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8 am breakfast Lanyon’s Restaurant Davenport Hotel
Dark woods, tables set with white cloth and napkins, set a luxury tone. This morning, a business-related clientele fills the room. The full buffet breakfast (available each morning) includes both continental and Irish options. Everything you could wish for and as much as you want is offered. We stay with our standards and enjoy a hearty breakfast at a leisurely pace in this quiet dining room. Very nice start to the day.
9:30 am stop by Dublin Tourism Information Centre
From our hotel it’s a short walk alongside Trinity College to the Tourism Information Centre on Suffolk Street. Looking around, we harvest fistfuls of brochures, talk with a tourist aide and get tickets for the Hop-on Hop-off Green bus tour of the city.
9:45 am bus tour
We choose seats on the open air top level. From here, unencumbered by windows, we can clearly see all the sites. Passing the National Gallery, Leinster House, St. Stephen’s Green, the Temple Bar, Dublin Castle, and St Patricks Cathedral before hopping off at the Guinness Storehouse.
10:30 am tour Guinness Storehouse brewery, Ireland’s number one visitor attraction.
We explore all 7 floors of this grand historical building, central to Dublin’s and Ireland’s heritage. Interior is spectacular – floors connect via open escalators moving visitors upward. The rich Guinness heritage, from its origins here at St. James’s Gate to its growth as a global brand, known all around the world is the story told here. Takes time to fully appreciate detailed information on every level and fun activities for visitors. Of course we top it off (literally) with a visit to the tap bar at the top and order a Guinness pint with which to enjoy the magnificent 360° Dublin view.
1:30 pm hop back on tour bus
The second half of the route takes us past Kilmainham Gaol, Old Jameson Distillery and pass the Liffey River before delivering us to the end of the line. Now that we’ve got the lay of the land we will explore on foot.
2:30 pm lunch The Mongolian Barbecue Temple Bar
Small but busy so must be good. We take a bowl, fill it with raw ingredients we prefer, choosing a protein, veggies, spices and sauces. The cooks (2) prepare each selection on a huge hot circular surface using wooden sticks to move the food. Other patrons stand nearby waiting and watching their food being prepared. We all chat while making food choices and watch the preparation taking place. Great results, very delicious, fresh food.
3:30 pm explore Temple Bar area
An after lunch stroll takes us past the Temple Bar and shops in the area. The area is alive with shops for candy, food and coffee, mini-parks, a variety of architecture, galleries, book stores, colorful flowers blooming in hanging baskets, flags flying.
We tourist wander through the architecturally award winning Old City area of Temple Bar – “Dublin’s Cultural Quarter”. This historic area has morphed into pedestrianised street, outdoor cafe terraces, delicious eateries, high quality fashion, footwear, furniture, food and culture — and is very popular! Temple Bar refers to the whole area but we make a point to visit the actual Temple Bar pub for a pint. A touristy must but fun.
Temple Bar started off as just the name of a single street named after Sir William Temple who lived in a mansion nearby in the early 17th century. His garden ran down to the river banks from where there was a walk-way known as a bar which built up from river sediment. The bar walk-way was called after Temple hence Temple’s Bar or Temple Bar. The name appears on a map at least as far back as 1673. The usage of the name “Temple Bar”, referring to the whole area and not just to the short street which connects Fleet Street to Essex Street East, came out of a 1985 report “The Temple Bar Area – a Policy for the Future”.
7:30 pm see Overtime play at The New Theatre
The New Theatre is a 66 seat theatre housed in Dublin’s old Temple bar area. Productions are chosen by the Artistic Director, and have been met with critical acclaim both regionally and nationally. The New Theatre supports new writing and endeavours to provide a theatre experience to those who want to develop their artistic ability by giving them a space to create and produce in a professional setting. Over the last 17 years The New Theatre has grown in reputation and is associated with artistic support, creativity and has built an impressive catalogue of work.
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