Feb. 23, 2025

156. Ireland - Dublin Part 1 - The Historic Heart of Ireland

Show Notes
Transcript

Walk through centuries of Irish history with Johnny Mac as he explores Dublin's historic treasures! From the stunning Long Room at Trinity College to the medieval Christ Church Cathedral, discover the stories behind Dublin's most iconic landmarks. Get insider tips on booking Book of Kells tickets, exploring Dublin Castle, and photographing the famous Georgian squares. Perfect for history buffs and architecture lovers seeking the soul of old Dublin.

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Callaroga Shark Media.

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Hey everyone, Johnny mack here with Traveler is back. Today.

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We're exploring the historic heart of Dublin, Ireland's capital city

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that's packed with over a thousand years of history. From

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medieval manuscripts to Georgian architecture, and from ancient cathedrals to

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cobblestone streets. We're going to discover everything you need to

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know about experiencing historic Dublin. Let's dive in first. Let's

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talk about getting around. Dublin's historic core is pretty compact

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and walkable, but you'll want to grab a Leap Card

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for public transport. It works on buses, trams, and the

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Dart train. Most of the historic sites we're covering today

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are within walking distance of each other, but trust me,

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you'll appreciate having that card for when your feet need

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a break or if the famous Irish rain makes an appearance.

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Let's start with what many consider the crown jewel of

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historic Dublin, Trinity College, founded in fifteen ninety two by

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Queen Elizabeth the First. This is Ireland's oldest university and

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it's right in the heart of the city. The campus

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itself is beautiful, with cobblestone squares and historic buildings. But

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the real star here is the Old Library and the

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Book of Kels. Here's what you need to know. Book

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your tickets online in advance. The q can get ridiculous,

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especially in summer, but pre booked tickets let you skip

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the worst of it. The Book of Kells is a

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stunning illuminated manuscript from around eight hundred a d. Containing

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the Four Gospels. But here's something many visitors miss. While

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the Book of Kels is impressive, the long room of

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the Old Library above it is absolutely breathtaking. This sixty

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five meter long chamber houses two hundred thousand of Trinity's

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oldest books and looks like something straight out of Harry Potter.

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The smell of old books, the wooden arches, the marble

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busts of great philosophers and writers. It's magical. Visit early

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in the morning for the best chance of avoiding crowds

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from Trinity. Let's walk up Dame Street to Dublin Castle. Now,

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if you're expecting a traditional castle with turrets and towers,

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adjuster expectations. What you see today is mainly from the

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eighteenth century, when it served as the seat of British

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rule in Ireland. However, the medieval tower and the foundations

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date back to the thirteenth century. Take the guided tour.

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It's worth it to access areas you can't see otherwise,

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including the medieval undercroft, where you can see part of

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the original Viking defenses of Dublin. The castle's state apartments

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are stunning, still used today for presidential inaugurations and state functions.

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The Chapel Royal is a Gothic revival gem, and don't

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miss the Chester Baty Library in the castle grounds as

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one of Europe's finest museums of manuscripts and sacred texts,

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and amazingly it's free to enter. Just a stone's throw

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from the castle, we have Christ Church Cathedral, founded in

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ten twenty eight. This is Dublin's oldest building still in

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continuous use. The medieval crypt is fascinating, is the largest

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in Ireland or Britain, and houses various treasures, including the

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famous cat and rat. These mummified remains were found in

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an organ pipe and were even mentioned in James Joyce's

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Finnegan's Wake. Time your visit for evensong if you can,

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and even if you're not religious. The acoustics are incredible

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A short walk away is Saint Patrick's Cathedral, Ireland's largest church.

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Built in eleven ninety one, it's the National Cathedral of

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the Church of Ireland. Jonathan Swift, author of Gulliver's Travels,

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was Dean here from seventeen thirteen to seventeen forty five,

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and he's buried inside. The Cathedral's Gothic architecture is stunning,

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but what makes it special are the little details. Look

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for the door of reconciliation, where the origin of the

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phrase to chance your arm comes from. Now let's talk

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about the area known as Temple Bar. Yes it's touristy,

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and yes we'll cover the pub culture in our next episode,

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but the area has genuine historic significance. The narrow cobblestone

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streets follow medieval patterns and many buildings date from the

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eighteenth century. The area was slated for demolition in the

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nineteen seventies to build a bus station, but thankfully local

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activists saved it. Check out the architectural details above street level.

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You'll see beautiful red brick buildings, interesting windows, and historic signs.

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One of Dublin's most iconic historic landmarks is the Hapenny Bridge,

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built in eighteen sixteen. This pedestrian bridge over the River

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Liffey got its name from the halfpenny toll once charged

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across it. It's Dublin's most photographed bridge, but here's a tip.

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Visit at dawn for amazing photos without crowds and when

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the morning light hits the white iron work just right.

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Let's explore George and Dublin, particularly around Marion Square and

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Fitzwilliams Square. These areas showcase the elegant architecture of the

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eighteenth century, when Dublin was considered the second city of

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the British Empire. The famous colored doors were originally all

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the same. They were painted different colors to help people

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find their way home after enjoying Dublin's pub culture. Look

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for the distinctive features of Georgian architecture fan lights above doors,

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the bootscrapers by the steps, and the basement areas called

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areas with their separate entrances for servants. Number twenty nine

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fitzwilliam Street Lower is now a museum showing how the

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Georgian middle classes lived. It's furnished exactly as it would

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have been between in seventeen ninety and eighteen twenty. What

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makes It special is that it shows not just the

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fancy reception rooms, but also the kitchen and servants quarters.

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Be right back for history lovers. The Royal College of

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Physicians on Kildare Street is a hidden gym. While it's

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still a working institution, they offer tours of this spectacular

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Georgian building. The rooms are stunning, particularly the unique double

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staircase and the meeting room with its original eighteenth century decoration.

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Let's talk about timing your visits. Many of these historic

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sites offer discounted or free entry on the first Wednesday

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of each month. Also consider getting the Heritage Card if

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you're planning to visit multiple sites. It can save you

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money and lets you skip some cues. Photography tip. The

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grounds of Trinity College and the Georgian Squares are beautiful

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in any weather, but they're particularly stunning in autumn when

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the leaves change color. The Long Room in Trinity's old

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library doesn't allow flash photography, so be prepared to work

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with available light. For those interested in really diving deep

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into Dublin's history, the Little Museum of Dublin on Saint

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Stephen's Green offers excellent walking tours led by historians. They'll

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show you easy to miss details like the bullet holes

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in the General post office from the nineteen sixteen Easter Rising,

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or the locations of medieval city gates. Speaking of Saint

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Stephen's Green, While we'll cover it more in our next episode,

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it's worth noting its historic significance. The current layout dates

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from eighteen eighty, but the park has been at the

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heart of Dublin life for centuries. The Victorian layout you

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see today was designed by William Shephard, and the park

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still has its original Victorian features, including the bandstand and

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the ornate pullham rock, work around the lake and Hey.

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If you're enjoying these travel guides and want to hear

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them without commercials, head over to Calaroga dot com. Plus

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the link is right there in the show notes. If

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you're on Apple Podcasts, just click on the banner that

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says uninterrupted listening until next time. I'm Johnny Mack and

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Travel is Back.

156. Ireland - Dublin Part 1 - The Historic Heart of Ireland

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