Travel

Culture and craic collide on a family adventure in the Irish capital

VIBRANT, compact, exciting and full of possibilities.

If I was asked to describe Dublin in four-ish words, after a recent visit with my family, that would be my answer.

It was not our first trip to the city, but it proved to be one of our most memorable, largely due to our proximity to some of the most iconic attractions that the Irish capital has to offer.

This time, we would be staying right in the heart of the action in Dublin’s famed Temple Bar.

And that was to be an exciting first for us all.

The Temple Bar area is Dublin's cultural quarter

Located on the south bank of the River Liffey, this is an area widely deemed the city’s cultural centre.

So, it was with much anticipation that we packed up and headed across the Irish Sea to sample Dublin from its very core. And it did not disappoint.

This is a capital that has been talked about, written about, indeed raved about for generations.

Tucked away on the eastern edge of the Emerald Isle, this cosmopolitan bolthole offers a significant juxtaposition to the green and luscious lands that blanket the counties that border it and stretch on across the island.

Framed by mountains and edged by a beautiful bay, the city itself is an urban metropolis which is home to as much culture and craic as it is industry and innovation.

Once home to some of Ireland’s historic cultural icons - Oscar Wilde, Samuel Beckett and James Joyce to name but a few, today Dublin has expanded in size and stature and while it retains its many claims to cultural fame it is also now a favoured spot for some of the world’s largest multinational firms.

The Temple Bar Hotel is perfectly located in the heart of the actions

Microsoft, Google and Apple have all put down substantial roots in the capital over the years, and many more tech startups have successfully launched out of the city too.

Dublin as it stands today, may be slight in comparison to some other cities, but it is mighty. And it more than provides in terms of things to do on a city break with the family.

More often than not when we return to Ireland, the capital is a mere stop gap on route to one of the counties further into the island where our relatives reside.

So, for this trip it was something of a luxury to actually set down roots in the city for a few days.

And what made it truly a trip to remember was the hotel which would become our temporary home.

Nestled in the vibrant cultural quarter that is Temple Bar is the Temple Bar Hotel.

Located on Fleet Street, this is positioned right at the epicentre of an area which is renowned for its art, music, and cultural heritage.

The cobbled streets on which is sits are simply thriving, they are buzzing with life and rich with hope, history and entertainment at every turn. And there is nowhere more welcoming to lay your hat than at this hotel.

The warmth of the initial greeting we received from the obliging team on our arrival was only the start of it.

We would soon find that those smiles and the efforts they would go to to ensure we were comfortable, relaxed and educated on where to head to enjoy the best of the city - and how to get there – were limitless.

They seemed genuinely happy to have us and wanted us to enjoy ourselves, and that truly is one of the things that sets a great hotel apart from a good one.

There are cultural attractions to enjoy throughout Temple Bar's cobbled streets

Once we were settled in, refreshed and armed with a handy map and some good advice from the reception desk, it was time to explore.

Although you really don’t have to move very far from this hotel to find yourself in the thick of the city.

It’s literally there on your doorstep.

Art galleries, live music venues, coffee shops, restaurants, bars, theatres, street performers, anything you can think of really is within touching distance.

As such it is a popular spot for tourists, with travellers from all over the world checking in in order to check out the capital.

And that brings an enjoyable multicultural element to proceedings as you pass through the streets of this historic city.

It is very easy to fill a few days of sightseeing here.

Within walking distance from the Temple Bar Hotel, once you’ve indulged in the delights of Temple Bar itself, are some of the Dublin's most iconic spots.

Trinity College, the Guinness Storehouse, the EPIC Emigration Museum, the Jameson Distillery, Grafton Street, St Stephen’s Green, the National Museum of Ireland.

All of these and more are right there ready for your perusal.

But staying at this so well positioned hotel also gives you the luxury of choice.

On any given day, you can pick up your boots and head into the streets for a slice of the action, or you can choose to order a coffee, pick a decent spot and watch the frivolity unfold before you from the hotel’s ample, inviting Buskers Bar.

You will have some important decisions to make here too, as Buskers is part live music bar and restaurant and part sports bar.

A warm welcome awaits you at Buskers Bar

At the ground floor level there is all sorts of food, drinks and musical entertainment to keep you more than satisfied, as well as the ample people-watching opportunities afforded from the outdoor seating area.

While staying there, we were lucky enough to catch their first ever Battle of the Buskers event, which saw actual buskers from across Ireland perform at the venue before a live audience in a bid to win a €5k prize.

There was some serious talent on the bill that night. And if you get a chance to get along to one of these sessions, I suggest you do so. You may well find yourself enjoying an intimate gig with Ireland’s next big musical thing.

But there is more to enjoy too.

If you head down to the basement level of the bar, it becomes Buskers on the Ball.

Now this is a wonderland for kids of all ages, especially the really big ones!

Get your game face on at Buskers on the Ball

Picture multiple dartboards, three ping pong tables, seven pool tables, foosball, air hockey, shuffleboards, and classic arcade games like Pacman and Street Fighter and you are on the right track here.

So, when I say there is something for everyone at Buskers, I really mean it.

It also means that there is far more to the Temple Bar Hotel than first meets the eye.

Yes, it provides the perfect base for your exploration of Dublin and the rich culture of the city, but it is also a hotspot itself - one of the many venues that collectively make up the culture and craic that is the pull of Temple Bar.

It turns out that Temple Bar is much more than a sightseeing haunt; it is a cultural phenomenon and the Temple Bar Hotel is a gem of a spot from which to enjoy it.

Top spots to explore while in Dublin:

EPIC The Irish Emigration Museum

Explore Ireland's emigration stories at EPIC

Do not miss the opportunity to visit the award-winning Epic: The Irish Emigration Museum while in Dublin.

This excellent interactive experience tells the story of those who have emigrated out of their homeland over the centuries and the impact of their arrival in lands new.

All sections of society and reasons for their emigration are covered in this fascinating exhibit, which will answer questions about the movement of Irish people across the world that you didn’t know you needed answered.

The Jeanie Johnston Famine Ship

The Jeanie Johnston tells Ireland's famine ship story

Close by to the EPIC: The Irish Emigration Museum in Dublin’s Docklands is the Jeanie Johnston Famine Ship.

Now this is another unique family-friendly exhibit which really should not be missed while in the capital.

Your tour of the replica famine ship, which in its day took 2,500 people out of Ireland on transatlantic voyages to North America, allows you to follow in the footsteps of those Irish people forced to flee the Famine.

Some of the facts are unsettling, but all of it is fascinating, and the experience provides more detail and historic artefacts about the reality of life on the so-called ‘coffin ships’ than you might be expecting.

Guinness Storehouse

Take the epic tour of the Guinness Storehouse

My goodness, don’t forget to stop at the Guinness Storehouse.

Whether a fan of the black stuff or not, it would be rude to leave the city without popping into the home of Guinness.

The self-guided tour takes you across seven floors full of immersive experiences which tell the tale of the drink, including how it came to be, how far it spread, why it remains so popular and what the future holds.

The tour ends right at the top of the building at the Gravity Bar.

With 360-degree views of Dublin city, a pint of the black stuff for every adult and soft drinks for the kids, what is not to like?

St Stephen’s Green

The James Joyce bust in St. Stephen's Green

If the rain holds – or even if it doesn’t, you won’t melt – make time while in the city for a stroll in the Victorian public park that is St Stephen’s Green.

Positioned in the centre of the capital, this welcome green oasis quickly tranports you away from the hustle and bustle of the streets that surround it.

You can access it from all sides and there is plenty to enjoy once you’re in there.

There are tree-lined walks, shrubberies, colourful flowerbeds and herbaceous borders as well as rockeries, an ornamental lake, a children’s playground and a sensory garden for the visually impaired.

History fans will enjoy the many sculptural monuments dotted throughout the park, which honour the likes of Theobold Wolfe Tone, Robert Emmet, Countess Constance Markievicz and James Joyce.