Ireland - Youth & Adventure Buyers Guide 2018/2019

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 www.phoenixpark.ie. Allow 1-4 hrs 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. http://www.dublincity.ie/main-menu-services-recreation-culture-dublin-city-parks-visit-park/st-patricks-park. Open year round, see website for opening times. Allow 30 mins-1 hr 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 work 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 hr for visit www.heritageireland.ie/en/dublin/ststephensgreen/ 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 www.merrionsquare.ie. Allow 30 mins-1 hr 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 E  SLincoln@iarc.ie T  +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. www.dublin.ie/transport/home.htm 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 www.DublinArtinParks.ie This is a pilot scheme and it is hoped to expand art and parks interpretation in traditional and digital formats. 40