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My Top Ten ancient & historical buildings to visit in Dublin.

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  • 04-11-2015 6:23pm
    #1
    LordSutch
    Closed Accounts Posts: 12,078 ✭✭✭✭


    My Top Ten ancient & historical buildings to visit in Dublin.
    In no particular order . . .

    1/ St Patricks Cathedral.
    2/ Christ Church Cathedral.
    3/ St Michans Church*
    4/ Marsh's Library.
    5/ Dublin Castle.
    6/ Kilmainham Gaol.
    7/ Trinity College.
    8/ St Audoen's Church.
    9/ Malahide Castle.
    10/ Mansion House.

    *Denotes my favourite one of all to recommend to our 'history mad' visitors from overseas.

    St Michan's (pronounced my-cans) is the one that really gets the imagination going, what with the Vaults/mummies + the Church interior, wood carvings, and the keyboard that George Fredric Handel 'may' have used, while in Dublin in 1742 + the possible Bram Stoker connection (Inspiration to write Dracula)? The graveyard is also pretty ancient and fascinating, to those who love their history.

    Any additions/subtractions to my historical building list would be very welcome.


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    #2
    BoltzmannBrain
    Registered Users Posts: 97 ✭✭BoltzmannBrain


    Nice list. Sad to say I've never hear of St Michans, gonna check it out!

    Is it possible to go into the Mansion house? WheneverI go by it on the luas I think it most be lovely inside.


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    #3
    BowWow
    Registered Users Posts: 1,760 ✭✭✭BowWow


    Why do you need to start another thread on this?

    http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?p=97592632


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    #4
    LordSutch
    Closed Accounts Posts: 12,078 ✭✭✭✭LordSutch


    BowWow wrote: »
    Why do you need to start another thread on this?

    http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?p=97592632

    Sometimes you start a thread in a given forum and the thread totally dies after just a few days!

    This is the proper forum for such a 'History based' thread don't you think?

    I would also like some feedback to see if I can add or subtract any buildings from my list.

    Thank you.


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    #5
    chughes
    Registered Users Posts: 1,740 ✭✭✭chughes


    That's a good list and here's a few I'd throw into the pot,
    1. Georgian Museum on Merrion Square
    2. Casino in Marino
    3. Dalkey Castle
    4. Natural History Museum (for the building itself as well as its contents).
    6. Collins Barracks


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    #6
    Peregrinus
    Registered Users Posts: 26,056 ✭✭✭✭Peregrinus


    You've left out the Royal Hospital in Kilmainham, which is a very significant building. I think it's the only non-church building in Dublin from earlier than 1700, and it's certainly the only large civic building we have from that period, or for quite some time afterwards. I'd drop the Mansion House to make room for the Royal Hospital, myself.


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    #7
    pinkypinky
    Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 6,616 Mod ✭✭✭✭pinkypinky


    Iveagh House, while not officially open to the public, is usually part of Open House.
    It blew me away when I saw it.

    In similar vein, the Freemason's Lodge on Molesworth St is outstanding. They do tours now.

    Genealogy Forum Mod



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    #8
    InTheTrees
    Registered Users Posts: 9,900 ✭✭✭InTheTrees


    I remember visiting the crypts at st.michans as a kid. Very creepy. There's one of the mummies you shake hands with isnt there?


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    #9
    InTheTrees
    Registered Users Posts: 9,900 ✭✭✭InTheTrees


    How about the James Joyce Museum in the Martello tower in Sandycove?


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    #10
    LordSutch
    Closed Accounts Posts: 12,078 ✭✭✭✭LordSutch


    InTheTrees wrote: »
    I remember visiting the crypts at st.michans as a kid. Very creepy. There's one of the mummies you shake hands with isnt there?

    Yes indeed, and he's called "The Crusader". Myth says that he stood seven feet tall, and that they had to break his legs to get him into the coffin, and that if visitors to the vaults shook his leathery hand it would bring them good luck :)

    ^A Halloween visit would be great^

    As far as I know the tradition of shanking the Crusaders hand has now been stopped in recent years. There's also the skeleton of the Nun, the Sheares brothers (in coffins) + other associated mummies, and loads of bones, skulls, & dusty old coffins to be creeped out by.

    ... in St Michan's Vaults.


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    #11
    kildarejohn
    Registered Users Posts: 301 ✭✭kildarejohn


    If you were aiming to include a building of every major historical period, then there should be a Norman Tower house/castle. While Malahide does date back to that time but it has altered a lot. For examples more like a real Norman castle, how about Dalkey Castle or Drimnagh Castle.


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    #12
    Jellybaby1
    Closed Accounts Posts: 7,108 ✭✭✭Jellybaby1


    I've been to a lot of the historical buildings as I've lived in Dublin all my life, over 60 years, but I never did the Trinity College tour though I've been there for different events, and never saw the Book of Kells, so I must start my own list for days out next year when the weather is better. Here are a few of my own suggestions, some need special arrangements to view:

    Áras an Uachtaráin
    National Gallery of Ireland
    National Library of Ireland
    29 Lower Fitzwilliam Street (museum)
    Leinster House
    Bank of Ireland, College Green
    Custom House
    G.P.O. O’Connell Street
    Glasnevin Cemetery
    Mount Jerome Cemetery
    Irish Jewish Museum and Little Jerusalem
    Little Museum of Dublin
    9/9A Aungier Street (via Open House) https://www.facebook.com/Wistorical/posts/708405542600176
    The Four Courts
    The King’s Inns
    Henrietta Street tenements
    City Hall
    Dublin Writers Museum, Parnell Square
    National Print Museum (former Garrison Chapel, Beggars Bush)
    City Assembly House, 58 South William Street
    Pearse Museum, St. Enda’s Park
    Quaker House / Quaker Burial Ground (by special arrangement)


    I would also recommend Freemason's Hall. We went there for Open House a couple of years ago - its one of those secrets you love to come across, so go if you can. Quite an eye opener.


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    #13
    paul71
    Registered Users Posts: 3,108 ✭✭✭paul71


    I noticed in the title that the word ancient is used, so the pedantic in me would like to be the first to offer a few true ancient sites in addition to the excelent lists of historic buildings.

    http://www.irishmegaliths.org.uk/dublin.htm

    Understandably neolitic sites are probably not readily associated with a largely modern urban landscape but there are some fine examples out there.


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    #14
    Jellybaby1
    Closed Accounts Posts: 7,108 ✭✭✭Jellybaby1


    paul71 wrote: »
    I noticed in the title that the word ancient is used, so the pedantic in me would like to be the first to offer a few true ancient sites in addition to the excelent lists of historic buildings........

    Well spotted. Although I don't know any recently built building that can also be called 'historical'. Hysterical maybe, but not historical! :D


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    #15
    Aglomerado
    Registered Users Posts: 5,761 ✭✭✭Aglomerado


    LordSutch wrote: »
    Yes indeed, and he's called "The Crusader". Myth says that he stood seven feet tall, and that they had to break his legs to get him into the coffin, and that if visitors to the vaults shook his leathery hand it would bring them good luck :)

    ^A Halloween visit would be great^

    As far as I know the tradition of shanking the Crusaders hand has now been stopped in recent years. There's also the skeleton of the Nun, the Sheares brothers (in coffins) + other associated mummies, and loads of bones, skulls, & dusty old coffins to be creeped out by.

    ... in St Michan's Vaults.
    You can't shake the Crusader's hand, but you are allowed into the vault to touch one of his fingers. I visited in May 2015 and was pleasantly (and eerily) surprised that I could. :)
    Lots of mandibles just lying around there as well.


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    #16
    Thinkingaboutit
    Registered Users Posts: 2,180 ✭✭✭Thinkingaboutit


    LordSutch wrote: »
    Yes indeed, and he's called "The Crusader". Myth says that he stood seven feet tall, and that they had to break his legs to get him into the coffin, and that if visitors to the vaults shook his leathery hand it would bring them good luck :)

    ^A Halloween visit would be great^

    As far as I know the tradition of shanking the Crusaders hand has now been stopped in recent years. There's also the skeleton of the Nun, the Sheares brothers (in coffins) + other associated mummies, and loads of bones, skulls, & dusty old coffins to be creeped out by.

    ... in St Michan's Vaults.

    I went there in Senior Infants or First Class. One of my fellow students claimed he got a ghostly touch on the shoulder, obviously a breeze, but the crypt, the almost rustic looking graveyard, the interior are a worthwhile visit.


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    #17
    Jellybaby1
    Closed Accounts Posts: 7,108 ✭✭✭Jellybaby1


    Really, really surprised that a teacher would bring infants to St. Michan's vaults. Are you sure it wasn't a later class?


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    #18
    KingBrian2
    Closed Accounts Posts: 6,363 ✭✭✭KingBrian2


    Dublin Zoo
    Dun Laoghaire library if your interested in reading
    Croke Park
    I hear St Patrick's Cathedral is a beautiful building
    National History Museum Dublin
    Herbert Park.


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    #19
    Jellybaby1
    Closed Accounts Posts: 7,108 ✭✭✭Jellybaby1


    St. Patrick's Cathedral is fabulous, as is Christchurch Cathedral. The list is getting longer, I'm going to be busy next summer!


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