Image : Hapenny Bridge. Dublin Cultural Tour.
It is fitting that our first Dublin Cultural Tour should take place on the centenary of the Easter Rising. In the company of our extremely knowledgeable friend, Howard Gregg, we shall explore many of the most important locations of this key event in the bid for Irish independence; among them the General Post Office which was the rebels’ headquarters and Kilmainham Gaol where the leaders of the Rising were executed.
But there is much more to Dublin than its role in the Easter Rising. Indeed, six days is only enough to scratch the surface of this great European city, with its cultural heritage which dates back more than a thousand years.
Our exploration of this rich inheritance will take in the stunning Early Christian treasures to be seen at the National museum, including the Tara brooch and Ardagh Chalice; and the unmissable Book of Kells, displayed at Trinity, the college founded by Elizabeth I in 1592. Since the time of Jonathan Swift, onetime Dean of St Patrick’s Cathedral, writers have been drawn to Dublin – their stories are celebrated at the Dublin Writers’ Museum.
Dublin’s attraction to writers has been equalled only by its appeal to artists; a fact reflected in a host of world-class galleries from the National Gallery of Ireland and the Irish Museum of Modern Art to the Dublin City Gallery with its fine collection of impressionist paintings and 19th and 20th
century Irish and European art.
We will also be sampling some of the finest food on offer in Dublin; there has been a culinary revolution in Ireland over the past few years and the city now boasts some of Europe’s best dining. I am sure that this first outing to this fascinating city will not be our last!
DAY 1: The plan is to fly into Dublin but arrangements can also be made for those clients who wish to arrive by rail or road and sea. Our home for 5 nights will be the perfectly located Jury’s Inn in Christchurch Place.
DAYS 2 & 3: We start our exploration in 16th-century Trinity College which houses the world-famous Book of Kells; Day 2 continues with the Irish House of Lords and the National Gallery of Ireland. On
Day 3 our itinerary takes us back over seven centuries to Dublin Castle, the centre of English rule, and City Hall with its magnificent 18th-century interior. After lunch, we can savour the eclectic and fascinating collections of the Chester Beatty Library.
DAYS 4&5: St Patrick’s is the Cathedral of all Ireland, its 13th-century interior full of monuments reflecting the history and achievements of the Irish over seven centuries. Our visits on Day 4 will also include Kilmainham Jail, with its indelible associations with Irish Independence and – on a lighter note – the excellent Museum of Modern Art. Our final full day takes us to the Hugh Lane Gallery, Francis Bacon’s studio, the Writers’ Museum and the building most closely associated with the events of 1916, the General Post Office.
DAY 6: The end of our Dublin Cultural Tour and we take our return flight (or Ferry!).