Visiting Ireland in October...what to do?

ieatglitter · 29-08-2013 12:47PM #1

Okay, so I just signed up and I am not sure where to post this, but my friend Jana (who is from Germany) and I (from America) will be coming to Dublin, Ireland at the end of October and we will most definitely be there for Halloween. My questions are; where should we go, where should we stay away from, where is the best places to party, and where is the best place to go for Halloween? I am not sure if Halloween is as largely celebrated in Ireland as it is in America but, if so, where are the best places to go? I am flying into Berlin and my friend and I will be back packing through Europe here soon and Dublin, Ireland will be our last stop. As far as I KNOW we will not be going anywhere else in Ireland, just strictly Dublin. We kind of want to do the tourist type things but, not really. We really just want to have a good time and meet lots of people. We are both graduating from college soon and want to have fun before we start the true work grind for the next, oh...40 or 50 years! Kind of a "Won't have a chance like this again at our ages" trip, haha! Any suggestions would be great!

Thank you!:D

P.S. I have already heard that Temple Bar is a good place to stay away from, being as it is a tourist trap and such!

dd972 · 29-08-2013 12:49PM

Jana could teach us how to speak English properly

apart from that, the pub maybe as it'll be raining.

JuliusCaesar · 29-08-2013 12:52PM

er, we invented Hallowe'en you know and exported it to the States. Temple Bar is good fun on Hallowe'en.

donvito99 · 29-08-2013 12:53PM

Should've come this summer. We saw the sun this one time.

Fukuyama · 29-08-2013 12:58PM

Temple Bar area in Dublin at night time.

Halloween is celebrated. Dublin City Council normally have fireworks organised.

There's all the touristy stuff like Guinness Brewery (which is interesting even as a non-tourist), Viking Splash Tour, Book of Kells in Trinity College etc...

For activities beyond normal tourist stuff you'll have to look deeper and do a few Google searches. What interests you?

Kilmainham Gaol is you want some Irish History.

All National Museums are free such as the Art museum and Natural History museum.

Go to the Porterhouse in Templebar for a session. There's always a good mix of tourists and Irish in there. Food and drink is AMAZING. Drink Oyster Stout.

If your're here in early October, Octoberfest is celebrated in the IFSC on a floating platform thing. It's cool.

Ps. The weather can be crap in October. Actually, the weather can be crap anytime of the year.

Also. Dublin City Center and outlying areas turn into lawless hellholes on Haloween. Expect fights, drinking, bonfires, non-stop sirens etc... You'll be safe though. But it's not a pretty sight.

SEPT 23 1989 · 29-08-2013 12:58PM

The Dolphins Barn Quarter is a fun place to be on Halloween night

Celly Smunt · 29-08-2013 12:59PM

Halloween is a time i usually avoid "going out on" just because everywhere is usually packed with people,drink is expensive and town does be filled with post-pubescent testosterone filled arsehole fellas.Around Stephens Green would be my bet for Halloween night.

Take the ghost bus tour as well,it's expensive and generally crap,but so crap it can be a good laugh after drinking a few cans.

Celly Smunt · 29-08-2013 12:59PM

SEPT 23 1989 wrote: »

The Dolphins Barn Quarter is a fun place to be on Halloween night

I heard Teresa's Gardens can be great crack too.

TheLastMohican · 29-08-2013 12:59PM

First things first. Buy an umbrella.

SEPT 23 1989 · 29-08-2013 01:04PM

Celly Smunt wrote: »

I heard Teresa's Gardens can be great crack too.

its gone too commercial in recent years

martineatworld · 29-08-2013 01:06PM

Coppers.

/endthread

ieatglitter · 29-08-2013 01:06PM

Dean0088 wrote: »

Temple Bar area in Dublin at night time.

Halloween is celebrated. Dublin City Council normally have fireworks organised.

There's all the touristy stuff like Guinness Brewery (which is interesting even as a non-tourist), Viking Splash Tour, Book of Kells in Trinity College etc...

For activities beyond normal tourist stuff you'll have to look deeper and do a few Google searches. What interests you?

Kilmainham Gaol is you want some Irish History.

All National Museums are free such as the Art museum and Natural History museum.

Go to the Porterhouse in Templebar for a session. There's always a good mix of tourists and Irish in there. Food and drink is AMAZING. Drink Oyster Stout.

If your're here in early October, Octoberfest is celebrated in the IFSC on a floating platform thing. It's cool.

Ps. The weather can be crap in October. Actually, the weather can be crap anytime of the year.

Also. Dublin City Center and outlying areas turn into lawless hellholes on Haloween. Expect fights, drinking, bonfires, non-stop sirens etc... You'll be safe though. But it's not a pretty sight.

Well, people interest me! Sounds odd I guess. So does history. I just like meeting new people and making connections I guess! I am just a people person. My friend and I are no doubt going to want to party...HARD!

As for the rain and weather, yeah I am not looking forward to it as I live in Los Angeles and it hardly never rains out here and ever really gets cold...I will probably FREEZE while I am over there in Europe. *shivers*:P

Drkitkat · 29-08-2013 01:08PM

Glasnevin Cemetary is worth a visit. There is a museum and guided tours are available. Pop into the Gravediggers pub when you're finished for the best pint of Guinness in Dublin.

The Backwards Man · 29-08-2013 01:09PM

If you're going to be here at Halloween, you've got to get out of Dublin and head for Derry, the biggest Halloween festival this side of the afterlife.

http://campaign.derrycity.gov.uk/default.aspx

SEPT 23 1989 · 29-08-2013 01:09PM

ieatglitter wrote: »

My friend and I are no doubt going to want to party...HARD!

The Dolphins Barn Quarter is the perfect place to party hard

Lando Griffin · 29-08-2013 01:10PM

Cead mile failte to you and your Bavarian friend.
Its obvious that you are coming for the Gathering, a year round event for the diaspora to connect with their routes.
You will have an uber ( swell ) time no matter what you do, but as I am not affiliated in any way with Dublin I can only suggest what other posters may suggest except the Dolphins Barn Quarter suggestion.
Anyway,
Slan agus beannacht.

Celly Smunt · 29-08-2013 01:10PM

The Backwards Man wrote: »

If you're going to be here at Halloween, you've got to get out of Dublin and head for Derry, the biggest Halloween festival this side of the afterlife.

http://campaign.derrycity.gov.uk/default.aspx

SHhhhhhh!!! they have to spend their money here in the real Ireland!!

ieatglitter · 29-08-2013 01:11PM

Is there anything else I should know? I mean, is anyone going to start some debate on American Politics and such... ( I plan on having to deal with that while in Europe as I heard it can happen quite frequently to Americans traveling abroad) lol
Do I need to be aware of men in general. Sounds like a silly question I guess and you can't really generalize a countries genders but, I was told by a friend who lived in Paris for a few years to watch for the men, haha! My concern is that it is just a friend and I and us being foreigners, I guess you can understand that question?

The Backwards Man · 29-08-2013 01:12PM

Celly Smunt wrote: »

SHhhhhhh!!! they have to spend their money here in the real Ireland!!

All the Derry wans spend their money on cheap diesel in Donegal so we'll get it in a roundabout way, don't worry.;)

ScumLord · 29-08-2013 01:12PM

Nevermind that Dublin, its like going to America and spending your whole time in Disneyland. Ye need to head over to Galway and spend Halloween with the mucksavages bobbing for potatoes in cow buckets and carving faces in turnips.

Celly Smunt · 29-08-2013 01:14PM

ieatglitter wrote: »

Is there anything else I should know? I mean, is anyone going to start some debate on American Politics and such... ( I plan on having to deal with that while in Europe as I heard it can happen quite frequently to Americans traveling abroad) lol
Do I need to be aware of men in general. Sounds like a silly question I guess and you can't really generalize a countries genders but, I was told by a friend who lived in Paris for a few years to watch for the men, haha! My concern is that it is just a friend and I and us being foreigners, I guess you can understand that question?

Nah you'll be grand,just don't say you're Irish because your great great great great grandfather came from cork or something and you'll have no bother.

Also "do you know the O'Sullivans in county Kerry?",don't do that either.

Banjo String · 29-08-2013 01:15PM

Petersons

ieatglitter · 29-08-2013 01:15PM

Lando Griffin wrote: »

Cead mile failte to you and your Bavarian friend.
Its obvious that you are coming for the Gathering, a year round event for the diaspora to connect with their routes.
You will have an uber ( swell ) time no matter what you do, but as I am not affiliated in any way with Dublin I can only suggest what other posters may suggest except the Dolphins Barn Quarter suggestion.
Anyway,
Slan agus beannacht.

ACTUALLY my ancestry is French, German, Barbados ( no not black...

), & English. There is NO Irish in my family. Or maybe I am not understanding what you are saying... lol

ieatglitter · 29-08-2013 01:17PM

Celly Smunt wrote: »

Nah you'll be grand,just don't say you're Irish because your great great great great grandfather came from cork or something and you'll have no bother.

Also "do you know the O'Sullivans in county Kerry?",don't do that either.

No no, definitly nothing like that, as I don't have Irish ancestry, but boy have I heard of other people saying "I am Irish because my great great so many times blah blah blah" crap. I just roll my eyes. I am pretty sure many people have Irish Ancestors because SOOOO many of them came to America and lived in NYC! Americans can be stupid... I am sure you all have figured that out.

Celly Smunt · 29-08-2013 01:17PM

ieatglitter wrote: »

ACTUALLY my ancestry is French, German, Barbados, & England. There is NO Irish in my family. Or maybe I am not understanding what you are saying... lol

The Irish government basically spent millions on this campaign called "the gathering" where they said everybody of irish descent should come to Ireland as a tourist and spend all their money here.However,this was clearly a failure and nobody outside of Ireland heard of "the gathering",so now everybody coming to Ireland is somehow part of "the gathering",whether it's to their knowledge or not.

Bill G · 29-08-2013 01:19PM

Lando Griffin wrote: »

a year round event for the diaspora to connect with their routes.

Routes? Would that be the 7b to Shankill or the 49 to Tallaght?

ieatglitter · 29-08-2013 01:21PM

Celly Smunt wrote: »

The Irish government basically spent millions on this campaign called "the gathering" where they said everybody of irish descent should come to Ireland as a tourist and spend all their money here.However,this was clearly a failure and nobody outside of Ireland heard of "the gathering",so now everybody coming to Ireland is somehow part of "the gathering",whether it's to their knowledge or not.

Oh oh, okay! Well, definitely a tourist trap no doubt. Ireland is EXPENSIVE though, right? I mean, we are going to be doing couch surfing and maybe a hostel now and then.

How much are pints there? And is beer actually warm over there? Just curious. And say...how much would a shot of liquor cost or a mixed drink?

RachaelVO · 29-08-2013 01:23PM

Bill G wrote: »

Routes? Would that be the 7b to Shankill or the 49 to Tallaght?

The 7b goes to shankill?

Leftist · 29-08-2013 01:24PM

take a stroll down harcourt street, take in the aroma of freshly spewed vom on the pavement while you rub shoulders with farmer migrants.

Or brave o'connell street, where the fun is getting out of the street asap and away from the hundreds of junkies lining the capital's main thoroughfare!

rent a car and drive through thousands of identical villages with plain, flat faced ugly buildings and a church.

Or simply visit one of thousands of lego estates full of grey skinned idiots who's only benefit to life is that at some point they will pay taxes.

Celly Smunt · 29-08-2013 01:24PM

ieatglitter wrote: »

No no, definitly nothing like that, as I don't have Irish ancestry, but boy have I heard of other people saying "I am Irish because my great great so many times blah blah blah" crap. I just roll my eyes. I am pretty sure many people have Irish Ancestors because SOOOO many of them came to America and lived in NYC! Americans can be stupid... I am sure you all have figured that out.

I'm sure the "Irish blood" in America had been well diluted at this stage.
True some Americans can be stupid,but you're bound to meet some Irish people who are comparably stupid.Also taxi-men here believe they are the moral arbitrary to society,they will go a step too far in conversation if you allow them.

Bill G wrote: »

a year round event for the diaspora to connect with their routes.

Routes? Would that be the 7b to Shankill or the 49 to Tallaght?

77A for life.

ieatglitter · 29-08-2013 01:26PM

Leftist wrote: »

take a stroll down harcourt street, take in the aroma of freshly spewed vom on the pavement while you rub shoulders with farmer migrants.

Or brave o'connell street, where the fun is getting out of the street asap and away from the hundreds of junkies lining the capital's main thoroughfare!

rent a car and drive through thousands of identical villages with plain, flat faced ugly buildings and a church.

Or simply visit one of thousands of lego estates full of grey skinned idiots who's only benefit to life is that at some point they will pay taxes.

Sounds fun to me! :P

Visiting Ireland in October...what to do?

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