Let's see: a must-see is Trinity College and the Book of Kells  - this is a Bible illustrated by monks by hand in the 8th and 9th centuries. The room above is a library known as the Long Room (you'll know why when you see it!) full of dusty old books -  very atmospheric.

Churches: the Protestant cathedral of Saint Patrick's is wonderful - I think it's the largest and probably. It's not the only one obviously, but definitely one of the better known.

Pubs: Some of the best-known (and my favourites) are Doheny & Nesbitt's (a favourite haunt of Irish Times journalists apparently), McDaid's and Neary's. All are in the citry centre and relatively easy to find!

More alcohol: the Guinness Brewery and the Jameson Whiskey Corner Corner -  which, for good or for worse, are only half an hour from each other on foot. You can do guided tours and tastings in both and should you go to the Whiskey corner and they ask for volunteers for a tasting, raise your hand - you will get to taste four Irish whiskies, one Scotch and one bourbon, you get another glass of the one you like most AND a whiskey taster's certificate :-)

Theatres. Dublin abounds with them. The Gate theatre, the Abbey theatre and the Gaiety are three of the best-known. I think the Abbey was founded by W.B. Yeats (one of our most famous writers - but a very morose guy!) together with Lady Gregory at the beginning of the 20th century, and puts on lots of stuff from Yeats, J.M. Synge, and other Irish writers. Writers worth checking out are James Plunkett (read Strumpet City-all about the strikes and lock-out in Dublin in 1913), Walter Macken (he wrote a trilogy based on Irish history (The Silent People, Seek the Fair Land - can't remember the name of the third one), G .B. Shaw, Samuel Beckett (a native Dubliner who left to France in disgust at his conservative countrymen), Oscar Wilde, Sean O Faolain (great short stories), Joseph O'Connor (modern and very funny) Roddy Doyle (not my cup of tea, but I'm not necessarily a reference) and loads more to mention. The Dublin Writer's museum is well worth a visit if you're interested in literature - the main criteria for a writer to get into this museum is to be dead! Serious!!

The Temple Bar area of Dublin has loads of bars, as well as independent theatres and cinemas and is right in the centre of town. One restaurant to try is Gallagher's Boxty House (http://www.boxtyhouse.ie) - they serve traditiona Irish food like boxty (a kind of stuffed potato pancake), Irish Stew, bacon & cabbage etc. etc.

Parks: Saint Stephen's Green and the Phoenix Park are wonderful.

Last but not least, Dublin Bus organizes a hop-on/hop-off bus tour of the city which stops at all the main monuments. Tickets are valid all day and can bought at the company's offices in O'Connell Street (Dublin's main street) just opposite the tourist office. They also organize a Ghost Tour - or at least they did.

Other places to visit: if you're going to be there in October and like jazz, go to Cork (my home town!) for the Jazz festival. Connemara is great if you like wild, unspoiled landscape (and rain),  the Ring of Kerry offers some of the most breathtaking scenery in the country (and more rain), I also like Kinsale -  half an hour from Cork city, and the site of the Battle of Kinsale in 1601. It's a small fishing port and boasts some great fish restaurants - my favourites are Jim Edward's and Fishy Fishy.

Get in touch if you need more info!

PS: Tenebrae: I AM impressed :-) Youknow the place better than I do!
berlinoise, Jul 16, 2008 @ 12:16

XXC
Cerise, Jul 16, 2008 @ 19:40

YOU are supposed to be working - not pfaffing about and doing your liver in ;-)) Although if you do get a chance to taste Middleton Very Old Rare......don't pass it up.

No seriously, have fun! And wave down to Cork for me ;-)
berlinoise, Jul 17, 2008 @ 00:56

;) Working at lifting up my elbow with a glass in my hand:hehe: Whisky Testingggggg:w00t:
Cerise, Jul 17, 2008 @ 11:15