Forget Me Not: 5 Reasons to Remember Dublin

Posted by Jude Buttle on Thursday, October 09, 2008

The birthplace of Oscar Wilde, James Joyce and Samuel Beckett, Dublin is also home to the most famous dry stout in the world. The capital of Ireland is a warm and friendly place with an entertaining selection of pubs, clubs and bars, making Dublin a city that is born to be wild.

1. Dublin Castle

Built on high ground at the beginning of the 13^th century by King John, Dublin Castle was used for administration and the defence of the city.

Surrounded by high walls and a moat, the castle suffered a fire in 1684 and was largely reconstructed, leaving very little of the original medieval structure.

Despite its purpose, the castle only endured minor battles in the Kildare Rebellion and the Easter Rising in 1916. Formerly the fortified seat of British rule in Ireland until 1922, it was ceremonially handed over to the newly formed Irish Free State led by rebel military commander Michael Collins.

2. Literature

Dublin is one of the literary capitals of the world, with a tradition of writing that dates back over a thousand years to when monks would transcribe the bible into beautiful manuscripts.

The best surviving example of which, The Book of Kells dating from 800 AD, is on show at Trinity College in the city centre. Dublin is proud of its literary heritage and is full of literary landmarks from James Joyce Tower to the Dublin Writers Museum, as well as being the home to Ireland's biggest libraries and literary museums.

The city is the birthplace of great literary figures, including Nobel laureates William Butler Yeats, George Bernard Shaw and Samuel Beckett. Other influential writers and playwrights from Dublin include the inimitable Oscar Wilde, Gulliver's Travels author Jonathan Swift and the creator of Dracula, Bram Stoker.

Dublin is also well known as the location of the greatest works of James Joyce. Dubliners is a collection of short stories by Joyce, set in the early part of the 20^th century and depicting incidents and characters typical of that time in the city. His most celebrated work, Ulysses, is also set in Dublin and full of topical detail.

3. Famine Memorial

The Famine Memorial is set on Custom House Quay in the Dublin Docklands. Established in 1997, the memorial was designed by local sculptor Rowan Gillespie and consists of several statues of people and a dog from the Potato Famine of the mid 19^th century when Ireland lost more than one million people to starvation, disease and emigration.

4. Nightlife

Dublin has one of the best reputations in Europe for its vibrant nightlife and with an estimated 50% of its inhabitants under 25 it is one of the most youthful cities around.

With warm, welcoming locals and a fine selection of bars, clubs and pubs across the city centre, it's no wonder that TripAdvisor voted Dublin the friendliest city in Europe in 2007.

The most internationally known vicinity for nightlife is the Temple Bar area just south of the River Liffey. With its narrow cobbled streets, Temple Bar is known as Dublin's cultural quarter and is extremely popular with tourists as it is a hive of social activity, attracting hordes of stag and hen parties from the UK. It also is a place for intimate small music venues and street performers.

There is also a strong gay scene in Dublin, which has been known as a very open and expressive city for decades and some of the bars reflect this with creative names such as Front Lounge, Pantibar and the Furry Glen.

Live music is popularly played on streets and at venues throughout Dublin and the city has produced several famous rock bands on the international stage, including U2, The Boomtown Rats, Thin Lizzy, and Boyzone.

5. Guinness Storehouse

Located in the heart of the St. James's Gate Brewery, the Guinness Storehouse has attracted more than four million visitors from all around the world since it first opened its doors in 2000.

Originally built in 1904 to house the Guinness fermentation process, the Storehouse building continued that role until 1988 when the fermentation was moved to another area of the St. James's Gate Brewery.

The Storehouse is laid out over seven floors surrounding a large glass atrium taking the shape of a pint of Guinness. On the ground floor the massive exhibit introduces you to the four ingredients; water, barley, hops and yeast, all of which combine to make a pint of pure Guinness.

The seventh floor is dedicated to the Gravity Bar, which offers a place to unwind while sipping on a complementary pint of Guinness and enjoying the 360 degree views of the city.

The founder of the famous stout was Arthur Guinness, who was born in 1725 and learnt the art of brewing from his father Richard, whose job as a land steward included brewing beer.

In 1759, at the age of 34, Arthur Guinness signed a 9000-year lease for the St. James's Gate Brewery and in 10 years took it from a small, disused factory into one of the most iconic brands on the planet.

Conclusion

Dublin is full of charm, spirit and friendly locals. It has a reputation for creativity and culture; producing great writers, fine stout and amazing castles, making this city a destination worth raising your glass to.

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Forget Me Not: 5 Reasons to Remember Dublin

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