Although located on the grim skid-row of Marlborough Street, St Mary's Pro-Cathedral is an…read moreabsoulute gem of a building. Along with St Andrew's Church on Westland Row, the Pro-Cathedral is one of the finest modern church buildings in the city centre. The Pro-Cathedral is a fine example of a church built in the Classical Greek style, with large Doric cloumns on the inside as well as outside. The Pro-Cathedral was built early in the 19th century, and is modeled on the church of St Philippe-le-Roule in Paris. St Mary's Pro-Cathedral would not be the most frequented tourist attraction in Dublin, located off the beaten track as it is, but it only a minutes walk from O'Connell St, and it should definitely be part of your itinerary if you are visiting Dublin and old churches are your thing. I prefer the Classical style of St Mary's to the medieval Gothic of Christchurch or St Patrick's Cathedrals personally, and best of all, the Pro-Cathedral has no admission charge, whereas the other two have.

Back in the early 19th century, when Protestants didn't care too much for Catholics, the idea was…read moremooted to put the Pro-Cathedral on O'Connell Street. However, such a flagrant symbol of Taigism was judged unwise, what with the Penal Laws and all their attendant imaginative punishments, so it was built on Marlborough Street instead. From the outside, its most distinguishing feature is its sea-green dome, whereas inside it is a mix of Greek and Roman architectural styles, (more white marble statues than you can shake a crosier at), beautiful stained glass and an amazing panelled ceiling - the inside of the dome. Strangely, the name doesn't mean that it has professional cathedral status - in fact, it isn't officially recognised as a cathedral at all.

Dublin Castle was originally built in the early 1200s as a medieval fortress under the instruction…read moreof King John of England. For centuries, it was the headquarters of English (and eventually British) rule in Ireland. In 1684, a large fire destroyed a large portion of the castle. Instead of matching the original Gothic style, most of it was rebuilt using a Georgian style, similar to what you'd find in the French Palace of Versailles! It's quite the contrast. When you visit Dublin Castle, you can choose to explore it in two ways: with a self-guided tour to the state apartments or with a scheduled guided tour that visits the Viking Excavation, the Chapel Royal, and the State Apartments. When you first enter the courtyard, you'll immediately see the newer Georgian architecture in the neat red brick buildings surrounding the square. From the 13th century to the early 20th century, the castle was under British control. It served from being a royal palace and parliament to a prison. Dublin Castle was eventually handed over to General Michael Collins on the 16th of January in 1922. Collins was a soldier and a politician who lead the Irish people through their fight for Independence Dublin Castle plays a huge role in Ireland's history and a walk around the grounds is time well spent. Today the castle is a government complex and tourist attraction. Stroll through the famous Chester Beatty Library if time permits

Nice stop for a fancy castle that doesn't take too long…read more Convenient free lockers upon entry. No lines & self guided. They did have audio tour I believe but we only had an hour to spare. Some cool history here w/ the monarchy here & some old pictures from centuries ago to compare. They could have a few more plaques with info in some of the empty rooms.

The Spire aka the Monument of Light is almost 400' tall. It's a sculpture made of stainless steel…read morein the heart of Dublin on O'Connell Street. It's the world's tallest sculpture. It looks like a ginormous needle poking through to the sky. It's only been around since 2003ish but seems as though it's been there forever. It's a can't miss attraction. As in, there's no possible way to miss it because of its sheer height.

The city of Dublin may be quaint in size, but it is home to several large and legendary landmarks,…read moreone of the most visible of which is the iconic Dublin Spire! Rising into the city skyline like a giant needle, the Dublin Spire stands tall as one of the city's most recognisable landmarks. The Spire is a striking monument located on O'Connell Street in Dublin, Ireland. This iconic structure has become a symbol of modern Ireland and a popular landmark for both locals and tourists. but ofcourse not everyone likes it. it has a mixed feeling. The Spire was officially unveiled in 2003, replacing the Nelson's Pillar, which had been destroyed by an IRA bomb in 1966. It is a tall, slender structure made of stainless steel, reaching a height of 120 meters (394 feet). The monument is a reminder that Ireland is a dynamic and forward-thinking nation. It has become an enduring symbol of Dublin's identity.

Pretty building. Free tours on first Wednesdays. Had a little audio tour and got to learn some…read morehistory of the building.

Spectacular neo-classical 18th century building on the River Liffey. Today, it houses the…read moreDepartment of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government / An Roinn Tithíochta, Pleanála, Pobail agus Rialtais Áitiúil. But I had no business there. I simply admired a beautiful building. Originally used for customs collection due to its proximity to the Port of Dublin, it got other uses as the port moved further down river. Lovely to look at, up close or from across the River.

Gorgeous landscaping of very unique flowers! Small pond with fountains one can leisurely stroll…read morethrough. A hidden gem. Children's play area off the entrance

This park is around the corner from my office. If there is ever a hint of sunshine this is where I…read morewill go for my lunch hour. I always enter the park through the Blessington st entrance. Empty park benches are usually hard to find here on a warm sunny lunch hour. so u can usually see me speed walking past other hopeful 'empty park bench' wanters. Pretending I am just out for a leisurely speed walk, and then when i reach the only empty park bench I casually stop with a 'oh look an empty bench' look on my face and plonk myself down!!! at about 2pm the fountain in the middle of the pond is turned on. This can be pretty annoying when the wind blows! All the lucky people who managed to get an empty bench turn into synchronized swimmers. With the wind blowing the spray in the direction of the bench sitters - heads turn in beautiful synchronisation to avoid the spray. This usually last for about an hour, then normality resumes.

Known as "the Tart with a Cart," the bronze Molly Malone statue is located near the Temple Bar…read moreneighborhood. It depicts a fictional woman popularized by the song "Cockles & Mussels." The lyrics call her a fishmonger with a wheelbarrow who died of a fever, & now haunts the streets of Dublin. Legend has it that rubbing her chest brings good luck, which explains the fading on that part of the bronze. As a visitor to "Dublin's fair city," you'll no doubt spend some time in the vicinity of "sweet Molly Malone," but I wouldn't go out of my way for a photo op with a statue.

While researching Dublin, this particular attraction pops up in every article/blog. at the end of…read moreGrafton St, near the famous O'neill's pub In 1988 as part of the Dublin Millennium celebrations a statue of Molly Malone was erected towards the end of Grafton Street at the corner of Suffolk Street. The statue of an attractive woman dressed in a revealing top with her wheelbarrow alluded to the common perception that Molly also worked as a prostitute. ofcourse there are a lot of stories (history?) associated with this famous statue... One is- there was a Dublin woman named Molly Malone, an attractive fishmonger who sold cockles and mussels from her barrow, which she wheeled through the streets of Dublin city. The ballad tells how the woman died of a fever and now her ghost haunts the city streets. At some point, someone (a tour guide, perhaps) said that 'touching' Molly's breasts was good luck, so it's not unusual to see tourists capture photos of themselves grabbing Molly's breasts. Look at how discoloured her breasts are - that shows you how much they've been rubbed. The Molly Malone Statue, along with the song, continues to keep Molly front and center in Irish history and culture. The story has been told throughout generations and I'm not sure anyone cares who exactly she was, or if she was a real person. It's all so very Irish.

Just like so many other memorials and tributes, this one is dedicated to victims of battle-people…read morefighting for their rights and freedom. No matter the culture, this seems to be a prevailing characteristic of humanity-we like to fight each other. It's a lovely little garden with a water feature in the center. There's a large sculpture at the end which depicts four children who were transformed into swans and will turn back into humans after 900 years, according to the legend of the Children of Lir.

One of the must see free gardens and parks in Dublin. We met our tour guide here as he deemed it…read morethe "staple of the city center" and talked about the significance of the Garden of Remembrance. If you've taken any time to study Irish history - you'll know the Irish fought for their land and freedoms for centuries and often times, they were not the victors. In the few years spent traveling to Ireland you'll hear a lot of the Irish people's plight for freedom and it was never an easy battle. Essentially this garden of remembrance signifies the Irish people and their contributions towards fighting for their freedoms. What I found interesting is that Our tour guide called himself a "blue blood" which in simpler terms he referred to him being a true Dublin local and that these garden means a lot to his people and those working in the city. He taught us a lot about the grounds, the fountains and statues. We toured the grounds with him and they were very nice and well kept. While looking over the fountain statues we were introduced to one of the groundskeepers as well. As lovely as it is it's also a somber place. We were told the story of what the children and swan statue represents, an Irish folklore. All interesting stuff and while the garden is free, I'd highly recommend hiring a local guide as there is so much we wouldn't have learned had we not had someone to tell us the history and stories of what we were looking at on the grounds.

Highly recommend checking out this oddity! It is a tree eating a bench! You will never see anything…read moreelse like it!

This really is a fun landmark to check out. The hungry tree is named so because it is eating a…read morebench! It is found in the beautiful grounds of Kings Inn, it's makes for a great photo opportunity, just don't get too close to the tree or you could be gobbled up next... I know, cheesy but I had to get that in.

if you are coming by Air, you can see the poster of this famous bridge on airport. The Halfpenny /…read moreHa'penny Bridge, was built in 1816, Ireland's first iron bridge. Although there are over 20 bridges crossing the River Liffey, none are as popular as the Ha'Penny Bridge. The Ha'Penny Bridge is a pedestrian-only bridge over the River Liffey in Dublin, Ireland, providing a great shortcut from the Temple Bar to the North Quays. Though the official name is the Liffey Bridge, it is commonly referred to as the Ha'Penny Bridge because anyone crossing was charged a toll of a half penny. The toll was dropped in 1919, and visitors are free to cross. Before the Ha'Penny Bridge was built, the only way to cross the River Liffey was by ferry. These ferries were operated by a William Walsh and were in bad condition. Walsh was informed that he had to either fix them or build a bridge. Walsh opted to build a bridge. The bridge was built in 1816 of cast iron.

Everyone says you've got to cross the Ha'penny bridge while in Dublin, and I'm not above a cliche,…read moreso I made the trek from one side to the other. People used to put locks on the bridge to signify their love with their special someone, but that's no longer allowed and locks are removed immediately when found. You'll probably get tossed into the water below, too. Just kidding, maybe. Just cross the bridge and appreciate the view. Leave the locks at home.

I am not giving the Health Service Executive the woohoo treatment, I want to make that clear from…read morethe off set. Any organisation that purports to have created 500 new hospital beds but neglects to admit that beds is spin because chairs and recliners also fall under their wide ranging definition of bed is not getting a woohoo from me. HSE aside, the woohoo goes towards the building itself. It turns heads and it brightens my mood whenever I pass it. The hospital used to be were enlisted soldiers from the 1st world war were treated. The building used to be bigger but the powers that be decided to demolish a large portion of it in the 1990's. You can find pictures of it's former glory in the national library. It is a pity that they don't have an information placard on the grounds about it's history, it seems the least they can do to honour the soldiers that fought in the war.