Dublin City Tour

Dublin has all the attractions of a modern city, combined with beauty and heritage of the past. Even though the economic climate has seen us move away from what was called “the Celtic Tiger” we are left with a boomtown which has an array of elegant stores, Hotels, Galleries, Art Houses, Coffee houses and a stunning variety of Restaurants on almost every street in the capital. About one third of the Irish population 3.6million live in Dublin and its suburbs.

Our Dublin tour will be made up of a half day tour (4hours) or a full day tour (8 hours) and will include the following highlights; Trinity College, St Patricks Cathedral, Dublin Castle, Kilmainham Gaol, Guinness Brewery, Jameson Distillery ,& National Gallery etc

Trinity College was founded in 1592 by Queen Elizabeth 1 to ‘civilise’ Dublin and is Ireland’s oldest and most famous college. Ireland’s largest collection of books and manuscripts is housed in the Trinity College Library. It’s Principle treasure is the 8th century hand-illuminated Book of Kells, generally considered the most striking manuscript ever produced in the Anglo – Saxon world and one of the greatest masterpieces of early Christian art. No visit to Trinity would be complete without a visit to the Long Library which houses approx 100,000 antiquated books; here you will also find the oldest harp to be found in Ireland. The harp is also the state seal, and can be found on all government stationery.

We continue our tour around the city and to the oldest established region founded by the Vikings in the 10th century; here we will catch glimpses of the old walls of the city before we arrive at St Patricks Cathedral, which is named after the Patron saint of Ireland. St Patrick is said to have passed through Dublin during his mission in Ireland. Close to Cathedral just inside the gates of the adjoining park lies a well where it is reputed that St Patrick baptised converts from paganism to Christianity. To commemorate his visit, a small wooden church was built on this site and in 1191 St Patricks was raised to the status of Cathedral, and the present building, the largest church in the country, was erected between 1200 and 1270. One of the most famous Deans of St Patricks was the writer and satirist Jonathan Swift 1713-1745, his grave and epitaph are situated near the entrance of the cathedral.

For seven centuries Dublin Castle was the symbol of English rule, ever since the Anglo-Normans built a fortress here in the 13th century. All that remains of the original structure is Record Tower and the Butt of the Powder Tower. Following a fire in 1684, the Surveyor–General, Sir William Robinson, laid down the plans for the Upper and Lower castle Yards. On the Upper Yard you will find the Luxury State Apartments including St Patricks Hall. These rooms with their finely laid Killybegs Carpets, and Chandeliers of Waterford Glass, served as the home to the British-appointed Viceroys of Ireland.
Today Dublin Castle is open to the public providing that there are no state functions taking place.
Tours are with castle guides only and run on scheduled times

Guinness/Jameson

Guinness Brewery @ The Guinness Storehouse is a dramatic story that begins over 250 years ago and ends in the Gravity Sky Bar with a complimentary pint of Guinness, and astonishing views of Dublin! Often Surprising, always entertaining, the adventure begins the moment that you walk through the door. The STOREHOUSE was originally built in 1904 to house the GUINNESS fermentation process. This incredible building was constructed in the style of the Chicago school of architecture, with massive steel beams providing the support for the structure of the building. The STOREHOUSE building housed the fermentation of GUINNESS beer until 1988, and in November 2000, the new addition to the Dublin tourism offer opened its doors.
The core of the GUINNESS STOREHOUSE building is modelled on a giant pint glass, stretching up from reception on the ground floor to The Gravity Bar in the sky. If filled, this giant pint would hold approximately 14.3 million pints of GUINNESS! As you wander up through the Guinness Storehouse you will discover what goes into making the black stuff, the ingredients, the processes, and the passion. You will meet Arthur Guinness and find out how the drink that carries his name has been transported around the world. You will also see the witty advertisements that Guinness have used over the years.

GUINNESS STOREHOUSE is also home to the GUINNESS Flagship Retail Store – packed with exclusive merchandise and memorabilia.
And/or ...........travel across the river liffey, to the heart of the city to the Old Jameson Distillery which captures the imagination and spirit of the Ireland. Originally built in 1780, this distillery was once considered one of the largest and Distilleries in the world. It has been recreated to its former glory, and is now an award winning visitor centre. Take the personal guided tour of the old Distillery, the journey begins with a ten minute video and takes you through the various stages of distillation and to the old bar where you can enjoy a complimentary glass of Uisce Beatha (water of Life). Volunteer visitors are given an opportunity to take part in tutored tasting, comparing selected Irish whiskeys against a scotch and bourbon Whisk (e)y, for which they will receive a diploma conferring them with the title “Certified Irish Whiskey Taster.
Our Dublin City tours can be varied and can be carried out over one two days to include many more interesting places to visit; If you have anywhere in mind please don’t hesitate to contact us.

Kilmainham Jail

One of the largest unoccupied gaols in Europe. Kilmainham Jails history covers some of the most heroic and tragic events in Ireland's emergence as a modern nation from 1780s to the 1920s. Attractions include a major exhibition detailing the political and penal history of the prison and its restoration. The tour of the prison includes an audio-visual show. Tours may be arranged for visitors with special needs by prior arrangement.

Georgian Dublin

Why was this period, from about 1700 onwards, so important in the history of Dublin? For one thing, very much of what you see about you today, in the inner city, only dates from the eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries. It is the period sometimes called the 2Georgian Era", so named from the kings who reigned in Britain and Ireland at that time. The eighteenth century saw the rapid growth in the size and population of Dublin. The city prospered, the mediaeval walls were swept away and new broad streets and fine squares were built on what had been open land on both sides of the River Liffey. The river was embanked and graceful bridges were built. This expansion took place despite the restrictions imposed on Irish trade by the British Parliament, which claimed the right to make laws for Ireland. This claim was, in the end, effectively defeated by the Irish Parliament, when, in 1782, its legislative independence was acknowledged by the British. That legislative independence was short lived. It ended with the Act of Union (1800), in the wake of the rebellion of 1798. But as the capital of the Kingdom of Ireland, Dublin became famous, in the eighteenth century, for its elegance. However, there were great contrasts between the rich and the poor, as in other European cities of the time.

National Gallery

This purpose-built gallery was opened to the public in 1864. It houses many excellent exhibits, with more than 2,000 works on display. Although there is much emphasis on Irish Landscape art and portraits, every major school of European painting is well represented.

Dublin’s Writers Museum

Dublin is famous as a city of writers and literature, and the Dublin Writers Museum is an essential visit for anyone who wants to discover, explore, or simply enjoy Dublin's immense literary heritage.
At the Writers Museum, Dublin’s literary celebrities from the past three hundred years are brought to life through their books, letters, portraits and personal items.

Whatever you think you know about Irish literature, you’re sure to find something to astound and delight you at the Dublin Writers Museum. Did you know, for example, that Oscar Wilde was a promising pugilist during his days at Trinity College, and that Samuel Beckett, had he not turned out to be one of the most influential writers of the twentieth century, would also have made a name for himself in the TCD cricket first eleven ?