December 24, Dublin. Anything open?

jjacksonporter

We're coming from the US for Christmas with family, arriving early on the 24th. We'll have some time to kill before checking into our hotel. Will there be any shops open (City Center - around the Morrison)?

corkonion

yeah, most shops and restaurants are open until late afternoon and pubs until 10 or 11

chris85

Yeah most shops in the city will be open. Some restaurants will be open also, a few may decide not to open. All pubs will be open for the day from 11am to 11pm or midnight. Very busy day in the city with people getting last minute shopping in, others meeting people for a Xmas drink and the rest just getting from A to B for Xmas.

odyssey06

Just be aware that public transport stops at 9pm on christmas eve usually and there is no public transport running on christmas day afaik.

lollpop

Not sure that's right about the pubs, a lot tend to close early on Christmas eve as public transport usually ends at 9pm (buses anyway, not sure about luas)

Shops will be open until around 5. In my experience Dublin is very busy until around 3pm then it empties out a lot.

enda1

Taxi's will be running, use Uber like you would at home and adjust your automatic tip down to 10% from what it would be set to in the US.

hfallada

Everything is open on Christmas Eve pretty much. Grafton Street is amazing to see, as everyone does last minute shopping. Dublin is so good on Christmas Eve. I was in Sligo for Christmas once and Christmas Eve in the city was so dull.

Good things on Christmas Eve are the moving crib at the Mansion House Dawson Street. Its a crib with actual live animals. Although Im not sure if it will happen this year, as there is currently hoarding where the crib usually is.

Also go to a Christmas mass on Christmas Eve is really nice. Even if you arent that religious, some can be amazing like this choir. http://dublinchoralfoundation.ie/new/?page_id=210 They are on in St. Kevins Church on SCR, which is really close to the city

JuliusCaesar

Isn't the 'Moving Crib' a mechanical thing in a basement of some church-owned house on Parnell Square?

tfak85

The live crib is at the Mansion House, I think it opens around the 5/6th Dec.

Dublin city on Christmas eve is magnificent! People bustling about, getting the last few bits, the lights are so beautiful, the Brown Thomas Christmas shop sale will have started on the 23rd (usually) so you can get some good value Xmas decorations to take home!

Essentials for any trip to Dublin (especially on such a nice day) are hot chocolate from Butlers, there are three all within ten minutes walk of the Morrisson, ice cream from Murphys and a pint of Guinness (or tea) in front of a fire, maybe Grogans - where you can also have a delicious toasted sandwich!

Check out dublinatchristmas.ie or dublintown.ie for some guidance.

Koptain Liverpool

enda1 wrote: »

Taxi's will be running, use Uber like you would at home and adjust your automatic tip down to 10% from what it would be set to in the US.

Eh, surely you mean adjust the tip down to 0%. People in general don't tip taxi drivers in Ireland. At least not anyone I know

CianRyan

Koptain Liverpool wrote: »

Eh, surely you mean adjust the tip down to 0%. People in general don't tip taxi drivers in Ireland. At least not anyone I know

Everyone I know tips taxi drivers.

Mulligans on Poolbeg Street is always great on Christmas eve.
No TV, no radio. Just an open fire and a nice drink shared old friends and family. Meeting there for an afternoon pint with everyone is a tradition I can't miss!

But yes, Dublin can be pretty hectic on the 24th so have no fear of having nothing to do!
This site may be handy for you.
http://www.dublinatchristmas.ie/

hfallada

CianRyan wrote: »

Everyone I know tips taxi drivers.

Mulligans on Poolbeg Street is always great on Christmas eve.
No TV, no radio. Just an open fire and a nice drink shared old friends and family. Meeting there for an afternoon pint with everyone is a tradition I can't miss!

But yes, Dublin can be pretty hectic on the 24th so have no fear of having nothing to do!
This site may be handy for you.
http://www.dublinatchristmas.ie/

I dont tip for the sake of tipping. You only tip when the service is a of high standard, which is rarely the case for taxi drivers. They often talk to you, when you are making it clear you dont want to hear their rant. Or if they are non-national and even through you have lived in Dublin your whole life, they decide they will go the "quickest route". Which isnt, they are just trying to up the fare.

Taxi drivers own their own car and plates. All the money they make, they keep. Its not like they are just drivers for companies, as they are in Germany,

CianRyan

hfallada wrote: »

I dont tip for the sake of tipping. You only tip when the service is a of high standard, which is rarely the case for taxi drivers. They often talk to you, when you are making it clear you dont want to hear their rant. Or if they are non-national and even through you have lived in Dublin your whole life, they decide they will go the "quickest route". Which isnt, they are just trying to up the fare.

Taxi drivers own their own car and plates. All the money they make, they keep. Its not like they are just drivers for companies, as they are in Germany,

Seems you have a very negotiate attitude towards taxi drivers to begin with, so it makes sense not to feel like tipping unless they go above and beyond, I get that.

I'd be more the other way, I like a chat with my lift and if you just tell them the route you'd like them to take most will oblige.
I'd generally through them an extra euro or two depending on the driver, if I'm not happy I just don't tip.

A lot of drivers pay for the privilege of a office radio so, so a percentage goes there and you could argue that Dublin drivers deserve a tip more than their German counterparts because they're using their own car which they need to tax, insure, NCT and run themselves.

But that's for another thread really, this is about Christmas Eve in dublin.

ceegee

Worth keeping an eye out for the busking session on Grafton St that happens most years with Bono, Hansard et al

CianRyan

100%
I forgot about that, I'm usually well out of town by the time it happens but it's a pretty cool thing to stick around for.
May stick around myself this year to catch them.

Ole Rodrigo

ceegee wrote: »

Worth keeping an eye out for the busking session on Grafton St that happens most years with Bono, Hansard et al

So you know when NOT to go to Grafton Street.

Whatever about Bono, Hansard is awful.

OP, I'd take a stroll around Grafton street early in the day( stick your fingers in your ears if you pass Hansard and his wailing ) find a nice pub and relax until you can check in. Many folks in the city center on Xmas eve will tolerate the crowds for a short time before retiring to the nearest pub, so the atmosphere tends to be good. Peters Pub is a good spot.

ProudDUB

I've gone into town on Xmas Eve for the last couple of years, just for the craic and to soak up the atmosphere. It's always been mental, but in a good way. However, the restaurants, hotels and pubs were absolutely packed, so it can be hard to find a quiet spot to have a nice relaxing drink, or a restaurant that didn't have a queue out the door, or a waiting list. So be prepared for all that.

A Disgrace

Most pubs in the city close early - the few that operate normal hours will be jammed

FloatingVoter

ceegee wrote: »

Worth keeping an eye out for the busking session on Grafton St that happens most years with Bono, Hansard et al

Bono is probably out of commission this year due to his bike accident. That may or may not add to the busking line-up.

JuliusCaesar

Yes, the Moving Crib is at St Martin's Apostolate in Parnell Square.

raxor

FloatingVoter wrote: »

Bono is probably out of commission this year due to his bike accident. That may or may not add to the busking line-up.

Anyone know what time this usually starts at?