Places to visit: Dublin A to Z

Airfield House

Airfield Estate

In 1893, a successful Dublin solicitor named Trevor Overend purchased an 18th century farmhouse in Dundrum, Co. Dublin. The property was eventually inherited by his two daughters, Letitia and Naomi Overend. They lived there all their lives and prior to their death they set up the Airfield Trust, so that the estate would be kept intact for educational and recreational purposes.

The Overend ladies were well known for their prize-winning Jersey herd, named after characters from Gilbert & Sullivan operettas. They were regular prize winners at the RDS Spring Show. Their life and times can be appreciated via the Airfield House exhibition. The lasting effects of their fundraising and charity work for St John’s Ambulance brigade and Children’s Sunshine Home can be seen through an impressive collection of photographs, diaries and press clippings. They were also ladies who knew how to enjoy themselves, as evidenced by the memorabilia they gathered from their travels. Both sisters were also very interested in gardening.

The Airfield farm (20 acres), gardens, restaurant and heritage experience offer visitors a unique opportunity to enjoy and learn about food, farming, gardening, history and heritage in a natural and relaxed environment.

The farm at Airfield is a fine working example of environmentally sustainable agriculture in Ireland. Visitors are encouraged to explore and experience farm life up close. This is a working farm with a milking Jersey herd, as well as Jacob sheep, Oxford sandy black pigs, Saneen goats, Rhode Island red hens, chickens and donkeys.

The Jersey herd is milked once a day as part of Airfield’s commitment to sustainable farming. Visitors can watch the herd being milked, understand the pasteurisation process and taste the fresh, creamy milk used across the estate.

Throughout the year specialised events like lambing, calving and shearing highlight what is typically going on in farms around the country. Airfield is a working farm with a milking Jersey herd, as well as sheep, pigs, chickens and donkeys. The farm has 50 laying hens including Rhode Island Red Hybrids and fancy fowl such as Legbars and Arucanas.

The gardens in Airfield are just over six acres in size and composed of diverse spaces ranging from an ornamental walled garden, shade gardens and glasshouse spaces, to an extensive organic certified fruit, vegetable and edible flower garden. You can also visit a greenhouse garden, an orchard border, a sunken garden and a potting shed order.

The temperate climate of south Dublin accommodates a large variety of plants to be grown on site which provides year-round interest to any visitor. The gardens are managed organically which helps contribute to a vibrant biodiverse green space.

The display garage for vintage cars is a fine setting for Letitia’s 1927 Rolls Royce, Naomi’s Austin Tickford and Lily’s Peugeot Quadrilette.

Opening Hours:
General opening hours all year round are Wednesday to Sunday, 9.30am – 4.30pm, however opening days and hours vary monthly.
Not all features of the estate are open during general opening hours, and some or all may be closed for private functions. Please check here for detailed opening hours.

When open, there are daily activities including Egg Collection (10am), Jersey Herd Milking (10:30am) and Heritage Tours (12 & 2pm).
Special evening events and workshops may also be available for booking.
The Farmers Market is open Fri & Sat, 9am – 2.30pm.

Contact & Pricing:
airfield.ie
hello@airfield.ie
Tel: 01 969 6666
Overend Ave, Dundrum, Dublin 14.
Adults €12; concessions

Áras an Uachtaráin

Áras an Uachtaráin

Now the Residence of the President of Ireland, Áras an Uachtaráin, started as a modest brick house for the Phoenix Park Chief Ranger in 1751. It was subsequently acquired as an “occasional residence” for the Lords Lieutenants and gradually evolved to a large mansion. After Ireland gained independence, it was occupied by three Governors General between 1922 and 1937, prior to the first president Dr Douglas Hyde taking up residence there.

19th century architects Francis Johnston, Jacob Owen and Decimus Burton, and more recently, Raymond McGrath, as well as stuccodores Michael Stapleton and Bartholomew Cramillion, contributed to its gradual expansion, gardens and interiors. The Irish architect James Hoban may have used the garden front portico of Áras an Uachtaráin as the model for the façade of the White House.

Opening Hours:
Guided tours take place almost every Saturday all year round.
Tickets are free of charge, issued on a first-come-first-served basis, from the Phoenix Park Visitor Centre from 9.30am. Advanced or group booking is not possible. Visitors are advised to arrive early to avoid disappointment.

Guided tours of the House are offered on Saturdays at the following times:
Jan – Dec: 10am, 11.15am, 12.30pm, 1.45pm and 3pm
Guided tours of the Gardens only run from June until October.
Closed 24-26 December.

*Contact the Visitor Centre first to confirm that tours are taking place, as access can be restricted at times due to official State engagements.
Visitors must bring photographic identification on the day of the visit.

Contact & Pricing:
president.ie
phoenixparkvisitorcentre@opw.ie
Tel: 01 677 0095
Phoenix Park, Dublin 8
Admission free

Arbour Hill Cemetery

Arbour Hill Military Cemetery

The military cemetery at Arbour Hill is the last resting place of 14 of the executed leaders of the insurrection of 1916. Among those buried there are Patrick Pearse, James Connolly and Major John Mc Bride. The leaders were executed in Kilmainham and then their bodies were transported to Arbour Hill, where they were buried.

The graves are located under a low mound on a terrace of Wicklow granite in what was once the old prison yard. The gravesite is surrounded by a limestone wall on which their names are inscribed in Irish and English. On the prison wall opposite the gravesite is a plaque with the names of other people who gave their lives in 1916.

The adjoining Church of the Sacred Heart, which is the prison chapel for Arbour Hill prison, is maintained by the Department of Defence. At the rear of the church lies the old cemetery, where lie the remains of British military personnel who died in the Dublin area in the 19th and early 20th century.

A doorway beside the 1916 memorial gives access to the Irish United Nations Veterans Association house and memorial garden.

Arbour Hill is located at the rear of the National Museum of Ireland, Collins Barracks.

Opening Hours:
Open all year round.
Mon to Fri: 8am – 4pm
Sat: 11am – 4pm
Sun: 9.30 am – 4pm
For Guided Tours, contact the venue.

Contact & Pricing:
heritageireland.ie/places-to-visit/arbour-hill-cemetery
phoenixparkvisitorcentre@opw.ie
Tel: 01 821 3021/01-6770095
Rear of National Museum, Collins Barracks, Dublin 7
Admission free

Ardgillan Castle

Ardgillan Castle

Ardgillan is a large 18th Century country manor house (1738) built in extensive grounds overlooking the Irish Sea. The demesne features a walled garden and a rose garden. Within the house, the ground floor rooms and the kitchens are open to visitors (guided tour only).

Ardgillan Park is unique among Dublin’s regional parks for the magnificent views it enjoys of the coastline. A panorama, taking in Rockabill Lighthouse, Colt Church, Shenick and Lambay Islands may be seen, including Sliabh Foy, the highest of the Cooley Mountains, and the Mourne Mountains can be seen sweeping down to the sea.

Ardgillan Castle is open all year round. Access to the castle is by guided tour only. Tours are available on demand. The team of tour guides is experienced, with a great knowledge and understanding of the castle and its family occupants, The Taylors.

The Ardgillan Castle tour is approximately one hour long. Many periods of social history are brought to life with the focus firmly on the family who once lived in the castle. Visitors get the chance to explore the castle and enjoy the same atmosphere that the Taylors experienced from 1738, when the castle was built right up to 1962, when it was eventually sold.

The park area is the property of Fingal County Council and was opened to the public as a regional park in 1985. What was an arable farm was transformed  into a public park. Five miles of footpaths were provided throughout the demesne, some by opening old avenues, while others were newly constructed. They now provide a system of varied and interesting woodland, walks and vantage points from which to enjoy breath-taking views of the sea, the coastline and surrounding countryside. A sign-posted cycle route through the park means that cyclists can share the miles of walking paths with pedestrians.

Opening Hours:
Ardgillan Castle is open all year round, but times vary by month.
Tours are currently self-guided only.
Please contact in advance for groups of over 10 people.
Admission to all the gardens is free.
For current opening times of the park, gardens and house, check here.

Contact & Pricing:
ardgillancastle.ie
eventardgillan@fingal.ie
Tel: 01 849 2212
Adults €5; concessions

The Ark

The Ark

The Ark is a unique, purpose-built cultural centre in the heart of Dublin’s Temple Bar, where children aged 2 -12 can explore theatre, music, literature, art, film, dance and more. The programme of world class performances, exhibitions and creative workshops changes every few weeks.

The Ark has a very busy programme for schools, providing primary school children with an exciting and enjoyable encounter with high-quality culture. The Ark aims to allow children to nurture their imaginations in an inspirational yet structured setting.

The Ark was designed by Michael Kelly and Shane O’Toole of Group 91 Architects and has received awards and praise for its innovative and contemporary design. Housed on the site of a former Presbyterian Meeting House (1728), it incorporates the carefully restored front facade of the church. It extends to 1,500 square meters (16,000 square feet) and houses a theatre, a gallery and a workshop.

The Ark’s core space, the Theatre, has been built to intimate proportions so as not to intimidate children. The amphitheatre-shaped space also adds to the feeling of warmth, and ensures that the audience feels closely connected to the performances.

“The Ark was one of the great and certainly one of the most enduring initiatives to come out of the reinvention of Temple Bar. My children loved the place, so warm and welcoming and fairly fizzing with creativity, and now that they are too old for it – but then, is one ever too old for The Ark? – they recall it with vivid fondness. Long may this wonderful children’s centre thrive.” [John Banville, novelist and screenwriter]

“I had a fantastic experience working with all the people at The Ark on The Giant Blue Hand. I found them hugely enthusiastic, extremely committed and with the highest production values, as high, if not higher than in any other professional theatre company. I honestly feel this production at The Ark has raised the bar for children’s theatre in this country.” [Marina Carr, Playwright, ‘The Giant Blue Hand’]

Opening Hours:
Event dates, times and prices vary. Advance booking is recommended (no refunds).

Bookings can be made online, or from the box office.
The box office is open Tuesday-Friday from 10am – 4pm, and one hour before performances and workshops on weekends and in the evening.

Groups attending events at The Ark can claim one free ticket with every 10 purchased, and can reserve tickets without having to make full payment at the time of the reservation.
Contact venue to discuss group bookings.

Contact & Pricing:
ark.ie
boxoffice@ark.ie
Tel: 01 670 7788
11a Eustace St, Temple Bar, Dublin 2
Tickets from €15; discounts for schools & large groups

Aviva Stadium

Aviva Stadium

Aviva Stadium, also known as Lansdowne Road, is the home stadium of the Irish football and rugby teams. It has capacity for over 50,000 spectators and is Ireland’s first, and only, UEFA Category 4 Stadium.

Aviva Stadium is built on one of the oldest sports grounds in the world, the first ever international athletic meeting took place there in 1876. It was called Lansdowne Road until 2007, but the when the old stadium was demolished for redevelopment, it was reopened as the Aviva Stadium in 2010 after the naming rights were bought by Aviva Group.

Opening Hours:
Tours of the stadium were available until 2020, but currently the only way to access it is by attending a ticketed sport or music event. The best time to attend the stadium is during the annual Six Nations Rugby Championship between February and March. However, tickets for these events are often sold out well in advance, or only available from re-sellers with huge mark-ups. Check here to see upcoming events.

Contact:
avivastadium.ie
info@avivastadium.ie
Tel: 01 238 2300
Lansdowne Road, Ballsbridge, Dublin 4

Bank of Ireland / House of Lords

Bank of Ireland (House of Lords)

Visit the former Irish Houses of Parliament. This was the world’s first purpose-built two-chamber parliament house. Built in 1729, the building was purchased in 1803 by the Bank of Ireland (in the wake of the Irish Parliament’s abolition in 1801).

wikipedia/Irish_Houses_of_Parliament

Extensive repair and restoration work is due to start in 2024, this may impact visitors.

Opening Hours:
Mon to Fri: 10am – 4pm
Guided tours, Tuesdays only: 10:30am, 11:30am, 1:45pm
Access may not be allowed to the House of Lords Chamber if the area is closed for a private function.

Contact & Pricing:
bankofireland.com
Tel: 01 677 6801
2 College Green, Dublin 2.
Admission free

Blessington Street Basin

Blessington Street Basin

A picturesque walled park with a landscaped walk around a large lake and plenty of places to sit. Built in the early 19th century to provide a clean water supply to the north of the city. From the 1860’s on, the Basin’s water was used to supply distilleries in Bow Street (Jamesons) and John’s Lane (Powers) until 1976. Completely refurbished in 1993/94 and now a quiet city haven, providing a “secret garden” for local residents and visitors alike. Bird sanctuary on the central island.

Birdwatching Dublin is a fan of Blessington St Basin. Their website notes: “This is a hidden gem … There is an island in the middle of the pond and beautiful plants and trees throughout. Therefore it attracts a variety of waterfowl as well as typical parkland birds and gulls.” See some fine wildlife photos here.

Opening Hours:
Open every day from 10am; closing time varies in line with nightfall.

Contact & Pricing:
dublincity.ie
Blessington Street Basin, Dublin 7
Tel: 01 222 5278
Free admission

Bull Island and Dollymount Strand

Bull Island, or more properly North Bull Island, is an island located in Dublin Bay, about 5 km long and 800 m wide, lying roughly parallel to the shore off Clontarf, Raheny, Kilbarrack, and facing Sutton. The island, with a sandy beach known as Dollymount Strand running its entire length, is a relatively recent result of human intervention in the bay.

In times past, Dublin Bay had a long-running problem with silting, notably at the mouth of the River Liffey. After years of primitive dredging, an attempt to maintain a clear channel more effectively got under way when in 1715 construction of the Great South Wall began. In 1761, work on a stone pier commenced, working from the Poolbeg Lighthouse back to shore.

It was during this period that the building of a North Bull Wall was also proposed. When it was seen that the South Wall did not solve the silting problem, the authorities responsible for Dublin Port commissioned studies on the matter. Captain William Bligh, of “Bounty” fame, surveyed Dublin Bay for the Ballast Board in 1801, highlighting the potential of the North Bull sandbank.

A wooden bridge, the first Bull Bridge, was erected in 1819 to facilitate the construction of a stone wall. Started in 1820, the Bull Wall was completed in 1825.

Over the succeeding 48 years, the natural tidal effects created by the walls deepened the entry to the Liffey from 1.8 m to 4.8 m. Much of the silt now scoured from the river course was deposited on the North Bull, and a true island began to emerge, with people venturing out to the growing beach. The volume of visitors was increased when horse tram services to Clontarf began in 1873, and when a full tram line to Howth opened 1900, with stops in the Clontarf / Dollymount area.

In 1889, the Royal Dublin Golf Club, then located at Sutton, received permission to lay out a golf course at the city end of the island, and construct a clubhouse.

The island is connected to the mainland by the Bull Bridge, today a one-lane wooden road bridge (with weight and height restrictions) at the southern (Clontarf/ Dollymount) end, and by a broad causeway at Raheny.

Most of North Bull Island is the property of Dublin City Council, the exception being North Bull Wall, the breakwater beyond it, and the wooden bridge to it, which are owned by the Dublin Port Company (and closed for a day each year to ensure that no right of way is created), and the Royal Dublin Golf Club links. The bulk of the island makes up the largest park owned by the city.

North Bull Island has the most designations of any site in the Republic of Ireland and its importance for nature conservation has been recognised since 1914. It was the first National Bird Sanctuary (1931). Since 1981 it has been designated a biosphere reserve by UNESCO, the only biosphere reserve in the world located entirely in a capital city.

In 1988, it became a National Nature Reserve. It is of European Union importance, being a Special Protection Area under the EU Birds Directive and a Special Area of Conservation under the EU Habitats Directive. It is also a National Special Amenity Area since 1995, one of 3 in the Republic of Ireland. This recognises both its outstanding beauty and nature conservation values.

Bird species on the island include pale-bellied brent geese, Eurasian curlews, Eurasian oystercatchers, grey plovers, northern shovellers, little egrets, reed buntings and little terns. There are six terrestrial mammal species on the island: brown rats, red foxes, field mice, Irish hares, hedgehogs and European rabbits. Common seals and grey seals are also found in the surrounding waters and can regularly be seen on the sand at low tide at the tip of the island near Howth.

The Island is a breeding site. It is also home to many species of plants including the bee orchid, pyramidal orchid, Marsh Helleborine, Bee orchid and common spotted orchids. There is an Interpretative Centre at the end of the causeway on the right hand side which has displays and information on the flora and fauna of the island.

Dollymount Strand, the 5 km beach on the island, is a popular walking and recreational area. Many people learned to drive on the firm flat sandy foreshore at low tide. Parking areas allow access for those who wish to sit in their cars and look out to sea watching the ships and ferries. The island has two golf courses, the more famous belonging to the Royal Dublin Golf Club, and the newer to St. Anne’s Golf Club.

This information has been adapted from the excellent Wikipedia article cited below.

wikipedia.org/wiki/Bull_Island

Butlers Chocolate Experience

Butlers Chocolate Experience

What really goes on behind the doors of a working chocolate factory? Where does Butlers chocolate come from and how it is made? Would you like to learn about the different types of chocolate and how handcrafted Butlers Chocolate assortments, fudge and toffee, hot chocolate and the finest chocolate bars are created?

Find out by booking a guided tour at the Butlers Chocolate Experience, with plenty of chocolate tastings along the way. Watch the Chocolate Movie, wander around the Chocolate Museum, savour the aroma from the Chocolate Gallery and decorate your own chocolate novelty to bring home in the Chocolate Experience room.

Although the company was founded in 1932, the Butlers Irish Chocolates brand was not created till 1984. In 2011 Butlers Chocolates were named Food & Drink Exporter of the Year at the Irish Exporters Awards.

Opening Hours:
Tours available Tues to Sun: 10am, 1pm & 3.30pm. Tour times can be subject to change.
All bookings must be made in advance.
Check the official website booking calendar for current tour availability.
Please note that the factory is not operational on weekends and bank holidays.

Contact & Pricing:
butlerschocolates.com/factory-tour
experience@butlers.ie
Tel: 01 671 0599
Butlers Chocolates, Clonshaugh Business Park, Dublin 17
Tickets: €16.95