Traveling with teenagers

Not unless they are used to (grew up in) large cities in the US.

With a 14 year old and almost 12 year old, well travelled children I'd keep them with me.

I would give them the same freedom that they have at home. Dublin is not dangerous. If they can speak English, navigate public transportation and have basic street smarts, why not let them wander off together?

Sorry, but I wouldn't do it.

While only you know the maturity level of your children, I personally think 13 and 15 isn't old enough to wander around an unfamiliar city alone. No, Dublin isn't inherently dangerous, but one small step off a curb, looking in the wrong direction (remember, they drive on the left), could prove disastrous.

So far, I like Smith's answer best. I think the person worried about 2 teenagers "stepping off a curb" is a little paranoid. My kids cross a busy 2-way road every day by themselves at the bus stop. The older one has visited NYC three times within the past year already-- twice with her father and once in a school group of other teenagers to visit a Broadway play. With the high rate of access to guns in the U.S., I can't think that any Western European city would be nearly as dangerous as visiting any city in the U.S.

Actually, Russ offers sound advice. There are numerous incidents reported every year in both the UK and Ireland about tourists who suffer a momentary lapse in concentration, look the wrong way at a street crossing, and step out into traffic... and those are just the adults. Nothing paranoid about it.
Only you can judge the maturity level of your kids, but I side with those who are inclined to give them a little slack to explore on their own as long as they're responsible enough to know what to do if things go south for any reason.

Thanks everyone. I think the approach we might take is to explore Dublin with the kids for the first 2 or 3 days until everyone is familiar with their surroundings, and then allow them a little more freedom once everyone is comfortable. We’re trying to raise them to learn to become independent adults. Here at home I allow them to walk around our small but heavily touristed town together without parents in tow as a long as they “watch out for each other.”

With teens access to technology and phones I think sending them off together would be fine. Hopefully they have a cell phone with a plan so can call if lost or running late. Make sure to set the ground rules-where they can and can't go and what time to come back or meet up. Granted it was in the US but my parents let me and my older siblings alone when on vacation before cell phone, for a few hours. We knew where to meet up and the consequences if we were late or didn't show up on time.

Given the fact that Dubliners speak English and the signs are in English, I see no problems for a couple hours of separation.

I think your plan is a sound one. As for my comment about stepping off the curb....

When your kids cross the street, they instinctively look to their left. Everyday at intersections in places like Dublin and London, a group of tourists approach a busy street, glance to their left and then step off the curb...and into the path of a bus or car bearing down on them from the right. It happens over and over every...single...day. Here's an interesting (and startling) statistic: nearly one of every three traffic deaths in Britain involves a pedestrian hit by a car. Just sayin'....

Best to you...have a wonderful trip!

Thanks Heather. Great idea about the cell phones.