How to experince true Dublin?

sophie.sperner

Hi Dubliners

I'm coming on Fr to Dublin and want to visit Guinness Museum, Jameson Distillery and more. Could you please clarify me few things:

1. What are the most Irish pubs to have a mere Irish dinner and pint of draught Guinness with live Irish music playing inside after an exhaustive walking tour around the city?
2. Guinness has both Museum and Factory (called Store House?) on opposite banks of Liffey. It is not clear where to go in order to taste true fresh Guinness and also get introduced into preferably short story of beer.
3. Is that original Guinness brewery in Leixlip still operating? Could not find anything about it on the web, what are the opening hours?
4. What else to see in town? Gaol prison? Trinity College Dublin and Castle are fine, but quite boring.
5. What exactly in Temple Bar area is interesting?
6. Do you remember, in Jameson Distillery they give you to taste whiskey, but do they mix it with lime and juice or I will need to drink it like vodka? ))
7. I want to keep something about this city, the idea was to buy a plate painted in Dublin style. Carrolls is not fine because the plates they have are not good enough and mainly for Chinese tourists )) I want a beautiful big plate. Any idea where to find one?

Thank you for any help!

Mr Simpson

sophie.sperner wrote: »

Hi Dubliners

I'm coming on Fr to Dublin and want to visit Guinness Museum, Jameson Distillery and more. Could you please clarify me few things:

1. What are the most Irish pubs to have a mere Irish dinner and pint of draught Guinness with live Irish music playing inside after an exhaustive walking tour around the city?
2. Guinness has both Museum and Factory (called Store House?) on opposite banks of Liffey. It is not clear where to go in order to taste true fresh Guinness and also get introduced into preferably short story of beer.
3. Is that original Guinness brewery in Leixlip still operating? Could not find anything about it on the web, what are the opening hours?
4. What else to see in town? Gaol prison? Trinity College Dublin and Castle are fine, but quite boring.
5. What exactly in Temple Bar area is interesting?
6. Do you remember, in Jameson Distillery they give you to taste whiskey, but do they mix it with lime and juice or I will need to drink it like vodka? ))
7. I want to keep something about this city, the idea was to buy a plate painted in Dublin style. Carrolls is not fine because the plates they have are not good enough and mainly for Chinese tourists )) I want a beautiful big plate. Any idea where to find one?

Thank you for any help!

1. I'd say temple bar is probably what would suit you, Oliver St.John Gogarty's has decent grub and a nice pint if a bit pricey.

2. The Storehouse is on the Southside of the liffey, you'll get a good pint in a lot of city centre pubs

3. The original brewery is where the storehouse is, not leixlip. And yes, they do still brew there Edit: I stand corrected on this, but it hasn't been in operation since the St James Gate Brewery opened

4. Depends on what your after, the Museum of Modern Art is in Kilmainham, Collins Barracks is also worth a visit. Slightly outside the centre is Glasnevin Cemetary, that has a great visitor centre. Croke Park Stadium (Gaelic Football and Hurling) has a nice museum with tour, and if your feeling brave you can even do a tour around the roof. At night, you could try a pub crawl, always good fun. If you give us an idea of what your interested in, we can tell you more.

5. Temple Bar is really a nightlife district with a few nice tourist friendly pubs. Beware though, this area is quite expensive compared to the rest of Dublin.

6. In Jamesons you can taste it neat, with coke or with Cranberry Juice and a wedge of lime.

7. Unfortunately, Carrolls is really the only place you'll get something like that in Dublin.

Mr Simpson

Just to add, theres very few places in the centre that serve a good pint, Irish food and Irish Music, the ones that are there are quite touristy so not really authentic.

GRMA

Kilmainham Jail is a must see...

And ask about Arthur Guinness's connections with Unionism and the Orange Order, how he opposed the United Irishman and any semblance of Irish freedom and why there weren't any catholics in any management positions in the company until the 1960s when you visit the store house.

I did and the reaction is very funny, they have no idea what to say. Kinda goes against Diageo day, "To Arthur!" Irish hero nonsense.

endacl

sophie.sperner wrote: »

Hi Dubliners

I'm coming on Fr to Dublin and want to visit Guinness Museum, Jameson Distillery and more. Could you please clarify me few things:

1. What are the most Irish pubs to have a mere Irish dinner and pint of draught Guinness with live Irish music playing inside after an exhaustive walking tour around the city? All the pubs here are Irish! As a musician, I can tell you you won't get the best music in pubs catering to tourists. You will get very good (often exceptional) musicians playing there, but they won't generally be very interested in what they're doing, and won't be trying very hard. 99% of the time they won't be enjoying it either. If you want to hear musicians in a more natural setting, try the Cobblestone in Smithfield any night of the week, or Devitt's on Wexford Street on Friday/Saturday nights.
2. Guinness has both Museum and Factory (called Store House?) on opposite banks of Liffey. It is not clear where to go in order to taste true fresh Guinness and also get introduced into preferably short story of beer. I love Guinness. I drink quite a lot of Guinness. The Store House is a bit dull though. Just find a nice pub and enjoy a pint or two.
3. Is that original Guinness brewery in Leixlip still operating? Could not find anything about it on the web, what are the opening hours? Not since 1759.
4. What else to see in town? Gaol prison? Trinity College Dublin and Castle are fine, but quite boring. If you really want to see all of these places, maybe take the tourist bus? Follows a loop around the city on a 'hop-on-hop-off' basis. Stops at all of these places.
5. What exactly in Temple Bar area is interesting Avoid Temple Bar. TB is where we keep all our rubbish. The original plan was to make this area a bus depot, and would have been a much better option for the city.
   
6. Do you remember, in Jameson Distillery they give you to taste whiskey, but do they mix it with lime and juice or I will need to drink it like vodka? )) Why would you mix it?!? Actually, a little water added can be just the thing
7. I want to keep something about this city, the idea was to buy a plate painted in Dublin style. Carrolls is not fine because the plates they have are not good enough and mainly for Chinese tourists )) I want a beautiful big plate. Any idea where to find one? The Kilkenny Design Store on Nassau Street might have something like what you describe. You could also try the local galleries for prints of local artists' city scenes.

Thank you for any help!

Most important piece of information: AVOID TEMPLE BAR.

Cavehill Red

sophie.sperner wrote: »

Hi Dubliners

I'm coming on Fr to Dublin and want to visit Guinness Museum, Jameson Distillery and more. Could you please clarify me few things:

1. What else to see in town? Gaol prison? Trinity College Dublin and Castle are fine, but quite boring.
2. Do you remember, in Jameson Distillery they give you to taste whiskey, but do they mix it with lime and juice or I will need to drink it like vodka? ))
3. I want to keep something about this city, the idea was to buy a plate painted in Dublin style. Carrolls is not fine because the plates they have are not good enough and mainly for Chinese tourists )) I want a beautiful big plate. Any idea where to find one?

Thank you for any help!

1. Trinity College and Dublin Castle are most certainly NOT boring. The Chester Beattie library in the Castle is one of the best attractions in town, and if you can beat the queues, the Book of Kells exhibit in Trinity is well worth a visit.
2. In the distillery they serve the whiskey neat, or with a little water. That's how it's supposed to be tasted. In their bar afterwards, they'll mix you a whiskey cocktail, though.
3. Try the Kilkenny Design Centre for something artisan-made and special.

BeerNut

MarkMc wrote: »

3. The original brewery is where the storehouse is, not leixlip.

Arthur Guinness had a brewery in Leixlip before moving to Dublin. I don't think there's anything left of it now, though.

Mr Simpson

BeerNut wrote: »

Arthur Guinness had a brewery in Leixlip before moving to Dublin. I don't think there's anything left of it now, though.

Really? I never knew, did it brew guinness?

John Mason

BeerNut wrote: »

Arthur Guinness had a brewery in Leixlip before moving to Dublin. I don't think there's anything left of it now, though.

There are a lot of talk over the last years of moving back to its original birth place but i think it was scrapped after a public outcry.

OP, go to the Kilkenny Store on Naussu Street for your plate. Loads of beautiful, original irish pieces, and it is across the road from Trinity.

Avoid Temple Bar - it is a tourist trap for hens and stags.

You should go to the Porterhouse on Naussu street and get some real irish stout and avoid that mass produced Guinness muck.

You should also consider the Viking Splash Tour or the Viking Experience in Dublivina at Christchurch and then head to the Bull and Castle for decent food and beer

admiralofthefleet

maybe try the arlington hotel on bachelors walk. dinner, irish dancing/music and decent drink

Miguel_Sanchez

Go to the Cobblestone in Smithfield (near the Jameson distillery) for a pint and some decent trad music.

Or Hughes pub beside the Four Courts (if you follow the LUAS track from Smithfield towards the city centre you'll pass the pub in a few minutes)

admiralofthefleet

admiralofthefleet wrote: »

maybe try the arlington hotel on bachelors walk. dinner, irish dancing/music and decent drink

Not exactly a true Dublin experience though!

BeerNut

MarkMc wrote: »

did it brew guinness?

Not sure what you mean here. If any beer made by someone called Guinness is Guinness, then yes. If you mean did it brew anything like modern Guinness stout, then no: that sort of thing has only existed since the late 1950s and reached its current form even more recently than that. The Guinness brewery didn't make any porter or stout until well after the move to James's Gate. The earliest references are from the 1770s, and it underwent lots of huge changes between then and today. Guinness advertising kinda lets you think that in 1759 Arthur Guinness began brewing a creamy black 4.2% ABV beer, but you need to wind the clock forward at least 200 years for that.

Miguel_Sanchez

Deleted User wrote: »

Not exactly a true Dublin experience though!

Definitely not.

Avoid any place with Irish dancing playing on a screen outside. Or any place that says 'craic' on a sign outside.

admiralofthefleet

Deleted User wrote: »

Not exactly a true Dublin experience though!

it is if you sit at the bar, where the locals sit.

op, do you want to go to a real dublin pub?

Hanley

There's a fantastic shop on Dawson Street where you'd pick up a beautiful pic of Dublin, if that's your thing - http://www.blackandwhiteireland.com/

admiralofthefleet

admiralofthefleet wrote: »

it is if you sit at the bar, where the locals sit.

op, do you want to go to a real dublin pub?

I lived beside the Arlington for 3 1/2 years. I never knew locals went in there. I have never seen anything bar tourists in there (through the window!).

endacl

admiralofthefleet wrote: »

maybe try the arlington hotel on bachelors walk. dinner, irish dancing/music and decent drink

Forgot the Arlo when commenting above about music. Same applies.

Cookie_Monster

andersat2 wrote: »

take dublin bus 40 from Parnell st. to Finglas, go to the end of the root.
then you will have real dubliner experience!

and take it back to the CC and stroll down our charming boardwalk, make sure it's sunny though, want to get all the sights and sounds of the junkies and scum floating around

The Scientician

MarkMc wrote: »

Just to add, theres very few places in the centre that serve a good pint, Irish food and Irish Music, the ones that are there are quite touristy so not really authentic.

I was going to suggest O'Neill's http://www.oneillsbar.com/
It's touristy but plenty of locals frequent it too. Lovely food, nice pints, nice crowd and music galore. I've never had a bad time there.

endacl

Jeff_Lebowski wrote: »

Definitely not.

Avoid any place with Irish dancing playing on a screen outside. Or any place that says 'craic' on a sign outside.

Unless you're on craic. In which case you'll most likely confine yourself to the boardwalk.

Avoid the boardwalk OP. This is another good idea that didn't work...

wildlifeboy

Dublin City Bike Tours. number 2 on trip advisor and a great way to see the whole city at a leisurely pace.

frankosw

irishbird wrote: »

Viking Experience in Dublivina at Christchurch and then head to the Bull and Castle for decent food and beer

The dublinia experience is appalling..lots of wax dummies and a crudely tape-recorded soundtrack. Added to which the guides are more than a little unknowledgable on the subject...i told the Tara borroch was found in the 1970's.

uch

Sophie if I was you I'd get on the Dart (train) and head firstly to Howth and have a few pints in the Bloody Stream, it's right by the train station, then I'd get the Dart again in the opposite direction to Bray and walk along the seafront where you'll have several Pubs to choose from. I'm from the City and the only Bars I'd recommend (for a pint, not food) are Bowe's on Fleet street, or the Sackville Lounge on Sackville place, avoid all others.

Miguel_Sanchez

uch wrote: »

I'm from the City and the only Bars I'd recommend (for a pint, not food) are Bowe's on Fleet street, or the Sackville Lounge on Sackville place, avoid all others.

Avoid all other pubs in the city but go to Bray and try the pubs on the seafront? You can't be serious.

The only decent pub in Bray is the Harbour Bar.

Mr Simpson

Never ever advise a tourist to go to Sackville Place, are you mad!! You musn't want them to come back

BeerNut wrote: »

Not sure what you mean here. If any beer made by someone called Guinness is Guinness, then yes. If you mean did it brew anything like modern Guinness stout, then no: that sort of thing has only existed since the late 1950s and reached its current form even more recently than that. The Guinness brewery didn't make any porter or stout until well after the move to James's Gate. The earliest references are from the 1770s, and it underwent lots of huge changes between then and today. Guinness advertising kinda lets you think that in 1759 Arthur Guinness began brewing a creamy black 4.2% ABV beer, but you need to wind the clock forward at least 200 years for that.

What I meant was Stout/Porter.

Ephie

Even though you've been warned to stay away from Temple Bar by a few people here, if you want to see it, I'd still recommend it but go there either early Friday/Saturday or on Sunday to see it, there are some great musicians playing in pubs like the Temple Bar, The Quays, the Merchant Arch, the Auld Dub, etc, and when I have relations/friends visiting from various places around the world, they always want to go see there again as they always have a great time, just dont' go on a messy Saturday night when the Hen/Stag parties take over!

Kilmainham Gaol has also been the highlight of a lot of relations/friends visit to Dublin...definitely worth the tour.

There's a Heraldry shop in Temple Bar called "House of Names" (I think they have a shop on Nassau Street too) that might do the plates you're interested in and also other historic souvenirs.

And finally, you'll get a lot of recommendations for the best Guinness in Dublin, but definitely try Mulligan's in Poolbeg Street, if you get a chance and, as someone mentioned earlier, sit at the bar and chat with the bar staff and locals and you'll get plenty of local history, chat and I'm sure more recommendations for your visit!

Kopparberg Strawberry and Lime

"how to experience true Dublin?"


"there's a great pub here, here and here but avoid temple bar etc."

well done lads

ill keep with the trend

I'd say johnny foxes pub and see the city behind it in one go from the top !

great food to be had !

Dubl07

Kopparberg Strawberry and Lime wrote: »

"how to experience true Dublin?"


"there's a great pub here, here and here but avoid temple bar etc."

well done lads

ill keep with the trend

I'd say johnny foxes pub and see the city behind it in one go from the top !

great food to be had !

Kopparberg must own shares in Foxes. It's a hike/long taxi/bus-ride from the city and feels grubby and overpriced these days. Avoid at all costs and try the Merry Ploughboy or Blue Light instead.

sophie.sperner

People thank you

So many replies!! It is definitely hard to try all proposed options.

Anyway, for a pub I would go in either Cobblestone or Mulligan's or maybe Oak. I also want to google for the oldest pub in Dublin or one of those dinosaurs.

Apart from old good pub experience, we would like to visit a restaurant with Irish food. No O'Neill's because it does not have a proper atmosphere, what I've chosen for this moment is the Old StoreHouse . Hopefully this is the right choice.

Kilmainham Jail is on the must see list now. Thank you for the plate directions too.

Cheers

InchicoreDude

For best traditional music, away from a lot of tourists, but still with some tourists, I would recommend the Cobblestone in Smithfield. You wont get a dinner in there though.

If you are into history, then Croke Park museum could be something that may interest you. It goes into a lot of irish history and is a little different to your usual castle / musuems.

If you want pubs away from tourists, pubs that dont necessarily play Irish trad music, then I would recommend going up to the pubs on Camden Street. Thats where I normally go when I go out in Dublin.

Patser

3 pages and no one has said Coppers!!! You have to go to Coppers to see what we really get up to.

Other bits of advice - Galsnevin Cemetary well worth the visit, especially on clear, crisp days like these. As someone else said Croke Park museum also worth a visit.

As for pubs - any pub on a friday night will offer a good Dublin welcome, just talk to the people sitting at the bar and expect a bit of slagging. Do try to avoid Temple Bar area as you'll be paying way above the odds for a drink. Other than the places mentioned I'd also recommend The Celt over on Talbot St for music or the Brazen Head (getting more and more touristy) near Christchurch.

But remember to go to Copper late on and look as lost as possible!

Esel

O'Shea's (the Merchant) on the quays at Church St bridge. Good food in the restaurant, then go into the bar for the music. You might even see a bit of real set dancing.

The Brazen Head is just across the road.

GRMA

I would also recommend a walking tour of Dublin if you are interested in history, specifically this one:

http://www.sinnfeinbookshop.com/rebel-walking-tour-of-dublin/

The people who give this tour have a fantastic knowledge of Irish history and Dublin specifically. Better than the other tours imo, for Irish history, 1916 etc anyway.