On my holiday in August, I also went on a one-day trip to Dublin. So long I wanted to visit Dublin and finally had the occasion to do it.
From Carlow Town to Dublin is approx. 1h and 30 minutes drive by car. So we arrived in the morning (around 10 o`clock) to have all day to sightseeing in Dublin.
We parked in Jervis Shopping Centre. The Jervis Shopping Centre is a major shopping center in Dublin. The center opened in 1996. It is located in the area bordered by Jervis Street, Upper Abbey Street, Mary Street, Henry Street, and Liffey Street. The center has a total of 70 stores including clothing, food, and electrical outlets.
So we started our trip by walking in Dublin’s busiest shopping thoroughfares: Mary Street and Henry Street. Also Henry Street is one of the two principal shopping streets of Dublin (the other being Grafton Street).
Trip to Dublin: Jervis Street, Mary Street, and Henry Street
On Henry Street, we stopped at Gino’s Gelato. Gino’s Gelato is one of “The Best Gelato in Dublin”. They combine the best authentic traditional Italian gelato methods & ingredients with the best 100% organic Irish milk. Gino’s also offer delectable Crêpes, Waffles, Milkshakes, and more. My pomegranate gelato was delicious.
Gino’s Gelato
So we walked on Henry Street which runs to the Spire of Dublin and the General Post Office on O’Connell Street.
So the Spire of Dublin, alternatively titled the Monument of Light, is a large, stainless steel, pin-like monument 120 meters (390 ft) in height, located on the site of the former Nelson’s Pillar (and prior to that a statue of William Blakeney) on O’Connell Street, the main thoroughfare of Dublin.
Spire of Dublin
Actually speaking of O’Connell Street, did you know it is the widest street in Europe?
The street is used as the main route of the annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade, and as the setting for the 1916 Commemoration every Easter Sunday. It also serves as a major bus route artery through the city center. The modern tram, the Luas, has undergone an extension, and trams now run once again through O’Connell Street.
The street has played an important part in Irish history and features several important monuments, including statues of O’Connell and trade union leader James Larkin.
Daniel O’Connell himself stands surrounded by a frieze of figures depicting elements of Irish society. Immediately underneath O’Connell is the Maid of Erin, symbolizing Ireland, who is pointing at the Liberator and holding in her other hand the Act of Emancipation, while her former shackles lie broken at her feet. Nearly thirty other figures surround the drum representing the Catholic Church, the professions, the arts, the trades, and the peasantry. Then below are four winged women representing Patriotism, Courage, Eloquence, and Fidelity.
But, unfortunately, I missed seeing the statue of Charles Stewart Parnell.
O’Connell Street
Some impressive architecture, including the historic General Post Office, are on O’Connell Street too.
The General Post Office or GPO (the headquarters of An Post) striking building is one of the best examples of Georgian architecture in the center of Dublin and it is a true city landmark. Also, the iconic symbol of Ireland’s failed 1916 Easter Rising.
The General Post Office
Opposite the General Post Office, on North Earl Street there is a statue of Ireland’s most enigmatic author, James Joyce.
James Joyce statue
Then we walked through O’Connell Bridge which is the best-known bridge in Dublin. The bridge spans the River Liffey and joins O’Connell Street to D’Olier Street, Westmoreland Street, and the south quays. So an 18th-century bridge decorated with arches and lanterns was named after the politician Daniel O’Connell.
Moreover from O’Connell Bridge, there is a view of another amazing The Ha’penny Bridge, one of the symbols of the city. Opened on 19 May 1816, the first dedicated footbridge over the river Liffey, was also the first iron bridge in Ireland.
I bought there a magnet because of a remembrance of my trip to Dublin.
O’Connell Bridge
Just when you passed the Bridge, there is a famous National Wax Museum.
Next, we walked to see Trinity College.
Founded in 1592 by Queen Elizabeth I and modeled after Oxford and Cambridge, Trinity College is one of the seven ancient universities of Britain and Ireland and Ireland’s oldest university.
Trinity College Dublin, the University of Dublin is Ireland’s leading university, ranked No. 1 in Ireland and 98th in the world (QS World University Rankings 2023). The University is steeped in history with a reputation for excellence in education, research, and innovation.
Trinity has produced some of the world’s finest and most enquiring minds including the writers Oscar Wilde and Samuel Beckett (Nobel laureate), the scientists William Rowan Hamilton and Ernest Walton (Nobel laureate), the political thinker Edmund Burke, and the former President of Ireland and UNHCR Mary Robinson.
Trip to Dublin: Trinity College
The weather was beautiful, so next, we decided to walk to St Stephen’s Green Park.
Between Trinity College and St Stephen’s Green public park, is Grafton Street, considered Dublin’s high street. One of the main shopping streets with international and national brands. A landmark on Grafton Street is Brown Thomas flagship store offers the most luxurious clothing, cosmetics, and homeware.
Also, the Statue of Phil Lynott was placed outside the famous Bruxelles Rock Pub on Harry Street, just off Grafton Street.
Grafton Street
Since the 1980s, Grafton Street has become internationally known for its street entertainment, particularly busking. Musicians, poets, and mime artists commonly perform for the shopping crowds.
We were also lucky to hit here the performance of the famous Irish buskers Keywest band.
Keywest band
Next, from Grafton Street, we walked through St Anne Street. Facing the eastern end of Anne Street, a shopping and dining street branching off Grafton Street is St. Ann’s Church of Ireland, constructed originally around 1720 following the establishment of the local Anglican parish in 1707.
St Anne Street
The parish of St Ann’s and St Stephen’s includes two historic churches located in Dublin’s city center. St Ann’s Parish Church is on Dawson Street and St Stephen’s Parish Church, popularly known as the Pepper Canister, is on Mount Street Crescent.
And on Dawson Street, is Hodges Figgis, Ireland’s oldest bookstore founded in 1768. Moreover making it one of the oldest bookshops in the world! This shop is a book enthusiast’s dream. A whimsical building, its three floors are crammed with everything from travel books to cult classics.
Hodges Figgis
Finally in the very center of Dublin’s shopping district lies one of Ireland’s best-known public parks. Just an idyllic escape from the noise and crowds of the city center.
Moreover, the main entrance to St Stephen’s Green is beneath Fusiliers’ Arch, at the top of Grafton Street. Modeled to look like a smaller version of the Arch of Titus in Rome. The arch commemorates the 212 soldiers of the Royal Dublin Fusiliers who were killed fighting in the British Army during the Boer War (1899–1902).
Fusiliers’ Arch
Lord Ardilaun opened this park for the citizens of the city in 1880. What’s more this 9-hectare green space has been maintained in its original Victorian layout, with extensive tree and shrub planting and spectacular spring and summer bedding. An artificial lake provides a home to different species of water birds.
Also, a number of sculptures have been erected throughout the park in memory of prominent Dubliners such as Arthur Guinness, 1st Baron Ardilaun, and Countess Constance Markievicz.
It is a really beautiful park and a must-visit place if you planning a trip to Dublin in Summer.
Trip to Dublin: St Stephen’s Green Park
Then we went to see St Stephen`s Shopping Center inside.
So, upon you entering the building, struck by the natural light which illuminates the center’s interior and needs no assistance from artificial lights except on the greyest days. The amount of plate glass integrated into the shopping center’s design creates this pleasant visual experience. Construction originally began on Stephen’s Green Shopping Centre in 1986. It was a design of James Toomey, and like many other shopping centers of the twentieth century, evokes the historical design of the Crystal Palace.
Saint Stephen’s Green Shopping Center
And then, we met with the daughter of my friend and she recommended a vegan restaurant, where we went for dinner. On the way, I took some photos too.
Firstly, the Luke Kelly Statue on King Street. It commemorates the legendary Dublin-born singer, one of Ireland’s greatest folk musicians. Who was also a founding member of the well-known band The Dubliners.
Luke Kelly Statue
Also, the Gaiety Theatre located on South King Street, specializes in operatic and musical productions, with occasional dramatic shows. Riverdance the 25th Anniversary Show returns home to the Gaiety Theatre from 15th June to 10th September 2023.
The Gaiety Theatre
Then, lovely little church on Clarendon Street. St. Teresa’s Church is the earliest surviving Catholic Church in Dublin having been built in 1793.
Staint Teresa’s Church
Next, Bar Rua a modern take on the traditional Irish pub, located on Clarendon Street.
And Pink Restaurant located on Dublin’s trendy South William Street. As the name might suggest, everything in this restaurant is Pink and it is the one of the most Instagramable Restaurant.
Bar Rua & Pink Restaurant
Finally, the restaurant where we went for dinner was called Cornucopia, located Dublin City Centre’s Wicklow Street.
To summarize, I enjoyed my trip to Dublin very much. Definitely Dublin is worth visiting for tourists and has so much to offer that your one day here will simply fly by. But I was delighted about the weather we had and about what we saw without rushing.
Location of Dublin, capital of Ireland:
