Dublin has long been a centre of art and culture. Stroll through the elegant Georgian streets of Merrion and Fitzwilliam Squares, shop in the elegant emporiums of Grafton Street and Powerscourt Townhouse, explore the collections of the National Museum and National Gallery, the Irish Museum of Modern Art, and many fine small private collections. The range of art and artefacts is enormous, and you will have no problem spending many hours enthralled.. The city is over a thousand years old, and many of the towns and settlements that surround it are equally ancient. Successive centuries have left their distinctive overlays of character and architecture which means that Dublin has a wealth of historically significant and fascinating sights to explore such as Dublin Castle, where the Normans ruled from the 12^th Century, St Patrick's Cathedral, of which Jonathan Swift was Dean, and Trinity College, famous for The Book of Kells and for its alumni who include Oscar Wilde and Oliver Goldsmith. And no visit to Dublin could be complete without visiting either the Old Whiskey Distillery or the Guinness Storehouse!  To chill totally wander down to Meeting House Square in Temple Bar and check out the Food  Market

 

A Tour of Dublin's Fair City

Bank of Ireland , College Green The prestigious offices of Ireland 's national bank began life as the first purpose-built parliament house in Europe . Completed in 1739 it served as Ireland 's Parliament until the Act Of Union in 1801

Trinity College Founded in 1592 by Queen Elizabeth. Among many famous students to attend the college were playwrights Oliver Goldsmith and Samuel Beckett. Trinity's lawns and cobbled quads provide a pleasant haven in the hearth of the city. The major attractions are the Old Library and the Book of Kells, housed in the Treasury. Exit form the front of the Trinity complex and walk from College Green to Dame St and Continue west passing:

The Olympia Theatre - Dating back to the 1800s, this Victorian music hall-style theatre has a capacity of 1,300. It presents an eclectic schedule of variety shows, musicals, operettas, concerts, ballet, comedy, and drama. As a variation, for the late-night crowd, live bands are often featured after regular programs.  A brief diversion here will bring you into the trendy Temple Bar area. Across the Street is

City Hall  Erected between 1769 and 1779, and formerly the Royal Exchange. It is a square building in Corinthian style, with three fronts of Portland stone. Since 1852, however it has been the centre of the municipal government. The interior is designed as a circle within a square, with fluted columns supporting a dome shaped roof over the central hall. The building contains many items of interest, including 102 royal charters and the mace and sword of the city. Adjacent to City Hall is:

Dublin Castle Built between 1208 and 1220, this complex represents some of the oldest surviving architecture in the city, and was the centre of English power in Ireland for over seven centuries until it was taken of by the Irish Free State in 1922. Highlights include the 13th-century record tower, the largest visible fragment of the original Norman castle and the State Apartments, once the residence of English viceroys and now the focal point for government ceremonial functions, including the inauguration of Ireland 's presidents. At this point Dame St takes on the name Lord Edward St , and leads to

St. Patrick's Cathedral Ireland 's largest church was founded beside a sacred well where St. Patrick is said to have baptised converts around 450A.D. A stone slab bearing a Celtic cross and covering the well was un-earthed at the turn of the century(20th). It is now preserved in the west end of the cathedral's nave. The original building was just a wooden chapel and remained so until 1192 when Archbishop John Comyn rebuilt the cathedral in stone. Much of the present building dates back to work completed between 1254 and 1270.  Cut back to

Powerscourt Town House Centre The townhouse of a famous Georgian family. Today the building houses one of the cities nicest shopping centres. In the 1960's major restoration turned it into a centre of specialist galleries, antique shops, jewellery stalls, cafés and other shop units. Carry on to Grafton Street down the narrow Johnson Court Alley

Explore the Great Georgian Squares and Doorways.;  Visit the famous Phoenix Park, Home of our President Mary McAllesse;  See the delights of the city of Roddy Doyle, James Joyce, Brendan Behan, Sean O' Casey, Oscar Wilde and Nobel Prize winners W.B Yeats, George B. Shaw and Samuel Beckett.; See Guinness Brewery, O' Connell Street;  The U2 Wall, The National Museum & Gallery

The U2 Wall

 

 

And of course Molly Malone herself "In Dublins fair city, where the girls are so pretty, I first set my eyes on sweet Molly Malone As she wheeled her wheel-barrow, through streets broad and narrow, Crying cockles and mussels, alive, alive o!"

 

 

23rd July

 

Spend much of the Day in Dublin - If you did not check out the Cafe en Seine on Saturday then their Sunday Jazz Brunch might be fun

Menu from 12.30 pm

All dishes €10
Full Irish breakfast 
Eggs Benedict w herb potatoes
Chicken & bacon filled crepe w smoked gubbeen and mushroom sauce w salad
Smoked salmon w poached eggs on a toasted muffin & salad
Home made beef lasagne & garlic bread
Fillet steak with poached eggs on a toasted muffin & herb potatoes
Warm chicken skewers on a bed of salad w garlic & herb dressing

 

 Stay at Dunbrody House, a small luxury hotel that was the seat of The Marquis of Donegall.

 

   

 

24th July

 

Explore the South east

 

 

A special VIP tour of Waterford Crystal cab be arranged.   Visit the  Dunbrody, a replica of the type sailing ship that brought immigrants from Europe to America in the mid 19^th Century.   The Kennedy homestead is just south of New Ross.  Further down the peninsula are the gardens of Kilmokea at Campile, Dunbrody Castle, Tintern Abbey and The Lighthouse on Hook Head.  Wexford Town is a busy merchant town, and also well worth a visit.  Or head north and explore the medieval city of Kilkenny

 

 

25th July

There are a variety of options toady - a boat out to The Saltee Islands, a wild and  uninhabited bird colony, for a specially prepared picnic lunch.

 

 

 

A tour along the valley of the River Suir to Cahir wiith its great castle and then on to the Rock of Cashel,, a limestone outcrop rising from the plain and crowned by the medieval cathedral and round tower. Sheltering at its foot is Bru Boru, a entertainment of Irish music and dance.

 

 

   

Or follow the "copper coast" through the villages of Annestown and Tramore and return to Dunbrody by the Comeragh Mountains.

 

 

 

Or spend some of the day exploring the area on a bicycle - the owner of Dunbrody,  Kevin Dundon, has just bought himself a bicycle and has been exploring the local routes - there are several almost unused and very scenic lanes on the Hook Peninsula.  Another possibility is riding at Curracloe house, 8 miles north east of Wexford Town, close to the Raven pine forest and sand dunes. Enjoy a canter on the spectacular Curracloe Beach or trek through the farm.

Perhaps supper tonight at one of the local pubs.

 

26th July

By way of Enniscorthy to Ferns with its Norman Castle On to the valley of Glendalough where St Kevin founded his monastery in the 6^th Century, exploring the Wicklow mountains.  Then onto Powerscourt House and gardens, where Barry Lyndon was filmed (now with an excellent shop and restaurant). Overnight The Fitzwilliam

 

 

27th July 

 

Depart