Dublin Vacations

St. Patrick’s Cathedral is the largest church in the country, and reputedly built on the site where St. Paddy himself baptized Irish heathens. Jonathan Swift, the cathedral’s most famous Dean, is buried to the right of the southwest entrance.

The grounds of Ireland’s most prestigious university, Trinity College, are a glorious place to spend an early Sunday morning. Literary buffs especially love a stroll around this masterpiece of Georgian architecture and landscaping—Oscar Wilde and Samuel Beckett are alumni.

Dubbed “Dublin’s cultural quarter,” Temple Bar has retained its medieval pattern of narrow cobblestone streets and is full of cafés, bars, art galleries, a farmers’ market and quaint one-of-a-kind boutiques.

Connoisseurs and novices alike find out everything they ever wanted to know about uisce beatha (whiskey) at the Old Jameson Distillery. Located on the original 1780 site, it offers tutored tasting tours and a shop that sells bottles difficult to find outside of Ireland.

Still run by the original family, John Kavanagh’s has changed little over the past 150 years. A true classic, the pub is nicknamed Gravediggers after workers at the adjacent Glasnevin Cemetery, who were served through a secret hatch so they could drink on the job.

Woody and rustic, Porterhouse is Dublin’s oldest microbrewery. It only sells its own label, but it’s exceptional stuff. The pub food is delicious too. Classics like Bangers and mash and Irish Stew are the perfect accompaniment to the Oyster Stout, made with real oysters and Brain Blásta ale.