| David Muldoon, travel writer explores the delights | | | | Brendan Behan). For musical pubs try the St John |
| of a celtic gem, dublin | | | | Gogarty on Fleet Street in Temple Bar, |
| Dublin, the fair city, capital of the Republic of | | | | O'Donoghue's in Merrion Row and for session |
| Ireland is situated on the eastern side of the | | | | tunes take your irish drum or 'bodhrán' to |
| emerald isle and offers the many facilities as any | | | | Lower Bridge Street where O'Shea's Merchant |
| large European city while still maintaining the most | | | | and the Brazen Head face each other, or north of |
| traditional of Irish culture and hospitality. Dublin has | | | | the Liffey to the Cobblestone Bar on North King |
| attractions to suit everyone's taste, from | | | | Street |
| museums to shopping, from castles to sport | | | | PoD on Harcourt Street is still one of the |
| centres, from churches to restaurants, and of | | | | trendiest nightclubs. At the Gaiety on South King |
| course a very special and exciting night life with | | | | Street it's hot salsa on Fridays and souls and R&B |
| pubs, cafés and night clubs. Getting bored in | | | | on Saturdays. The Thomas House on Thomas |
| Dublin is virtually impossible.Dublin has some | | | | Street offers techno a-go-go in a friendly club |
| wonderful parts to explore, like the River Liffey | | | | atmosphere. And try The Kitchen at the Clarence |
| that slices the city in half, or Grafton Street, the | | | | Hotel on Wellington Quay -famous rock band |
| vibrant shopping heart of the city, and of course | | | | owners U2 are unlikely to be there, but in Ireland |
| the famous O'Connell Street, the main artery of | | | | you can never know what to expect |
| Dublin's city centre. The home of Oscar Wilde, this | | | | In Temple Bar, it's Eden on Meeting House Square |
| city will prove a great experience for anyone, | | | | for excellent modern cookery. Poppadom |
| surrounded by music and the hospitality of the | | | | Restaurant on Rathgar Road offers proper, |
| Dubliners.Dublin's centre is compact enough to | | | | authentic Indian cookery. Bang Café is a |
| walk across in half an hour. City buses are | | | | great place down on Merrion Row. As for seafood |
| plentiful, the new Luas modern trams run | | | | - ride the DART out to Sandycove and taste the |
| frequently, and the excellent DART urban railway | | | | flavours fresh out of the sea at Caviston's |
| which hugs the coastline for miles and buzzes you | | | | Seafood Restaurant |
| north and south to suburban stations and on out | | | | Other places of worthwhile visit include the |
| of the city in minutes. South of the River Liffey is | | | | National Gallery, National Museum or Leinster |
| the beautiful Georgian quarter and traditionally the | | | | House home of the Irish Parliament. The Guinness |
| trendiest part of Dublin - especially the revamped | | | | Storehouse and Jameson Whiskey Distillery are |
| riverside area of Temple Bar with its cobbled | | | | highly recommended, for their regular tours and |
| streets, arty venues and smart little eateries and | | | | thirsty visitors can trace the journey and history |
| shops. Some find it a bit contrived, but this is still | | | | of this fascinating world-of much loved beer and |
| the trendiest part of town. Capuccinistas practise | | | | whiskey. The Guinness Store is now Ireland's |
| their pouts at Café en Seine on Dawson | | | | number one tourist attraction, after all 14.3 million |
| Street | | | | pints of Guinness is stored there. |
| The gloriously illustrated, 140-year-old medieval | | | | Dublin, Ireland Travel by Car / Car Rental Motor |
| manuscript called the Book of Kells at Trinity | | | | traffic in Dublin, Ireland has dramatically increased |
| College is probably the most beautiful book in the | | | | in the last few years and as a result the city has |
| world, housed in the great vaulted Long Room - | | | | become very congested during commuter hours. |
| perhaps the finest interior in Dublin. Trinity College | | | | A car provides a very easy and convenient way |
| is also a famous seat of learning and one of the | | | | to travel outside of the city centre. If you do not |
| great universities of Europe. The long list of | | | | bring your own car, there is a multitude of car |
| famous ex-students includes Samuel Beckett, | | | | rental firms to choose from. Car rental can be |
| Edmund Burke and Oscar Wilde. Out west of the | | | | quite expensive in the peak summer season and |
| city centre, the national monument of Kilmainham | | | | the best rates can be obtained by booking in |
| Gaol gives you a fascinating and very moving, if | | | | advance or online. Broker companies use the |
| chilling, insight into modern Irish history. This is | | | | major rental companies for huge discounts and |
| where the leaders of the 1916 rising were | | | | therefore usually offer the best deal. Car rental |
| executed here, radicalizing the Irish public and | | | | usually comes as a 'fully inclusive' package which |
| marking the beginning of the end of the British | | | | includes unlimited mileage, collision damage waiver, |
| administration in Dublin. | | | | passenger indemnity insurance and cover for third |
| Dublin's pubs are very famous, especially for the | | | | party, fire and theft - but not usually insurance |
| 'craic' (general good-time atmosphere), | | | | excess. To rent a car you must show a full |
| conversation, music and of course excellent | | | | driver's licence and a credit card in the driver's |
| Guinness. For the black stuff experience, try | | | | name. Cars are usually rented to customers |
| Mulligan's of Poolbeg Street. Celebrity spotting | | | | between the ages of 23 to 70 years, although |
| takes place in Doheny & Nesbitt's in Lower | | | | some companies can make exceptions.Rules of |
| Baggot Street near St Stephen's Green. Three | | | | the Road:- |
| good literary pubs in the pedestrianised streets | | | | The Irish, like the British, drive on the left-hand |
| east of Grafton Street are Davy Byrne's in Duke | | | | side of the road, with their cars having the |
| Street (James Joyce) and McDaid's in Harry | | | | steering wheel on the right and gear levers on the |
| Street (poet Patrick Kavanagh, playwright | | | | left.. |