Top 3 Things To Do In Dublin
A welcome guest post from David who shares his inside knowledge of Dublin. David begins: “I have been working in the tourism industry in Ireland for the last ten years. I currently work as part of the team at the Drury Court Hotel which is located in the centre of Dublin City. Working in the tourism industry in my home town has made me appreciate Dublin’s history and attractions more so than before. There are many wonderful things for visitors to Dublin to do but I have selected my Top three favourite. These are the Guinness Storehouse, Kilmainham Gaol and Trinity College &T he Book of Kells.”
Guiness Storehouse
One of the first things we think of when we think of Ireland is Guinness. The St. James’s Gate Brewery, home of Ireland’s most famous export, is located in the centre of Dublin City and is easily accessible by foot and public transport. The Storehouse has welcomed over four million visitors through its doors since it opened to the public in 2000 and is the country’s most visited attraction.
The Storehouse building itself is a magnificent multi-storey steel framed building which was constructed in 1902. It was used as the fermentation plant of the Brewery until 1988 when it was moved to another part of the city. This led to the decision by the company to turn this building into the Brewery’s visitor centre, replacing the Guinness Hop Store.
Arthur Guinness established the Guinness Brewery in 1759. Since 2009, the 250th Birthday of Guinness, the people of Ireland have celebrated Arthurs Day at the end of September. At 17:59 (5:59PM), on this day, Guinness drinkers everywhere will raise a glass of the black stuff to the memory of Arthur Guinness. It may be just an excuse for a few pints of Guinness but it is a great day and night with music gigs going on in pubs all over the country.
The tour of the storehouse spans over seven floors and takes you through the story of Guinness, from the history and brewing process to the advertising of Guinness. The tour is interesting and interactive and covers all things Guinness. For me the highlight of the tour however is the finale, a tasty pint in the amazing Gravity Bar where you can enjoy a 360 degree view of Dublin City.
Kilmainham Gaol
Kilmainham Gaol (Jail) is this weeks feature on things to do in Dublin. The jail is located in Kilmainham which is in the south-side of Dublin. It is approximately 3.5km from the city centre and is easily accessible by public bus, including routes 13, 40, 69 & 79. A visit to the gaol is a must on your trip to Dublin, this is not only one for the history buffs but for any national or international tourist. The story and history of the prison is quite gloomy so would not be recommended for children.
This former prison has been a museum since the mid 1980’s and is Europe’s largest preserved Victorian Jail. It is a significantly important building in relation to Irish history and the country’s struggle for independence. It was this jail where many Irish rebels were imprisoned and executed by the British. The list of former prisoners is a very long one but some of the more familiar names would be, Robert Emmet, Charles Stewart Parnell, Padraig Pearse, James Connolly, Eamon de Valera (former President of Ireland) and Countess Markievicz.
History
The County of Dublin Gaol, later Kilmainham Gaol was built in 1796. It held criminals and members of the resistance to British rule. From its foundation, public hangings took place at the gaol. These became less frequent and public as the years went on but in 1891 they still had a need to build a private hanging cell on the first floor of the prison.
The prison housed men, women and children and as you can imagine the conditions would have been pretty horrific. Overcrowded, cold, damp and dark with only a single candle for both light and heat, this had to last the inmates two weeks. The women prisoners had to endure worse conditions than the men which would have been considered unusual at this time.
Throughout the rebellions of 1798, 1803, 1848, 1867 and 1916, Irish rebellion leaders were imprisoned in the jail. Many of these leaders would have died here at the hands of the firing squads. Therefore it is seen as a reminder of the struggle of these Irish heroes and their battle for Independence. The Irish Free State government shut the doors of the prison in 1924, with Eamon de Valera being amongst the last prisoners to leave the jail. The Irish Free State government had also been responsible for executions at the prison during the Irish Civil War.
Preservation
Initially after the closure of the prison there was no interest in preserving the site as it was seen as a place of suffering and oppression. Until the 1950’s it lay idle with plans and proposals for what to do with the prison being approved and shelved. The prison had seriously deteriorated over the years and was on the brink of demolition until 1958 when Lorcan G.C. Leonard, joined by like-minded nationalists, formed the Kilmainham Jail Restoration Society.
In May 1960 the government handed over the keys of the prison over to a board of trustees, made up of members nominated by the society and the government. That month, sixty volunteers began working on the restoration of the prison. This work was to continue until 1971 which saw the Kilmainham Gal chapel being re-opened to the public. The remainder of the prison later opened as a museum to the public and is now not only one of Ireland’s most historically significant sites but also one of the country’s most visited tourist attractions.
Take a tour around the dungeons, corridors and cells on your visit to Dublin.
Trinity College & The Book Of Kells
Trinity College, founded in 1592 by Queen Elizabeth, is located right in the centre of Dublin City so is well serviced by public transport and very easy to get to on foot. It is Ireland’s oldest college and also the country’s most prestigious college. Famous Trinity alumni include Samuel Beckett, Oscar Wilde and more recently, former Presidents of Ireland, Mary Robinson and Mary McAleese.
You cannot visit Trinity College without entering through the famous entrance way and courtyard and also visiting the Book of Kells. However, I would also recommend taking a leisurely stroll around the campus, particularly on a sunny day. Although you are right in the centre of the city, the grounds still manage to maintain an isolated campus feel. The grounds consist of plenty of green areas and sports pitches and also contain some beautiful 18th and 19th century architecture including a chapel.
The Book of Kells is housed in the Old Library in Trinity College. As a legal deposit library for the UK and Northern Ireland, the library contains somewhere in the region of 5 million books. Included in this huge collection are many rare and ancient manuscripts including the Book of Durrow and the Book of Howth. However the most famous book in the library is without a doubt The Book of Kells. This is an Insular style manuscript which was produced around 800 AD and is regarded as one of Ireland’s most historical artefacts. This is a must see and a fantastic piece of Irish history.
