Pronađite smeštaje koje nudi Irska na Airbnb-u

Experience authentic Georgian elegance is this unique large OVAL studio apartment, overlooking park. Accommodates two in cosy sleeping loft. Light a fire, cook dinner in the designer kitchen, and then head out to enjoy the attractions of the city.

Come stay in one of Dublin's unique Georgian apartments, a perfect oval room, situated on Mountjoy Square, in the heart of Dublin's North Georgian core, and just minutes from O'Connell Street. This large studio apartment is on the ground floor of a beautiful redbrick townhouse, built in 1792. Both house and apartment retain all their original features, combined with modern comforts. The apartment has a fantastic 10ft window and overlooks a quiet side street, with an oblique view of the park. It has a working black Kilkenny marble fireplace with a spectacular gilt over-mantle mirror. The log basket is fully stocked with fuel- we charge cost price on an 'honour system'. The fully equipped kitchen has a granite worktop, a gas hob, electric oven, dishwasher and microwave. The rest of the apartment is comfortably furnished with period furniture including a Georgian oval 'hunt' dining table and four matching chairs, a comfortable 6 ft., sofa, TV & DVD player along with an iPod/iPhone dock for music. A small library of Irish books, and DVD's is available. The bedroom is upstairs and overlooks the apartment. It has a comfortable contract-quality double bed, Siberian white goose down duvet and pillows and pure Pima/Egyptian cotton sheets. Read in comfort with vintage Anglepoise reading lights. PLEASE NOTE there is restricted headroom in the sleeping loft, and consequently, the bed is low. ALSO, while the apartment faces a relatively quiet side street, it is on the corner of a fairly busy main road, so there will be traffic noise.... A 90cm contract-quality FOLDAWAY single bed, and extra linens are available for a third guest. A charge of €10, to cover the cost of the extra laundry, will be collected upon arrival, if the room is occupied as a twin. The bathroom has a high-pressure shower and loads of storage space. •You will receive a welcome pack of the basics- quality tea, coffee, home-made granola and preserves, yoghurt, fresh fruit, free-range eggs. •100% cotton bed linen and towels are provided •Local tourist information and guide books available •Free wi-fi •Hair dryer •Fuel, at cost price, is available for the fire, if required - typically €10-20 for a night. •Washing machine and dryer are available in the building- we will do your laundry for you, for €10:00 CHECK-IN IS FROM 3pm, but we are happy to take in your bags AFTER 9am, and can give you keys to come aback at your leisure, after 3pm. CHECK-OUT IS BY 11am, please. The house is perfectly located for exploring the city; all of the city's cultural institutions are within walking distance and the transport connections are excellent. Airport bus (41) passes door, 4 min. walk to LUAS CROSS CITY line, at Parnell and Marlborough. 8 min. walk to LUAS RED line on ABBEY and Marlborough, DART, (Connolly and Tara) and city busses. Dublin Bikes stand opposite house. KARIN'S GUIDE TO THE CITY LOCAL GROCERY SHOPPING, SERVICES AND BREAKFAST OPTIONS In general, shopping hours are 9.30-6pm, with late-night shopping till 8pm on Thursdays. Sunday opening is from noon. BREAKFAST The Kingfisher Café, a no-frills 'caff' on the corner of Parnell Square and Parnell Street West is good for breakfast, with friendly and efficient service. Good value, and good fish and chips later in the day. The Old Music Store on North Frederick Street, a few blocks NW of us, does a good Irish breakfast in comfortable surroundings. LOCAL GROCERY SHOPPING Tops in Pops, just down the street to the right, for fresh local produce and basic groceries, 8.30am to 6pm Monday to Saturday. They are a fourth-generation local business, who have been trading on the site since 1931. The Londis corner store next door opens 8am to 10pm, but charge for privilege. There is an ATM machine at the back, right hand side of the store. Dunne's Stores, is the indigenous supermarket and department store chain, and has branches in every sizeable town throughout the country. There are two local branches. In North Earl Street, opposite O’Connell Street’s Spire, the Off-Licence (liquor store) is in a separate premises, a few doors apart - look for the James Joyce statue. You will find a bigger branch in the ILAC Shopping Centre, flanked by Henry Street, Moore Street and Parnell Street West (Moore Street entrance is opposite Paris Bakery). There is Metro Tesco on Parnell Street West, just past the Rotunda Hospital. A main branch is to be found in the basement of the Jervis Centre, off Henry Street. Carney’s Butchers, is another multi-generational local family business, which prides itself on the quality of its meat. In keeping with local tradition, they sell fresh fish on Friday’s. F.X. Buckley’s Butchers have two local branches; Moore Street and Talbot Street. This is a very old Dublin business and they have everything; free-range pork, beef and lamb from their own herds, poultry, game in season and fish, and, in the Moore Street branch, a deli counter for cooked meats next door. They are very obliging, and the lads have a great line in smart (sassy) chat. PHARMACIES Foley's Pharmacy on Parnell Street East is a 100+ year-old family business; they are very helpful. Opening hours: Monday-Saturday 9am 6pm. There is a late-night pharmacy, Hickey’s at 55 Lower O’Connell Street, (west side, within the block closest to the river). Opening hours: 8am -10pm M-F, 8.30am-10pm Saturday. 10am 10pm Sunday. Web: (EMAIL HIDDEN) POST OFFICES Our nearest Post Office is the Main City Post Office, the GPO, on O’Connell Street. 1828 façade, but badly damaged in the 1916 Rising, and largely rebuilt in 1928. The main hall is beautiful, with its entire original, 1928, fittings intact. It also contains the iconic statue, by Oliver Shepherd, The Dying Cuchullain. You will find a booklet with postal rates in the black folder. BANKS Allied Irish Bank has a branch on O’Connell Street, at the SW junction with Parnell Street, opposite the Rotunda Hospital. There is a bank of ATMs in the wall, on the O'Connell Street facade. Bank of Ireland has a branch at Lower O’Connell Street, on the east side of the street, between Middle Abbey Street and Ashton Quay. ATM inside, opens 8am to 9pm. MEDICAL AND DENTAL PRACTICES Mountjoy Medical Practice, Dr. Gerry Roebuck, Dr. Holly Porter (female) Dr. Colm Killeen. 2-3 Baker’s Yard, Portland Street North. Tel (PHONE NUMBER HIDDEN). Opening hours 9-1.30 and 3.30-5.30. You can just drop in. €50 per visit. Frederick Dental Clinic, Dr. Peter Dwyer, North Frederick Street. -My dentist- is happy to see people on an emergency basis. Call for appointment. Tel:(PHONE NUMBER HIDDEN). NORTHSIDE LOCAL RESTAURANTS AND CAFES: 'The Cobalt Cafe', in a beautiful Georgian house on North Great Georges Street, which doubles as a gallery, is great for lunch. Parnell Street, Dublin's emerging 'Chinatown' is just a half a block to the south. Mr Fox, on Parnell Square West is our local fine dining restaurant, serving modern Irish food in a smart and comfortable setting. The menu is interesting and inventive, and they have a separate vegetarian menu, which has had the same care lavished on it. Nearer the river, 'Le Bon Crubeen' (crubeen=pig's trotter- it's a modern Franco-Irish restaurant) is on Talbot Street, as is the venerable and immensely popular 'Talbot 101'. It is packed to the gunnels with locals between 5.54 and 7.15, enjoying their pre-theatre supper before the Abbey curtains rise at 7.30, when they relinquish their seats for the rest of us! On the riverfront, I love Panem, facing the Millennium Bridge, for a quick coffee and a delicious Sicilian almond biscuit, baked on the premises. A few doors down, you'll find a cluster of Italian bars, cafes and restaurants serving good quality food. Half a block to the east is the trendy 'Winding Stairs' restaurant, with its book-lined walls (relics of a former second-hand bookshop-cum-cafe of the same name), while The Woollen Mills, opposite the Halfpenny Bridge, has a sophisticated casual menu, based on 'plates' for sharing.Back on Capel Street, locals rave about Brother Hubbard for lunch. LOCAL PUBS include the 'Hill 16' just opposite the house, on Gardiner Street - very popular with the GAA crowd on match days (the Gaelic Athletic Association Stadium, Croke Park, is just 3 blocks to the east), they pull a superb 'pint'. ‘The Heritage Parnell’, on Parnell Street West, just around the corner from O’Connell Street 'The Flowing Tide', on the corner of Marlborough Street, opposite the Abbey Theatre, is one of my favorites - after the curtain goes down in the Abbey, half the cast are likely to be at the bar. A few doors closer to O’Connell Street is Mulligan’s, another very nice pub, dating from the Edwardian era. 'The Church' on Mary Street, in a converted 1720's church, is another fine place for a drink; the former owner won many accolades for the high quality of the restoration. Capel Street has many typical local pubs, which have the added benefit of serving a largely local population. They include Mc’Neill’s' which is good for traditional music, and Slattery's . 'The Black Sheep' has the local craft beers covered, and does good bar food, (as does its sister pub, ‘The Brew Dock’, on Store Street, at the bottom of Gardiner Street. The north side traditional music 'musician’s' bar is 'The Cobblestone', at the top of Smithfield, and is suitably grungy. DEPARTMENT STORES AND FASHION Henry Street, off O’Connell Street, to the West, at the SPIRE, is the premier shopping street on the north side of the river. Here you will find Arnott’s the local department store, which highlights Irish fashion and design, throughout the store, and has several nice cafes. Henry Street also contains large branches of Debenhams and Marks&Spencers, as well as branches of most of the high street fashion chains. There are two large shopping centres, the Jervis, with a large branch of Tesco’s in the Basement, and the ILAC, which has a Dunnes Department Store, with a Food Hall in the basement. (You can shop for fresh produce on adjacent Moore Street, Dublin's oldest street market, now also home to a thriving cluster of ethnic food markets and restaurants.) NORTHSIDE CULTURAL ATTRACTIONS The North side of Parnell Square is home to the city's Hugh Lane Gallery of Modern Art; we share a significant collection of Impressionist painting with the Tate Gallery in London, part of the Hugh Lane Bequest, which is rotated in seven-year cycles. Next door is the Writer's Centre, and next door again, is the Writer's Museum, with a Michelin-starred restaurant in the basement, the amazing Chapter One. Down on the East side of Parnell Square is the beautiful jewel-box that is the Gate Theatre - part of the 18th-century entertainment complex established by the entrepreneurial Dr. Bartholomew, to help support his new Rotunda Maternity Hospital (the oldest purpose-built such hospital in the world, and still delivering babies on a daily basis, 270 years later (9000 is 2012). You could be seated in either the Abbey or Gate Theatres within 10 minutes of leaving the house, and the James Joyce Cultural Centre is even closer, on North Great Georges Street (don't forget to check out the Cobalt Cafe, opposite). Hop on the Luas Red Line, going west, in Abbey Street, halfway between Mountjoy Square and the river, and you will be dropped at the ‘Museum’. The National Museum, Collins Barracks, housed in an old military barracks, dating from 1702, contains the Decorative Arts Collections, (basically, everything post 1700). Descend at the next stop, ‘Heuston’ for IMMA, Ireland's National Museum of Modern Art, housed in the old Kilmainham Hospital, built in the1660’s. It pre-dates the more famous Chelsea Hospital in London by several years. Not to be missed is the Old Jameson Distillery, in Smithfield. Jameson was distilled here until 1971, when three historic distilleries amalgamated, and centralized distilling in Midleton, Co. Cork. The Museum is very well presented; one is guided around the distilling floor, among the huge old pot stills before retiring to the Bar to sample the goods. Nearby is one of the oldest churches in Dublin, St.Michan’s, on Church Street, dating from the mid-11thc. There are several mummified bodies in the basement, thought to be Crusaders. When I was a child, one was allowed to shake their hands….. SOUTHSIDE In the south city centre, the RESTAURANT HUB is in the pedestrian streets to either side of Grafton Street, and in Temple Bar. Particular favourites of mine include: * Nede, Temple Bar Square * Eden Bar and Grill, South William Street * The Green Hen, Wicklow Street * Fallon and Byrne, Exchequer Street, basement wine-bar, full service restaurant first- floor, and coffee bar within the food-hall on the ground floor. * Fade Street Social, Fade Street, tapas bar and full-service restaurant. * The Rustic Stone, Exchequer Street, upmarket, sophisticated and healthy ‘fast food’. * Cornucopia, Wicklow Street- vegetarian café day, full service by evening. * The Port House, South William Street, wine bar and tapas. * Pinxto, Crowe Street, Temple Bar, as above, same management. Southside city-centre TRADITIONAL PUBS we like are: * Mulligan's, Poolbeg Street * Neary's, Chatham Street * Grogan’s, South William Street * International Bar, Wicklow Street * O'Neill's, Suffolk Street * The Dawson Lounge, Dawson Street * The Stag's Head, Connaught Court * The Long Hall, South Great Georges Street * Doheny and Nesbitt’s, Merrion Row * Kehoe’s, South Anne Street * The Duke, Duke Street Fronting the river, TEMPLE BAR, with its vibrant mix of independent shops, cafes, restaurants, pubs, markets and cultural institutions occupies an area three blocks deep and ten blocks long. At the western end, look out for the two branches of the Queen of Tarts- a wonderful teas shop that offers really good home baking and teas and coffees, all served on mismatched antique china (Lord Edward Street and Cow's Lane). TEMPLE BAR FARMERS MARKET, is held every Saturday in Meeting House Square, 9-4.30, now has a smart new tensile roof for wet days, and is a good place to rub shoulders with the locals, whilst sampling local food culture. Don’t miss the Oyster Stall, Hick’s Pork Butchers, or David Llewyllan’s fantastic ‘Double L’ local cider- 100% apple (not even water), and the two local cheese stalls, among others. Don’t’ forget to check out the overflow stalls on Curved Street, where Rossa Crowe’s fantastic bread is on offer- Rossa took himself off to France for two years to train, and now produces slow fermented breads, made with the very best organic flours. TRINITY COLLEGE is a good orientation point; from here it is easy to find the mediaeval core, the cultural/political hub of the country around Kildare Street, and the Grafton Street fashion hub. The campus occupies a 40-acre (16ha.) site, and is over 400 years old, though what one sees today are mainly beautiful eighteenth-century buildings. It is worth a wander around, after a visit to spectacular Long Library, to see the Book of Kells and other illustrated Celtic manuscripts. From Front Gate, look south to Grafton Street or west up College Green and Dame Street, which lead to the mediaeval core. At the brow of the hill you will find: * Dublin Castle (visit the State Apartments, the Chester Beatty Library and the lovely garden in front (which is actually the helicopter-landing pad for the Castle). * The City Hall with its 'Museum of the Capital' in the basement is worth a look- the Hall is free, and there is a nominal charge for the Museum. * Christchurch Cathedral * Dublinia-in the Christchurch Chapterhouse (Viking Exhibition). * Old Saint Audeon's Church, built almost into the city wall. * St Patrick's Cathedral, and historic park beside. * Marshe's Library-the oldest public library in these islands, 1701. * Francis Street- the Antiques Quarter. * Thomas Street/Meath Street, for a touch of 'Old Dublin'. * The Guinness Storehouse. * Royal Hospital, Kilmainham, (IMMA) Ireland's National Gallery of Modern Art, with its wonderful, recently restored formal garden. KILMINHAM GAOL is worth a visit, and tells the story of Irish Nationalism. It can be reached via the grounds of IMMA, passing Bully’s Acre, and old graveyard, where Brian Boru was reputedly rested on his way to his final burial place in Armagh. Alternatively, exit onto Nassau Street, with its cluster of high-quality shops showcasing the best of Irish crafts - fashion, knitwear, weaving, glassware, ceramics and contemporary jewellery - the Kilkenny Shop has a great cafe upstairs, with views over College Park. Continue along the College Park railings till you reach Kildare Street, the cultural-institutional hub of the country. All of our national cultural institutions have free admission. Here you will find the National Library, and the National Museum, facing each other over the forecourt of Leinster House, home to the Oireachtas, our National Parliament. The National Library has a lovely exhibit on the poet, W.B. Yeats, and the Treasury, in the National Museum houses both the Bronze Age and Early Christian collections. On the opposite side of the block, on Merrion Street/Merrion Square, you will find the National Gallery, and the Natural History Museum (known to Dubliner's of my father's generation, as 'The Dead Zoo’. This is a very refreshing look to the past, with absolutely no interpretation, and nothing, not even a postcard, to buy). The National Gallery is halfway through a four-year renovation programme; in the meantime, the Millennium Wing, on Clare Street, has a ‘highlights of’ exhibition, and the Café and Gift Shop are also accessed via the Clare Street Entrance. GETTING AROUND Two operators offer Hop-On/Hop-Off tours: (URL HIDDEN) (URL HIDDEN) They both offer a 2-day ticket, and cost roughly the same price - check them out online before you make up your mind. One can buy an integrated LEAP card in most newsagents, at train stations, and in the Dublin Bus Head Office at 42 O’Connell Street (on the west side of the street, just north of the Spire). This can be used on the LUAS, DART, some suburban mainline trains, and on Dublin Bus routes. There is also a 3-day tourist pass, the Freedom Ticket, which provides good value. €28 will give you 72 hours transport, starting at the Airport; Airlink from the airport, the Hop-On-Hop –Off tourist bus and all local bus routes. Web: (URL HIDDEN) •The DART, the local electric commuter train, runs north/south along the coast. The northside city centre station is Connolly, on Amiens Street, facing Talbot Street, but I usually suggest people use Tara Street, as Connolly is also a mainline station, and is very big, and a bit confusing. Tara is purely a commuter station, and is about the same distance. It is on George’s Quay, just south of the Custom House. The other south-side city centre station is Pearse, on Westland Row, at the south end of the Trinity campus. •The LUAS Red Line runs east-west through the north side of the city, as far east as the docks, and serves both Connolly and Heuston mainline stations. The nearest stop to Mountjoy Square is Abbey, on Middle Abbey Street, opposite the Abbey Theatre. The LUAS Green Line serves the south suburbs; Ranelagh, Dundrum, Leopardstown Racecourse, and on out to Cherrywood, on the county boundary with Wicklow. •Main cross-city bus routes run north-south through O’Connell Street. The No.7 terminates on Mountjoy Square North, and there is a ‘shopper’s fare’ of 70c, to Grafton Street- alight at Trinity. On the return journey it skirts the Trinity campus and comes along Pearse, to the east of the campus - catch it on Clare Street, at the Millennium wing of the National Gallery. •DUBLIN BIKES are free to use for the first half hour, and have a stand on Mountjoy Square West, but one needs to go to the Princes Street stand (to the right hand side of the General Post Office (GPO)), to purchase a short term card. It costs €2, and is only available to credit card holders. SHOPPING WITH A DIFFERENCE Those interested in the local fashion, art and design scene should look out for the following addresses (in no particular order): •Designist, South Great George's Street (stock chosen for good design) •Irish Design Store, Drury Street •Article, Powerscourt Townhouse Centre (housewares) •Irish Designer Store, Top floor Powerscourt Townhouse Centre •Cow's Lane Gallery, Temple Bar (artist’s collective) •The Jam Factory, Nicholas Street (artist’s collective) •Avoca, Suffolk Street •Kilkenny Shop, Nassau Street •Designyard, South Frederick Street (jewellery) •Louise Kennedy, couturier, Merrion Square, and Tipperary Crystal •Gallery Zozimus, Francis Street (art gallery and carefully chosen crafts) •Graphic Studio Gallery, Temple Bar (artist-printmaker’s gallery) •Magee's of Donegal, Duke Street, and, •Kevin and Howlin, Nassau Street have hand-woven tweeds covered. •Dubarry's, College Green produce wonderful, country-style outerwear, including the most perfect alternative to sweaty, waterproof Wellington boots… •Monaghan's, Hibernian Way, the House of Ireland on Nassau Street and the Sweater Shops on Wicklow Street and Nassau Street has the best selections of traditional knitwear. Monaghan's specialise in cashmere. •The Cloth Shop, St. William Street, for interesting designer fabric, including a good selection of Irish Linen, and Liberty of London INDEPENDENT BOOKSHOPS and MUSIC STORES Eason’s, O’Connell Street, is a Dublin institution for over 100 years. It encompasses a large stationery department, a branch of Tower Records on the top floor, academic books in the basement, a nice café and two floors of general books. It is a good place to browse books of Irish interest, and they have a really good Information Desk. Chapters, Parnell Street West is my ‘local’. John Gannon is one of the best booksellers in the business, and his staff are hand-picked enthusiastic bibliophiles, one and all. Stock is a mixture of the latest releases, and carefully chosen remaindered books. Their ordering service is superlative, and they ALWAYS know exactly what one is talking about, even with just the vaguest, half-remembered clues from a newspaper review. Very strong on contemporary fiction, natural history, non-fiction and books of Irish interest. Extensive second-hand section upstairs. The Secret Bookstore, Wicklow Street is another favourite. It’s tucked away down a passage, near the L’Occitane shop and often throws up gems among its large second-hand stock. An eclectic music store occupies the rear of the shop. Cathach Rare Books, Duke Street, specializes in Irish first editions, and have an interesting selection of Irish maps and prints. Stokes Books is another interesting antiquarian/secondhand shop, specializing in books of Irish interest. You’ll find it in Georges Street Arcade. Claddagh Records, Cecelia Street, Temple Bar, is primarily a music publisher, but they have a retail outlet in Temple Bar, which is the oldest independent music shop in Dublin, and specializes in traditional Irish music, with some interesting World Music additions. PLACES OF WORSHIP: Roman Catholic: Many Catholic churches have Mass on Saturday evening, in addition to morning Masses. •St. Francis Xavier Roman Catholic Church, Upper Gardiner Street. Gospel Mass, 7.30pm Sundays, September to mid June. •St. Mary's Metropolitan Church - the Pro-Cathedral, Marlborough. Sung Mass, 11am, Sundays, with the Palestrina Choir. •St. Joseph’s Church, Berkeley Road, Dublin 7. •St. Teresa’s Church, Clarendon Street Church, choir sings at 11 o’clock Mass, Sunday’s •St. Peter’s Church, Phibsborough, Dublin 7, has wonderful Harry Clarke ((PHONE NUMBER HIDDEN)) stained glass windows. •Whitefriars Street Church, Aungier Street, church has relics of St. Valentine. Church of Ireland: •Christchurch Cathedral, Christchurch Place, sung Services Sundays, •St. Patrick's Cathedral, Nicholas Street, sung Services Sundays. •St. Anne’s Church, Dawson Street, Dublin 2 Jewish: Dublin Hebrew Congregation (URL HIDDEN) Daily services in Synagogue at 32a Rathfarnham Road, Public Transport: Buses: (PHONE NUMBER HIDDEN). Get off at Terenure Cross (road). Walk up Rathfarnham Road, pass AIB Bank and one row of terraced houses; shul is next building, with wooden/metal security gates. Across the street is a shop called Window Fashions. Dublin Jewish Progressive Congregation (DJPC) Website: (URL HIDDEN) Email: (EMAIL HIDDEN) Postal: PO Box 3059, Dublin 6 President: Mrs. Hilary Abrahamson Muslim: Islamic Cultural Centre of Ireland (ICCI) 19 Roebuck Road, Clonskeagh, Dublin 14, Tel: (PHONE NUMBER HIDDEN) Islamic Foundation of Ireland (IFI) 163 South Circular Road, Dublin 8. Tel: +(PHONE NUMBER HIDDEN) Anwar-up-Madina Moore Street, Dublin 1. SHORT TRIPS OUTSIDE THE CITY BY PUBLIC TRANSPORT NORTH: Catch the No.46A bus, (heading north on O'Connell Street to the Phoenix Park- the largest enclosed urban park in the world, 1750 acres behind a seven-mile-long stone wall. Ashtown Castle Interpretive Centre, with its wonderful walled garden and café is a good place to orient oneself. From here, on Saturdays, it is possible to visit Aras an Uachtarian, the official residence of our President. One can also visit Farmliegh, the Official State Guesthouse, a former Guinness mansion. Among it’s attractions are an art gallery, café, occasional free concerts, and regular weekend Farmer’s Markets. The Park also houses the Dublin Zoo, (1827, the second-oldest Zoo in the world, after London’s Regent Park Zoo). Several herd of Fallow Deer roam at liberty. Many sports are catered for; there is Polo ground, a cricket club, and lots soccer pitches. The Duke of Wellington is commemorated by a marvelous granite obelisk, which can be seen for miles. The area know as the Forty Acres affords superb views over the city, with the Royal Hospital and Guinness in the foreground, along the south side of the River Liffey. Phoenix Park can also be reached via the LUAS Red Line, direction Tallagh, heading west. Alight at 'Museum' and take a detour into the National Museum-Collins Barracks, which houses the Decorative Arts, post-1700, wonderful collections of silver, furniture, glass and other artifacts. Just up the road, in Glasnevin there are three worthwhile attractions: Glasnevin Cemetary, was founded by Daniel O’Connell as one of his first initiatives, post Catholic Emancipation in 1829, to provide a dignified place for Catholic burial. The Glasnevin Musuem is new, and has superlative displays of Nationalist history. They also have a very good Geneology Department. The National Botanic Gardens, Glasnevin, date from the end of 18thC. Though relatively small, they contain an internationally-aclaimed collection of plants and three iconic Glasshouses, by Turner of Dublin, which have all been restored in the recent past. There is a nice café in the Gardens, and entry is free. The Gravedigger’s Pub, over-looking a Green, is not to be missed. It got its name from the fact that there used to be a hatch in the rear wall, through which the gravediggers were served. They do nice simple pub food, and one can sit outside on sunny days. Walk back into town, and stop at either the The Botanic Bar at Harte’s Corner or the Brian Borus, typicl local bars. The Porter House, at Cross Guns Bridge, which is a micro-brewery, with nice food, is on the corner of the Royal Canal. Take a stroll east down the canal bank, and you will see swans, and moor-hens going about their business. At the next bridge, at Dorset Street look out for the lifesize bronze statue of Brendan Behan, a local author. From here is just a few minute’s stroll up Belvidere Place, with its charming stepped terraces of tall Georgian houses, to Mountjoy Square. Another favorite is the Marino Casino, in Fairview/Clontarf, an early 18th century pleasure house, built to the design of Sir William Chambers, for Lord Charlemont, purely for entertaining, also just a few miles by bus, north of the city centre. Catch the DART, the coastal commuter train, heading north, at Tara Street Station, on the South Liffey quays, at Butt Bridge, and take a short ride. You have the choice of Howth (a working fishing village) or Malahide. Howth Demesne or Howth Head, behind the village will both afford walks with great views; the Harbour has a dozen restaurants along the quay- ranging from take-out fish and chips to the very upmarket. Book an early-evening window table at Aqua, and be astonished by the sunset over the coast, looking north-west. Another favourite of mine is Deep, midway along the quay (and do watch out for the local tame and greedy Harbour Seal, who begs shamelessly from the trawler men, who tie up alongside). Malahide is a charming village, with some of the most expensive urban residential properties in the country. Good food and good shopping are to be had here. On the edge of the village you will find Malahide Castle and Demesne, open to the public, which includes a renowned private Arboretum, as Milo de Malahide, the last of his family, (who had occupied the castle continuously since Norman times, in the 10th-12th centuries) was a significant plants-man. The Castle contains the National Portrait Collection, as was as magnificent furniture and other contents. There is a smart new branch of the AVOCA Shop and Café in the Courtyard. SOUTH: South of the city you will find Rathfarnham Castle, and its Berkeley Costume and Toy Collection. Marley Park is a little further, just at the foot of the Dublin Mountains. It has wonderful parkland with easy walks, and a magnificent walled garden with a nice cafe. The No.16 bus, from O’Connell Street will leave you close by. Powerscourt is at the edge of Enniskerry, its associated estate village, at the end of the No.44 bus route, which winds its way through the south side suburbs, into Wicklow, through the Scalp, a deep and picturesque glacial valley. The 19th century gardens are fabulous, and make great use of the 'borrowed landscape' beyond. The terrace and Nepture fountain are centred on the Sugarloaf mountain, which marks the beginning of the Wicklow Mountains. The Powerscourt Waterfall, part of the same estate, is a few miles further on, and there are beautiful, way-marked, woodland and moorland walks in the hills nearby. Do be mindful; these ‘mountains’ can be deceptive- while not high, they can be treacherous, as weather conditions can change in minutes. Stick to the way-marked paths, and do keep an eye on the weather. Take the DART south to Bray and Greystones - via Dun Loughaire, Dalkey and Killiney - all interesting villages, with many cafes and restaurants. Killiney Hill, with its eighteenth century obelisk at the summit, is a short climb that results in amazing views over Dublin Bay, and down into the Wicklow Mountains beyond. There is a nice pub in in the ‘village’- ‘The Druid’s Chair’. Dalkey is a charming village with old-fashioned shops and lots of nice pubs, cafes and restaurants. The local Dalkey Castle Heritage Centre, is worth checking out, and in the summer run a theatre programme, and walking tours. Bray Esplanade is a classic Victorian seaside amenity, sturdily built from local granite - the perfect place to enjoy an ice-cream. Campo di Fiori, either the Restaurant or the Café, both near the train station and the north end of the Promenade, are particular favourites of mine. If one is feeling energetic, one could contemplate the Cliff Walk from Bray to Greystones - 4miles/6km along the rough cliff path. Lots of nice pubs for a pint of Guinness at the other end, The Hungry Pear is my favourite café, among many. The DART will take you straight back into the city. But.. make sure to do it in the morning, as by mid-day the path is in shade, and it can be windy and cold. WEST: Travelling into the rich plains of Kildare, by the No. 67 bus route, you will come to the historic village of Celbridge, just twelve miles from the city centre. Castletown House is Ireland's finest Palladian mansion, and was saved from destruction by Desmond Guinness, in the early 1960's. He purchased it from the construction company who had acquired it. They intended to demolish it, to make way for a vast suburban housing estate. The Irish Georgian Society, founded by Desmond Guinness, restored the house and furnished it with the help of many volunteers and sponsors, and opened it to the public, a heroic task for a small membership conservation society. Today, it is in State ownership, and it is the flagship Georgian heritage property of Ireland. It is beautifully presented, and the parklands are undergoing restoration. A local bus, or the commuter train from Connolly Station in Amiens Street, will take one to Maynooth, a charming University town, with another magnificent Palladian mansion, Carton House, now operating as a very upmarket hotel and golf club. Lots of companies offer day-long coach tours. Some involve very long days, i.e, Cliffs of Moher in Clare and the Giant’s Causeway on the Antrim coast. Two more local, and very worthwhile ones are either: The Boyne Valley Tour (Newgrange Neolithic ( 5000 yr old World Heritage Site) / Mellifont Cistercian ruins- (12thC.)/ Monasterboice Early Christian (6th-8thC.) The Wicklow-Glendalough Tour (Powerscourt / Wicklow Mountains National Park and Glendalough (Glen of the Two Lakes) a 6thC. Early Christian site, in beautiful wooded valley. Details of both of these trips, and others, are available in the big black folder in the apartment.

A beautiful, historic, residential square, built in 1790's, within 5-10 minutes walk of the city centre. Elegance and convenience combined with a bit of inner city grittiness. I have loved it all, since 1978!

Experience authentic Georgian elegance is this unique large OVAL studio apartment, overlooking park. Accommodates two in cosy sleeping loft. Light a fire, cook dinner in the designer kitchen, and then head out to enjoy the attractions of the city.

Come cocoon yourself in Georgian luxury and elegance this unique OVAL apartment, situated on Mountjoy Square, in the heart of Dublin’s historic North Georgian Core, just minutes from all the action. The large studio apartment is on the first floor of a fully restored Georgian townhouse, built in 1792. Both the house and the apartment retain all their Georgian features, combined with modern comforts. The apartment has a fantastic 10ft window and overlooks a quiet side street, with an oblique view of the square. Other features include a fine, working, black Kilkenny marble fireplace with a spectacular gilt over-mantle mirror. The log basket is fully stocked- we charge cost price for the fuel used on an 'honour system'. The fully equipped kitchen with granite worktop has a gas hob, electric oven, microwave, dishwasher, electric kettle and a toaster. Eat around the 1770's oval dining table with four Georgian chairs. The rest of the apartment is comfortably furnished with antique furniture, Irish where possible, and a luxurious 6 ft. sofa. A large flat-screen TV, and a DVD player and iPod/iPhone player/dock for music are also provided. The bed is upstairs and overlooks the apartment. It has a comfortable hotel-quality double bed, Siberian white goose down duvet and pillows and pure Pima/ Egyptian cotton sheets. Read in comfort with vintage Anglepoise reading lights. PLEASE NOTE that the head height in the loft is somewhat restricted, and the bed is consequently low. The apartment is designed for two people, but a hotel-quality, foldaway bed is available for a third guest. A surcharge of €10, to cover the cost of the extra laundry, will be applied if two people occupy the apartment as as twin. This will be collected in cash, upon arrival. The bathroom has a high-pressure shower and loads of storage space. •You will receive a welcome pack of the basics- quality tea, coffee, juice, home-made granola, yoghurt butter and preserves. •100% cotton bed linen and towels are provided •Local tourist information and guide books available •Free wi-fi •Hair dryer •Fuel, at cost price, is available for the fire, if required. •We will do your laundry for you - €10:00 per load. Discount vouchers for local Q Park, two blocks S and T blocks W of us CHECK-IN is from 3pm, and CHECK-OUT by 11am, please. We are happy to take in your luggage earlier; please let us have your flight details/travel arrangements, so that we can plan our day around being here to greet you. The house is perfectly located for exploring the city; all of the city's cultural institutions are within walking distance and the transport connections are excellent. Airport bus (41) passes door, 8 min. walk to LUAS Red line, DART, (Connolly and Tara) and city busses. Dublin Bikes stand opposite house. KARIN'S GUIDE TO THE CITY LOCAL GROCERY SHOPPING, SERVICES AND BREAKFAST OPTIONS In general, shopping hours are 9.30-6pm, with late-night shopping till 8pm on Thursdays. Sunday opening is from noon. BREAKFAST The Old Music Store, on North Frederick Street is comfortable and offers a good cooked breakfast. The no-frills Kingfisher Café, on the corner of Parnell Square and Parnell Street West offers a good freshly cooked Irish breakfast and very good fish and chips later in the day. LOCAL GROCERY SHOPPING Tops in Pops, just down the street to the right, for fresh local produce and basic groceries, 8.30am to 6pm Monday to Saturday. They are a fourth-generation local business, who have been trading on the site since 1931. The Londis corner store next door opens 8am to 10pm, but charge for privilege. There is an ATM machine at the back, right hand side of the store. Dunne's Stores, is the indigenous supermarket and department store chain, and has branches in every sizeable town throughout the country. There are two local branches. In North Earl Street, opposite O’Connell Street’s Spire, the Off-Licence (liquor store) is in a separate premises, a few doors apart - look for the James Joyce statue. You will find a bigger branch in the ILAC Shopping Centre, flanked by Henry Street, Moore Street and Parnell Street West (Moore Street entrance is opposite Paris Bakery). There is Metro Tesco on Parnell Street West, just past the Rotunda Hospital. A main branch is to be found in the basement of the Jervis Centre, off Henry Street. Carney’s Butchers, is another multi-generational local family business, which prides itself on the quality of its meat. In keeping with local tradition, they sell fresh fish on Friday’s. F.X. Buckley’s Butchers have two local branches; Moore Street and Talbot Street. This is a very old Dublin business and they have everything; free-range pork, beef and lamb from their own herds, poultry, game in season and fish, and, in the Moore Street branch, a deli counter for cooked meats next door. They are very obliging, and the lads have a great line in smart (sassy) chat. PHARMACIES Foley's Pharmacy on Parnell Street East is a 100+ year-old family business; they are very helpful. Opening hours: Monday-Saturday 9am 6pm. There is a late-night pharmacy, Hickey’s at 55 Lower O’Connell Street, (west side, within the block closest to the river). Opening hours: 8am -10pm M-F, 8.30am-10pm Saturday. 10am 10pm Sunday. Web: (email hidden) POST OFFICES Nearest Post Office is Parnell Street East, at corner of Marlborough Street, but much nicer is the GPO, O’Connell Street. 1828 façade, but badly damaged in the 1916 Rising, and largely rebuilt in 1928. The main hall is beautiful, with its entire original, 1928, fittings intact. It also contains the iconic statue, by Oliver Shepherd, The Dying Cuchullin. You will find a booklet with postal rates in the black folder. BANKS Allied Irish Bank has a branch on O’Connell Street, at the SW junction with Parnell Street, opposite the Rotunda Hospital. ATM in the wall. Bank of Ireland has a branch at Lower O’Connell Street, on the east side of the street, between Middle Abbey Street and Ashton Quay. ATM inside, opens MEDICAL AND DENTAL PRACTICES Mountjoy Medical Practice, Dr. Gerry Roebuck, Dr. Holly Porter (female) Dr. Colm Killeen. 2-3 Baker’s Yard, Portland Street (website hidden) (phone number hidden). Opening hours 9-1.30 and 3.30-5.30. You can just drop in. €50 per visit. Frederick Dental Clinic, Dr. Peter Dwyer, North Frederick Street. -My dentist- is happy to see people on an emergency basis. Call for (website hidden)(phone number hidden). NORTHSIDE LOCAL RESTAURANTS: 'The Cobalt Cafe', in a beautiful Georgian house on North Great Georges Street, which doubles as a gallery, is great for lunch. Parnell Street, Dublin's emerging 'Chinatown' is just a half a block to the south. Newly opened, on Parnell Square West is 'Mr.Fox', serving modern Irish food in a smart and comfortable setting. Nearer the river, 'Le Bon Crubeen' (crubeen=pig's trotter- it's a modern Franco-Irish restaurant) is on Talbot Street, as is the venerable and immensely popular 'Talbot 101'. It is packed to the gunnels with locals between 5.54 and 7.15, enjoying their pre-theatre supper before the Abbey curtains rise at 7.30, when they relinquish their seats for the rest of us! On the riverfront, I love Panem, facing the Millennium Bridge, for a quick coffee and a delicious Sicilian almond biscuit, baked on the premises. A few doors down, you'll find a cluster of Italian bars, cafes and restaurants serving good quality food. Half a block to the east is the trendy 'Winding Stairs' restaurant, with its book-lined walls (relics of a former second-hand bookshop-cum-cafe of the same name), and it's sister restaurant, The Woollen Mills, while back on Capel Street, locals rave about Brother Hubbard for lunch. LOCAL PUBS include the 'Hill 16' just opposite the house, on Gardiner Street - very popular with the GAA crowd on match days (the Gaelic Athletic Association Stadium, Croke Park, is just 3 blocks to the east), they pull a superb 'pint'. ‘The Heritage Parnell’, on Parnell Street West, just around the corner from O’Connell Street 'The Flowing Tide', on the corner of Marlborough Street, opposite the Abbey Theatre, is one of my favorites - after the curtain goes down in the Abbey, half the cast are likely to be at the bar. A few doors closer to O’Connell Street is Mulligan’s, another very nice pub, dating from the Edwardian era. 'The Church' on Mary Street, in a converted 1720's church, is another fine place for a drink; the former owner won many accolades for the high quality of the restoration. Capel Street has many typical local pubs, which have the added benefit of serving a largely local population. They include 'O’Neill’s' and 'Slattery's which is good for music. 'The Black Sheep' has the local craft beers covered, and does good bar food, (as does its sister pub, ‘The Brew Dock’, on Store Street, at the bottom of Gardiner Street. The north side traditional music 'musician’s' bar is 'The Cobblestone', at the top of Smithfield, and is suitably grungy. DEPARTMENT STORES AND FASHION Henry Street, off O’Connell Street, at the SPIRE, is the premier shopping street on the north side of the river. Here you will find Arnott’s the local department store, which highlights Irish fashion and design, throughout the store, and has several nice cafes. Henry Street also contains large branches of Debenhams and Marks&Spencers, as well as branches of most of the high street fashion chains. There are two large shopping centres, the Jervis, with a large branch of Tesco’s in the Basement, and the ILAC, which has a Dunnes Department Store, with a Food Hall in the basement. (You can shop for fresh produce on adjacent Moore Street, Dublin's oldest street market, now also home to a thriving cluster of ethnic food markets and restaurants.) NORTHSIDE CULTURAL ATTRACTIONS The North side of Parnell Square is home to the city's Hugh Lane Gallery of Modern Art; we share a significant collection of Impressionist painting with the Tate Gallery in London, part of the Hugh Lane Bequest, which is rotated in seven-year cycles. Next door is the Writer's Centre, and next door again, is the Writer's Museum, with a Michelin-starred restaurant in the basement, the amazing Chapter One. Down on the East side of Parnell Square is the beautiful jewel-box that is the Gate Theatre - part of the 18th-century entertainment complex established by the entrepreneurial Dr. Bartholomew, to help support his new Rotunda Maternity Hospital (the oldest purpose-built such hospital in the world, and still delivering babies on a daily basis, 270 years later (9000 is 2012). You could be seated in either the Abbey or Gate Theatres within 10 minutes of leaving the house, and the James Joyce Cultural Centre is even closer, on North Great Georges Street (don't forget to check out the Cobalt Cafe, opposite). Hop on the Luas Red Line, going west, in Abbey Street, halfway between Mountjoy Square and the river, and you will be dropped at the ‘Museum’. The National Museum, Collins Barracks, housed in an old military barracks, dating from 1702, contains the Decorative Arts Collections, (basically, everything post 1700). Descend at the next stop, ‘Heuston’ for IMMA, Ireland's National Museum of Modern Art, housed in the old Kilmainham Hospital, built in the1660’s. It pre-dates the more famous Chelsea Hospital in London by several years. Not to be missed is the Old Jameson Distillery, in Smithfield. Jameson was distilled here until 1971, when three historic distilleries amalgamated, and centralized distilling in Midleton, Co. Cork. The Museum is very well presented; one is guided around the distilling floor, among the huge old pot stills before retiring to the Bar to sample the goods. Nearby is one of the oldest churches in Dublin, St.Michan’s, on Church Street, dating from the mid-11thc. There are several mummified bodies in the basement, thought to be Crusaders. When I was a child, one was allowed to shake their hands….. SOUTHSIDE In the south city centre, the RESTAURANT HUB is in the pedestrian streets to either side of Grafton Street, and in Temple Bar. Particular favourites of mine include: * Nede, Temple Bar Square * Eden Bar and Grill, South William Street * The Green Hen, Wicklow Street * Fallon and Byrne, Exchequer Street, basement wine-bar, full service restaurant first- floor, and coffee bar within the food-hall on the ground floor. * Fade Street Social, Fade Street, tapas bar and full-service restaurant. * The Rustic Stone, Exchequer Street, upmarket, sophisticated and healthy ‘fast food’. * Cornucopia, Wicklow Street- vegetarian café day, full service by evening. * The Port House, South William Street, wine bar and tapas. * Pinxto, Crowe Street, Temple Bar, as above, same management. Southside city-centre TRADITIONAL PUBS we like are: * Mulligan's, Poolbeg Street * Neary's, Chatham Street * Grogan’s, South William Street * International Bar, Wicklow Street * O'Neill's, Suffolk Street * The Dawson Lounge, Dawson Street * The Stag's Head, Connaught Court * The Long Hall, South Great Georges Street * Doheny and Nesbitt’s, Merrion Row * Kehoe’s, South Anne Street * The Duke, Duke Street Fronting the river, TEMPLE BAR, with its vibrant mix of independent shops, cafes, restaurants, pubs, markets and cultural institutions occupies an area three blocks deep and ten blocks long. At the western end, look out for the two branches of the Queen of Tarts- a wonderful teas shop that offers really good home baking and teas and coffees, all served on mismatched antique china (Lord Edward Street and Cow's Lane). TEMPLE BAR FARMERS MARKET, is held every Saturday in Meeting House Square, 9-4.30, now has a smart new tensile roof for wet days, and is a good place to rub shoulders with the locals, whilst sampling local food culture. Don’t miss the Oyster Stall, Hick’s Pork Butchers, or David Llewyllan’s fantastic ‘Double L’ local cider- 100% apple (not even water), and the two local cheese stalls, among others. Don’t’ forget to check out the overflow stalls on Curved Street, where Rossa Crowe’s fantastic bread is on offer- Rossa took himself off to France for two years to train, and now produces slow fermented breads, made with the very best organic flours. NORTHSIDE CULTURAL ATTACTIONS TRINITY COLLEGE is a good orientation point; from here it is easy to find the mediaeval core, the cultural/political hub of the country around Kildare Street, and the Grafton Street fashion hub. The campus occupies a 40-acre (16ha.) site, and is over 400 years old, though what one sees today are mainly beautiful eighteenth-century buildings. It is worth a wander around, after a visit to spectacular Long Library, to see the Book of Kells and other illustrated Celtic manuscripts. From Front Gate, look south to Grafton Street or west up College Green and Dame Street, which lead to the mediaeval core. At the brow of the hill you will find: * Dublin Castle (visit the State Apartments, the Chester Beatty Library and the lovely garden in front (which is actually the helicopter-landing pad for the Castle). * The City Hall with its 'Museum of the Capital' in the basement is worth a look- the Hall is free, and there is a nominal charge for the Museum. * Christchurch Cathedral * Dublinia-in the Christchurch Chapterhouse (Viking Exhibition). * Old Saint Audeon's Church, built almost into the city wall. * St Patrick's Cathedral, and historic park beside. * Marshe's Library-the oldest public library in these islands, 1701. * Francis Street- the Antiques Quarter. * Thomas Street/Meath Street, for a touch of 'Old Dublin'. * The Guinness Storehouse. * Royal Hospital, Kilmainham, (IMMA) Ireland's National Gallery of Modern Art, with its wonderful, recently restored formal garden. KILMINHAM GAOL is worth a visit, and tells the story of Irish Nationalism. It can be reached via the grounds of IMMA, passing Bully’s Acre, and old graveyard, where Brian Boru was reputedly rested on his way to his final burial place in Armagh. Alternatively, exit onto Nassau Street, with its cluster of high-quality shops showcasing the best of Irish crafts - fashion, knitwear, weaving, glassware, ceramics and contemporary jewellery - the Kilkenny Shop has a great cafe upstairs, with views over College Park. Continue along the College Park railings till you reach Kildare Street, the cultural-institutional hub of the country. All of our national cultural institutions have free admission. Here you will find the National Library, and the National Museum, facing each other over the forecourt of Leinster House, home to the Oireachtas, our National Parliament. The National Library has a lovely exhibit on the poet, W.B. Yeats, and the Treasury, in the National Museum houses both the Bronze Age and Early Christian collections. On the opposite side of the block, on Merrion Street/Merrion Square, you will find the National Gallery, and the Natural History Museum (known to Dubliner's of my father's generation, as 'The Dead Zoo’. This is a very refreshing look to the past, with absolutely no interpretation, and nothing, not even a postcard, to buy). The National Gallery is halfway through a four-year renovation programme; in the meantime, the Millennium Wing, on Clare Street, has a ‘highlights of’ exhibition, and the Café and Gift Shop are also accessed via the Clare Street Entrance. GETTING AROUND Two operators offer Hop-On/Hop-Off tours: (website hidden) (website hidden) They both offer a 2-day ticket, and cost roughly the same price - check them out online before you make up your mind. One can buy an integrated LEAP card in most newsagents, at train stations, and in the Dublin Bus Head Office at 42 O’Connell Street (on the west side of the street, just north of the Spire). This can be used on the LUAS, DART, some suburban mainline trains, and on Dublin Bus routes. There is also a 3-day tourist pass, the Freedom Ticket, which provides good value. €28 will give you 72 hours transport, starting at the Airport; Airlink from the airport, the Hop-On-Hop –Off tourist bus and all local bus routes. Web: (website hidden) •The DART, the local electric commuter train, runs north/south along the coast. The northside city centre station is Connolly, on Amiens Street, facing Talbot Street, but I usually suggest people use Tara Street, as Connolly is also a mainline station, and is very big, and a bit confusing. Tara is purely a commuter station, and is about the same distance. It is on George’s Quay, just south of the Custom House. The other south-side city centre station is Pearse, on Westland Row, at the south end of the Trinity campus. •The LUAS Red Line runs east-west through the north side of the city, as far east as the docks, and serves both Connolly and Heuston mainline stations. The nearest stop to Mountjoy Square is Abbey, on Middle Abbey Street, opposite the Abbey Theatre. The LUAS Green Line serves the south suburbs; Ranelagh, Dundrum, Leopardstown Racecourse, and on out to Cherrywood, on the county boundary with Wicklow. •Main cross-city bus routes run north-south through O’Connell Street. The No.7 terminates on Mountjoy Square North, and there is a ‘shopper’s fare’ of 70c, to Grafton Street- alight at Trinity. On the return journey it skirts the Trinity campus and comes along Pearse, to the east of the campus - catch it on Clare Street, at the Millennium wing of the National Gallery. •DUBLIN BIKES are free to use for the first half hour, and have a stand on Mountjoy Square West, but one needs to go to the Princes Street stand (to the right hand side of the General Post Office (GPO)), to purchase a short term card. It costs €2, and is only available to credit card holders. SHOPPING WITH A DIFFERENCE Those interested in the local fashion, art and design scene should look out for the following addresses (in no particular order): •Designist, South Great George's Street (stock chosen for good design) •Irish Design Store, Drury Street •Article, Powerscourt Townhouse Centre (housewares) •Irish Designer Store, Top floor Powerscourt Townhouse Centre •Cow's Lane Gallery, Temple Bar (artist’s collective) •The Jam Factory, Nicholas Street (artist’s collective) •Avoca, Suffolk Street •Kilkenny Shop, Nassau Street •Designyard, South Frederick Street (jewellery) •Louise Kennedy, couturier, Merrion Square, and Tipperary Crystal •Gallery Zozimus, Francis Street (art gallery and carefully chosen crafts) •Graphic Studio Gallery, Temple Bar (artist-printmaker’s gallery) •Malthouse Design Centre and Shop, Distillery Court, 537 North Circular Road, just around the corner from Mountjoy Square (cluster of design-led businesses, 10-5 M-F) •Magee's of Donegal, Wicklow Street, and, •Kevin and Howlin, Nassau Street have hand-woven tweeds covered. •Dubarry's, College Green produce wonderful, country-style outerwear, including the most perfect alternative to sweaty, waterproof Wellington boots… •Monaghan's, Hibernian Way, the House of Ireland on Nassau Street and the Sweater Shops on Wicklow Street and Nassau Street has the best selections of traditional knitwear. Monaghan's specialise in cashmere. •Murphy and Sheehy, Castle Market, stock Irish tweed, Irish linen and a quirky selection of designer fabrics. Look out for their ‘Linen Union (linen/cotton blend) Glass Cloths- the best ever for polishing glassware, they make a super, useful, inexpensive and lightweight traditional gift! •The Cloth Shop, St. William Street, for interesting designer fabric, including a good selection of Irish Linen, and Liberty of London INDEPENDENT BOOKSHOPS and MUSIC STORES Eason’s, O’Connell Street, is a Dublin institution for over 100 years. It encompasses a large stationery department, a branch of Tower Records on the top floor, academic books in the basement, a nice café and two floors of general books. It is a good place to browse books of Irish interest, and they have a really good Information Desk. Chapters, Parnell Street West is my ‘local’. John Gannon is one of the best booksellers in the business, and his staff are hand-picked enthusiastic bibliophiles, one and all. Stock is a mixture of the latest releases, and carefully chosen remaindered books. Their ordering service is superlative, and they ALWAYS know exactly what one is talking about, even with just the vaguest, half-remembered clues from a newspaper review. Very strong on contemporary fiction, natural history, non-fiction and books of Irish interest. Extensive second-hand section upstairs. The Secret Bookstore, Wicklow Street is another favourite. It’s tucked away down a passage, near the L’Occitane shop and often throws up gems among its large second-hand stock. An eclectic music store occupies the rear of the shop. Cathach Rare Books, Duke Street, specializes in Irish first editions, and have an interesting selection of Irish maps and prints. Stokes Books is another interesting antiquarian/secondhand shop, specializing in books of Irish interest. You’ll find it in Georges Street Arcade. Claddagh Records, Cecelia Street, Temple Bar, is primarily a music publisher, but they have a retail outlet in Temple Bar, which is the oldest independent music shop in Dublin, and specializes in traditional Irish music, with some interesting World Music additions. The Celtic Note, on Nassau Street, beside the Kilkenny Shop is another good bet. PLACES OF WORSHIP: Roman Catholic: Many Catholic churches have Mass on Saturday evening, in addition to morning Masses. •St. Francis Xavier Roman Catholic Church, Upper Gardiner Street. Gospel Mass, 7.30pm Sundays, September to mid June. •St. Mary's Metropolitan Church - the Pro-Cathedral, Marlborough. Sung Mass, 11am, Sundays, with the Palestrina Choir. •St. Joseph’s Church, Berkeley Road, Dublin 7. •St. Teresa’s Church, Clarendon Street Church, choir sings at 11 o’clock Mass, Sunday’s •St. Peter’s Church, Phibsborough, Dublin 7, has wonderful Harry Clarke (phone number hidden)) stained glass windows. •Whitefriars Street Church, Aungier Street, church has relics of St. Valentine. Church of Ireland: •Christchurch Cathedral, Christchurch Place, sung Services Sundays, •St. Patrick's Cathedral, Nicholas Street, sung Services Sundays. •St. Anne’s Church, Dawson Street, Dublin 2 Jewish: Dublin Hebrew Congregation (website hidden) Daily services in Synagogue at 32a Rathfarnham Road, Public Transport: Buses: (PHONE NUMBER HIDDEN). Get off at Terenure Cross (road). Walk up Rathfarnham Road, pass AIB Bank and one row of terraced houses; shul is next building, with wooden/metal security gates. Across the street is a shop called Window Fashions. Dublin Jewish Progressive Congregation (DJPC) Website: (website hidden) Email: (email hidden) Postal: PO Box 3059, Dublin 6 President: Mrs. Hilary Abrahamson Muslim: Islamic Cultural Centre of Ireland (ICCI) 19 Roebuck Road, Clonskeagh, Dublin 14, Tel: (phone number hidden) Islamic Foundation of Ireland (IFI) 163 South Circular Road, Dublin (website hidden): (phone number hidden) Anwar-up-Madina Moore Street, Dublin 1. SHORT TRIPS OUTSIDE THE CITY BY PUBLIC TRANSPORT NORTH: Catch the No.46A bus, (heading north on O'Connell Street to the Phoenix Park- the largest enclosed urban park in the world, 1750 acres behind a seven-mile-long stone wall. Ashtown Castle Interpretive Centre, with its wonderful walled garden and café is a good place to orient oneself. From here, on Saturdays, it is possible to visit Aras an Uachtarian, the official residence of our President. One can also visit Farmliegh, the Official State Guesthouse, a former Guinness mansion. Among it’s attractions are an art gallery, café, occasional free concerts, and regular weekend Farmer’s Markets. The Park also houses the Dublin Zoo, (1827, the second-oldest Zoo in the world, after London’s Regent Park Zoo). Several herd of Fallow Deer roam at liberty. Many sports are catered for; there is Polo ground, a cricket club, and lots soccer pitches. The Duke of Wellington is commemorated by a marvelous granite obelisk, which can be seen for miles. The area know as the Forty Acres affords superb views over the city, with the Royal Hospital and Guinness in the foreground, along the south side of the River Liffey. Phoenix Park can also be reached via the LUAS Red Line, direction Tallagh, heading west. Alight at 'Museum' and take a detour into the National Museum-Collins Barracks, which houses the Decorative Arts, post-1700, wonderful collections of silver, furniture, glass and other artifacts. Just up the road, in Glasnevin there are three worthwhile attractions: Glasnevin Cemetary, was founded by Daniel O’Connell as one of his first initiatives, post Catholic Emancipation in 1829, to provide a dignified place for Catholic burial. The Glasnevin Musuem is new, and has superlative displays of Nationalist history. They also have a very good Geneology Department. The National Botanic Gardens, Glasnevin, date from the end of 18thC. Though relatively small, they contain an internationally-aclaimed collection of plants and three iconic Glasshouses, by Turner of Dublin, which have all been restored in the recent past. There is a nice café in the Gardens, and entry is free. The Gravedigger’s Pub, over-looking a Green, is not to be missed. It got its name from the fact that there used to be a hatch in the rear wall, through which the gravediggers were served. They do nice simple pub food, and one can sit outside on sunny days. Walk back into town, and stop at either the The Botanic Bar at Harte’s Corner or the Brian Borus, typicl local bars. The Porter House, at Cross Guns Bridge, which is a micro-brewery, with nice food, is on the corner of the Royal Canal. Take a stroll east down the canal bank, and you will see swans, and moor-hens going about their business. At the next bridge, at Dorset Street look out for the lifesize bronze statue of Brendan Behan, a local author. From here is just a few minute’s stroll up Belvidere Place, with its charming stepped terraces of tall Georgian houses, to Mountjoy Square. Another favorite is the Marino Casino, in Fairview/Clontarf, an early 18th century pleasure house, built to the design of Sir William Chambers, for Lord Charlemont, purely for entertaining, also just a few miles by bus, north of the city centre. Catch the DART, the coastal commuter train, heading north, at Tara Street Station, on the South Liffey quays, at Butt Bridge, and take a short ride. You have the choice of Howth (a working fishing village) or Malahide. Howth Demesne or Howth Head, behind the village will both afford walks with great views; the Harbour has a dozen restaurants along the quay- ranging from take-out fish and chips to the very upmarket. Book an early-evening window table at Aqua, and be astonished by the sunset over the coast, looking north-west. Another favourite of mine is Deep, midway along the quay (and do watch out for the local tame and greedy Harbour Seal, who begs shamelessly from the trawler men, who tie up alongside). Malahide is a charming village, with some of the most expensive urban residential properties in the country. Good food and good shopping are to be had here. On the edge of the village you will find Malahide Castle and Demesne, open to the public, which includes a renowned private Arboretum, as Milo de Malahide, the last of his family, (who had occupied the castle continuously since Norman times, in the 10th-12th centuries) was a significant plants-man. The Castle contains the National Portrait Collection, as was as magnificent furniture and other contents. There is a smart new branch of the AVOCA Shop and Café in the Courtyard. SOUTH: South of the city you will find Rathfarnham Castle, and its Berkeley Costume and Toy Collection. Marley Park is a little further, just at the foot of the Dublin Mountains. It has wonderful parkland with easy walks, and a magnificent walled garden with a nice cafe. The No.16 bus, from O’Connell Street will leave you close by. Powerscourt is at the edge of Enniskerry, its associated estate village, at the end of the No.44 bus route, which winds its way through the south side suburbs, into Wicklow, through the Scalp, a deep and picturesque glacial valley. The 19th century gardens are fabulous, and make great use of the 'borrowed landscape' beyond. The terrace and Nepture fountain are centred on the Sugarloaf mountain, which marks the beginning of the Wicklow Mountains. The Powerscourt Waterfall, part of the same estate, is a few miles further on, and there are beautiful, way-marked, woodland and moorland walks in the hills nearby. Do be mindful; these ‘mountains’ can be deceptive- while not high, they can be treacherous, as weather conditions can change in minutes. Stick to the way-marked paths, and do keep an eye on the weather. Take the DART south to Bray and Greystones - via Dun Loughaire, Dalkey and Killiney - all interesting villages, with many cafes and restaurants. Killiney Hill, with its eighteenth century obelisk at the summit, is a short climb that results in amazing views over Dublin Bay, and down into the Wicklow Mountains beyond. There is a nice pub in in the ‘village’- ‘The Druid’s Chair’. Dalkey is a charming village with old-fashioned shops and lots of nice pubs, cafes and restaurants. The local Dalkey Castle Heritage Centre, is worth checking out, and in the summer run a theatre programme, and walking tours. Bray Esplanade is a classic Victorian seaside amenity, sturdily built from local granite - the perfect place to enjoy an ice-cream. Campo di Fiori, either the Restaurant or the Café, both near the train station and the north end of the Promenade, are particular favourites of mine. If one is feeling energetic, one could contemplate the Cliff Walk from Bray to Greystones - 4miles/6km along the rough cliff path. Lots of nice pubs for a pint of Guinness at the other end, The Hungry Pear is my favourite café, among many. The DART will take you straight back into the city. But.. make sure to do it in the morning, as by mid-day the path is in shade, and it can be windy and cold. WEST: Travelling into the rich plains of Kildare, by the No. 67 bus route, you will come to the historic village of Celbridge, just twelve miles from the city centre. Castletown House is Ireland's finest Palladian mansion, and was saved from destruction by Desmond Guinness, in the early 1960's. He purchased it from the construction company who had acquired it. They intended to demolish it, to make way for a vast suburban housing estate. The Irish Georgian Society, founded by Desmond Guinness, restored the house and furnished it with the help of many volunteers and sponsors, and opened it to the public, a heroic task for a small membership conservation society. Today, it is in State ownership, and it is the flagship Georgian heritage property of Ireland. It is beautifully presented, and the parklands are undergoing restoration. A local bus, or the commuter train from Connolly Station in Amiens Street, will take one to Maynooth, a charming University town, with another magnificent Palladian mansion, Carton House, now operating as a very upmarket hotel and golf club. Lots of companies offer day-long coach tours. Some involve very long days, i.e, Cliffs of Moher in Clare and the Giant’s Causeway on the Antrim coast. Two more local, and very worthwhile ones are either: The Boyne Valley Tour (Newgrange Neolithic ( 5000 yr old World Heritage Site) / Mellifont Cistercian ruins- (12thC.)/ Monasterboice Early Christian (6th-8thC.) The Wicklow-Glendalough Tour (Powerscourt / Wicklow Mountains National Park and Glendalough (Glen of the Two Lakes) a 6thC. Early Christian site, in beautiful wooded valley. Details of both of these trips, and others, are available in the big black folder in the apartment.

A beautiful, historic residential square, built in 1790's, within 5-10 minutes walk of down-town city centre. Elegance and convenience combined with a bit of inner city grittiness. I have loved it all, since 1978! Mountjoy Square is situated just NE of the historic city centre, within walking distance of just about all the main city attractions. It is the most densely populated area in the entire city: 1500 people have front doors opening onto the Square. The house fronts onto a 4acre/1.5ha park, across a fairly busy street. This apartment faces the side street, so it is quieter, but you will still hear traffic.....Please bear in mind that this is NOT LEAFY SUBURBIA, but a vibrant, living city community and it's definitely gritty in places... Having said that, I have lived here, uneventfully, for nearly 38 years, and consider the trade-offs well worth it, for the excitement and convenience of having the city on my doorstep..

Superb city centre location within walking distance of all major tourist attractions (see below for walking times). Located just outside the noisy pub and nightlife areas and overlooking a private roof garden for a peaceful nights sleep. Upscale, spacious (80 sq.m/860 sq.ft), modern, bright & chic apartment with 2 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms and a balcony. The apartment contains everything you could expect for your stay and includes tasteful designer furniture and interiors.

Perfect location! Major attractions walking time: > The river Liffey, Smithfield Tram station, Jameson Distillery, Smithfield Square, Dublin Tourist Bus Stop - 1 minute > Christchurch Cathedral - 7 minutes > Temple Bar, Henry Street - 10 minutes > O'Connell Street & Dublin Visitor centre, Phoenix Park, Guinness Storehouse - 12 minutes > Grafton Street - 15 minutes This fantastic 2 bedroom, 2 bathroom modern apartment is ideally located in Dublin city centre within walking distance to all Dublin's major tourist attractions and 1 minute walk to Smithfield central tram station. The 2 bedrooms and living room overlook a private roof garden which ensures a low level of noise and a safe/peaceful nights sleep in the city centre yet just outside the noisy pub and nightlife areas (e.g. temple bar, along the Quays, etc). The apartment itself contains 2 spacious double bedrooms, 2 bathrooms both with shower and toilet facilities, a fully fitted modern kitchen (dishwasher, microwave, large fridge freezer, crockery, glasses, all utensils, etc.), a large living room/dining room area with floor length windows leading onto a balcony with a view of the private roof garden. We have carefully crafted detailed arrival instructions as well as a wide variety of tips/advice for the apartment, local area and Dublin city in general! We have put a lot of effort into these documents and improve them on a regular basis. Bedroom 1 - Double bed (2 persons) Bedroom 2 - Double bed (2 persons) Living room - Sofa bed (2 persons) The apartment has plenty of space for you to relax in peacefully with Dublin on your doorstep. An elevator takes you up up to our apartment and parking is available in the large public underground car park (prices vary). The apartment is professionally cleaned after every guest and freshly laundered bed sheets and towels come as standard with each booking. Both bedrooms have brand new deep fill, hotel grade mattresses and the bed sheets are 100% cotton with high thread count of minimum 200 threads per square inch. Duvets and pillows for all beds are hotel grade and a comfortable mattress topper ensures a good nights sleep.

Smithfield is a trendy inner city area just north of the river Liffey. Some local Artisian highlights of the Smithfield complex include the Light House Cinema/Gallery, the Generator Hostel, Third Space Cafe, Oscars Bar & Restaurant and the Fresh Good Food Shop. Despite the excellent location, the area is very quiet and removed from the bustling nightlife districts of Dublin city centre. Furthermore, the area is very safe and the building is secure.

Experience authentic Georgian elegance is this large bright studio apartment, overlooking park. Accommodates two in cosy sleeping loft. Light a fire, cook dinner in the designer kitchen, and then head out to enjoy the attractions of the city.

Come and have an authentic experience in one of Dublin's special Georgian apartments, situated on Mountjoy Square, in the heart of Dublin's North Georgian core, and just minutes from O'Connell Street. This large studio apartment is on the first floor of a beautiful redbrick townhouse, built in 1792. Both house and apartment retain all their original features, combined with modern comforts. The apartment has three full-length windows overlooking the gardens of Mountjoy Square. It has a working Georgian grey marble fireplace with a spectacular gilt over-mantle mirror. The fully equipped kitchen has a granite worktop, a gas hob, electric oven, dishwasher and microwave. The rest of the apartment is comfortably furnished with period furniture, including a square Georgian dining table and four matching chairs, a comfortable Victorian antique Chesterfield sofa, TV & DVD player along with an iPod/iPhone dock for music. there are pashminas and Kashmir hand-loomed wool wraps, for cosy evenings in front of the fire. The bedroom is upstairs and overlooks the apartment. It has a comfortable double mattress, goose down duvet and pillows, and pure cotton sheets. Read in comfort with vintage Anglepoise reading lights. Please note there is restricted headroom in the sleeping loft- 5'10-1/2", and consequently the bed is low. The bathroom has a high-pressure shower and loads of storage space. A single, contract-quality foldaway bed, or a single, memory-foam mattress, and extra linens are available for a third guest. Please see photos. A surcharge of €10, to cover the cost of the extra laundry, applies for the use of the apartment as a twin. This will be collected in cash upon arrival. • You will receive a welcome pack of the basics- quality tea, coffee, home-made granola and preserves, fruit, yoghurt, juice, milk and free-range eggs. • 100% cotton bed linen and towels are provided • Local tourist information and guide books available • Free wi-fi • Large flat-screen TV and DVD player, with selection of Irish themed DVD's • IPod/Iphone dock for music and charging • Library of Irish-themed books • Playing cards and board games • Hair dryer • Fuel, at cost price, is available for the fire, if required. • Washing machine and dryer are available in the building- €10:00 charge CHECK-IN IS FROM 3pm, and CHECK-OUT IS BY 11am, please. We are happy to take in your luggage earlier. Please let us have your flight/arrival details, so that we can plan our day around being here to greet you. The house is perfectly located for exploring the city; all of the city's cultural institutions are within walking distance and the transport connections are excellent. Airport bus (41) passes door, 8 min. walk to LUAS Red line, DART, (Connolly and Tara) and city busses. Dublin Bikes stand opposite house. KARIN'S GUIDE TO THE CITY LOCAL GROCERY SHOPPING, SERVICES AND BREAKFAST OPTIONS In general, shopping hours are 9.30-6pm, with late-night shopping till 8pm on Thursdays. Sunday opening is from noon. BREAKFAST The Kingfisher Café, a Dublin institution, on the corner of Parnell Square and Parnell Street West is great for a 'Full Irish Breakfast', and numerous variations, including porridge. Everything is cooked to order and the sraff are professional and friendly. Breakfast served 9am-12:30, 7 days a week. Later in the day they have excellent fish and chips. Koffee and Kale, on the corner of Hill Street and Gardiner Place, two blocks away has great coffee and pastries, and soup/salad/sandwiches at lunchtime. LOCAL GROCERY SHOPPING Tops in Pops, just down the street to the right, for fresh local produce and basic groceries, 8.30am to 6pm Monday to Saturday. They are a fourth-generation local business, who have been trading on the site since 1931. The Londis corner store next door opens 8am to 10pm, but charge for privilege. There is an ATM machine at the back, right hand side of the store. Dunne's Stores, is the indigenous supermarket and department store chain, and has branches in every sizeable town throughout the country. There are two local branches. In North Earl Street, opposite O’Connell Street’s Spire, the Off-Licence (liquor store) is in a separate premises, a few doors apart - look for the James Joyce statue. You will find a bigger branch in the ILAC Shopping Centre, flanked by Henry Street, Moore Street and Parnell Street West . There is Metro Tesco on Parnell Street West, just past the Rotunda Hospital. A main branch is to be found in the basement of the Jervis Centre, off Henry Street. Carney’s Butchers, is another multi-generational local family business, which prides itself on the quality of its meat. In keeping with local tradition, they sell fresh fish on Friday’s. F.X. Buckley’s Butchers have two local branches; Moore Street and Talbot Street. This is a very old Dublin business and they have everything; free-range pork, beef and lamb from their own herds, poultry, game in season and fish, and, in the Moore Street branch, a deli counter for cooked meats next door. They are very obliging, and the lads have a great line in smart (sassy) chat. PHARMACIES Foley's Pharmacy on Parnell Street East is a 100+ year-old family business; they are very helpful. Opening hours: Monday-Saturday 9am 6pm. Michael recently (May 2017) won the National 'Community Pharmacist of the Year' award, and a nicer, kinder, or more helpful man you will never meet.... There is a late-night pharmacy, Hickey’s at 55 Lower O’Connell Street, (west side, within the block closest to the river). Opening hours: 8am -10pm M-F, 8.30am-10pm Saturday. 10am 10pm Sunday. Web: (EMAIL HIDDEN) POST OFFICES Nearest Post Office is Parnell Street East, at corner of Marlborough Street, but much nicer is the GPO, O’Connell Street. 1828 façade, but badly damaged in the 1916 Rising, and largely rebuilt in 1928. The main hall is beautiful, with its entire original, 1928, fittings intact. It also contains the iconic statue, by Oliver Shepherd, The Dying Cuchullin. You will find a booklet with postal rates in the black folder. BANKS Allied Irish Bank has a branch on O’Connell Street, at the SW junction with Parnell Street, opposite the Rotunda Hospital. ATM in the wall. Bank of Ireland has a branch at Lower O’Connell Street, on the east side of the street, between Middle Abbey Street and Ashton Quay. ATM inside, opens MEDICAL AND DENTAL PRACTICES Mountjoy Medical Practice, Dr. Gerry Roebuck, Dr. Holly Porter (female) Dr. Colm Killeen. 2-3 Baker’s Yard, Portland Street North. Tel (PHONE NUMBER HIDDEN). Opening hours 9-1.30 and 3.30-5.30. You can just drop in. €50 per visit. (Five blocks away, going North East) Frederick Dental Clinic, North Frederick Street. The dentist is happy to see people on an emergency basis. Call for appointment. Tel:(PHONE NUMBER HIDDEN) blocks away, going West) NORTHSIDE LOCAL RESTAURANTS: 'The Cobalt Cafe', in a beautiful Georgian house on North Great Georges Street, which doubles as a gallery, is great for lunch. Parnell Street, Dublin's emerging 'Chinatown' is just a half a block to the south. Newly opened, on Parnell Square West is 'Mr Fox', serving modern Irish food in a smart and comfortable setting, by the same team who operate Dublin's much lauded 'The Pig's Ear' on Nassau Street, overlooking the Trinity College playing fields.. '147 Cafe' at 147, Parnell Street East, opp the Marlborough Street junction, serve good Illy coffee, and great sandwiches, daytime hours. Nearer the river, 'Le Bon Crubeen' (crubeen=pig's trotter- it's a modern Franco-Irish restaurant) is on Talbot Street, as is the venerable and immensely popular 'Talbot 101'. It is packed to the gunnels with locals between 5.54 and 7.15, enjoying their pre-theatre supper before the Abbey curtains rise at 7.30, when they relinquish their seats for the rest of us! On the riverfront, I love Panem, facing the Millennium Bridge, for a quick coffee and a delicious Sicilian almond biscuit, baked on the premises. A few doors down, you'll find a cluster of Italian bars, cafes and restaurants serving good quality food. Half a block to the east is the trendy 'Winding Stairs' restaurant, with its book-lined walls (relics of a former second-hand bookshop-cum-cafe of the same name); The woollen Mills on the corner of Liffey street does great casual food, including excellent brunch. Back on Capel Street, locals rave about Brother Hubbard, and the Soup Dragon, for lunch. Blas cafe in the Chocolate Factory, on Kings Inn Street, off Parnell Street West has an interesting, casual menu, in a bright, spacious and funky former factory (daytime). LOCAL PUBS include the 'Hill 16' just opposite the house, on Gardiner Street - very popular with the GAA crowd on match days (the Gaelic Athletic Association Stadium, Croke Park, is just 3 blocks to the east), they pull a superb 'pint'. ‘The Heritage Parnell’, on Parnell Street West, just around the corner from O’Connell Street, does 'pub grub'. 'The Flowing Tide', on the corner of Marlborough Street, opposite the Abbey Theatre, is one of my favorites - after the curtain goes down in the Abbey, half the cast are likely to be at the bar. A few doors closer to O’Connell Street is Mulligan’s, another very nice pub, dating from the Edwardian era. 'The Church' on Mary Street, in a converted 1720's church, is another fine place for a drink; the former owner won many accolades for the high quality of the restoration. Capel Street has many typical local pubs, which have the added benefit of serving a largely local population. They include 'O’Neill’s' and 'Slattery's which is good for music. 'The Black Sheep' has the local craft beers covered, and does good bar food, (as does its sister pub, ‘The Brew Dock’, on Store Street, at the bottom of Gardiner Street. The north side traditional music 'musician’s' bar is 'The Cobblestone', at the top of Smithfield, and is suitably grungy. DEPARTMENT STORES AND FASHION Henry Street, off O’Connell Street, at the SPIRE, is the premier shopping street on the north side of the river. Here you will find Arnott’s the local department store, which highlights Irish fashion and design, throughout the store, and has several nice cafes. Henry Street also contains large branches of Debenhams and Marks&Spencers, as well as branches of most of the high street fashion chains. There are two large shopping centres, the Jervis, with a large branch of Tesco’s in the Basement, and the ILAC, which has a Dunne's Department Store, with a Food Hall in the basement. (You can shop for fresh produce on adjacent Moore Street, Dublin's oldest street market, now also home to a thriving cluster of ethnic food markets and restaurants.) NORTHSIDE CULTURAL ATTRACTIONS The North side of Parnell Square is home to the city's Hugh Lane Gallery of Modern Art; we share a significant collection of Impressionist painting with the Tate Gallery in London, part of the Hugh Lane Bequest, which is rotated in seven-year cycles. (The cafe, overlooking an interior garden, is called 'Hatch'; the original is in the basement of the 'Little Museum of Dublin' on St. Stevens Green). Next door is the Writer's Centre, and next door again, is the Writer's Museum, with a Michelin-starred restaurant in the basement, the amazing Chapter One. Down on the East side of Parnell Square is the beautiful jewel-box that is the Gate Theatre - part of the 18th-century entertainment complex established by the entrepreneurial Dr. Bartholomew, to help support his new Rotunda Maternity Hospital (the oldest purpose-built such hospital in the world, and still delivering babies on a daily basis, 270 years later (9000 in 2012). You could be seated in either the Abbey or Gate Theatres within 10 minutes of leaving the house, and the James Joyce Cultural Centre is even closer, on North Great Georges Street (don't forget to check out the Cobalt Cafe, opposite). Hop on the Luas Red Line, going west, in Abbey Street, halfway between Mountjoy Square and the river, and alight ‘Museum’ stop. The National Museum, Collins Barracks, housed in an old military barracks, dating from 1702, contains the Decorative Arts Collections, (basically, everything post 1700). Descend at the next stop, ‘Heuston’ for IMMA, Ireland's National Museum of Modern Art, housed in the old Kilmainham Hospital, built in the1660’s. It pre-dates its more famous sibling, the Chelsea Hospital, in London by several years. Not to be missed is the Old Jameson Distillery, in Smithfield. Jameson was distilled here until 1971, when three historic distilleries amalgamated, and centralized distilling in Midleton, Co. Cork. The Museum is very well presented; one is guided around the distilling floor, among the huge old pot stills before retiring to the Bar to sample the goods. Nearby is one of the oldest churches in Dublin, St.Michan’s, on Church Street, dating from the mid-11thC. There are several mummified bodies in the basement, thought to be Crusaders. When I was a child, one was allowed to shake their hands….. SOUTHSIDE In the south city centre, the RESTAURANT HUB is in the pedestrian streets to either side of Grafton Street, and in Temple Bar. Particular favourites of mine include: * The Pig's Ear, Nassau Street * Nede, Temple Bar Square * Eden Bar and Grill, South William Street * The Green Hen, Wicklow Street * Fallon and Byrne, Exchequer Street, basement wine-bar, full service restaurant first- floor, and coffee bar within the food-hall on the ground floor. * Fade Street Social, Fade Street, tapas bar and full-service restaurant. * The Rustic Stone, Exchequer Street, upmarket, sophisticated and healthy ‘fast food’. * Cornucopia, Wicklow Street- vegetarian café day, full service by evening. * The Port House, South William Street, wine bar and tapas. * Stanley's, St. Andrew Street, off Wicklow Street- wine bar and full service * Pinxto, Crowe Street, Temple Bar, as above, same management. * Cleaver East, Clarence Hotel - chef Oliver Dunne had a Michelin star in the parent restaurant, Bon Appetit, Malahide village, until he decided to hand it back and get a life Southside city-centre TRADITIONAL PUBS we like are: * Mulligan's, Poolbeg Street * Neary's, Chatham Street * Grogan’s, South William Street * International Bar, Wicklow Street * O'Neill's, Suffolk Street * The Dawson Lounge, Dawson Street * The Stag's Head, Connaught Court * The Long Hall, South Great Georges Street * Doheny and Nesbitt’s, Merrion Row * Kehoe’s, South Anne Street * The Duke, Duke Street Fronting the river, TEMPLE BAR, with its vibrant mix of independent shops, cafes, restaurants, pubs, markets and cultural institutions occupies an area three blocks deep and ten blocks long. At the western end, look out for the two branches of the Queen of Tarts- a wonderful tea shop that offers really good home baking and teas and coffees, all served on mismatched antique china (Lord Edward Street and Cow's Lane). Piglet Wine Bar, on the same pedestrian street had a lovely wine selection and great tapas, at good prices. TEMPLE BAR FARMERS MARKET, is held every Saturday in Meeting House Square, 9-4.30, now has a smart new tensile roof for wet days, and is a good place to rub shoulders with the locals, whilst sampling local food culture. Don’t miss the Oyster Stall, , or David Llewyllan’s fantastic ‘Double L’ local cider- 100% apple (not even water), and the two local cheese stalls, among others. Don’t’ forget to check out the overflow stalls on Curved Street, where Rossa Crowe’s fantastic bread is on offer- Rossa took himself off to France for two years to train, and now produces slow fermented breads, made with the very best organic flours. SOUTHSIDE CULTURAL ATTRACTIONS TRINITY COLLEGE is a good orientation point; from here it is easy to find the mediaeval core, the cultural/political hub of the country around Kildare Street, and the Grafton Street fashion hub. The campus occupies a 40-acre (16ha.) site, and is over 400 years old, though what one sees today are mainly beautiful eighteenth-century buildings. It is worth a wander around, after a visit to spectacular Long Library, to see the Book of Kells and other illustrated Celtic manuscripts. From Front Gate, look south to Grafton Street or west up College Green and Dame Street, which lead to the mediaeval core. At the brow of the hill you will find: * Dublin Castle (visit the State Apartments, the Chester Beatty Library and the lovely garden in front (which is actually the helicopter-landing pad for the Castle). * The City Hall with its 'Museum of the Capital' in the basement is worth a look- the Hall is free, and there is a nominal charge for the Museum. * Christchurch Cathedral * Dublinia-in the Christchurch Chapterhouse (Viking Exhibition). * Old Saint Audeon's Church, built almost into the city wall. * St Patrick's Cathedral, and historic park beside. * Marshe's Library-the oldest public library in these islands, 1701. * Francis Street- the Antiques Quarter. * Thomas Street/Meath Street, for a touch of 'Old Dublin'. * The Guinness Storehouse. * Royal Hospital, Kilmainham, (IMMA) Ireland's National Gallery of Modern Art, with its wonderful, recently restored formal garden. KILMINHAM GAOL is worth a visit, and tells the story of Irish Nationalism. It can be reached via the grounds of IMMA, passing Bully’s Acre, and old graveyard, where Brian Boru was reputedly rested on his way to his final burial place in Armagh. Alternatively, exit onto Nassau Street, with its cluster of high-quality shops showcasing the best of Irish crafts - fashion, knitwear, weaving, glassware, ceramics and contemporary jewellery - the Kilkenny Shop has a great cafe upstairs, with views over College Park. The Pig's Ear restaurant is one of my all-time favourites. Continue along the College Park railings till you reach Kildare Street, the cultural-institutional hub of the country. All of our national cultural institutions have free admission. Here you will find the National Library, and the National Museum, facing each other over the forecourt of Leinster House, home to the Oireachtas, our National Parliament. The National Library has a lovely exhibit on the poet, W.B. Yeats, and the Treasury, in the National Museum houses both the Bronze Age and Early Christian collections. On the opposite side of the block, on Merrion Street/Merrion Square, you will find the National Gallery, and the Natural History Museum (known to Dubliner's of my father's generation, as 'The Dead Zoo’. This is a very refreshing look to the past, with absolutely no interpretation, and nothing, not even a postcard, to buy). The National Gallery is almost through a four-year renovation programme; in the meantime, the Millennium Wing, on Clare Street, has a ‘highlights of’ exhibition, and the Café and Gift Shop are also accessed via the Clare Street Entrance. GETTING AROUND Two operators offer Hop-On/Hop-Off tours: (URL HIDDEN) (URL HIDDEN) They both offer a 2-day ticket, and cost roughly the same price - check them out online before you make up your mind. One can buy an integrated LEAP card in most newsagents, at train stations, and in the Dublin Bus Head Office at 42 O’Connell Street (on the west side of the street, just north of the Spire). This can be used on the LUAS, DART, some suburban mainline trains, and on Dublin Bus routes. There is also a 3-day tourist pass, the Freedom Ticket, which provides good value. €28 will give you 72 hours transport, starting at the Airport; Airlink from the airport, the Hop-On-Hop –Off tourist bus and all local bus routes. Web: (URL HIDDEN) •The DART, the local electric commuter train, runs north/south along the coast. The north-side city centre station is Connolly, on Amiens Street, facing Talbot Street, but I usually suggest people use Tara Street, as Connolly is also a mainline station, and is very big, and a bit confusing. Tara is purely a commuter station, and is about the same distance. It is on George’s Quay, just south of the Custom House. The other south-side city centre station is Pearse, on Westland Row, at the south end of the Trinity campus. •The LUAS Red Line runs east-west through the north side of the city, as far east as the docks, and serves both Connolly and Heuston mainline stations. The nearest stop to Mountjoy Square is Abbey, on Middle Abbey Street, opposite the Abbey Theatre. The LUAS Green Line serves the south suburbs; Ranelagh, Dundrum, Leopardstown Racecourse, and on out to Cherrywood, on the county boundary with Wicklow. •Main cross-city bus routes run north-south through O’Connell Street. The No.7 terminates on Mountjoy Square North, and there is a ‘shopper’s fare’ of 50c, to Grafton Street- alight at Trinity. On the return journey it skirts the Trinity campus and comes along Pearse, to the east of the campus - catch it on Clare Street, at the Millennium wing of the National Gallery. •DUBLIN BIKES are free to use for the first half hour, and have a stand on Mountjoy Square West, but one needs to go to the Princes Street stand (to the right hand side of the General Post Office (GPO)), to purchase a short term card. It costs €2, and is only available to credit card holders. SHOPPING WITH A DIFFERENCE Those interested in the local fashion, art and design scene should look out for the following addresses (in no particular order): •Designist, South Great George's Street (stock chosen for good design) •Irish Design Store, Drury Street •Article, Powerscourt Townhouse Centre (housewares) •Irish Designer Store, Top floor Powerscourt Townhouse Centre •Cow's Lane Gallery, Temple Bar (artist’s collective) •The Jam Factory, Nicholas Street (artist’s collective) •Avoca, Suffolk Street •Kilkenny Shop, Nassau Street •Designyard, South Frederick Street (jewellery) •Louise Kennedy, couturier, Merrion Square, and Tipperary Crystal •Gallery Zozimus, Francis Street (art gallery and carefully chosen crafts) •Graphic Studio Gallery, Temple Bar (artist-printmaker’s gallery) •Malthouse Design Centre and Shop, Distillery Court, 537 North Circular •Magee's of Donegal, Wicklow Street, and, •Kevin and Howlin, Nassau Street have hand-woven tweeds covered. •Dubarry's, College Green produce wonderful, country-style outerwear, including the most perfect alternative to sweaty, waterproof Wellington boots… •Monaghan's, Hibernian Way, the House of Ireland on Nassau Street and the Sweater Shops on Wicklow Street and Nassau Street has the best selections of traditional knitwear. Monaghan's specialise in cashmere. •The Cloth Shop, St. William Street, for interesting designer fabric, including a good selection of Irish Linen, and Liberty of London INDEPENDENT BOOKSHOPS and MUSIC STORES Eason’s, O’Connell Street, is a Dublin institution for over 100 years. It encompasses a large stationery department, a branch of Tower Records on the top floor, academic books in the basement, a nice café and two floors of general books. It is a good place to browse books of Irish interest, and they have a really good Information Desk. Chapters, Parnell Street West is my ‘local’. John Gannon is one of the best booksellers in the business, and his staff are hand-picked enthusiastic bibliophiles, one and all. Stock is a mixture of the latest releases, and carefully chosen remaindered books. Their ordering service is superlative, and they ALWAYS know exactly what one is talking about, even with just the vaguest, half-remembered clues from a newspaper review. Very strong on contemporary fiction, natural history, non-fiction and books of Irish interest. Extensive second-hand section upstairs. The Secret Bookstore, Wicklow Street is another favourite. It’s tucked away down a passage, near the L’Occitane shop and often throws up gems among its large second-hand stock. An eclectic music store occupies the rear of the shop. Cathach Rare Books, Duke Street, specializes in Irish first editions, and have an interesting selection of Irish maps and prints. Stokes Books is another interesting antiquarian/secondhand shop, specializing in books of Irish interest. You’ll find it in Georges Street Arcade. Claddagh Records, Cecelia Street, Temple Bar, is primarily a music publisher, but they have a retail outlet in Temple Bar, which is the oldest independent music shop in Dublin, and specializes in traditional Irish music, with some interesting World Music additions. PLACES OF WORSHIP: Roman Catholic: Many Catholic churches have Mass on Saturday evening, in addition to morning Masses. •St. Francis Xavier Roman Catholic Church, Upper Gardiner Street. Gospel Mass, 7.30pm Sundays, September to mid June. •St. Mary's Metropolitan Church - the Pro-Cathedral, Marlborough. Sung Mass, 11am, Sundays, with the Palestrina Choir. •St. Joseph’s Church, Berkeley Road, Dublin 7. •St. Teresa’s Church, Clarendon Street Church, choir sings at 11 o’clock Mass, Sunday’s •St. Peter’s Church, Phibsborough, Dublin 7, has wonderful Harry Clarke ((PHONE NUMBER HIDDEN)) stained glass windows. •Whitefriars Street Church, Aungier Street, church has relics of St. Valentine. Church of Ireland: •Christchurch Cathedral, Christchurch Place, sung Services Sundays, •St. Patrick's Cathedral, Nicholas Street, sung Services Sundays. •St. Anne’s Church, Dawson Street, Dublin 2 Jewish: Dublin Hebrew Congregation (URL HIDDEN) Daily services in Synagogue at 32a Rathfarnham Road, Public Transport: Buses: (PHONE NUMBER HIDDEN). Get off at Terenure Cross (road). Walk up Rathfarnham Road, pass AIB Bank and one row of terraced houses; shul is next building, with wooden/metal security gates. Across the street is a shop called Window Fashions. Dublin Jewish Progressive Congregation (DJPC) Website: (URL HIDDEN) Email: (EMAIL HIDDEN) Postal: PO Box 3059, Dublin 6 President: Mrs. Hilary Abrahamson Muslim: Islamic Cultural Centre of Ireland (ICCI) 19 Roebuck Road, Clonskeagh, Dublin 14, Tel: (PHONE NUMBER HIDDEN) Islamic Foundation of Ireland (IFI) 163 South Circular Road, Dublin 8. Tel: +(PHONE NUMBER HIDDEN) Anwar-up-Madina Moore Street, Dublin 1. SHORT TRIPS OUTSIDE THE CITY BY PUBLIC TRANSPORT NORTH: Catch the No.46A bus, (heading north on O'Connell Street to the Phoenix Park- the largest enclosed urban park in the world, 1750 acres behind a seven-mile-long stone wall. Ashtown Castle Interpretive Centre, with its wonderful walled garden and café is a good place to orient oneself. From here, on Saturdays, it is possible to visit Aras an Uachtarian, the official residence of our President. One can also visit Farmliegh, the Official State Guesthouse, a former Guinness mansion. Among it’s attractions are an art gallery, café, occasional free concerts, and regular weekend Farmer’s Markets. The Park also houses the Dublin Zoo, (1827, the second-oldest Zoo in the world, after London’s Regent Park Zoo). Several herd of Fallow Deer roam at liberty. Many sports are catered for; there is Polo ground, a cricket club, and lots soccer pitches. The Duke of Wellington is commemorated by a marvellous Sobelisk, and the Forty Acres affords superb views over the city, with the Royal Hospital and Guinness Brewery in the foreground, along the south side of the River Liffey. Phoenix Park can also be reached via the LUAS Red Line, direction Tallagh, heading west. Alight at 'Museum' and take a detour into the National Museum-Collins Barracks, which houses the Decorative Arts, post-1700, wonderful collections of silver, furniture, glass and other artifacts. Just up the road, in Glasnevin, there are three worthwhile attractions: Glasnevin Cemetary, was founded by Daniel O’Connell as one of his first initiatives, post Catholic Emancipation in 1829, to provide a dignified place for Catholic burial. The Glasnevin Museum is new, and has superlative displays of Nationalist history. They also have a very good Geneology Department. The National Botanic Gardens, Glasnevin, date from the end of 18thC. Though relatively small, they contain an internationally-aclaimed collection of plants and three iconic Glasshouses, by Turner of Dublin, which have all been restored in the recent past. There is a nice café in the Gardens, and entry is free. The Gravedigger’s Pub, over-looking a Green, is not to be missed. It acquired its name from the fact that there used to be a hatch in the rear wall, through which the gravediggers were served. They do nice simple pub food, and one can sit outside on sunny days. Walk back into town, and stop at either the The Botanic Bar at Harte’s Corner or the Brian Boru, typicl local bars. The Whitworth, at Cross Guns Bridge, with nice food, is on the corner of the Royal Canal. Take a stroll east down the canal bank, and you will see swans, and moor-hens going about their business. At the next bridge, at Dorset Street, look out for the lifesize bronze statue of Brendan Behan, a local author. From here is just a few minute’s stroll up Belvidere Place, with its charming stepped terraces of tall Georgian houses, to Mountjoy Square. Another favourite is the Marino Casino, in Fairview/Clontarf, an early 18th century pleasure house, built to the design of Sir William Chambers, for Lord Charlemont, purely for entertaining, also just a few miles by bus, north of the city centre. Catch the DART, the coastal commuter train, heading north, at Tara Street Station, on the South Liffey quays, at Butt Bridge, and take a short ride. You have the choice of Howth (a working fishing village) or Malahide. Howth Demesne or Howth Head, behind the village will both afford walks with great views; the Harbour has a dozen restaurants along the quay- ranging from take-out fish and chips to the very upmarket. Book an early-evening window table at Aqua, and be astonished by the sunset over the coast, looking north-west. Another favourite of mine is Deep, midway along the quay (and do watch out for the local tame and greedy Harbour Seal, who begs shamelessly from the trawler men, who tie up alongside). Malahide is a charming village, with some of the most expensive urban residential properties in the country. Good food and good shopping are to be had here. On the edge of the village you will find Malahide Castle and Demesne, open to the public, which includes a renowned private Arboretum, as Milo de Malahide, the last of his family, (who had occupied the castle continuously since Norman times, in the 10th-12th centuries) was a significant plants-man. The Castle contains the National Portrait Collection, as was as magnificent furniture and other contents. There is a smart new branch of the AVOCA Shop and Café in the Courtyard. Oliver Dunne's restaurant, Bon Appetit, on St. James Terrace, has superb food in elegant, relaxed surroundings.(This restaurant had a Michelin star for years, but the chef/patron decided to return it, and simplify his life - a case of 'been there-done that'.) SOUTH: South of the city you will find Rathfarnham Castle, and its Berkeley Costume and Toy Collection (No. 16 bus). Marley Park is a little further, just at the foot of the Dublin Mountains. It has wonderful parkland with easy walks, and a magnificent walled garden with a nice cafe. The No.16 bus, from O’Connell Street will leave you close by. Powerscourt is at the edge of Enniskerry, its associated estate village, at the end of the No.44 bus route, which winds its way through the south side suburbs, into Wicklow, through the Scalp, a deep and picturesque glacial valley. The 19th century gardens are fabulous, and make great use of the 'borrowed landscape' beyond. The terrace and Nepture fountain are centred on the Sugarloaf mountain, which marks the beginning of the Wicklow Mountains. The Powerscourt Waterfall, part of the same estate, is a few miles further on, and there are beautiful, way-marked, woodland and moorland walks in the hills nearby. Do be mindful; these ‘mountains’ can be deceptive- while not high, they can be treacherous, as weather conditions can change in minutes. Stick to the way-marked paths, and do keep an eye on the weather. Take the DART south to Bray and Greystones - via Dun Loughaire, Dalkey and Killiney - all interesting villages, with many cafes and restaurants. Killiney Hill, with its eighteenth century obelisk at the summit, is a short climb that results in amazing views over Dublin Bay, and down into the Wicklow Mountains beyond. There is a nice pub in in the ‘village’- ‘The Druid’s Chair’. Dalkey is a charming village with old-fashioned shops and lots of nice pubs, cafes and restaurants. The local Dalkey Castle Heritage Centre, is worth checking out, and in the summer run a theatre programme, and walking tours. Bray Esplanade is a classic Victorian seaside amenity, sturdily built from local granite - the perfect place to enjoy an ice-cream. Campo di Fiori, either the Restaurant or the Café, both near the train station and the north end of the Promenade, are particular favourites of mine. If one is feeling energetic, one could contemplate the Cliff Walk from Bray to Greystones - 4miles/6km along the rough cliff path. Lots of nice pubs for a pint of Guinness at the other end, The Hungry Pear is my favourite café, among many. The DART will take you straight back into the city. But.. make sure to do it in the morning, as by mid-day the path is in shade, and it can be windy and cold. WEST: Travelling into the rich plains of Kildare, by the No. 67 bus route, you will come to the historic village of Celbridge, just twelve miles from the city centre. Castletown House is Ireland's finest Palladian mansion, and was saved from destruction by Desmond Guinness, in the early 1960's. He purchased it from the construction company who had acquired it. They intended to demolish it, to make way for a vast suburban housing estate. The Irish Georgian Society, founded by Desmond Guinness, restored the house and furnished it with the help of many volunteers and sponsors, and opened it to the public, a heroic task for a small membership conservation society. Today, it is in State ownership, and it is the flagship Georgian heritage property of Ireland. It is beautifully presented, and the parklands are undergoing restoration. A local bus, or the commuter train from Connolly Station in Amiens Street, will take one to Maynooth, a charming University town, with another magnificent Palladian mansion, Carton House, now operating as a very upmarket hotel and golf club. Lots of companies offer day-long coach tours. Some involve very long days, i.e, Cliffs of Moher in Clare and the Giant’s Causeway on the Antrim coast. Two more local, and very worthwhile ones are either: The Boyne Valley Tour (Newgrange Neolithic ( 5000 yr old World Heritage Site) / Mellifont Cistercian ruins- (12thC.)/ Monasterboice Early Christian (6th-8thC.) The Wicklow-Glendalough Tour (Powerscourt / Wicklow Mountains National Park and Glendalough (Glen of the Two Lakes) a 6thC. Early Christian site, in beautiful wooded valley. Details of both of these trips, and others, are available in the big black folder in the apartment.

A beautiful, historic residential square, built in 1790's, within 5-10 minutes walk of the city centre. Elegance and convenience combined with a bit of inner city grittiness. I have loved it all, since 1978!

The following is what past guests have said that they love about this property; Guests commented on how old world and elegent it looks. You have a sense of being in the country with birds and squirrels in the trees but yet you are only 10 minutes to the airport and 10 minutes to the city centre. Everyone adored our closeness to the phoenix park - the pool room looks into the park.There are many activities in the park including the zoo, the hop on hop off bus, segways, rent a bike to name a few.

The apartment is a 4 bedroom 2.5 bathroom home separated by the swimming pool from our own house around a courtyard near the world renowned Phoenix Park, home to the President of Ireland and the American Embassy. The park is very historic with several interesting building to explore and it is home to Dublin Zoo and also home to Cricket, Polo, and a great park to rent bikes and meander around. About our home: Our home is special as the atmosphere is relaxed,friendly and we will endeavour to help our guests have the best time possible. We have a separate self contained sauna all year round and a heated swimming pool at your disposal. There are 4 bedrooms; bedroom 1 & 2 have king size beds and are ensuite. Bedroom 3 has a double sized bed and bedroom 4: King size bed and single bed. In total beds for 9 people. Only 5 km from the centre of Dublin. Dublin is an intimate city with a bustling night life with a great choice of good restaurants. In our welcome book we have suggestions for restaurants in Dublin. Suitable for Business travellers, couples and families of up to 9 who are intending on discovering Ireland. Also suitable for events such as the Bloom Garden Festival, The Royal Dublin Horse Show, Dublin Marathon and many more events. Public transport is 50 meters from the house and by car, Dublin Centre is 5km.aaww

Our house is located at the gate of the famous Phoenix Park. The house has a beautiful country feel about it but yet it is 10 minutes from the City Centre. We are within 10 mins drive of 5 golf courses, so we are ideal for golf enthusiasts. We are only 20 minutes drive also from the Dublin mountains again ideal for hill walkers,and those that like horse riding.The village of Castleknock is 8 minutes walk from the house. Here you have 5 restaurants 3 pubs and all local amenities like hair dressers, dry cleaners, beauticians etc. As we are at the Phoenix Park gate, our house is ideally situated for any event being held in the Phoenix park, like Bloom in June, Iron Man in August and motor racing and Dublin Marathon

Fantastic Apartment in the heart of the city with river views. Refurbished by award winning A2 architects, this unique space offers modern, bright open plan accommodation with amazing views of the Ha'penny Bridge, one of Dublin most famous landmarks.

Fantastic Apartment in the heart of the city with river views. Refurbished by award winning A2 architects, this unique space offers modern, bright open plan accommodation with amazing views of the Ha'penny Bridge, one of Dublin most famous landmarks. Recently renovated by award winning A2 Architects, my 2nd floor, open plan studio apartment offers the perfect location to stay in Dublin. Situated right beside the symbol of Dublin, the Ha’penny Bridge, you are in the beating heart of the city. Everything is within walking distance, with Temple Bar and Trinity College for example just across the bridge and most other major sights a few minutes away . The airport bus is only 100 metres away, not to mention all the bars and restaurants just outside the door. Experiencing the true essence of Dublin couldn’t be any easier. Previously a 66-metres (710 sq ft) two-bedroom apartment, it was renovated to an open plan, creating a large space that allows full access to natural light. From the window overlooking the river Liffey, you get a great view of the sunset and the feeling of the city passing you by. It’s deceptively easy to just sit at the window and watch as people cross the Ha’penny bridge. I have Wi-fi, a great bathroom and fully functioning kitchen including a Nespresso coffee machine. Dublin is a conveniently compact city and my apartment is nestled right in the centre of it all, allowing for a hassle free, thoroughly enjoyable place to experience it to the full. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do. Location cannot be better. You are overlooking the River Liffey and directly above the beautiful Ha'penny Bridge. Cross the bridge and you are in Temple Bar with its numerous bars, restaurants, vintage clothes shops, Project Arts Centre, Gallery of Photography, Irish Film Institute and many other attractions. Dublin two main pedestrian shopping streets, Grafton and Henry St are about 5 minutes away. Trinity College with its famous Library is 3 minutes walk. The Aircoach bus from the airport drops you 5 minutes away. The LUAS tram stops in Jervis St 2 minutes away but the apartment is so central you probably won't be using public transport at all. I personally wouldn't recommend car hire as a lot of the streets are one way and it can be tricky to drive around if you are not familiar with the city. Notes: -The sofa bed in the pictures is BoConcept Melo 6070 Double Sofa with reclining and sleeping function. Size as double bed is 173cm wide x 197cm long so suitable for one or two people but not as comfortable as a bed. -The Bed is King Size (150 x 200cm) and has a memory foam mattress

Location cannot be better. You are overlooking the River Liffey and directly above the beautiful Ha'penny Bridge. Cross the bridge and you are in Temple Bar with its numerous bars, restaurants, vintage clothes shops, Project Arts Centre, Gallery of Photography, Irish Film Institute and many other attractions. Dublin two main pedestrian shopping streets, Grafton and Henry St are about 5 minutes away. Trinity College with its famous Library is 3 minutes walk. Dublin is experiencing a Renaissance after a long recession and every week a new exciting restaurant, cultural space or play is opening. It is a great time to be visiting!

Superb city centre location within walking distance of all major tourist attractions (see below for times). Located just outside the noisy pub and nightlife areas and overlooking a private roof garden for a peaceful nights sleep. Elegant, designer and upscale apartment with 1 bedroom, 1 bathroom and a balcony. The apartment contains everything you could expect for your stay and includes tasteful designer furniture and interiors. The space and high quality interiors are kept immaculately clean.

This fantastic 1 bedroom modern apartment is ideally located in Dublin city centre within walking distance to all Dublin's major tourist attractions and 1 minute walk to Smithfield central tram station. The bedroom and living room overlook a private roof garden which ensures a low level of noise and a safe/peaceful nights sleep just outside the noisy pub and nightlife areas (e.g. temple bar, along the Quays, etc). The apartment itself contains 1 spacious double bedroom, 1 bathroom with shower and toilet facilities, a fully fitted modern kitchen (dishwasher, microwave, large fridge freezer, crockery, glasses, all utensils, etc.), a large living room/dining room area with floor length windows leading onto a balcony with a view of the private roof garden. We have carefully crafted detailed arrival instructions as well as a wide variety of tips/advice for the apartment, local area and Dublin city in general! We have put a lot of effort into these documents and improve them on a regular basis. Bedroom 1 - Double bed for 2 persons Living room - Double Sofa Bed for 2 persons The apartment has plenty of space for you to relax in peacefully with Dublin on your doorstep. An elevator takes you up to our apartment. Parking is available in the large public underground car park (prices vary). Major attractions walking time: > The river Liffey, Smithfield Tram station, Jameson Distillery, Smithfield Square, Dublin Tourist Bus Stop - 1 minute > Christchurch Cathedral - 7 minutes > Temple Bar, Henry Street - 10 minutes > O'Connell Street & Dublin Visitor centre, Phoenix Park, Guinness Storehouse - 12 minutes > Grafton Street - 15 minutes The apartment is professionally cleaned after every guest and freshly laundered bed sheets and towels come as standard with each booking. The bedroom has a brand new deep fill, hotel grade mattress and the bed sheets are 100% cotton with high thread count of minimum 200 threads per square inch. Duvets and pillows for all beds are hotel grade and a comfortable mattress topper ensures a good nights sleep.

Smithfield is a trendy inner city area just north of the river Liffey. Some local Artisian highlights of the Smithfield complex include the Light House Cinema/Gallery, the Generator Hostel, Third Space Cafe, Oscars Bar & Restaurant and the Fresh Good Food Shop. Despite the excellent location, the area is very quiet and removed from the bustling nightlife districts of Dublin city centre. Furthermore, the area is very safe and the building is secure.

"The Hide" is a cosy, handcrafted cabin nestled on a slope on our property with stunning views towards Glenveagh National Park. Just fifteen minutes drive from The Wild Atlantic Way makes The Hide ideal for a peaceful retreat or a great base for exploring Donegal.

The cabin is a cosy, self contained space, designed and made by Pete to make the most of our beautiful mountain views. We have both enjoyed decorating the space with as many handcrafted, reclaimed and up-cycled items as possible. As you enter The Hide you will find a wood burning stove in the centre of the cabin, alcove double bed with curtains and blinds to the right and a small bathroom behind the bed. A couch against the centre back wall allows guests to avail of the fire and the tranquil views through the double doors onto the deck. To the left is the kitchen area with a four ring electric hob, combined oven, grill and microwave and fridge with freezer compartment. Guests have access to a washing machine and dryer in a nearby outbuilding. The space is heated by the wood-burning stove with fuel provided. The private decked area with seating, table and barbecue is to the front. Guest access is via a private gravel path behind our own traditional cottage which leads to the cabin. If The Hide is unavailable for the dates you are interested in, please check out our other listings. The Cow Shed is a little converted byre at the opposite end of our house from the cabin. The Birdbox is our little handcrafted treehouse nestled in mature trees behind The Cow Shed.

We are centrally located in a beautiful part of Donegal, close to most of its attractions. The cabin is nestled in a valley 3 km from the scenic village of Fintown. The river Finn is known widely for its salmon and trout fishing and permits are available locally for fly-fishing. In Fintown village, you will find the only operational narrow gauge railway in Donegal. It runs for 5 km beside Lough Finn, which is overlooked by Aghla and Scraig mountains. The local village has a shop, pubs, church, school, health centre and library. The towns of Glenties, Dungloe, Ballybofey and Letterkenny are 15 minutes, 15 minutes, 25 minutes and 30 minutes drives respectively. There you will find restaurants, pubs and supermarkets. There are many stunning beaches within a 30 minute drive, offering beautiful walks and a choice of sports such as kayaking, surfing, golf and horse-riding, all of which we can help you to organise.

Beachcombers Cottage is a lovely modern 2 bedroom holiday home located beside the glorious blue flag Fintra Beach. Its located on the Wild Atlantic Way only 20 minutes drive from the famous Slieve League Sea Cliffs . Killybegs fishing port with its hotels, pubs and restaurants is located just 3kms away. Part of a small group of exclusive holiday homes, located behind the sand dunes, with the beach just a short short stroll beyond. An idyllic setting with simply breathtaking scenary all around.

Beachcombers cottage is a beautiful two storey home located in a small cluster of private holiday homes beside the spectular Fintra beach. It overlooks a green area to the front and it has a large modern raising decking area to the rear with an outdoor table and chairs. There is a large glazing area in the centre of the cottage that floods the space with sunlight most of the day. The dining area is located in an open plan space in the centre of the cottage. The living room is located to the left of this and it has two luxury leather sofas, a coffee table, lamps, a cosy gas fireplace, and a modern 50" flat screen TV with Netflix provided free of charge. The kitchen is located to the right of the central space. It has a fridge, oven, hob, dishwasher, washing machine, microwave, kettle, toaster, lots of cupboards and drawers loaded with crockery, glasses, and plenty of cooking utensils, and cutlery. There is a also breakfast bar with high chairs. The two bedrooms are located upstairs. One King bed and one double bed with crisp white lined and plenty of storage. The main bedroom has an ensuite shower, basin and toilet. The other bedroom is beside a family bathroom, with a bath, basin and toilet. There is also a private sitting area on the first floor, which overlooks the dining space below. The utility/laundry room is located to the rear of the cottage and it has a freezer and dryer. The cushions for the deck chairs are stored in the utility room.

The cottage is within approx. 300 metres walk to the beach. Its located in a small cluster of luxury private holiday homes. Its a very quite area and most of the holiday homes are rearly used outside of the main holiday periods. The nearest town of Killybegs is 3km away. This is the largest fishing port in Ireland and it has a lovely seaside feel to it. There are a couple of lovely cafes in the town, one of which overlooks the marina. There are also shops, resturants, pubs and hotels in the town. The carpet factory muesum is also located in the town. Killybegs used to be famous for its prodcution of carpets, many of which are located in the stately homes of Ireland and the UK.

The Cow Shed is a cosy, rustic converted byre situated on our property in a very tranquil scenic area. The view from the cottage looks towards the beautiful Glendowan mountains and Glenveagh National Park. Ideal for a peaceful retreat or a great base to explore

The cottage consists of an open plan living, dining and kitchenette area with a double sleeping mezzanine above. There is a small bathroom with an electric shower. The kitchenette contains an electric hob, a small combination convection oven, microwave and grill and a small fridge. Guests have access to a washing machine in an adjacent outbuilding. The space is heated by a wood-burning stove with fuel provided. The guest cottage has a private garden, seating area and barbeque to the rear. As the byre was originally part of a small farm, our own traditional cottage sits on the same site. If The Cow Shed is unavailable for the dates you are interested in, please check out our other listings. The Hide is a cosy, handcrafted cabin nestled on a slope at the opposite end of our house from the cottage. The Birdbox is our little handcrafted treehouse nestled in mature trees behind The Cow Shed.

We are centrally located in a beautiful part of Donegal, close to most of its attractions. The cottage is nestled in a valley 3km from the scenic village of Fintown. The river Finn is known widely for its salmon and trout fishing and permits are available locally for fly-fishing. In Fintown village, you will find the only operational narrow gauge railway in Donegal. It runs for 5 km beside Lough Finn, which is overlooked by Aghla and Scraig mountains. The local village has a shop, pubs, church, school, health centre and library. The towns of Glenties, Dungloe, Ballybofey and Letterkenny are 15 minutes, 15 minutes, 25 minutes and 30 minutes drives respectively. There you will find restaurants, pubs and supermarkets. There are many stunning beaches within a 30 minute drive, offering beautiful walks and a choice of sports such as kayaking, surfing, golf and horse-riding, all of which we can help you to organise.

The listing is a lovely, modern, log cabin in a secluded spot located in the back garden of a fine suburban house in south Dublin. Free on street parking is available immediately outside the main residence. The listing is suitable for couples or solo travellers. There are no particularly strict house rules; all we ask is that you respect the property just as you'd like your own home to be respected. There is one cat in residence at the property.

Lilac Cottage is a self contained, double bedroom, shower room, full working kitchen and living area with TV/DVD.

Kimmage is a lovely, settled neighbourhood. Several good restaurants are within walking distance as are shops, pubs, parks, and a gym, yoga and pilates. It also has an excellent bus service which will bring you into the city centre in around 20 minutes.

This property is an ideal getaway as its location offers all the benefits of country, coastal(300 meters to beach) living and is a short distance (1.5km) from the shops and restaurants of Killybegs.

The scenery is breathtaking. With private access to 3 beach coves that open onto Fintragh beach (blue flag). Untouched wildlife including birds of prey, otters, coastal birds, seals, dolphins and if you are very patient you might catch a glimpse of a puffin! In addition to its natural edge it has been at the very hub of historical events with neighbouring fields accommodating ring forts, neolithic tombs, waters sailed on by vessels that participated in the Spanish armada and on the beach at the foot of our land (near cove 2) a B-17 flying fortress crashed and submerged in the sands during 1944 (all survived). Or just simply fish mackerel, crab and lobster from the headlands.

Local Pier , Kayaking, Cycling, Mountains, Fishing, Walking, Beaches, Surfing, Bird Watching and much much more.

One bedroom apartment / separate living area / fully fitted kitchen, dishwasher, microwave, Nespresso Coffee maker, full size cooker,gas central heating, flat screen TV. Double bedroom with en-suite shower room. Electronic safe for valuables safekeeping. Free off road parking, good bus service to city centre , 5 km away , quiet residential suburb of Cork. Use of large garden and patio area for relaxation...

Very comfortable apartment fully fitted and furnished, in a quiet residential area five minutes drive to airport and also close to good bus route (4 minute walk). Shops, bars and restaurants nearby.

Very quiet and safe neighbourhood, in a small cul-de-sac residential estate. Short 5 minute walk to choice of supermarkets and also pharmacy, and the Grange Bar. Bigger selection of restaurants and bars in Douglas Village which is a 15 minute walk.

Position, Position, Position. The best spot for sight-seeing, cafes, shopping & the night life of Dublin! You are literally at the Spire on O'Connell St. The bedsit is the perfect base from which to explore Dublin. Featuring keyless, digital entry, 24/7 check in, the apartment has all you need. Including a double bed, instantaneous shower, plus microwave, toaster & kettle. It's on the second floor, Cable TV & fast wifi. Great position and very experienced company run by super hosts!

For light to early sleepers: Due to it's central location, there can be some street noise, so bringing some ear plugs may be advisable. Paper towels are not provided - this is a choice for the environment and the future. We do not supply face cloths, sorry - our linen company does not stock them. Recently renovated, with a small bathroom but the benefits of an instant shower, and kitchenette including kettle, toaster, microwave, fridge, plates, utensils, cutlery etc. Like all of our apartments, this has all a traveler needs to 'live like a local', in style, and see the sights, without having to take public transport everywhere, or to hire a car. Like your own hotel room! Shower might not suit very tall people.......

The neighbourhood is vibrant and lively and has some fantastic restaurants near by. The area has recently included the Luas tram line which is only steps away from the accommodation. Please check our recommendations in the home manual!

Lazy lodge is located only a few minutes from the motorway and 1hr from dublin airport.Perfect for tourists or for business.The perfect location in the heart of Ireland.Very cosy space with a glass roof over the bed so you can fall asleep under the stars.Comes fitted with a kitchenette and coffee machine.Also equipped with smart tv,wifi and private parking.please use postcode r32nf8p for directions.self checkin also.also has outdoor hot tub available for €30 extra per day

1hr drive from dublin airport,Only minutes from Portlaoise.Very private and cosy space with everything you need for a relaxing stay.The lodge has wifi,coffee machine,kitchenette,smart tv and a glass roof over the bed.Most local resturaunts deliver to the door also.There is private parking on site.it also has an outdoor hot tub available for extra €30 per day Use postcode r32nf8p for directions

Countryside setting.Surrounded by forestry and mountain views to front and rear of main property

A small slice of paradise on the sunny side of Lough Derg:-) The boathouse is self contained with full kitchen, bathroom and mezzanine bed. Private veranda with seating for 2 and a small BBQ. (No pets allowed)

Stone walled self catering cottage, secluded, great views, excellent walks, close to Arklow and Wicklow towns. An hour from Dublin, Queen size bed and double sleeper couch,separate bathroom, kitchen/living room.Remote location, wifi available.

Spacious, well equipped, authentic old stone cottage, ( circa 1640's). Two levels. Outside deck/patio area. Separate bedroom and bathroom area. Log stove.

The location is remote, no street lights or passing traffic... The quietness at night is unique. The rising sun in the east over the Irish sea is clearly visible from the deck area. The stars at night are magnificent in the clear winter skies. We love the solitude and feeling of space the location provides.

Fall in love with Connemara and its wild landscape as you rest in the Kylemore Hideaway.Nestled in the mountainside with stunning lake, mountain and river views on every side you will feel like you are somewhere special.Listen to the waterfall outside,stroll along the lakeshore or the mountainside.Relax in the comfort of the turf fire in the stove .If you are in need of a real break, this place offers you the space you need to get away from it all, connect with nature and your soul again!

This warm, cosy, modern two bedroomed farm cottage is uniquely set at the foot of the Garraun mountain complex on the shores of Lough Fee with onsite waterfall. Truly experience the beauty and tranquility of Connemara at this hillside cottage with fishing and mountaineering literally on your doorstep. Ideally situated on the N59 close to Kylemore Abbey, Connemara National Park, the villages of Letterfrack and Leenane and quiet sandy beaches of Renvyle.

The locality is packed with things to do: - visitor centres of Kylemore Abbey and Victorian Walled Gardens, Connemara National Park, Leenane Cultural Centre, Connemara Smokehouse in Ballyconneely - swim at the beaches of Glassilaun, Lettergesh and Renvyle - hike the Garraun mountain complex (on the doorstep !) theTwelve Bens, the Maamturk Mountains, Mweelrea, Mamean and Croagh Patrick - walk the Western Way, the Marconi Loop Walk at Derrigimlagh, the Connemara Greenway, the Killary Fjord and Diamond Hill - relax on Killary Fjord boat trips - experience Killary Sheep Farm - adventure sports at Killary Adventure Centre and Connemara Real Adventures - relax or dine at Delphi Resort and Spa and The Leenane Hotel Seaweed Baths - visits islands of Inis Bofin and Clare Island and the Aran Islands - dining in Letterfrack, Tullycross and Leenane, also nearby Inagh Lodge Hotel, The Misunderstood Heron Food Truck and The Kylemore Pass Hotel - shopping in towns of Clifden and Westport and Avoca in Moyard - fishing at Lough Fee, Lough Muck, Lough Inagh and Kylemore Lake (Kylemore House - Fishery & School of Fly Fishing) - diving at Scubadive West - Horse-riding in Renvyle, Ballyconneely and Cleggan - bike hire in Clifden - hair salon and beauticians in Letterfrack -golfing at Connemara Championship Golf Links in Ballyconneely

Welcome to the famous Abbeyglen Castle Hotel, located just a few minutes walk from Clifden town, known for its music, warm welcome and fine dining. We are excited to list our smaller Economy rooms on AirBnB. As a guest of the hotel a full breakfast is included, access to all the facilities and we would love to see you for complimentary tea and scones betweeen 3pm and 5pm and complimentary champagne with a talk about the hotel and the area in our bar at 6.30pm.

This listing is for our small Economy Rooms which are ensuite. Please select number of guests carefully as there is an extra charge for 2 persons staying. The Abbeyglen Castle hotel is set on a beautiful hillside overlooking Clifden Bay. Just 5 minutes walk from Clifden town centre it has pride of place at the beginning of the famous Sky Road, a stunning scenic drive, cycle or walk in Connemara. To the front of the building we have beautiful gardens to peruse, play pitch and putt in or get in a game of tennis on our hard court. Inside Abbeyglen Castle Hotel, we have a quiet drawing room, lobby and reception area, piano bar, snooker table, table tennis, fine dining restaurant and TV/Bar area. Don't forget to say hello to our famous African Grey Parrot, Froda! You'll find her in reception waiting to greet you when you arrive.

We are located 5 minutes walk from Clifden town, the capital town in Connemara. The Sky Road is one of the most famous scenic drives in Ireland. Clifden town is a busy town full of shops, pubs and restaurants and frequented regularly by hundred of thousands of visitors each year.

A newly built modern log cabin with spectacular views of Irelands Eye and private access to Burrow Beach. Enjoy the peace and tranquility of a quiet location with the atmosphere of Howth Village only minutes away. Convenient base to explore Dublin City. All new appliances and fittings throughout this immaculate log cabin. Find out more on our Instagram Page @seastheday_airbnb

One Bedroom Cabin with Ensuite and Shower. Kitchenette with breakfast bar. Living Area with Sofa and TV with Netflix. Best suited for couples, solo adventurers and business travellers. Ingredients for a Continental Breakfast will be provided, including Irish Homemade Bread and Jams. Fridge is stocked with butter, milk, eggs. Pantry stocked with condiments, sugar, tea, coffee and bread.

Located on a quiet road with direct access to the Beach. A short stroll to Howth Village where you will find many cafes, restaurants, bars and pubs. Happy to offer recommendations for all our favourites. Howth offers fantastic scenic walks, boat trips and plenty of boutique shops. On Saturdays, Sundays and Bank Holidays you will find market stalls selling artisan products, jewellery and fresh foods.

St. Endas flat is entirely private for you to enjoy a peaceful break away in beautiful Co Dublin :-). Ideally located 10 minutes from Dublin airport via taxi and only 25 minutes to Dublin City Centre via Dublin bus/taxi. We comfortably cater for 2 guests. Offering a self contained fully equiped living space, ideally based to explore Dublin's Fair City, with easy access to the M50/M1 (if driving) for further exploration. Free on street parking available.

You are sure to feel at home from the moment you arrive at St. Endas. Fresh milk and cookies await, for a hot cuppa tea after your long journey! Not to mention fresh eggs and Irish bread for breakfast ;-) Nearby (5 min walk) there is a mini shopping mall, which houses a number of grocery supermarkets, eatery's, pharmacy's, clothing outlets and many more, for those of you who enjoy a home cooked meal or for those of you who enjoy being wined and dined we'd recommend the local hot spot- The Cock and Bull Bar and Grill. The bus stop is a short walk from the flat (5 minute walk) The 27bus is a direct bus route into the city centre! ( 25 minute journey ) Easliy accessable to the M50/M1 for drivers

ST ENDAS is situated in a quite mature neighbourhood in north county Dublin, you are sure to find peace and tranquility within the flat! This atmosphere is perfect for guests looking for a quite get away or business guests wanting to use it as a base to work. We have free WIFI ;-)

Cahercastle has been standing since the late 1400s One needs to be somewhat crazy to be owned by a castle , itsowned me now for 20 years, anyway it is our home its not perfect, so don't expect perfection ,we do have cobwebs and a little dust (so asthma sufferers take note)We endeavour to make your stay as comfortable as possible Please note when making a request to stay please take time to write an introductory message or have an informative profile We look forward to welcoming you Peter / Eva

A beautiful, original medieval castle experience can be yours for a weekend, a week, or even longer. You'll be staying in the master bedroom, the highest room in the castle. This castle has been restored to its original state by using traditional materials, and also by using cutting edge technology. We used traditional local stone, limestone, as well as oak beams, to make the castle as traditional as possible, but it also has modern conveniences, such as solar water heating. The castle was built sometime in the 1400's but was refurbished in the last decade. It is comprised of a master bedroom upstairs, with access to the turret, a living room and dining room, two guest bedrooms, and some storage rooms. I'm Peter, your host, and I spent the last ten years refining and refurbishing the castle - the pictures can attest to how well that has worked out. Two room in the castle are still under construction - the storage room downstairs. Remember, this is a castle that is over 600 years old. That means it's not perfect. Castles were never designed with bathrooms and showers, so we've improvised. You'll have to come downstairs to have a bath which is located in the living room - this is the quirkiest part of the castle. You have full private access to the living room,kitchen , bath and your master bedroom Castles are built with solid stone, so there is a huge fireplace with a cooker to keep the place warm and of course underfloor heating complements of our pet Dragon that lives in the dungeon The castle has lots of quirks, its a great and fun place to stay the night. Galway City is a 25 minute drive from the castle which is a very beautiful city. The castle is around a 20 minute drive from Galway Airport, a 45 minute drive from Shannon Airport and Dublin is two hours away. What to expect: lots of winding staircases, a castle that has been lovingly restored, but there are some cobwebs, and it gives you the real Irish castle experience. It's not pristine, its not perfect, but it's a real castle. There are lots of sheep and cows in the nearby fields - but lots of peace and quiet. This is a very unique place to stay. There's nothing like it around, where you can say that you stayed in an actual castle. It's not a tourist attraction (like Blarney Castle) and it's not pristine like a hotel, but you'll have a great time visiting. You'll need a car. The castle is about two miles from the nearest public transport. (Craughwell has both train and buses running regular schedules) I can help with anything like lighting a fire or answering any of your questions. P.S. as this is our home we like to get an idea of who's coming to stay so please write a message of introduction or have a written profile as we do sometimes decline if we just see a one liner and nothing on a profile so to avoid disappointment fill out your profile

Countryside, farms, cows ,sheep , 3 acre garden, stream , river , trees, And you might see the odd fox, heron, pheasant, rabbit and of course the friendly farmers and neighbours cctv in operation outside the castle

This hexagon hut is situated on its own on land that is half orchard half woodland, 5 Km from Westport. It gives a nice view over the natural environment with wild life and low key farming. A few goats and a few hens roam in the adjoining field.

The hexagon shaped cabin has decking on both sides to enjoy morning sun as well as evening sun. On the morning sun side, where the door is, the decking leads to the little bathroom building. The cuckoo is around from the end of April until the end of May. The Owenwee river with salmon and trout runs on about 200 Meter distance. Westport town is on 5 Km distance. Clew bay 2 Km . Nearest beach 7 Km. There is a nice and safe place to park the car at the bottom of the path leading to the cabin. Guests are free to roam the one third of an acre around the hut. There are beautiful walks around without having to use the car. One of the few native woods left is only 1,5 Km away. From 1 April till 1 October I don't take bookings for less than 3 nights Just for help if needed The neighbourhood of this place is extremely friendly and there is a big sense of community here. Public transport, busses and trains, is available in Westport. There is a safe opportunity to cycle to town. Westport town has great entertainment possibilities. Lots of traditional music, also good blue grass and jazz. Many coffee shops and restaurants and indeed a great choice of very interesting and unique shops.

The neighbourhood of this place is extremely friendly and there is a big sense of community here.

Converted 40x8 shipping container with all the needs for long or short term living. Fully equipped kitchen. Solid fuel stove (fuel supplied). Double bed and large wardrobe. Large wet room shower and washing machine and dryer. Outdoor deck area with large table and chairs. 30mins from Dublin airport, 10mins from Drogheda in the lovely country setting of Bellewstown.

Folan’s Cottage is a beautiful architecturally designed holiday home that was rebuilt in 2010 from two ruined stone cottages. It is only a few meters from a wonderful quiet sandy beach, with views of the Twelve Bens and across the ocean to the Arann Islands. The setting is magical and remote with just rabbits, sheep and Connemara ponies as your neighbours.

(The calendar that shows availability is correct and kept up to date. Please don't enquire for unavailable weeks. Use the CONTACT HOST option for general enquiries. We are unable confirm bookings for more than 12 months in advance and July and August are booked year to year with family and regulars) We only rent the house by the week, Saturday to Saturday. It is possible to take the house for less than 7 nights but the weekly rate still applies. In low season (Nov to Feb) we can be more flexible if the house is available a couple of months out. Accommodation Folan’s cottage sleeps 6/7 in 3 bedrooms. Kitchen Large kitchen with island counter, electric oven and hob, microwave oven, dishwasher, clothes washer/dryer, double sink, fridge and freezer, food processor and blender, dinner table for 8 people, French windows which fold back fully and open out onto south facing terrace with view of the ocean. Living Room Fireplace with stove, T.V., DVD player, bluetooth sound system for playing music from your smartphone Murvey Bedroom On ground floor with large double bed, fitted wardrobes, en suite bathroom with shower. Upstairs Errisbeg Bedroom Large double bed, fitted wardrobes, en suite bathroom. Bunowen Bedroom Double bed and a single bed, fitted wardrobes, en suite shower room with Amazon shower head. Landing/Mezzanine Desk and seating/storage. Under floor heating throughout.

The beauty of this area is just breathtaking. The house is right beside a beautiful beach which is almost always deserted because there is no road access. It is safe for swimming and ideal for sand castles and shrimping in local rock pools. There are numerous coastal and hill walks in the immediate area and we are close to the Twelve Bens mountains which have some of the best hiking terrain in the country.

Recently awarded 'Most Unique Listing in Ireland' by Airbnb! This cabin is nestled in a tranquil woodland setting, with uninterrupted panoramic views over Lough Derg all the way to the Sliabh Aughty hills in Galway. The cabin is far away from busy roads and street lights and is a haven of birdsong, starry nights and spectacular sunsets with "one of the best views we have ever woken up to". Fully equipped with kitchen, bathroom and lofted bedroom; and is suitable for all seasons.

You have a seperate entrance and car parking facility. We live adjacent to the cabin but it is not overlooked. The cabin was designed and built by Stephen (a master carpenter) who was inspired by the 'Tiny Homes Movement' which advocates living simply on a smaller scale. It is built from locally sourced timber, is fully insulated and has low voltage led lighting; all designed to increase sustainability and minimise the environmental impact. Although small in scale, the cabin contains everything you could need for a perfect holiday experience.

This area is far from the busy tourist trails and is a well-kept secret haven of natural beauty. However, our central location means you are only an hour from the 'Wild Atlantic Way' and less than two hours from Dublin.

Coastal haven, sleeps two/ suitable for couple or single guest . Gay friendly. Situated on its own beach, fall asleep to the song of the sea waves. Peaceful location, close to Dublin airport ( 20 mins drive) Dublin City centre 30 mins by train/car.

Well stocked small kitchen is in the cottage , double bed, shower& toilet.Guests are always pleased with its size and comfort. The cottage is independent of my home and is private. Deck for guests overlooking the sea with fire pit . Wrap up in a blanket and look out for a shooting star! This is the place for visiting beautiful North county Dublin, New Grange and Dublin City centre or stay put and enjoy the coastline and its cliff walks looking out to islands, lighthouses, and visit local eateries. Award winning gastropub is a comfortable 3 minute stroll across our sandy beach, with lovely seafood menu. Coastal inspired interior , calm and peaceful .Breathe out,unwind and let the energy of the sea cradle you for a while.

We are situated in a coastal town called Rush . We 're close to Skerries . Cashpoint, pubs, music, restaurants, library, supermarkets are here.Rush is a farming agricultural town on the seas edge . Horse riding, boat trips, massage . Beautiful coastline for lovely walks, chilled semi rural feel, yet close to vibrancy of Dublin city when you want to go Downtown. A good friend living close by is an excellent massage therapist( hot stone, deep tissue massage) if you would like a body rescue please let me know and I will pass details on so you can talk to her to see if you're interested.

In the heart one of Ireland's least known and unspoiled peninsulas this architect designed cozy eco chalet is REALLY off beaten the track (open & close 2 gates, unsurfaced road) in a yard with stabled ponies, ducks chickens and geese. Yet stylish, clean, and warm (3 heaters!). NEW mattress! Books about Ireland and local art. Bathroom with hot shower, washing machine. Toaster, cold water sink and electric kettle. New convection oven/microwave/grill unit. Composting toilet serviced regularly.

We are a genuine AirBnB - a private place opened out to those who share the AirBnB ethos and not available any other way. On the Wild Atlantic Way and the Beara Way, the chalet is located near the ruined Kilcatherine Church, built by monks said to be practicing for work on the Skellig Islands across the Bay and near the largest ogham stone in Ireland. Protected oak woodlands nestle by Ballycrovane Pier where local fisherman still harbour - and there are no jet skis. Visitors who have booked for only one night wish they had known how special the area is and allowed more time! [Do note, fellow cooks, that the cooking facilities are limited - new unit this summer replaces microwave with a unit that adds convection oven and grill as well, and there is a grill and toaster and electric kettle. ] And guests have asked us to say that we really are off the beaten track - finding us in the dark is not advised - and the unsurfaced road has two gates that need to be opened and closed. But they all say its worth it!

Secluded strands and hidden local piers. Ruins, wild headlands and unspoiled commonage running for miles. The end of the world. Castletownbere - about 18 kilometers distant - is the nearest town with restaurants and famous pubs. The Village of Eyeries - 5 km - has shop and post office and cafe. You can look out on one of the most remote bays - Ballycrovane - and headlands - the Cod's Head - on Ireland's west coast. You will never forget the experience, and you may even decide to return - or to never leave...

Cosy home in Crumlin very close to city centre. Luxury double bedroom with tv and wi fi

Bedroom and bathroom kitchen and patio area

It is a quiet culdesac. Close to a good bus service to the city. There is pubs and takeaways plus a cafe and deli near by

Spacious Studio Apartment, located near the Airport and City Centre. Amazing place, newly refurbished, powerful shower, hotel style linen and comfortable bed. No shared space, private entrance. Airport collection or drop off can be organized for €19 only.

We are 2 minutes walk to grocery stores take away restaurants and bus stop.

Spacious Guesthouse with beautiful views of Dublin. You will have your own Large Bedroom, Bathroom, Kitchen and lounge area. 15 minutes from Dublin International Aiport. 15 minutes from Swords & 30 minutes from Dublin City

Beautiful view of Dublin city & Mountains

Country setting with the convenience of Dublin Airport/ City & surrounding towns close by.

Our cabin is warm and cosy. Enjoy the space, help yourself to veg from the garden, feed the farm animals, collect the eggs and explore all our area has to offer

We are in the heart of the countryside but within walking distance of the town. The cabin is accessed via a raised walkway over the vegetable garden and nestled neatly under mature beech trees. The cabin is on our small farm which you are free to explore, experience and enjoy. The area is a slightly off the beaten track hidden gem. You could use your time here to explore Lough Key Forest Park, the town of Boyle, Boyle Abbey, King House and Drummanone Dolmen. You could visit the majestic Carrowkeel passage tombs and delve into the caves of Keash. Try walking around some of the lesser known lakes and woodlands e.g. Clontykilla woods and cycling a myriad of country lanes. See if you can catch some fish on the nearby Boyle river or Lough Gara. Spend your evenings snuggled in the cabin with some local literature or head to Boyle for something to eat and a few pints. For those wanting very lively nightlife Carrick on Shannon is 12 km away

This is an area with hidden gems waiting to be discovered. We love our interactions with the animals, the peaceful lakes, rivers and hills and our friends and neighbours. A quiet pint in town with a good meal and chat is a simple pleasure. A rich historical tapestry from passage tombs to hidden abbeys to grand mansions continues to stimulate.