Phoenix Park Will Trick You Into a 12km Walk
Phoenix Park is gorgeous and sneaky. It looks like a quick wander and then the horizon keeps moving and your toes start writing letters to management. Here’s the version that …
Declan
The Dead Zoo, the Live Pigeons, and Why Dublin’s Best Museum Still Smells of Varnish
If you grew up in Dublin, chances are you were marched through the Dead Zoo at least once in primary school. Half the class buzzing with the idea of seeing …
The River Liffey: Beautiful, Brown, and Surprisingly Full of Traffic Cones
People love the idea of the Liffey. Postcard shots. Reflections. Bridges lit up at night. Looks lovely when you’re walking beside it and don’t have to think about what’s actually …
Tourist Questions That Broke My Brain (And One That Made Me Cry a Bit)
You get used to daft questions when you’re a tour guide. After a few years, you stop flinching. People are lost, they’re tired, they’re full of jet lag and bad …
Why Dubliners Don’t Say Hello — And What We Say Instead
You’ll notice it if you’re not from here. No one really says “hello.” Not properly. Not like in other cities where people seem genuinely delighted to see you. In Dublin, …
The Famine Sculptures, the Zombie Film, and the American Who Asked for a Selfie
I used to include the Famine Memorial on maybe one in every five tours. Depends on the group. If they looked like they could handle something heavier than anecdotes about …
Hidden Pubs That Still Let You Sit in Silence (If You Nod to the Right Barman)
Some pubs are built for talking. Others are built for people who’ve already done enough of that and just want to sit down without being asked what their plans are …
The Bridges of Dublin (And the One I Always Forgot to Mention)
I gave walking tours of Dublin for years. Not fancy ones — the kind where you start outside a coffee chain and end up next to a bin explaining to …
Statues I Talked To More Than My Ex
I spent twenty years walking Dublin’s streets giving tours. In that time, I had more one-sided conversations with statues than I ever did in my last relationship. Not on purpose. …
How to Cross O’Connell Street Without Getting Killed or Conned
Crossing O’Connell Street shouldn’t be an ordeal. It’s not that wide. There are traffic lights. You’d think people would manage. They don’t. Locals dart like they’ve just robbed something. Tourists …