Dublin, Ireland

Official Languages: Gaelic, English Currency; Euro

Dublin is the capital of Ireland, a city on the East coast and at the mouth of the River Liffey. With a population of over 1 million people, Dublin is Irelands largest city. 40% of this population is under 25 years old, giving it a very vibrant, youthful feel. Many of the people have migrated to Dublin to work or study, and have given the city a reputation as a party city. Dublin has plenty of modern infrastructure, and most tourist attractions are located South of the river (though not all). The city is incredibly walkable, you can see most of the main sites on foot within a couple of days. Grab a pint of Guinness at one of the many pubs in the city, or check out some of the main tourist attractions below!

Temple Bar

Contrary to the name, Temple Bar is not only a bar, but a neighbourhood. You will find it on the south bank of the river Liffey, and is often described as Dublin’s ‘Bohemian Quarter’. Its full of cool buildings, cafes & pubs, food, and entertainment, and you can find live Irish (and american) music in pubs around every corner. This area is most known for its nightlife, but is still rather upbeat during the afternoons.

The Temple Bar pub itself dates back to 1840, and though basically always busy, is worth a stop in for the daily live music and some good ol’ craic. We ended up stopping into the Temple Bar Music Centre around the corner as well for some great live music and a pint of Guinness. Walk around the cobblestone streets, grab a pint, and listen to some local live music for a great evening (or late afternoon) in Dublin.

Trinity College

Trinity College & The Old Library within is a must see if you’re in Dublin.

The long library was built between 1712 and 1732, and contains over 200,000 books which are still used to this day. ‘Secret’ passageways are cut out of the upper level bookshelves to connect each bay to one another. Fun fact - as you wander through the library you may notice that there are no 'J’ sections for the books. At the time, J had not been introduced to the latin alphabet.

Trinity College also is home to the Book of Kells - a 9th century manuscript of the 4 gospels of the life of Jesus Christ. This book is said to be one of Irelands greatest treasures and the world’s most famous medieval manuscript out there.

Guiness Storehouse

The original Guinness brewery in the St. James Gate neighbourhood. The building in which the storehouse now resides was built in 1902 and was the fermentation plant for the St. James Gate Brewery. Guinness itself was founded by Arthur Guinness, and the plant was in use until 1988. During a self guided tour, you work your way up 7 floors in the museum shaped as the Guinness glass, each floor with a different purpose. You learn everything from water sourcing, harvesting the barley, toasting, adding hops, fermenting, transport, history & advertising, and turning Guinness into the final product. Interestingly enough, Guinness is actually ruby red colored, and the Guinness we drink back home in North America tastes significantly different than what you’ll find in Ireland. You can test your skills, pour your own pint and learn the mastery of the 120 second pour behind the perfect pint of Guinness. At the top of the museum is the 'Gravity’ bar with nearly 360° views of the city of Dublin, and definitely worth a visit while visiting the museum. Pour your pint, and head up top to enjoy the views!

Epic - Irish Emigration Museum

You won’t find any lucky charms, leprechauns or potatoes, but you will learn a lot about the people, hardships and successes they faced, and how the country’s diverse history has shaped Ireland.

I have to be honest - I knew very little about the history of Ireland before coming to EPIC, so most of this was news to me, and all the more reason why I enjoyed it so much. Sure, I knew that there was the potato famine, but didn’t realize how big of an impact it had on the country and its people. During the famine from 1845-1849, it is estimated that around 1 million people died, and another million emigrated from the country (though this wasn’t the start of the emigration of the Irish, but it certainly increased during this time). During the famine, they emigrated mainly to England, Scotland, Wales, Australia, and North America in hopes of starting a new life.

Not only does the museum showcase the rich history around the famine and recovery from it, it also highlights some huge successes that have come out of Ireland. Authors like James Joyce, Oscar Wilde & C.S. Lewis, not to mention the many musicians, inventors, discoverers, designers & athletes all have had a worldwide impact and that can traced back to Irish heritage.

A trip to EPIC in Dublin is a great way to spend a few hours to truly take in the history of the country, and learn a thing or two (or 20).