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