oh, this is Halifax.

Meggan: I know, I know. I love that connection for sure.

And the last thing I wanna mention, which is gonna seem odd, but again, has a historic aspect to it, is the general post office called An Post, or An Post. Normally we wouldn't put a post office probably in our to-do list of things to see in a city.

However, this isn't just any post office we've referenced earlier the 1916 Easter uprising. Well, the post office actually played a pivotal role in that. So not only is it the oldest functioning, [00:15:00] uh, post office headquarters in the world, which alone makes it stand out. It was actually the command center for the Irish uprising and is a symbol of Irish nationalism.

One of the columns outside, or sorry, on the columns outside actually, not just one in particular. You can actually see and feel bullet holes in the cement columns and it was quite surreal seeing and like touching that for yourself. And again, another symbol of Ireland where there's just so much history and it all dates back so far.

Jenn: Yeah, that's super

Meggan: I know. So of course this isn't everything to do in Dublin and we personally could not see and do everything even that we wanted to do with a little bit of a limited time there. So there are a few other things I know you wanted to mention that you found that you thought could be interesting for our listeners to maybe want to add to their itinerary.

Jenn: Yeah, and I just want to mention that when I was doing my research for this part of the episode, I feel like it really highlighted the [00:16:00] difference between the things that I like to do when I travel and the things you like to do when you travel.

Meggan: know.

Jenn: I was like, these are all things that I want to do that you did not do,

Meggan: I know, I know. That's what makes us a dynamic duo.

Jenn: I guess. So that's why we don't travel together.

Meggan: That is correct. Although someday, I'm sure we can come to an agreeance, but I.

Jenn: Um, sure. Okay, so let's dive in and we're gonna start with the Dublin Castle. So, it's one of the most important buildings in Irish history. The Dublin castle was the seat of the English and later British rule in Ireland from 1204 to 1922. So it served as a residence for the British Monarchs Irish representative.

So today the Irish government uses, Dublin Castle for important national events and since 1938, each of Ireland's presidents has been inaugurated in St. Patrick's Hall, which is the grandest of all the state [00:17:00] apartments there. So you can visit, uh, Dublin Castle. So you can choose between a self-guided tour or a guided tour that allows you to see the state apartments, the Coach House and the Castle Gardens, or you can roam the castle grounds for free. So self-guided tours are about eight euros for adults, and they can be bought online up to 14 days in advance. But guided tour tickets are only available on site, and they did not list a price for those. So it's a surprise, I guess.

Meggan: I love that you never know what you're gonna get, I guess.

Jenn: No, I guess not. So next is the National Gallery of Ireland. It is a free art gallery with over 16,300 artworks. Their collection includes well-known artists like Picasso, and Titan. They also offer free lunchtime talks, uh, that kind of center around certain works of art, which sounds like a really great way to [00:18:00] learn more. It, I, I don't know if they're always Irish artists, but the most recent one coming up is an Irish artist. Um, they even offer painting classes, although those are not free and need to be booked in advance. But I really do love wandering through an art gallery, especially when it's a free art gallery.

Meggan: love that.

Jenn: Sounds like a good place to hang out if it's raining or just like not great weather. So next up is the Irish Rock and Roll Museum experience. It's nestled right in the Temple Bar District, just where you would expect it to be.

Meggan: Correct.

Jenn: So this museum showcases the artists and bands that have shaped Ireland's musical landscape.

So you can see the rehearsal studios to see where iconic artists like U2 and Sinead O'Connor got their start and in the jam room you can feel like a rock star and actually play the instruments, which is, uh, pretty cool. [00:19:00] Admission is a bit steep though, I have to say. It's 22 to 26 euros for adults. And all the visits to museum are by guided tour only, and they encourage people to book in advance. So if you know you wanna do this, definitely book it online in advance. So lastly, let's chat about Kilmainham Gaol. Gaol is spelled GAOL. Just, uh, so you know when you're Googling it yourself, it opened in 1796 as the new county jail. It held common criminals and also political prisoners involved in Ireland's struggle for independence, including the leaders of the 1916 Easter Rising. 14 of whom who were executed by firing squad in the stone breakers yard. So the jail was closed in 1924, but preserved as a national monument in the [00:20:00] 1960s.

Today it is a museum run by the Office of Public Works. So access is granted by tour only. You must pre-book your tickets, which are released 28 days in advance. And during the tour, you'll learn about the 1798 Rebellion, the 1916 Easter Rising, the Anglo Irish War, and the devastation of the Irish Civil War.

So lots of history to dive into in Dublin, if that's your thing.

Meggan: Definitely, and like I'm sure there's tens of things plus that we haven't even scratched the surface on, so that's definitely just a highlight. Now, of course, something we love to discuss here on the podcast is food.

Jenn: Mm-hmm.

Meggan: We're into it. Traditional Irish food though might not be up your alley, Jenn. Um, it is pretty hearty using solid ingredients of the landscape such as potatoes, of course, vegetables and meat.[00:21:00]

They enjoy a stew in the Ireland. , and I mean, we've all heard of Irish stew, so it kind of just makes sense. So during our stay in Dublin, we shopped at Tesco, the grocery store a lot, and made meals, as we had that option. But there, of course, there are many amazing restaurants in the city offering cuisines from around the world.

But of course. Including Irish Staples. I definitely recommend trying an Irish breakfast, which we were able to experience at a few of our stays throughout the country, although always avoiding the black pudding if it was offered.

Jenn: Fair. Yep.

Meggan: Now, Irish breakfast, uh, it is a dish that consists usually of bacon, sausage, beans, grilled tomatoes, mushrooms, eggs, toast, sometimes black or white pudding, sometimes potato mash and of course lots of tea. We stayed at a bed and breakfast in Ballycastle, and I think the breakfast lasted like two and a half or three hours and she just kept bringing more food and it was, it was just like [00:22:00] we were, we didn't know what to do because of course it was just the two of us and we didn't wanna be rude, but it was food enough for like eight people.

Jenn: oh, no.

Meggan: We were like, we don't know. We're like, so let's just sit here a bit and try to like let the food digest so that we can eat a little bit more and not seem rude. Anyway, it, it was a hearty, hearty breakfast. as we discussed, of course, pub culture is huge in Dublin, so pub food is readily available. Some highly rated restaurants serving.

Irish cuisine itself are Old Mill Restaurant and Wilde Restaurant Wilde with an E. And Dublin also has its share of Michelin starred restaurants one and two stars. So if you are wanting that kind of experience, you can definitely find it in Dublin. Quick little bit of research, they pop up for you. So you could definitely, I'm going to assume book those in advance.

Jenn: Yeah, I'm gonna assume that too.

Meggan: Yeah.

Jenn: Yeah.

Meggan: Now we all love a fun fact, Jenn. So tell us some of those about Dublin

Jenn: Yes. So the name [00:23:00] Dublin comes from the Eilish Irish Duiblinn meaning black pool, which refers to a dark tidal pool where the river paddle entered the life. Lifey,

Meggan: Cliffy.

Jenn: lifey

Meggan: Sure.

Jenn: on the site of the Castle Gardens at the rear of Dublin Castle. Uh, Dublin is home to 770 pubs. So

Meggan: That's a lot.

Jenn: a lot to choose from. Yeah.

Meggan: It's a, it's a whole lot of pubs.

Jenn: Yeah. And like we said, Dublin's oldest pub has been operating since 1198. A long time.

Meggan: Yes.

Jenn: the remains of St. Valentine himself, the patron Saint of Love, are buried in Dublin's Whitefriar Street Church. So that's

Meggan: Mm-hmm.

Jenn: the author of Dracula, Bram Stoker, was born in Dublin in 1847.

Meggan: Gotcha.

Jenn: [00:24:00] now I know, uh, the Rock Band U2 was formed in Dublin in 1976.

And a fun fact about me is I strongly dislike U2.

Meggan: That is a fun fact about you. No, I have to say 1976. I was born that year, so go U2. However, I don't love them. I don't strongly dislike them, but I wouldn't choose a U2 tune.

Jenn: Okay. That makes, I will turn them off when

Meggan: See, I'm not that, I'm not that far, but I respect, I respect your musical, uh, interests or, or disinterest.

Jenn: disinterest. Yeah. Bono makes me angry. I'm sorry, bono. I just, I can't stand him. Um,

Meggan: Bless your heart though.

Jenn: I'm so sorry. Um,

Meggan: This is hilarious.

Jenn: so the aforementioned Guinness factory that we mentioned earlier, has a nine thousand [00:25:00] year lease on the building, which was signed in 1759. The annual payment is just 45 pounds, but that factory is gonna be there a long, long time.

Meggan: Talk about rent control. That's amazing.

Jenn: I'm pretty sure that's a really good deal.

Meggan: I'm a hundred percent sure. Wow. Especially, uh,

building is huge. The grounds are huge. That's, uh, whoever, I don't know if, if, if, uh, founder of Guinness himself worked that out, but kudos to whomever did that.

Jenn: Yeah, they did a great

Meggan: They did indeed. Well, listeners, that is it for this Beginner's Guide to Dublin.

As we always say with beginner's guides, we have not covered everything nor all of the popular things, nor all of the things that might interest you as we are all different people. This is just a jumping off point to use in your research to figure out your trip and what do you want from a trip to Dublin, Ireland.

So that part is up to you. Uh, thank you as always for listening and [00:26:00] being here. Uh, when you aren't listening to our episodes, you can find us on social media at Travel Mug Podcast and on our website travel mug podcast.com. Or you can email us with questions or guest ideas. We'd love to hear from you. And until next time, safe travels and bye.