This weekend’s St Patrick’s Festival will bring visitors from near and far to enjoy the delights of Dublin’s city centre. With the parade finishing near St Stephen’s Green, expect to see locals and tourists alike out picnicking and generally soaking up the unique atmosphere of Dublin 2.
The genteel heart of the city is home to the capital’s most beautiful tourism destinations, from the immersive Book of Kells Experience at Trinity College to a simple stroll around the city’s beautiful Georgian squares.
At Dublin Castle, guided tours take you from the city’s origins on the river Poddle, the underground banks of which are revealed to participants, to the stately rooms above.
Next door you’ll find the Chester Beatty, a much-loved museum featuring international works of art from the east and Middle East. Also handily side by side are the National Library and the National Museum of Ireland – Archaeology, on Kildare Street.
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Around the corner on Merrion Square sits the National Gallery of Ireland and the Natural History Museum. Head back towards St Stephen’s Green for The Little Museum of Dublin, best enjoyed through one of its entertaining guided tours.
Dublin 2 is Ireland’s GHQ for shopping too, with Grafton Street and its environs peppered with great restaurants and bars to rest up in afterwards.
Though Dublin 2 is home to all the brands you’d expect on a major international high street, don’t miss the opportunity to browse some of Dublin 2′s independently-owned stores. They offer the kind of service levels, expertise and quality of stock that retail chains can only dream of.
Monaghans Cashmere on South Anne Street is one such. It was opened by the late Tom and Teresa Monaghan in 1960. Tom sadly passed away last year, aged 97, and looking after customers right until the end. Today the store is run by daughter Suzie, the fashion designer who carries on her parents’ tradition of exquisite cashmere and great customer service.
“Our unique selling point is the quality of the product. We sell lamb’s wool as well but cashmere is our speciality, with 64 years of knowledge behind it. We also provide a level of service that is second to none. If an order comes in locally and I know a customer has a mobility issue for example, I’ll hop in my car and deliver it myself,” she explains.
Sales to tourists, particularly Americans, have been a staple of Monaghan Cashmere since its foundation.
“Dad used to always say ‘God Bless America’ because we’d have been nothing without them in the early days. Back in 1960 we were selling online before there even was an online – through catalogues. We still ship to the USA every single day. It’s the first thing we do each morning,” says Suzie.
“Our customers overseas ask us to get in touch if there is something in that would suit them and we do video calls to show them. It’s not about selling, it’s a conversation. ‘It’s about camaraderie’, as Dad would say in his Galway accent,” she says.
Her favourite Dublin 2 bolthole is St Teresa’s Church on Clarendon Street, a haven of tranquility amid the bustle. “It’s where Dad went to Mass every single day and I feel close to him there,” she says.
Just around the corner from Monaghans Cashmere is the Celtic Whiskey Shop, on Dawson Street, another independent store much loved by customers. It opened in 2003 and, as well as whiskey and spirits, stocks a wide range of wines, 95 per cent of which are sourced directly from some of the world’s best vineyards.
According to Katie Gibson, its head of sales and marketing, what makes Celtic Whiskey Shop so special is its friendly and knowledgeable team.
“We are very passionate about the products we sell, and about the Irish drinks industry in general. We try to give our customers the best experience possible, whether it’s stocking wines they won’t find anywhere in Ireland or hosting tastings to help people find what whiskeys they like. Whiskey is a bit like perfume, hard to buy before you try,” says Gibson.
“It’s also a little less formal here than in many other whiskey shops. The products aren’t all locked away behind glass so you can pick up a bottle, have a look and ask questions about it. We also have a huge selection of minis and gift packs.”
Tourists are particularly well looked after. “If you are purchasing in store you can put it in your luggage and we can provide tax back forms to fill out and claim at the airport. We also ship all around the world,” she adds.
Her favourite spot in Dublin 2 is the National Gallery. “I’m a bit of an art nerd,” she says. “It’s also across the road from The Lincoln Inn, a cosy pub we like to go to for drinks after work.”
Susan Hunter Lingerie in the Westbury Mall, just off Grafton Street, opened in 1984 as a specialist purveyor of beautiful lingerie, nightwear, dressing gowns, slippers and slips, featuring natural fabrics such as silk, cotton, cashmere, linen and wool.
“We’re a small business that provides attention to detail and that has always been a part of our success,” says owner Susan Moylett.
“It’s about listening to the customer and passing on our advice and knowledge. With underwear, it’s about feeling comfortable and confident. When your lingerie fits properly, your clothes fit better too. It’s not for nothing they’re called foundation garments.”
It stocks a full range of sizes and styles. “You wear different undergarments depending on what you want to rock. It’s like shoes – you have your ‘court shoe’ of bras, and you have your ‘high heels’ of bras, all depending on your mood,” she explains.
What she enjoys most about Dublin 2 is its coffee shops and restaurants. “I love Be Sweet, a quirky little coffee shop just around the corner on Clarendon Street where the coffee’s really good. If I’m meeting a friend for coffee that’s where I go. For dinner I love Uno Mas on Aungier Street or the Ramen Bar on South William Street,” says Moylett.
She also loves the unique shopping experience that she and her fellow independent retailers in the Westbury Mall offer. “All the stores are owner managed and, apart from Frank in the art gallery, owned by women,” she says.
“If you’re looking for gifts you’ll find everything from gloves and jewellery to fabrics. You’re supporting a small business and dealing with the owner who genuinely appreciates your custom.”
