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CRUISING TO IRELAND:
DUBLIN CITY ATTRACTIONS page four |
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The Guinness Storehouse is reportedly the most popular attraction in Ireland. It tells the story of hos stout, a form of beer, is made and the history of the Guinness company. The building which now houses the Storehouse was a fermentation plant constructed in 1902. In 1997, it was decied to turn the building into a visitor center and it opened to the public in 2000. In addition to the exhibits, it has a Guinness store and the Gravity Bar with panoramic views over Dublin. For more information
Along the same lines, several of the companies that make Irish Whiskey in Dublin now have visitor centers. These include the Pearse Lyons Distillery (below left) and the Teeling Distillery (below right) not far from the Guiness Storehouse and the Old Jameson Distillery (not shown) on the north band of the Liffy. For more information: Pearse Lyons; Teeley; Jameson.
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Going further west, you come to the Irish Museum of Modern Art (IMMA). It houses the National Collection of Irish Art in a historic building, which is located in a park-like setting. (See separate feature). According to IMMA, it is the second most visited free attraction in Ireland.
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Nearby is Kilmainham Gaol. Built as a prison for the Dublin area in 1796, Kilmainham was notorious for its poor conditions and overcrowding. However, its primary importance is its role in the movement for Irish independence from Britain. Nearly all of the leaders of the various rebellions against British rule in the 19th and 20th centuries were imprisoned at Kilmainham. Indeed, the execution of the leaders of the failed 1916 Rising at Kilmainham was a major factor in galvanizing public opinion against the British, which eventually led to independence. Kilmainham was used briefly by the Irish Free State government during the Irish Civil War but was closed in 1924. It sat derelict until the 1960s when a grass-roots group began restoration efforts. Today, it is a museum that includes exhibits and tours. For more information.
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Crossing over to the north side of the Liffey, you come to Phoenix Park. Created as a royal hunting grounds in the 1660s, it became a public park in 1747. Today, it is the largest enclosed park in any European capital. In addition to open spaces, it includes Dublin's zoological park, a fortress, Victorian flower gardens, a prehistoric burial chamber and the Wellington Testimonial (the Duke of Wellington was born in Dublin). For more information.
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Also on the north side of the Liffey is the National Museum of Decorative Arts. Part of the National Museum of Ireland, it has exhibits on a diverse range of topics including such things as design, history, Asian art, furniture, silver, coins, ceramics, glassware, and folklife.
The museum is housed in Collins Barracks. Begun in 1701, this complex was the barracks first for the British Army and then after 1922, the Irish Defense Forces. Its Neoclassical buildings have been redeveloped for museum use but the complex is still used as a set for movies with historical plots. For more information |
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Continuing eastwards, you come to Four Courts also on the north bank of the Liffey. Four Courts is the center of Ireland's legal world, housing the Supreme Court, the High Court and the Dublin Circuit Court. (Until 2010, it also housed the Central Criminal Court). Built between 1786 and 1796, the building is largely the work of James Gandon, who also designed the Custom House.
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Located north of the Liffey in Parnell Square, the Hugh Lane Gallery (right) is devoted to modern and contemporary art. Its collection includes works by Manet, Monet, Renoir and Degas. (See separate feature).
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Next to the Hugh Lane, the Dublin Writers Museum (left) is housed in a 18th mansion nearby. It looks at the lives of Ireland's great writers including Joyce, Yeats, Wilde, Shaw and others.
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Cruise destination - Ireland - Dublin City Attractions - page 4