Failte Ireland Buyers Guide for Group and FIT Organisers

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FREE DUBLIN EXPERIENCES
Historic Dublin Parks & Georgian Squares
Experience Description, Location & Opening Times
Phoenix Park: The Phoenix Park is over 700 hectares (1752 acres) in area and
is the largest enclosed public Park in any capital city in Europe. A large herd
of fallow deer still remain to this day. The Park is also home to the Zoo, Áras
an Uachtaráin where the Irish President lives and Victorian flower gardens.
The Park facilities include a visitor centre, Victorian tearooms, bicycle hire
and access to Dublin Zoo. Open year round, see website for opening times.
See Allow 1-4 hours for visit.
St Patrick’s Park: Situated beside St. Patrick’s Cathedral, tradition has it that
St. Patrick baptised the first Irish Christians there with water from the River
Poddle which flows underground. The park provides an ideal setting for the
cathedral and recent additions in 1988 include a Literary Parade highlighting
the works of Swift, Mangan,Wilde, Shaw, Yeats, Synge, O’Casey, Joyce, Behan,
Beckett, Clarke, Dillon and the Liberty Bell Sculpture. There is also a children’s
playground and a Victorian Café.
Open year round, see website for opening
times. Allow 30 mins-1 hour for visit.
St Stephen’s Green: Georgian Square and Park Ireland’s best known Victorian
public park, in the heart of the City. Spanning 22 acres.Well maintained in
the original Victorian layout. Over 3.5 km of pathways are accessible for all
users. The waterfall and Pulham rock both on the western side of the green
are worth a visit, likewise the ornamental lake which provides a home for
waterfowl and a garden for the visually impaired. A number of sculptures are
located throughout the green. Lunchtime concerts are performed during the
summer months. Open year round, see website for opening times. Allow 30
mins-1 hour for visit
Merrion Square: Merrion Square, in the heart of Georgian Dublin has a
fascinating history. Oscar Wilde lived as a child at No. 1 Merrion Square,
where Bram Stoker also spent a lot of time attending LadyWilde’s salons,
whileW. B. Yeats lived at No 82, and Daniel O’Connell at No 58.The Square
is well known for its Sunday Open Art Gallery and is home to diverse
organisations including Irish Traditional Music Archive, Irish Architectural
Archive, Irish Georgian Society, Society of Antiquarians, College of
Anaesthetists and Irish Red Cross. The beautiful park at the centre of the
Square provides an appealing and relaxing atmosphere for locals and visitors
with a mobile café situated near the East entrance. The Square is open year
round, See website for opening times. . Allow 30 mins-
1 hour for visit. Note: The Irish Architectural Archive at No. 45 Merrion Square,
is the largest house on Merrion Square, built in 1762 with an interesting
history. A fine example of Georgian Architecture, it is open to the public
FREE Tues-Fri 1000-1700hrs. Group tours by appointment.
Contact Simon Lincoln
Email
Tel +353 (0)1 6633040
Parking, Access/Ability & Special Requirements
No min/max age. All parks are accessible. Public Restrooms & Coach parking
are available in Phoenix Park. All other parks have restrooms, cafés and shops
within 5 min walk and have public coach parking available within walking
distance.
Public Transport
All parks are serviced by Luas (Roadtram), DART (Coastal Dublin Lightrail)
and Dublin Bus routes.
Other Experiences Nearby
Phoenix Park: Dublin Zoo (10-30 mins walk), depending on your entrance
gate to the park. Zoo is closest to the Park Gate Street or North Circular
entrance gates (10 mins).
St Patrick’s Park: St Patrick’s Cathedral (1 min walk); Christchurch Cathedral
(10 mins walk); Guinness Storehouse (12 mins walk).
St Stephen’s Green: Little Museum of Dublin (3 mins walk). IrishWhiskey
Museum (10 mins walk).
Merrion Square: National Museum of Ireland – Archaeology (FREE);
Museum of National History (FREE); National Gallery (FREE).
A smartphone multilingual guide is now available for the Oscar Wilde
sculpture in Merrion Square. The guide provides audio, text and visual
interpretation of the artwork and information on the sculptor Danny
Osbourne. Smartphone users can link to the information via a Quick
Response(QR) code or via website This is a pilot
scheme and it is hoped to expand art and parks interpretation in traditional
and digital formats.
60
Handel first publicly performed Messiah
in Dublin on April 13th 1742 – in a music
hall on Fishamble Street.