I will be in Dublin for three days before starting the RS 14 day Ireland Tour. I don't want to visit any sights that may be included in the tour. I am interested in seeing Christchurch Cathedral, National Museum, Dublin Castle, Chester Beatty Library, St Patrick's Cathedral. Does anyone know if these are included?
Posted by
Salem, OR, USA
222 posts
Hi Peggy!
We also got to Dublin early although only 2 days before. I HIGHLY recommend you take a tour out to see Newgrange, a burial tomb older than the pyramids and just amazing to experience. We also visited St.Patricks and Christ Church (easy to do both, not that far apart). The other fun thing we did was take a TRAD (traditional) musical pub crawl, it was a blast! We loved Ireland, this tour was really good! None of these were included on the RS tour, doesn't look like they are now either. There is not much time in Dublin with the tour itself (basically a walking overview and visit to the Book of Kells) so it's good you have extra time there. We really wanted to have tea at The Shelbourne Hotel but ran out of time. It's supposed to be amazing! Enjoy!! Slainte!
Posted by
Alma, AR, USA
92 posts
Dublin Castle was included in our RS walking tour of Dublin in 2011. None of the other sites. We enjoyed the National Museum and Chester Beatty Library on our own. If you like art, the National Gallery had some very nice pieces and is close to the National Museum. Also it was free so the price was right! Spend time enjoying the street performers on Grafton Street. We ate lunch on the balcony of Bewley's Cafe and enjoyed the people watching.
Posted by
New York, NY, USA
11294 posts
I don't know if you're going in 2016 or 2017. If you click on the appropriate tour link and then open What's Included and Itinerary, it will list details of what you will see. If you then open Planning Tips and scroll down, you will see Sightseeing On Your Own, which lists some things the tour does not see.
Posted by
52 posts
Check out the Literary Pub Crawl - quite entertaining and reasonable
Posted by
OP
Yacolt, Washington
12 posts
Thanks everyone for the ideas. Let's hope I have enough time to fit them all in. Thanks Harold for the links to the RS information. Somehow I had missed that part of the site.
Posted by
Used to be Steilacoom, now it’s Las Vegas
2296 posts
I would 2nd Bru Na Boinne (3 sites, Newgrange, Knowth and Dowth). It was pretty amazing to see how sophisticated life was that long ago. Our 8-day RS tour did it in a morning. We also did Glasnevin cemetery where all the historical players are buried. Dublin is a pretty easy city to navigate. I don't know if there will be any hurling matches while you're there, but that's another unique event.
Posted by
Tel Aviv
15781 posts
The National Archaeology Museum is great and is free. St. Patrick's Cathedral is very near the Book of Kells, if it's not on the tour, you have the afternoon free to return to it. Next to Christchurch (and with a combined ticket) is Dublinia, a hands-on museum about the Viking history, it is both interesting and fun. If you start there, then you take the walkway to the cathedral - not sure how it works in the other direction. If you like theatre, check out the Gate and the Abbey. I saw two excellent productions, as good as London and a lot less money. I really enjoyed the Literary Pub Crawl (book a few days in advance).
Posted by
Beaverton, Oregon, USA
740 posts
If you already have some knowledge of the players in Irish history, I would recommend a visit to Glasnevin Cemetery. If not, you might save it for a later visit when you can appreciate it more.