# Dublin: Trad Sessions, Georgian Squares and the Sea at the End of the Line

> A practical guide to Dublin, from Temple Bar and the Georgian south side to Stoneybatter, Smithfield, Portobello and Ranelagh, with Howth and Dalkey by DART.

- **Section:** Travel Guides
- **Country:** Ireland
- **Published:** 2026-10-16
- **Author:** Voyage Editors
- **Publisher:** Voyage (https://thevoyage.gr)
- **Type:** practical travel guide, our own editorial writing
- **URL:** https://thevoyage.gr/en/destinations/dublin

In Dublin the music starts in the pub. Every night in Smithfield, players gather in the front room of the Cobblestone with uilleann pipes, fiddles and a bodhrán; on Merrion Row, O'Donoghue's has live music seven nights a week; by the river, the Brazen Head, which traces its story to 1198, begins its session at nine. Between the pints lie Georgian squares of red brick and coloured doors, a university founded in 1592, and national museums you can walk into for free.

Then there is the sea. A train ride from the centre, Howth has a fishing harbour, cliff paths and seals between the boats, and Dalkey has bookshops, delis and a walk up Killiney Hill. Dublin rewards a long weekend in the centre, but it is at its best when you give a day to its villages: the cottages of Stoneybatter, the cafés of Portobello and Ranelagh, and the coast to the north and south, both reached by DART.

## The Areas

The River Liffey divides Dublin into the northside and the southside. Most sights sit within walking distance of one another in the centre, and the neighbourhoods just beyond it are a short walk, bus or Luas ride away.

- Temple Bar — the cobbled district on the south bank of the Liffey, known since the mid-1990s for pubs, live music and nightlife, but also home to Photo Museum Ireland, the Irish Film Institute and a Saturday food market. Best for first-timers who want to be in the thick of it; quieter Cow's Lane, at the Christchurch end, has independent shops and cafés.
- The Georgian south side — Merrion Square, St Stephen's Green and the streets between them, built when 18th-century Dublin was one of Europe's largest cities. Red-brick façades, granite steps and coloured doors, with the National Gallery and National Museum close by. Elegant and central, and good for culture-led trips.
- Portobello — a fairly quiet residential neighbourhood of Georgian townhouses and cottages by the Grand Canal, just south of the centre. Historically the centre of Dublin's Jewish community, with the Irish Jewish Museum open on Sundays. Suits couples and longer stays.
- Ranelagh — red-brick townhouses, leafy squares and a main street of bookshops, restaurants and Italian cafés, with Luas stops at Ranelagh and Beechwood. Good for food lovers who want a neighbourhood feel.
- Stoneybatter — Dublin's original urban village, a streetscape of Victorian terraced cottages with gastropubs and cafés, named by Time Out one of the world's coolest neighbourhoods in 2019. Close to the Phoenix Park and the National Museum at Collins Barracks.
- Smithfield — a former warehouse district on the north bank where glass and steel apartments overlook a cobbled square, with the Jameson Distillery, the Light House arthouse cinema and the Cobblestone pub. Good for music and whiskey.
- Howth and Dalkey — seaside villages on the coast north and south of the city, both with their own DART station. Howth is about 25 minutes by train from the centre and Dalkey about half an hour. Easy day trips, or a quieter base for walkers.

## What to See and Do

Start at Trinity College, Ireland's oldest university, created by royal charter in 1592. Its Old Library holds the 1,200-year-old Book of Kells. The Book of Kells Experience costs from €25, takes about 90 minutes and includes the Long Room and three digital exhibitions in the Red Pavilion; entry is timed and booking online is strongly recommended. Note that the Long Room's books have been removed for the Old Library redevelopment project, except in the first four bays. It opens daily from 8:30 (9:00 on Sundays) until 18:30, or 19:00 on Fridays and Saturdays.

Many of Dublin's best collections are free. The National Museum of Ireland on Kildare Street shows Ireland's archaeology, from the gold of Ór – Ireland's Gold to the Treasury and Viking Ireland; it is open Tuesday to Saturday from 10:00 to 17:00 and on Sundays and Mondays from 13:00 to 17:00. Across the river, the branch at Collins Barracks fills four floors of an 18th-century barracks with the Asgard yacht and a gallery for the designer Eileen Gray. On Merrion Square West, the National Gallery of Ireland is open seven days a week, until 20:30 on Thursdays, and entry to its permanent collection is free.

West of the centre, the Guinness Storehouse fills seven floors of what was once the brewery's fermentation plant at St James's Gate. The visit ends at the Gravity Bar, with 360-degree views across the city to the Wicklow Mountains and the Phoenix Park. Allow two to three hours and book a timeslot in advance; visitors under 18 get a soft drink instead. A little further on, Kilmainham Gaol, which held prisoners from 1796 to 1924, including leaders of the rebellions of 1798, 1803, 1848, 1867 and 1916, is now a museum seen by guided tour only. Tickets cost €8 for adults and must be booked online, only on the official site.

Back in the centre, St Patrick's Cathedral, founded in 1191, is the national cathedral of the Church of Ireland and the burial place of Jonathan Swift, who was its dean. Its choir, founded in 1432, still sings daily in school term.

## Pubs and Live Music

The Dublin pub is less a bar than an institution, and the oldest ones are worth a visit for their rooms alone. The Brazen Head on Lower Bridge Street says there has been a hostelry on the site since 1198; the building you see dates from 1754, a coaching inn whose rooms once sheltered the United Irishmen. The Long Hall, established in 1766, keeps its mahogany bar, stained glass and Victorian port and brandy dispensers.

For traditional music, the Cobblestone in Smithfield calls itself a drinking pub with a music problem: a session every night in the front room, and a Wednesday session in the back for those learning to play. O'Donoghue's, where the Dubliners were launched in the 1960s, has music from 21:00 every night and from 17:00 on Saturdays. At the Brazen Head, the nightly sessions start at 21:00 with no entry fee, and in Temple Bar, Gogarty's and the Old Storehouse have music from the afternoon. In January, TradFest fills the pubs and venues of Temple Bar with a programme of its own.

Whiskey has its home in Smithfield, where the Jameson Distillery Bow St. stands on the spot where it was founded in 1780. Tours include a comparative tasting, and you can sample whiskey straight from the cask in the city's only maturation warehouse.

## What to Eat and Drink

Irish cooking is built on seafood, meat, dairy, oats and the potato. Look for Dublin coddle, a casserole of potato, sausages, rashers and onion; bacon and cabbage with parsley sauce; lamb stew; boxty, a potato pancake of mashed and raw potato; and colcannon and champ, mash with kale or spring onions folded through. The full breakfast brings sausages, rashers, and black and white pudding. From the sea come oysters, Dublin Bay prawns, potted crab, smoked salmon on buttered soda bread and seafood chowder.

The Boxty House in Temple Bar makes its namesake the house speciality, John Kavanagh's in Glasnevin, known as the Gravediggers, is famous for coddle, and Leo Burdock's at Christchurch fries classic fish and chips. On Saturdays the Temple Bar Food Market takes over Meeting House Square, with farmhouse cheeses, Bretzel Bakery bread and an oyster stand where native Irish oysters come on seaweed with a glass of white wine. In Stoneybatter, L Mulligan Grocer pairs gourmet pub food with craft beers and rare whiskeys. In Howth, King Sitric at the start of the East Pier is the place for crab claws and lobster.

## Getting There and Around

Dublin Airport has two terminals and direct flights from most major cities in Britain and continental Europe. Two coach companies run into town. Dublin Express departs every seven and a half minutes and can reach the city in as little as 14 minutes on its fastest service, with city stops that include Aston Quay, Trinity College and Heuston Station. Aircoach runs up to every 15 minutes, with fares to the city from €8.

In the city, buses, the Luas tram and the DART share the TFI Leap Card, which is up to 30 per cent cheaper than paying cash. With the TFI 90-minute fare, an adult pays €2.00 and can change between Dublin Bus, Luas, DART and commuter rail within Zone 1 for 90 minutes; Express and Nitelink buses cost €2.40. Fares are capped at €6.00 a day and €24.00 a week. The Leap Visitor Card gives unlimited travel in Zone 1 for 24 hours (€8), 72 hours (€18) or 7 days (€24), starting from first use; you can buy it at the airport, at WHSmith in Terminal 1 for 24-hour cards and at the Spar in Terminal 2. The DART coastal railway serves both Howth and Dalkey, and the centre itself is best on foot.

## When to Go

Dublin is mild all year. Average temperatures are about 8°C in spring, 15°C in summer, 10°C in autumn and 5°C in winter, and Met Éireann notes that summer days inland normally reach 18 to 20°C. Summer suits the coast walks, and January brings TradFest. Pack a waterproof in any month.

St Patrick's Day, 17 March, is a national holiday, and the city celebrates over several days. The St Patrick's Festival 2027 runs from Saturday 13 to Wednesday 17 March. In 2026 the parade ran from Parnell Square to the junction of Kevin Street and Cuffe Street, watched by around half a million people; it is free to watch, with paid grandstand seats along the route. Expect trad gigs, céilí dancing and family events, and book accommodation well ahead.

## Good to Know

The currency is the euro, and plugs are the three-pin type at 230V. A few big names are closed for now: Dublin Castle is closed to the public until the end of 2026, the Chester Beatty in its grounds is closed from 15 June to the end of December 2026, and the National Museum on Merrion Street, the Victorian natural history museum known as the Dead Zoo, is shut for refurbishment, with part of its collection on show at the Dead Zoo Lab at Collins Barracks. Check before you go.

Book the Book of Kells, the Guinness Storehouse and Kilmainham Gaol ahead; Trinity tickets are non-refundable, and Kilmainham tickets are valid only from its official website. Tourist information centres are on Upper O'Connell Street and at Barnardo Square near Dame Street, and the emergency numbers are 999 and 112.

## Our Picks

- To see · The Book of Kells Experience — Trinity College — The 1,200-year-old manuscript and the Long Room in one timed ticket; book online and go early.
- To see · National Museum of Ireland, Kildare Street — Georgian south side — Irish gold, the Treasury and Viking Ireland, free to enter.
- To see · National Gallery of Ireland — Merrion Square West — A free permanent collection, open seven days and until 20:30 on Thursdays.
- To see · Kilmainham Gaol — Kilmainham — Guided tours through the cells of a prison that held the leaders of five rebellions; pre-booking is essential.
- To drink · The Cobblestone — Smithfield — A trad session every night in the front room, and a learners' session on Wednesdays.
- To drink · O'Donoghue's — Merrion Row — The pub that launched the Dubliners, with music from 21:00 every night.
- To eat · The Brazen Head — Lower Bridge Street — Bacon and cabbage, stews and a free nightly session in a pub that dates its story to 1198.
- To eat · Temple Bar Food Market — Meeting House Square — Saturday stalls of Irish cheese, bread and native oysters on seaweed.
- To walk · Howth Cliff Path Loop — Howth — Six kilometres of heather and sea cliffs, past Balscadden Bay, a short walk from the DART.
- To walk · Killiney Hill — Dalkey — Follow the coast along Vico Road to the obelisk for a view over Killiney Bay as far as Wicklow.

## Where to Stay

- Wren Urban Nest — South city centre — Within walking distance of the centre, near Powerscourt Townhouse, the Book of Kells and the Ha'penny Bridge, with a bar, restaurant and café. [Book](https://trvl.gr/en/stay-wh/ETG_9160408)
- Iveagh Garden Hotel — Harcourt Street — Near St Stephen's Green, St Patrick's Cathedral and Powerscourt Townhouse, with a bar, restaurant and concierge. [Book](https://trvl.gr/en/stay-wh/ETG_8746980)
- Marlin Hotel — near St Stephen's Green — Within walking distance of the centre, close to St Stephen's Green and Powerscourt Townhouse, with a restaurant. [Book](https://trvl.gr/en/stay-wh/ETG_9085238)
- The Hendrick Smithfield — Smithfield — Within walking distance of the centre, near the Old Jameson Distillery, the Guinness Storehouse and Christ Church Cathedral, with a bar and restaurant. [Book](https://trvl.gr/en/stay-wh/ETG_8951337)

## The Essence

Dublin is a city best taken at the pace of a pint. Spend the morning with the Book of Kells or the gold in Kildare Street, the afternoon in Stoneybatter or Ranelagh, and the evening in a front room in Smithfield while the pipes and fiddles start up. Then take the DART to the sea, walk the cliffs at Howth or climb Killiney Hill, and ride back into town in time for the next session.

## Hotels in this guide

- Wren Urban Nest, Dublin (3★): https://trvl.gr/en/stay-wh/ETG_9160408
- Iveagh Garden Hotel, Dublin (4★): https://trvl.gr/en/stay-wh/ETG_8746980
- Marlin Hotel, Dublin (4★): https://trvl.gr/en/stay-wh/ETG_9085238
- The Hendrick Smithfield, Dublin (4★): https://trvl.gr/en/stay-wh/ETG_8951337

## Sources

- Cobblestone nightly trad session, front room, Wednesday learners' session in back room; Smithfield former warehouse district, cobbled square; Stoneybatter Victorian terraced cottages, Time Out coolest 2019, Smithfield 2023; Collins Barracks four floors, Asgard, Eileen Gray, Reconstructed Rooms; L Mulligan Grocer craft beers and rare whiskeys; Light House cinema; Phoenix Park nearby: https://www.visitdublin.com/guides/things-to-do-stoneybatter-smithfield (checked 2026-10-16)
- Portobello quiet, Georgian townhouses and cottages, historically centre of Jewish community, Irish Jewish Museum open Sundays, canal; Ranelagh red-brick townhouses, leafy parks, bookshops, restaurants, Italian cafés; Stoneybatter 'Dublin's original urban village'; Smithfield Jameson Distillery established 1780, Light House, Cobblestone: https://www.visitdublin.com/guides/dublin-neighbourhoods (checked 2026-10-16)
- Ranelagh/Rathmines: Ranelagh and Beechwood Luas stops; redbrick suburbs: https://www.visitdublin.com/guides/things-to-do-rathmines-ranelagh (checked 2026-10-16)
- Howth 25-minute train ride from city centre; seals in harbour; East Pier; Cliff Path Loop 6 km; Balscadden Bay; King Sitric at start of East Pier, crab claws and lobster; DART station in Howth: https://www.visitdublin.com/guides/things-to-do-in-howth (checked 2026-10-16)
- Dalkey half an hour from centre, DART station, bookshops, delis; walk via Vico Road to Killiney Hill; obelisk, view of Killiney Bay as far as Wicklow: https://www.visitdublin.com/guides/things-to-do-in-dalkey (checked 2026-10-16)
- Temple Bar cobbled district on south bank, since mid-90s pubs and live music; Photo Museum Ireland; IFI; Saturday Temple Bar Food Market in Meeting House Square with farmhouse cheese, Bretzel Bakery, oyster stand with native oysters on seaweed and white wine; Cow's Lane at Christchurch end, indie shops and cafés: https://www.visitdublin.com/guides/things-to-do-temple-bar (checked 2026-10-16)
- 18th-century Dublin one of Europe's largest cities; Georgian red-brick façades, granite steps, coloured doors; Merrion Square: https://www.visitdublin.com/guides/georgian-architecture-dublin (checked 2026-10-16)
- O'Donoghue's launched the Dubliners in 1960s; Brazen Head dates to 1198, nightly sessions 9pm; Gogarty's and Old Storehouse afternoon music in Temple Bar; TradFest every January in Temple Bar: https://www.visitdublin.com/guides/best-trad-music-dublin (checked 2026-10-16)
- O'Donoghue's 15 Merrion Row: live music seven nights a week from 9pm, 5pm on Saturdays: https://www.visitdublin.com/o-donoghue-s-bar (checked 2026-10-16)
- Brazen Head: 20 Lower Bridge St; dating back to 1198; live music sessions with no entrance fee; stews and seafood: https://www.visitdublin.com/the-brazen-head (checked 2026-10-16)
- Brazen Head hostelry since 1198, building 1754 coaching inn, United Irishmen; Long Hall 1766, mahogany bar, stained glass, Victorian port and brandy dispensers; Dublin Castle closed to the public until end of 2026: https://www.visitdublin.com/guides/oldest-pubs-dublin (checked 2026-10-16)
- Jameson Distillery Bow St. founded 1780, tours with comparative tasting, sample from cask in Dublin City's only maturation warehouse: https://www.visitdublin.com/jameson-distillery-bow-st (checked 2026-10-16)
- Irish dishes: coddle, bacon and cabbage with parsley sauce, lamb stew, boxty, colcannon, champ, breakfast with rashers and black and white pudding; seafood (Dublin Bay prawns, potted crab, smoked salmon on soda bread, chowder, oysters); Boxty House speciality; John Kavanagh (Gravediggers) Glasnevin coddle; Leo Burdock's Christchurch fish and chips; King Sitric Howth: https://www.visitdublin.com/guides/irish-food (checked 2026-10-16)
- Trinity College founded by royal charter 1592; arch at College Green, Parliament Square, Campanile; Old Library home of Book of Kells, Long Room: https://www.visitdublin.com/trinity-college (checked 2026-10-16)
- Book of Kells Experience: 1,200-year-old manuscript; Old Library and Long Room plus Red Pavilion with three digital exhibitions; from €25, 90 min; timed entry, online booking strongly recommended; non-refundable; hours Mon–Thu 8:30–18:30, Fri–Sat 8:30–19:00, Sun 9:00–18:30; Long Room books removed except first four bays (Old Library Redevelopment Project): https://www.visittrinity.ie/book-of-kells/ (checked 2026-10-16)
- National Museum of Ireland Kildare Street: free admission to all museums; Tue–Sat 10am–5pm, Sun–Mon 1pm–5pm; The Treasury, Ór – Ireland's Gold, Viking Ireland; Merrion Street closed for works, Dead Zoo Lab at Collins Barracks: https://www.museum.ie/en-IE/Museums/Archaeology (checked 2026-10-16)
- NMI Merrion Street (Dead Zoo) closed for full refurbishment; some collections in Dead Zoo Lab at Collins Barracks; opened 1857: https://www.visitdublin.com/national-museum-of-ireland-merrion-street (checked 2026-10-16)
- National Gallery of Ireland: Merrion Square West; open 7 days; Thursday until 20:30; entry to the permanent collection is free: https://www.nationalgallery.ie/ (checked 2026-10-16)
- Guinness Storehouse: St James's Gate; seven floors, former fermentation plant; Gravity Bar 360-degree views, Wicklow Mountains, Phoenix Park; plan 2–3 hours: https://www.visitdublin.com/guinness-storehouse (checked 2026-10-16)
- Guinness Storehouse FAQ: strongly recommend booking in advance for timeslot and best price; under 18s cannot drink alcohol, ticket includes a soft drink: https://www.guinness-storehouse.com/en/faqs (checked 2026-10-16)
- Kilmainham Gaol: opened 1796, closed 1924; leaders of 1798, 1803, 1848, 1867 and 1916 rebellions; adult €8; guided tour only; pre-booking essential; only official site valid: https://www.heritageireland.ie/places-to-visit/kilmainham-gaol/ (checked 2026-10-16)
- St Patrick's Cathedral founded 1191, national cathedral of Church of Ireland, Swift dean and buried here, choir founded 1432 sings daily in school term: https://www.visitdublin.com/st-patrick-s-cathedral (checked 2026-10-16)
- Chester Beatty in Dublin Castle grounds closed to the public from 15 June to end of December 2026: https://chesterbeatty.ie/visit/ (checked 2026-10-16)
- Dublin Express: every 7½ minutes; as little as 14 minutes on fastest service; stops incl. Aston Quay, Trinity College, Usher's Quay (Guinness Storehouse), Heuston Station; 2 x 20 kg bags plus soft hand luggage included: https://www.dublinexpress.ie/ (checked 2026-10-16)
- Aircoach: departures up to every 15 minutes, 240+ services daily; Dublin city from €8: https://www.aircoach.ie/ (checked 2026-10-16)
- Dublin Airport T1/T2; direct flights from most major cities in UK and continental Europe: https://www.visitdublin.com/plan/getting-here (checked 2026-10-16)
- TFI 90 Minute Fare adult €2.00 on Dublin Bus, Go-Ahead, Luas, DART and commuter rail in Zone 1; Express/Nitelink €2.40; daily cap €6, weekly €24: https://about.leapcard.ie/tfi-90-minute-fare (checked 2026-10-16)
- Leap fares up to 30% cheaper than cash: https://about.leapcard.ie/ (checked 2026-10-16)
- Dublin daily cap €6.00, weekly cap €24.00 (adult): https://about.leapcard.ie/fare-capping (checked 2026-10-16)
- Leap Visitor Card: unlimited Zone 1 travel on Dublin City Bus, Luas, DART, commuter rail; 1 day €8, 3 days €18, 7 days €24; starts on first use; airport agents WHSmith T1 (24-hour cards), Spar T2: https://about.leapcard.ie/leap-visitor-card (checked 2026-10-16)
- Seasonal averages spring 8°C, summer 15°C, autumn 10°C, winter 5°C; St Patrick's Day 17 March national holiday; euro; three-prong plugs 230V; tourist info centres Barnardo Square and Upper O'Connell St; emergency 999/112: https://www.visitdublin.com/plan/traveller-information (checked 2026-10-16)
- Inland summer days normally 18–20°C (Ireland, 1991–2020): https://www.met.ie/climate/what-we-measure/temperature (checked 2026-10-16)
- St Patrick's Festival 2027: Saturday 13 to Wednesday 17 March: https://www.stpatricksfestival.ie/ (checked 2026-10-16)
- 2026 parade Parnell Square to Kevin Street/Cuffe Street junction; half a million people; free, grandstands €125–160; céilí, trad, family events; four-day bank holiday weekend: https://www.visitdublin.com/guides/st-patricks-weekend-dublin (checked 2026-10-16)
- Wren Urban Nest: St Andrew's Lane, walking distance from centre, near Powerscourt Townhouse, Book of Kells, Ha' Penny Bridge; bar, restaurant, cafe (official description): https://trvl.gr/api/hotels/ETG_9160408 (checked 2026-10-16)
- Iveagh Garden Hotel: 72/74 Harcourt St, near St Stephen's Green, St Patrick's Cathedral, Powerscourt Townhouse; bar, restaurant, concierge (official description): https://trvl.gr/api/hotels/ETG_8746980 (checked 2026-10-16)
- Marlin Hotel: 11 Bow Lane East, walking distance, near St Stephen's Green, Powerscourt Townhouse; restaurant (official description): https://trvl.gr/api/hotels/ETG_9085238 (checked 2026-10-16)
- The Hendrick Smithfield: Hendrick Street, walking distance, near Old Jameson Distillery, Guinness Storehouse, Christ Church Cathedral; bar, restaurant (official description): https://trvl.gr/api/hotels/ETG_8951337 (checked 2026-10-16)

## Photo credits

- The Ha'penny Bridge over the River Liffey in Dublin: photo by Sophie Popplewell (Unsplash, Unsplash License)
- Red and yellow Georgian doors in Dublin: photo by Robert Anasch (Unsplash, Unsplash License)
- The Long Room library at Trinity College: photo by Jonathan Singer (Unsplash, Unsplash License)
- Flag-hung cobbled street in Temple Bar: photo by Vitaly Mazur (Unsplash, Unsplash License)