Crazy Town Dublin – St. Patrick’s Day, Phoenix Park & 770 Pubs!

Dublin is the capital of the Republic of Ireland and the largest city in the country. Located on the east coast, Dublin has a total area of 155 km² and thus occupies about 0.2% of the approximately 70,300 km² island. A little more than 550,00 people live in the capital, i.e. just under 12% of the total population of Ireland. Due to its proximity to the coast, the climate in Dublin is strongly maritime: winters are mild and summers cool, extreme temperatures are the absolute exception. As everywhere in Ireland, Dublin is also subject to a lot of rain – the rainy days are in August, while between March and April almost no rain falls. The city itself is divided by the Liffey into a northern and a southern part, whereby in the south mainly the somewhat more prosperous population of the city lives. Together with the main axis from the three streets O’Connell Street, Grafton Street and Harcourt Street, the structure of the city is cross-shaped from a bird’s eye view. There are many department stores and many more pubs in Dublin. The famous Trinity College – world-renowned for its extensive library – and the urban Saint Steven’s Green Park are also popular destinations for young and old.

Discover Dublin – drone flight in sunshine!

From Celtic settlements and Viking graves

The first known mention of Dublin took place about 140 AD under the name “Eblana”. Originally, however, it was a small Celtic settlement called Áth Cliath: Hurdenfurt – a ford is the shallow part of a river that allows crossing and probably refers to the river Liffey, which flows from Wicklow via Kildare and Dublin into Dublin Bay and the Irish Sea. This aspect can still be found today in the Irish name of Dublin, because in the Irish language Dublin is called Baile Átha Cliath, which translates as “city at the hurdle ford”. Within the city, the Liffey is underpassed by the Liffey Service Tunnel. In addition to the Celtic roots, the Vikings also had a great influence on Dublin’s development. Not least with regard to the name of the town itself, because in the middle of the 9th century the Vikings built a small village in the immediate vicinity of the settlement Áth Cliath and they called it Duibhlinn, the black pond. As the Vikings gained power and influence, Duibhlinn became the Kingdom of Dublin, which lasted until the English conquered it in 1170. In and around Dublin, tourists can still visit the old Viking tombs today.

From British, Commonwealth and Easter Rising

At the beginning of the 13th century King John of England had a fortress built – now known as Dublin Castle – but it was not until 1801 that the city became the British administrative headquarters of the newly founded United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland in Ireland under the Act of Union. After the Great Famine in Ireland and the Irish uprising against the British in 1916, which went down in history as the Easter Uprising, and the Declaration of Independence a few years later, the Irish War of Independence and the Irish Civil War, the city of Dublin was extensively destroyed and its population severely decimated. In 1949 Ireland left the British Commonwealth and became an independent Republic of Ireland. Since Ireland’s accession to the European Union in 1973, Dublin has flourished again and developed into a European metropolis. Today Dublin can look back on 1,040 years of existence with all its ups and downs.

All roads lead to Dublin

Ireland’s transport system is completely geared to Dublin. The city is thus the centre of the Irish road network – all major national roads run from Dublin to all parts of the country. The city’s port is connected by ferry to the cities of Liverpool in the northwest of England, Holyhead on Holy Island, a British island off the Welsh coast, and Cherbourg in northern France. Since 1940, air traffic has also been developed via Dublin’s international commercial airport, which is located just under 10 km north of the city centre – a service used by around 25 million passengers a year. Dublin Airport is one of the 20 largest airports in Europe and the home base for the airlines Aer Lingus, Ryanair and CityJet.

Kulturbrauerei Guinnes – Panoramic view over the roofs of the city

By the way: From a historical point of view the city of Dublin is the centre of brewing in Ireland, with a special focus on the Guinness brewery founded in 1759. The Guinness Store House is located at Sankt James’s Gate in Dublin and is now a seven-storey museum that illustrates over 250 years of history and the production of the beer. Samples are of course included in the entrance fee and can be enjoyed almost all year round and seven days a week in the Gravity Bar on the top floor of the museum – ironically, almost 90% of the Guinness in Ireland is sold exclusively to tourists. Many locals don’t like Irish strong beer at all! The 360° panoramic view over the roofs of the city is definitely worth a visit!

Late-Night Show Comedian Conan O’Brien at the Guinnes Store House

St. Patrick’s Day – Ireland’s most famous holiday

On 17 March, the Republic of Ireland celebrates the world-famous St. Patrick’s Day. It is synonymous with the national holiday and is celebrated in Ireland with great festivities and parades. St. Patrick’s Day is the commemoration day of the Irish bishop Patrick, who probably lived around the 5th century in Ireland. Patrick is historically known as Ireland’s first Christian missionary and the 17th of March each year is for him a high celebration and legal holiday in Ireland to commemorate. Also many tourists, who don’t know anything about the historical background or Patrick’s importance for the Republic of Ireland, like to be infected by the big parades and the exuberant atmosphere and celebrate with us.

Who’s Patrick?

Patrick is considered the first Christian missionary in Ireland. Within the Catholic Church, Patrick is venerated as a saint. Not much is known about his days of birth and death – his day of death is first mentioned in the 7th century, but his birth is a mystery. Also otherwise some details from his life are still unclear to historians even today. Some even go so far as to say that the person Patrick was composed of two – if not more – individuals, and today’s definition of Patrick is not actually a real person.

Celebrate in Dublin – hot coveted!

On St. Patrick’s Day Ireland is like one huge folk festival, including many activities, stalls and of course – how could it be any different? – also live music. Dublin in particular is often a hot spot – perhaps that is why the attraction for people outside Ireland is so great, as the city’s hotels are usually fully booked many, many years in advance! So it takes some luck, good connections or angelic patience to get a room in Dublin for St. Patrick’s Day. In the rest of the republic, however, things don’t look much better, as many Irish living outside the island also come home for St. Patrick’s Day to enjoy the colourful hustle and bustle among their fellow countrymen.

Celebrate until the beer turns green

Green, as everyone knows, is the colour of Ireland – and for Irish from all over the world, St. Patrick’s Day Green is the predominant colour. In some cities even the rivers are dyed green – the beer anyway! By the way: in Munich/Germany and New York City/USA there is also a big celebration with colourful parades and loud music.

Other festivals in Ireland: film festivals, novel character and sheep

Jameson Dublin International Film Festival

The Jameson Dublin International Film Festival is a 10 day marathon of celebrations and events held annually in February. On this occasion numerous international stars gather in Dublin and celebrate Irish and international film together with the Irish people. During the festivities, the audience chooses the best film from the presented possibilities – a great honour!

Bloomsday Festival – novel character creates holiday

The Bloomsday Festival is traditionally held on 16 June. The festival refers to “Ulysses” by James Joice, whose main character is Leopold Bloom. In the context of Leopold Bloom’s narratives, the Dublin of 1904 is often sketched as the setting, which is why on Bloomsday itself these same locations are also visited by fans similar to a pilgrimage in memory. 16 June will be accompanied by a week of celebrations, book readings, performances and drama performances, excursions to the novel venues and city tours of Dublin in the context of Leopold Bloom.

Fertility resistant – sheep thanks

The Irish are a very natural people and even today there are many farmers and shepherds in Ireland. Historically, the first milking of sheep after the long and hardscrabble winter break was of immense importance, which is why even today the 1st of February is still remembered by the Irish as a fertility festival.

Dublin Fashion Festival – Shopping & Fun

The Dublin Fashion Festival was created with the aim of bringing fun and theatre together with the shopping of fashion items. Fashion retailers and distributors of beauty products are invited to the centre of Dublin and there is a great mix of special offers, live fashion events and business promotions that nobody wants to miss. The Dublin Fashion Festival has existed since its inception in autumn 2010 and is held every year in September.

Dublin Fashion Festival 2017 – make-up, styling, catwalks, drinks

Dublin Fashion Festival 2016 – Merger with Galaxy Chocloate

Fashion in Ireland – the top 10 fashion brands in the country

Manley – trendy & feminin

Manley is the fashion brand of Emma Manley, a successful graduate of the Graftton Academy of Fashion Design. Manley is one of the most important contemporary fashion labels in Ireland and is characterised by “trendy femininity” and a combination of delicate frills, hard cuts and modern fabrics.

Danielle Romeril – funny & striking

Danielle Romeril designs her women’s clothing with inspiration from anywhere, anywhere in the world. This global perspective is what makes your brand so versatile and successful. Danielle Romeril’s designs are funny, but also striking and remain in the memory and are also very popular with fashion icons. The fact that Danielle makes her own fabrics fits seamlessly into the unique energy of her brand.

Edel Traynor – timeless & minimalist

Edel Traynor is a young designer and was awarded the “Future Maker Award” by the Design and Crafts Counsel of Ireland for her creative achievements. She started her label in Atelier 27, a program for young designers – now she works on her fashion creations from the Chocolate Factory Arts Center in the heart of Dublin. Due to her strong interest in the longevity of structures, Edels fashion line is characterized by elegance, pragmatism and minimalism and takes on a timeless character.

Petria Lenehan – simply & casual

Petria Lenehan’s designs are strongly influenced by the beauty of nature. The characteristics of the typical Irish landscape are reflected in the simple and modern fashion line – the high-quality everyday clothes impress with their simplicity and beauty.

Natalie B. Coleman – creative & breakout

Natalie B. Coleman is known for all kinds of innovative and wonderfully asymmetrical designs and is therefore worn and presented at all major fashion weeks. Natalie has already won several awards for her fashion brand, including the “Future Maker Award” by the Design and Crafts Counsel of Ireland in 2012.

Umit Kutluk – tailor-made & hand decorated

The Turkish-born Umit studied fashion design at the Grafton Academy before founding his own label in 2011. Since then he has worked in the Merrion Square studio and produces seasonal fashion. Umit also creates haute couture and is known for its dream wedding collections. The designer says about himself that he has the desire to redefine “minimal chic”. Umit Kutluk is characterised by tailor-made fabrics and delicate handcrafted decorations.

Fashion Feed: Umit Kutluk SS18 / FW Istanbul

Zoe Jordan – full of life & temperament

Zoe was born in Dublin, but has been at home almost everywhere in her life. Before she got involved with fashion, she worked in finance and travelled a lot due to her job. The fashion brand Zoe Jordan expresses the designer’s curiosity and zest for life as well as her adrenaline-charged lifestyle. Zoe herself describes the ideal “Zoe Jordan Girl” as an unobtrusive maturity embodying natural self-confidence, subtlety and temperament.

We Are Islanders

The designers at We Are Islanders prefer expensive fabrics from Ireland and around the world with the aim of creating sustainable and ethically produced women’s fashion. Your clothes should be worn, loved and not passed on or disposed of for decades. Premium quality is another aspect of their fashion line. We Are Islanders explore cultural narratives and combine the impressions of their surroundings with their work, which often manifests itself in signs of distant horizons or moving landscape motifs.

Sorcha O’Raghallaigh

Sorcha is an advanced designer whose fashion is typically characterized by strikingly heavy embellishments and embellishments. Well-known fans of the fashion brand include Lady Gaga and the Canadian musician Grimes, who appreciate Sorcha’s creations precisely because of their uniqueness. Visually, they would often fit into a museum exhibition rather than be worn, and in fact Sorcha mainly works on demand. The label Sorcha O’Raghallaigh is often seen on the pages of well-known fashion magazines like Vogue, Harper’s Bazaar and Elle. Recently, the designer also designed a jewellery collection, which was presented in London’s Stylist Magazine.

Richard Malone

Richard Malone was originally from Wexford and studied fashion design at Central St. Martin’s College in London. He has won numerous awards, including the Moet Hennessy Louis Vuitton SE Grand Prix Scholarship (LVMH), and was recently described by Vogue US as a “rule-breaker”. Three years ago, the BBC described him as one of the best young artists in the United Kingdom and Ireland.

Fashion Feed: Richard Malone SS18 / FW London

Education in Dublin – Trinity College ranked number 1!

Dublin is home to several universities as well as scientific and cultural institutions. In 2018, 11 Dublin colleges will be among the top 15 within the county of Dublin, with Trinity College, which was founded in 1592 and has between 15,000 and 20,000 students and an annual tuition fee of 750.00 euros to 1,800.00 euros, naturally leading the way.

The 10 Best Colleges of Dublin County

  1. Trinity College Dublin, University of Dublin (Ireland, Rank 1 – World Rank 219)
  2. University College Dublin (Ireland, rank 2 – world rank 261)
  3. Dublin City University (Ireland, rank 4 – world rank 488)
  4. Dublin Institute of Technology (Ireland, rank 7)
  5. Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland (Ireland, Rank 9)
  6. Dún Laoghaire Institute of Art, Design and Technology (Ireland, rank 18)
  7. National College of Ireland (Rank 19)
  8. Institute of Technology Blanchardstown (Ireland, rank 20)
  9. Institute of Technology Tallaght (Ireland, rank 21)
  10. National College of Art and Design (Ireland, Rank 25)

Important sights of the city

Temple Bar – Party & Nightlife in Dublin

Temple Bar is located on the southern bank of the Liffey River and is famous for its nightlife. It was named after the Temple family who lived in the area in the 17th century. The entire quarter is medieval in architecture and is home to numerous pubs, such as the Porterhouse or the Bad Ass Cafe, as well as many Irish cultural institutions, including the Irish Film Centre with the National Film Archive and the Central Bank of Ireland.

The Spire – “The Longest Toothpick in the World”

The word “Spire” comes from English and stands for a spire. In Ireland, however, “The Spire” refers to a 123 m high stainless steel column directly on O’Connel Street, designed by the British architect Ian Richie and declared a landmark of the Republic of Ireland in 2003. 3 m in diameter at its base, but only about 15 cm at its tip, the Spire’s tapering column is teasingly referred to by the Irish population as “the largest toothpick in the world”.

The Liffey Bridge – unofficial landmark of the city

The Liffey Bridge is one of many bridges in Dublin spanning the river Liffey. The 43 m long pedestrian bridge connects the cultural quarter Temple Bar with Bachelor’s Walk and is one of the most photographed sights of Dublin. It is popularly known as the Ha’Penny Bridge, the name comes from the pedestrian toll of half a penny (“Half Penny”), which in earlier times had to be paid when the bridge was used.

City Hall – the old town hall from stock market to museum

The historic town hall dates from the 18th century and is one of the best examples of the finest Georgian architecture. City Hall is located on Dame Street and was originally a meeting place for Dublin’s merchants and businessmen. The royal stock exchange also had its place here until the economic downturn in the 19th century. Throughout its history, City Hall has also hosted funerals and state funerals, including those of Michael Collins and Arthur Griffith. A small exhibition in the vaulted cellar tells the story of Dublin and gives interested visitors an insight into the development of the city.

Leinster House – Trendsetter of Nobility

The Leinster House is a former ducal palace and was the first official state residence on the south side of the river, while the rest of the nobility lived on the noble northern bank of the river. The Earl of Kildare thus set a trend which soon led to the south becoming the preferred area of the Irish aristocrats, while the houses in the north gradually perished. After several renovations, Leinster House is now the official parliament building for 166 MPs, 60 Senators, the press and staff, while the statue of Queen Victoria was relocated from the front of the house to Sydney.

Leinster House – inspired by the White House

The Irish National Library – beautiful and full of knowledge

The Irish National Library on Kildare Street is a pure reference library and does not allow the lending of its media. Books, maps, manuscripts, magazines and other materials may only be viewed on the premises of the library. At the same time, it is the venue of many exhibitions and houses a vast archive that houses the complete collection of all Irish newspapers.

Dublin Castle – Record Tower survives the time

Dublin Castle was built on a former fortress from the 10th century and is located on Dame Street, in the heart of Dublin’s old town. The only remnant from this period is the so-called Record Tower, all other parts of the building date from the 18th and 19th centuries. The Royal Chapel Royal was renamed the Church of the Most Holy Trinity in 1943 by the Roman Catholic Church and now serves as the cultural centre of Dublin.

Four Courts – Ireland’s main courthouse

The Four Courts is not only one of the most beautiful buildings of the city, but also the most important courthouse of the Republic. It consists of the Supreme Court, the High Court and the Central Criminal Court – before the restructuring of jurisdiction in the late 19th century, the Four Courts housed four different courts and was a silent witness to the Easter Uprising and the Irish Civil War.

Memory of Molly Malone and Phil Lynott

Dublin is home to a number of monuments to famous historical figures, including a statue of Molly Malone, a beautiful Dublin fishmonger from the famous Irish folk song “Cockles and Mussels”, the city’s unofficial anthem. Other monuments refer to the Irish politician Daniel O’Connell, also known as “The Liberator” and the Irish national hero Charles Steward Parnell. The ornately decorated tombstone of thoroughbred musician Philip Parris Lynott, founding member of the Irish rock band Thin Lizzy, is also one of the monuments of Dublin County and is located on the Howths Head peninsula.

Live: The Dubliners with Cockles and Mussels aka Molly Malone

The Great Cathedrals of Dublin

In Dublin there are two important cathedrals of the Church of Ireland, a member church of the Anglican Community with about 390,000 believers. On the one hand the National Cathedral and Collegiate Church of Saint Patrick, Dublin, short: Saint Patrick’s Cathedral, and on the other hand the somewhat smaller Christ Church Cathedral with the alleged tomb of the Welsh warlord Richard “Strongbow” de Clare.

Top recommendations for theatre and museum lovers

There are many good theatres in Dublin. The Abbey Theatre, the Gate Theatre and the 3-Arena are definitely worth a visit. The National Museum as well as the Irish Museum of Modern Art and the National Wax Museum should be mentioned as museums. Special and unusual is the Kilmainham Gaol, a museum located in a former prison. Last but not least: the Dubliner and the Guinnes Store House!

The famous “Irish Pubs” – more than 10,000 in the country!

There is an endless number of pubs in Ireland. Even if you go to a different pub every day – or to several pubs on the same day as part of the popular and convivial Pub Crawls – it will be difficult, because there are almost 10,300 pubs in Ireland! Not for nothing the Irish like to say about themselves that their second living room is the pub. With an average pub density of 315 inhabitants per locality one can imagine the active pub culture of Ireland. In Dublin, the capital city, there were just under 770 pubs recently – a proud number for a single city! In addition, there is live music, which is so typical for Irish pubs and sounds from every corner. Everywhere in Dublin you can hear the traditional Irish folk music and partly also modern arrangements. By the way: the O’Donoghue’s Pub is a prime example of first-class live music and rousing performances.

The 5 best pubs in town

  • Sweeney’s Bar, Lady Street
  • The Mercantile Bar, Dame Street
  • The Living Room, O’Connell Street
  • Broxelles, Harry’s Street
  • The Globe, Great George’s Street

Enjoy nature in and around Dublin

The Irish island is sufficiently well-known for its breathtakingly beautiful nature, the endless intensively green meadows, the rugged coasts, the flower splendour. The closeness to nature is an important part of the Irish culture, therefore there are of course also numerous parks and green areas in the capital Dublin. Amongst others the St. Steven’s Green, the National Botanic Gardens of Ireland as well as the Iveagh Gardens, but the most beautiful park is by far the Phoenix Park.

Phoenix Park – between wildlife and presidential villa

Phoenix Park is probably the largest park in Dublin and consists of almost endless meadows and forest strips. It is the home of many wild animals such as deer, which can sometimes be quite trustful. By the way: the Irish President and the American Ambassador are both based in Phoenix Park and live in the midst of nature and in the immediate vicinity of Dublin Zoo, Ireland’s largest zoo!

The true size of Phoenix Park – from a lofty height in 4D!

Top sights in the surrounding area

  • Beach and golf course Portmarnock
  • Wicklow Mountains
  • Fishing village and peninsula of Howth
  • Seaside resort and Malahide castle
  • Killiney Hill
  • Hill of Slane
  • Passage Tomb of Fourknocks