Dublin at Dawn – Exploring Ireland’s capital city
As city’s go Dublin is one of both historical and modern influences. In the photo above you can see a sculpture erected in remembrance for those who perished during the Irish famine in the 1800s, and then standing tall in the background lies one of Dublin’s many grand modern buildings.
This is a pattern that is repeated consistently throughout the city and no matter where you look, you can see a wonderful ying-yang at play between the old and new.
Dublin city has a lot of heavy hitting factors that work in its favour and make it an attractive short city break. The first being its proximity to Europe and its international connections. Dublin is known as the door step to Europe.
It is close enough to it’s EU neighbours that it is only a short hop, skip, and a jump to visit but far enough that it offers something different and unknown to continental Europe.
Through the Gaelic Athletic Association and the island of Ireland’s vast diaspora community scattered around the world, Dublin has a unique connection to foreign countries.
From New York to Beijing to St. Petersburg you will always find an Irish pub and restaurant paying homage to the fair city, and quite possibly a GAA club as well.
The city during the day boasts eclectic architecture and buildings hundreds of years old. From Christ Church and Dublinia to beautifully modern grand canal docks Dublin city has it all.
A history fan will be spoilt in a city that is so connected to its past. The cobble lanes of Temple Bar pose a threat to those of you wearing high heels but they pave the way for a wonderful pub and bar scene that Dublin is so famous for.
Have a pint in The Temple Bar or dance your socks off to traditional music during the day and amazing tunes during the night at Bad Bob’s until the sun comes up.
I confess that I am born and bred Dublin and I am biased but because the city is a hub for people from all over the country and the world for that matter, the people of Dublin are what makes this city great.Regardless of where you go out in Dublin you’re guaranteed to be leaving with a smile on your face.
Besides the amazing scenery, the unmatched charm and general good vibes of Dublin City there is one factor that make it a must-visit city – the people.
Whether you’re a North Cider or a South Cider (well done to you who got that reference) we all share a vested interest in our little city.
I just so happened to be coming home from work, at 6am, yes that’s coming home and not going to. I worked as a part-time bartender and bar-back in one of the fair city’s own pub and nightclub and I had an hour and a half to kill before my bus home.
So I decided to go exploring on a brisk Saturday morning, in November, and what I discovered was something quite magical.
A calmness, otherwise scarce to find in Dublin City, besides it’s public parks, had settled over the streets, roads and bridges. The sky was inked with a deep dark blue as the sun began to come up and chase away the darkness.
The calmness didn’t last long, 20 minutes or so and then it was business as usual with early morning shoppers and busy workers.
As I sat on the Rosie Hackett bridge and watched my city transform to what I’m accustomed to, I understood what made Dublin so special, it’s unique ability to continuously surprise you.
