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We’re halfway through our tour of The Little Museum of Dublin and curator Simon O’ Connor stops to acknowledge a vintage Gold Flake advertisement glowing above the fireplace. The outdoor sign takes pride of place on the 1960s wall of nostalgic posters and photographs on display at 15 St Stephen’s Green. Considering Ireland became the first country in the world to introduce an outright smoking ban in workplaces in 2004, today it looks almost brazen, hanging there, indoors and lit up.
But before there is time to be distracted by the rest of the memorabilia on the wall, over on the other side of the room, museum director Trevor White is drawing our attention to a black and white photograph of a rather grand looking house. Seamlessly, he weaves in a story about how the electrician who had shown up to fix the wiring in the cigarette sign had boasted about having something very interesting to offer the museum.
It turns out to be one of the museum’s most remarkable exhibits…
Heads swivel from the Gold Flake sign to Trevor, who begins reciting the letter beside the photograph of the house. It is addressed to one Samuel Beckett. A few oohs and aahs erupt among the group. It turns out the letter had been written as part of a school history project. A teacher had asked her class to find out who used to live in their families’ houses and to write to the former occupants to ask about their memories of the houses. As a young boy, the electrician discovered that none other than Samuel Beckett had once lived in his house and posted off a letter as part of the project. To his delight (and no doubt his teacher’s amazement too), the writer and playwright responded with a lovely letter, even joking at the end about how his ghost would come back to haunt the house one day.
This is just one of many charming back stories behind the pieces that make up the collection at the Little Museum of Dublin.
Every item on display in The Little Museum of Dublin has been donated by a member of the public and in most cases, ordinary Dubliners.
The museum sets out to celebrate 100 years of Dublin history, from 1900 – 2000 and is the perfect place to get a quick overview of Dublin’s social history, especially if you’re short on time. The collection is as eclectic as it gets. You’ll find a lectern from JFK’s visit to Dublin sharing the same space as early newspaper cuttings about a young U2 and a first edition of James Joyce’s Ulysses.
Guided tours take place every hour. The museum opens until 8pm on Thursdays when there is a guided tour by curator Simon O’ Connor at 7pm.
www.littlemuseum.ie
15 St Stephen's Green, Dublin, Co. Dublin, Ireland
+353 1 661 1000
Google map: bit.ly/ZrBdlN
* Fiona is our Been there local for Dublin. You can follow her tips here: www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/travellers/FionaHilliard and read her profile here: www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/trails/been-there-locals.jsp. She also has her own blog: www.traveledits.com
In one of the early scenes in the film 'Once', Glen and Marketa are seen chatting over a cup of tea in the window of Simon's Place Coffee Shop on George's Street. Later they cross the street to Waltons music shop. The café is located within George's Street Arcade, one of Dublin's oldest indoor markets, dating back to 1894. Simon's Place attracts a bohemian mix of artists, students and musicians and is always at its busiest during lunchtime hours - it's not unusual for queues to spill out the door. The café prides itself on its freshly made soups and thickly cut ‘doorstep’ salad sandwiches - get here early if you plan to dine-in for a bite.
22, South Great George's Street, Dublin 2
+353 1 679 7821
Google map: bit.ly/XqR1Eb
* Fiona is our Been there local for Dublin. You can follow her tips here: www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/travellers/FionaHilliard and read her profile here: www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/trails/been-there-locals.jsp. She also has her own blog: www.traveledits.com
No Dublin-based film would be complete without a shot of the capital's cultural quarter, Temple Bar. In the final few moments of the movie 'Once', Glen and Marketa take a walk through the sun-dappled cobbles. It's a bittersweet scene. On the one hand, they're celebrating the completion of their album but ultimately they know they will soon be going their separate ways. If you choose to stick around, you’ll easily while away an hour or so checking out the latest exhibition in the Gallery of Photography on Meeting House Square.
The Gallery, Booshop and Darkrooms are open Tuesday to Saturday 11am-6pm, Sundays 1-6pm.
Gallery of Photography, Meeting House Square, Temple Bar,
Dublin 2
+353 1 671 4654
Google map: bit.ly/YCR0hQ
* Fiona is our Been there local for Dublin. You can follow her tips here: www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/travellers/FionaHilliard and read her profile here: www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/trails/been-there-locals.jsp. She also has her own blog: www.traveledits.com
Waltons music shop on South Great George's Street features in several key scenes in the film 'Once'. The most important of course is when Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova sit down at one of the pianos and perform 'Falling Slowly' for the first time. Staff at Waltons regularly receive requests to allow fans of the film to recreate the famous scene.
Waltons was founded in the early 1920's and is a music school as well as a musical instrument shop. Although you may not be able to drag a piano all the way home, a tin whistle from Waltons makes for a quirky little musical souvenir.
www.newschool.ie/
69 South Great Georges St, Dublin 2
+353 (0)1 475 0661
Google map: bit.ly/XNX8BL
* Fiona is our Been there local for Dublin. You can follow her tips here: www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/travellers/FionaHilliard and read her profile here: www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/trails/been-there-locals.jsp. She also has her own blog: www.traveledits.com
Situated right in the heart of literary Dublin (within a stone’s throw of Trinity College’s Lincoln Place entrance), Sweny’s Pharmacy is known to James Joyce experts as the chemist where Leopold Bloom from Ulysses goes to have a special lotion made, takes a look around the products displayed on the shelves and buys a bar of lemon soap. The shop welcomed its first customers in 1853 and was still up and running until 2009 when it was forced to face the prospect of closure. Thankfully, a group of volunteers decided to breathe new life into the premises and these days it doubles as a small bookshop, a venue for cultural events – most prominently for readings of Joyce’s works, as well as a place where you can browse and buy vintage jewellery and the famous soap, as mentioned in Ulysses:
“Mr. Bloom raised a cake to his nostrils. Sweet lemony wax. I’ll take this one, he said.”
The lemon soap has a zesty scent and makes for an unusual souvenir.
The book collection includes mainly second-hand books as well as Irish literature, history and politics. The shop has been preserved to look exactly as it did on Bloomsday in 1904 and is open late on Thursdays for readings.
www.sweny.ie/
1 Lincoln Place, Dublin 2
+ 353 (0)86 050 7995
Google map: bit.ly/PUav5q
* Fiona is our Been there local for Dublin. You can follow her tips here: www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/travellers/FionaHilliard and read her profile here: www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/trails/been-there-locals.jsp. She also has her own blog: www.traveledits.com
The Winding Stair may be famous for being one of Dublin’s best restaurants, but the bookshelves downstairs are by no means a novelty feature. Out front, this bookshop sells new titles while the smaller part at the back is home to second-hand books. It takes its name from a collection of poems by William Butler Yeats as well as the slightly crooked staircase that leads to some of Dublin's best cuisine. The bookshop's location is as Dublin as it gets, overlooking the Liffey with picture postcard views of the Ha'penny Bridge. Since the 1970s and 1980s it has been a meeting place for writers, musicians and artists and a backdrop for poetry, films and stories.
It is also home to a wide selection of books and also hard-to-find titles that are not normally stocked in the larger chains.
Tea and coffee are served in the window overlooking the Liffey. If you're in no rush to leave, you can even treat yourself to a glass of wine and enjoy a leisurely read.
www.winding-stair.com/
40 Lower Ormond Quay, Dublin 1, Ireland.
(+ 353) 1 8726576
Google map: bit.ly/OgjxF6
* Fiona is our Been there local for Dublin. You can follow her tips here: www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/travellers/FionaHilliard and read her profile here: www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/trails/been-there-locals.jsp. She also has her own blog: www.traveledits.com
HQ of the Gaelic Athletic Association, Croke Park is impressive as a venue in its own right. Take the stadium tour, however, for fascinating insight into what this unique sporting organisation means to the people of Ireland, as well as the key role that 'Croker' has played in the nation's complex political history. We - a group of just 10 - were privileged to be guided by the wonderful John Campbell, who fully engaged with everybody, kids and all. Children will also enjoy the interactive elements of the GAA Museum, where they can have a go at hurling and Gaelic football. €12 (€8 for kids), for the 90-minute tour plus museum entrance, very well spent. New for this year is the Skyline Tour, but at €25 a pop, we didn't bother ... this time!
www.crokepark.ie/gaa-museum
Jones's Road, Dublin, Co. Dublin, Ireland
+353 (0)1 819 2300
Google map: bit.ly/PZhOmN
Google map:
M Hughes is the place to stumble upon the type of impromptu sessions made famous by the movies, as well as organised set dancing evenings and traditional music performances. The easiest way to get here is to take the Luas red line and alight at the Four Courts stop.
20 Chancery Street Dublin 7
+353(0)18726540
Google map: bit.ly/K6I8NF
* Fiona is our Been there local for Dublin. You can follow her tips here: www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/travellers/FionaHilliard and read her profile here: www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/trails/been-there-locals.jsp. She also has her own blog: www.traveledits.com
Ever since the 1960’s, O’Donoghue’s has been associated with Irish trad bands including The Dubliners and the Furey Brothers. Both used to play regular sessions in the pub. Little has changed over the years, including the decor of the pub, which still maintains many of its original features. These days, traditional Irish music sessions take place on a regular basis and are very highly regarded among musicians.
www.odonoghues.ie/
15 Merrion Row Dublin 2, Ireland
+353(0)1 660 7194
Google map: bit.ly/JEE1Z5
* Fiona is our Been there local for Dublin. You can follow her tips here: www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/travellers/FionaHilliard and read her profile here: www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/trails/been-there-locals.jsp. She also has her own blog: www.traveledits.com
Fancy hanging out with Oscar Wilde? Or having some face time with James Joyce? Look no further than Dublin’s Writers Museum. In the elegant surroundings of an 18th century house, you can immerse yourself in the cream of Irish literature.
On the ground floor, two rooms of literary history cover everything from Celtic storytellers right up to the rattle and hum of contemporary writers. George Bernard Shaw, Bram Stoker, Edna O’Brien, Roddy Doyle: they’re all given pride of place. It’s here that James Joyce is described as “the world’s most famous Irishman” (which is one in the eye for Bob Geldof). The museum also features some surprising artefacts. Such as the chair on which Handel composed himself during the very first performance of the Messiah. Or the typewriter that Brendan Behan chucked through the window of McDade’s public house.
Take the stairs to the first floor and brace yourself before entering the first room. The Gallery of Writers is an eye-popping space with enough plasterwork, gold leaf and crystal to have Kirsty and Phil hyperventilating. Populated with portraits and busts of Irish writers, it also offers impressive views of Parnell Square through its big windows.
Next door, a small library contains first editions of evocative titles - Gulliver’s Travels, Dracula, Waiting for Godot. And if that lot doesn’t inspire you, the bookshop downstairs has plenty more to quicken the pulse of any reader. After all that, you’ll need a coffee break, and the museum’s bright and airy café offers the ideal pit stop. There’s also a nice little garden area, although during my visit I managed to resist its charms since it was submerged beneath six tons of snow.
The visitors’ book positively sizzles with enthusiastic compliments. One of them says: "In poetry, romanticism and spirit, Ireland stands head and shoulders above the rest of us mere mortals."
I can only agree. This hugely-enjoyable museum is a fitting showcase for Dublin’s wordy-wise elite and a splendid way to spend time in their company.
18 Parnell Square, Dublin 1
+353 1 872 2077
www.writersmuseum.com/
Google map: bit.ly/fQFPKD
23rd-25th July: awesome festival in beautiful Victorian seaside town in South Dublin - thousands of free music, art, craft, food, eco events in the streets, parks and pub gardens - for all ages - everybody dancing in the streets. Uplifting, happy, funky. The boat from Wales comes right into Dun Laoghaire too. We might bump into you there!!!
www.festivalofworldcultures.com/programme?f=all
Google map: tinyurl.com/356r7vj
Elegant well-restored Georgian building with Arts & Crafts murals and giant coat of arms in Rotunda, with some really good restaurants close by. Don't forget the official measurement outside on the wall.
Cork Hill, Dame Street, Dublin 2
Evocative photos of old Ireland in right-sized gallery. Other good places to pop in nearby include the Film Centre.
Meeting House Square, Temple Bar, Dublin 2 +353-1 6030 200
The Chester Beatty Library is a wonderful collection of old manuscripts and artefacts of Islam, Christianity, Buddhism, Hinduism and a few of its offshoots.
The importance of the items and the background on them is very impressive, and the museum hosts a very elegant and complete display of the works (beautiful garden enclosed within the old Dublin Castle as well).
The Chester Beatty Library.
Dublin Castle,
Dublin 2,
Ireland
Tel: (+353 1) 407 0750
Fax: (+353 1) 407 0760
Email: info@cbl.ie
www.cbl.ie/
The Chester Beatty Library and Galleries are situated in the gardens of Dublin Castle in the heart of the city centre. They are a two minute's walk from Dame Street via the Palace Street Gate of the Castle and close to Christchurch Cathedral (enter via the Ship Street Gate of the Castle). Nearest DART Station: Tara Street.
Bus Routes
13, 16, 19 & 123 (from O'Connell St)
Open
October - April: Tuesday - Friday 10.00am-5.00pm
May - September: Monday - Friday 10.00am-5.00pm
Saturday, 11.00am - 5.00pm
Sunday, 1.00pm - 5.00pm
(Closed 1 January, Good Friday, 24, 25 and 26 December, Monday public holidays)
Known locally as the Dead Zoo, the museum itself is a museum piece, with stuffed animals in glass cases, and hunting trophies everywhere and draws upon draws of butterflies and insects. The whole place is exactly like a normal Victorian museum. But without sideburned attendants.
Merrion Square West
www.museum.ie/naturalhistory/
Ireland's National Gallery (not to be confused with the nearby National Museum sites!), tucked away near the Dail (Parliament) buildings, is home to a collection that's quite simply staggering.
There are over fifty rooms which take you through the ages of Irish art, from 17th century painters to the extraordinary work of Jack B Yeats - WB's brother. There's plenty of Italian Renaissance painting and Dutch masters to keep you going as well, and some great modern Irish portraiture. Add a fantastically-stocked shop and two great cafes to the mix and well, you've got the makings of a whole day's worth of wonder, and occasional repose.
National Gallery of Ireland
Merrion Square West
Dublin 2
www.nationalgallery.ie/
Fantastic museum with exhibitions of Irish and international work. Set in the former Royal Kilmainham Hospital, the formal gardens are also worth a stroll.
www.imma.ie, Irish Museum of Modern Art Kilmainham
Four is devoted to the development of an uninhibited artistic exploration of ideas, discourses and new trends in contemporary art and its practices. It sees its function as promoting, supporting and bringing contemporary art, curators and the artists who take part in its evolution to the public's attention.
11 Burgh Quay, Dublin 2, near the Tara Street Dart station;
tel: 00 353 (0) 86 365 1256;
www.fourdublin.com
I am a frequent business visitor to Dublin and have always been disappointed by the homogenised nightlife. There is a high gloss about the club habitués of Dublin yet these shiny people confuse sophistication with formality. The clubs and bars have no concept of edginess. However, on this most recent visit, I discovered Dublin’s best kept secret, Fresh and Clean. This an eccentric and at times unnerving experience where live art meets jazz meets champagne. This is an incredibly exciting club concept, which could change Dublin’s nightscape. Admission is 80 euros. Check it out.
Varying locations in city centre;
tel: +44 77901 853 216
On the Dublin Literary Pub Crawl, which lasts for over two hours, the emphasis is firmly on 'Literary'. There are just a couple of 20-minute breaks for refreshment along the way. The rest of the time we're treated to entertaining and informative performances by two actors.
The pubs are those that were frequented by the writers we learn about. There's also a stop at Trinity College, where we hear about Oscar Wilde and others. Perhaps we can be inspired by the spirit of these places (and I'm not referring to the whiskey).
It's also a great way to meet fellow travellers, as there are opportunities to chat along the way, and at the end of the crawl.
I'd highly recommend this particular brand of pub-crawl to any visitor (indeed, any Dubliner). Full details are available on the website.
Tel: +353 1 670 5602; www.dublinpubcrawl.com
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