Students Hit Dublin

I can't highlight any of the experience because it all came together--I think if you read through my journal, you can make your own judgments, but they would not be fair, as you need to visit yourself!

Quick Tips:

Drink Guinness, play the spoons, try and walk around U2's hotel before you get thrown out, and do not stare at the spire after the Guinness--it will only make you ill. Hostels are very suitable for students in Dublin, and the no-curfew rule is required to see the best the nightlife offers.

Best Way To Get Around:

Walk! You meet more people that way, but buses are always fun. There are the normal ones or tourist ones, which can be very expensive. They're helpful, though, and drop you off at the 'must-sees'.

We decided to stay in two different hostels, one being on the north side of the Liffey -- Abraham House -- and one closer to the Temple Bar than the other – Kinlay House – which was slightly more expensive because of its situation. We stayed in Abraham House for the beginning of the holiday, and three of the four nights were spent in an extremely comfortable and airy room with a shower attached, which was very handy. The staff members were very kind and friendly, and even more so in the ‘no curfew’ time zone, which is a must for night explorers, as there is so much to see. Because we were travelling in February, the prices were lower then in peak times -- we paid roughly £16 a night (€20 approx), but this accommodated us extremely well, with the ‘continental breakfast’ of a croissant and orange juice. The shower was interesting; it seemed to command itself more than I did, but it was still very useful.

Kinlay House, once a boys’ boarding house, had to be my favourite hostel; I think this was a general agreement throughout the group. This seemed to be because of the sheer originality of the room, which, when studied, was on a tilt, whilst the window rang straight (but not at an angle to have any effect).

Situated near Temple Bar, we had a great view of the road below, considering we had walked up about five flights of stairs, as seen in the picture. It has an amazingly violet staircase that winds its way up seven stories and can be quite nauseating in a rush. Again, we had no curfew and made good use of this, returning to cholesterol–building cooked breakfasts, clean bedding, and plug sockets, which were rare in Abraham House. Being on Lord Edward Street, the priced was bumped up to £18 a night (€22 approx), but we had access to luggage storage, which was tremendously valuable on a return date.

This is a must for all students, Dublin lovers, and most of all, beer lovers. This is mainly associated with the city and not the creator–we all have our own images of Guinness. This completely changed for me by making a trip to the storehouse, found in the city centre; everyone takes in all the extravagant exhibitions differently, from the indoor waterfalls to the history of the advertisements. Around every corner is a surprise, and there is definitely not a shortage of interactive things to do. You manage to wind up going through the building and covering 4 acres of land, or so I’m told, but there are so many sights that you forget where you are until you reach the Gravity Bar.

This is where I was instantly nauseated by the combination of height and Guinness aromas. Using your entry ticket, in the shape of a light paperweight containing a small amount of Guinness itself, you can receive your complimentary pint and grab a seat to soak in the sights and atmosphere of Dublin from a height. Personally, I would try and do this at sunset, a truly awesome beauty in my experience.

An alternative is to have lunch in the restaurant (try the soup!) or nosy around the gift store, which has some very entertaining souvenirs!

I can only say that the Guinness Storehouse is great fun. Some may prefer just to grab a pint with the locals in the city, but the museum has something to interest everyone.

Opening times:

July and August 9:30am to 10pm
Rest of the year 9:30am to 5pm
Open all bank holidays
Closed: Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, St. Stephens Day, and Good Friday

Admission:
Adults: 13.50€
Students: (over 18) 9€, includes "free" pint of Guinness in the Gravity Bar
(under 18) 6.50€
Children: (6 to 12) 3€
Children: (Under 6) Free

This was one of the most overwhelming moments of the holiday; we spent hours walking around the campus in absolute admiration of the architecture and character of one of the most prestigious universities in the world. I have never experienced such a calm retreat; with the surroundings of sixteen hectares, you can lose yourself in this world and be inspired by the sheer amount of history contained in the centre of Dublin. Guarded by rails, walls, gigantic wooden doors, and statues, it remains one of the hardest higher-education institutions for undergraduates to be admitted to but continues to be a student’s educational recognition of Dublin.

Around every corner of this paved labyrinth, there is a new and even more significant building to investigate, ranging from the Old Library, which contains The Book of Kells (a compulsory trip), and Berkeley Library, which is home to millions of titles to work your way through.

The statues are important to the university, as they are the reminders of how and why Trinity College was created; many famous graduates have been produced here, the most legendary being Oscar Wilde, who lived down the road.

There are many tours around the campus, but I only truly appreciated this wonder when left to my own original routes to try and take everything in; there are more exits than first thought, so don’t be phased if you feel lost. The students are more than happy to give you directions.

For many years there has been a general assumption that the north side of the Liffey is a tougher area–this includes O’Connell Street. I never discovered this on our trip, and it seems to be a very general theory.

Grafton Street snakes its way from the gates of Trinity College to St. Stephens Green, showing off its four-storey Georgian buildings, which are, in my opinion, the heart of affluent Dublin. Renowned for its swanky shops, we hit the fashionable precinct in order to find ourselves some good deals. This soon proved to be mission impossible because the prices are tremendously high. It is, however, a nice walk, boasting oversized stores like HMV and Marks and Spencer’s. The street was named after the 17th-century Duke of Grafton, but it is more widely known for another slightly eroded famous figure. Molly Malone (who we used as a seat for lunch) leads us "bosoms first" into the hectic street with her legendary cart. We saw the street full of performers: lone folk singers, shaven-head street urchins, the occasional human statue, and random individuals making bird noises, which became (for me) highly entertaining to watch.

So after this, we were directed towards O’Connell Street. In comparison, it is immense and is immediately noticeable that there is a heavy sense of nostalgia rather than modernisation. It has been overrun with amusement arcades and fast-food shops, all trying to enhance O’Connell Street, which has not been a much of a success. One breathtaking improvement happens to be a 120m spire as the centrepiece; it was erected for the millennium celebrations. As ridiculous as it sounds, the light at the top was very handy, especially as a guide in our ventures home after a night out in Temple Bar.

But this cannot compensate. O’Connell Street has lost its after dark charm, but in the daytime, is definitely worth a wander. Both streets are so individual and to say there is a better one of the two would be unfair. Personally, the traffic and the Burger Kings do not impress me as much as the active and bubbly characteristics of Grafton Street.

It is not that often you see oversized leprechaun hats taking to the bustling streets of Dublin with such a lack of self-consciousness, bobbing through the crowds and performers and surrounded by charming Irish disdain.

But, as true British student style holidays go, it seemed necessary to invest in this headgear to complete our week away and cause further embarrassment to Dubliners as well as ourselves. Our defense was the need to carry on three of the city’s stereotypical traditions: Guinness, leprechaun myths, and shamrocks–all consumed in moderation . . .

Dublin is known for its lively and historic atmosphere, which is particularly welcoming to students like myself. Some will argue that it is best for stag nights, but in general, I think people will agree that if you manage to escape Temple Bar, the outskirts are simply stunning. We realised this whilst we sat freezing, straining our ears as we stubbornly refused to leave the top deck of a bus tour that took us around a well-trodden route for tourists.

The flights are exceptionally cheap and easy to purchase online. From East Midlands airport, it takes a matter of minutes (20 to be precise) to be greeted by the enchanting Irish accent. This makes it ideal for student travellers looking for time away.

Some quick notes:

Current exchange rate:

€1 = £0.70p

The current population is just over 1.1 million.

No need to take a passport for British citizens, as a driving license will do, which is a saviour for me since I hate my passport photo because I ever so slightly resemble Michael Jackson-due to printing errors of course.

Useful phrases:

- ní ólfaidh mé go brách aris (I am never ever drinking again)
- me belly tinks me trotes been cut (I’m rather hungry)

Because we only had 5 days there, there was no chance to visit everything, but over the years I have been able to make my own collection of memories, and the only place yet to see is Dublin Castle, though the colours are not too appealing. The National Gallery is for a rainy day, with a vast assortment of over 25,000 pieces of art; from Picasso to Pisarro, there is a never-ending amount of levels and corners to explore.

Temple Bar serves as a great wind down or for a more full on experience at night. Clientele usually include students, tourists, and the occasional grizzly old local. With no airs or graces to the area of Temple Bar or the actual pub, I was in shock by the heavy amount I had to pay for a drink. My favourite watering hole, aside from Temple Bar, is Café en Seine, where the extravagant cocktails, 12m high real trees, marble paneling, and 4m wide chandeliers suggest this is not a place for the fainthearted. You have to be able to settle in with the up-to-minute fashion.

My only other rant is that of Riverdance, something I have only really experienced in Nottingham’s Ice Centre, but the swirling music and pounding feet are not hard to hear in Dublin. The rhythm, for me, was mesmerising–"once born, never forgotten"-and I certainly caught myself doing my own little jig.