Celebrate 1916
I know I know, it’s 2017! But that shouldn’t stop any visitors to Ireland’s capital city from learning about the famous 1916 Rebellion. Last year was the centenary celebrations and there are still many places throughout the city to learn about those 1,200 volunteers who rose up against the might of the British Army in Easter 1916. All over Dublin city, from The GPO on O’Connell Street to Mount Street to our very own Kingfisher Restaurant, there are large and small points of interest for those who want to know a little bit about this harrowing time in Ireland’s history.
Discover literary Dublin
Our beloved city has been the inspiration behind countless plays, books and poems throughout the centuries; Explore the haunts of esteemed Irish writers like Wilde, Yeats and Beckett, as well as visiting theatres, bridges and snug little pubs the famous writers frequented.
Go mountain biking!
We love sitting down and feasting on some wholesome home cooked food at The Kingfisher, but we also love getting on our bikes and exploring the great outdoors. If a rush of adrenaline and some beautiful scenery is what you fancy to get the blood pumping, Ticknock Mountain on Dublin’s Southside has some fantastic mountain biking trails for beginners, intermediate and advanced cyclists. And the views…well the views are spectacular!
Take a walking tour
There are plenty of walking tours on both the Northside and the Southside of the city. The type of tours vary from ancient tours of the city, hidden parts and unknown stories to tours with a more modern focus. There are tours and companies to cater for all sizes and groups and prices vary depending on your budget! Do your research and you won’t go wrong.
Discover Dublin’s Quarters
The Medieval quarter is the oldest part of Dublin city, encompassing the area around St. Patrick’s Cathedral, Christchurch and Dublin Castle. Between St. Stephen’s Green and Trinity College right up to the canal is the Georgian Quarter. This is the epitome of gentrification and well worth a look! Heading back towards the city centre is the Antique Quarter which offers a vast array of collectables, art, and of course, antiques! Finally the tech quarter is located down by the docks. This is where the fast paced modern tech companies have brought some of the world’s best and brightest.
Temple Bar
Love it or hate it, Temple Bar is an absolute must for anyone visiting Dublin! While it may be loud and very busy (especially at weekends!) it is hugely popular for a reason…bars and music! It is a mecca for hens and stags and groups of revellers looking for a good time in the city. During the day get lost wandering around the many craft shops, second hand clothes stores and tattoo parlours. Temple Bar is quite cool but remember it’s quite expensive, Especially the food…!
Dublin’s Pubs
If it’s one thing we Irish do well, it is the local pub! All too often when people visit Dublin they get sucked into places such as Temple Bar and while it is definitely worth visiting for a look and maybe a drink, this isn’t really where you will meet a local and sample the ‘real Dublin’. Having travelled quite a bit to many cities I can honestly say I have never been to a city with such a selection of great pubs! Just ask in the restaurant or the townhouse when you visit us where we recommend and we’ll point you in the right direction of a traditional pub that we know you’ll just love!
Phoenix Park
I absolutely love going for a walk or a jog any time of the year in the largest city park in Europe! Phoenix Park is just a short ride from The Kingfisher and houses Dublin Zoo, Farmleigh House and the residence to the President of Ireland. It is over 1,750 acres and has wild deer which are especially amazing to see during rutting season in mid-Autumn. Go for a coffee in the spring or soak up the sun during the summer…if we get some sun!!!
Croke Park
Croke Park is the largest stadium for any amateur sport in the world and hosts matches played in our traditional sports of Gaelic Football and Hurling. These sports are fierce and physical and every summer teams from all over Ireland compete against each other in the All Ireland Championship. The stadium itself can seat over 82,000 people and the atmosphere is absolutely electric, especially during the summer months. It was also the scene of a massacre in 1920. Walking tours are available throughout the year. The Kingfisher is one of the most popular places to eat for people who have travelled to Dublin from ‘down the country’, and on match days the atmosphere from our restaurant right up to Croke Park is electric!
Sample the local food
Well I couldn’t write my first blog without mentioning our beloved Kingfisher Restaurant! No trip to Ireland or to Dublin would be complete without sampling some traditional Irish food. And if there’s one thing we really know here, it’s how to serve up a good Irish breakfast, a wholesome lunch or a hearty Irish dinner. We love our fish and have been perfecting it for 40 years now. Our Irish breakfast is what keeps the football and hurling fans coming back year after year, and I’m pretty sure our friendly local service won’t be beaten anywhere in Dublin!
So, that’s it for my very first blog of 2017! I hope you enjoyed it and really look forward to writing more as the year progresses. Don’t hesitate to get in touch with any queries and I promise I’ll do my very best to help!
See you soon!
Gillian x
