Merry Christmas & a Happy New Year!

From all of us at Mount Herbert Hotel - Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Thank you to all who visited us in 2010 and we look forward to welcoming you to us at Sandymount Hotel in 2011!

Mount Herbert Hotel to be Renamed Sandymount Hotel

In May 1955 George and Rosaleen Loughran came to Dublin from Northern Ireland and founded Mount Herbert Hotel. Sadly, they passed away in recent years, but we are proud to say that their legacy continues with their son, John, and his eldest son, Gerard, directors.

What sets this hotel apart from others in Dublin is the genuine care for and interest shown in guests who stay with us by family and staff.

On 10 January 2011 the hotel will change its name to “Sandymount Hotel”. We are excited about the change as it marks a new direction, following recent enhancements which have given the hotel a new look and feel.

The name change coincides with the reopening of the Aviva Stadium next to the hotel, on the site of the oldest international rugby grounds in the world at Lansdowne Road.

This unique name will make the hotel easy to locate beside Sandymount, perhaps Dublin’s most beautiful village.

• If you have made a reservation with us as Mount Herbert Hotel for dates after 10 January there is no need to take further action in relation to your booking.

• Our telephone and fax number will stay the same.

• Our address will be Sandymount Hotel, Herbert Road, Lansdowne Road, Dublin 4.

• Our new website will be at www.sandymounthotel.ie

We look forward to welcoming you to Sandymount Hotel, where the care and values associated with the “Loughran tradition” will continue to be our cornerstone for the future.

Dublin at Night

Image Copyright Sylvia Taylor

This eye-catching image of Dublin selected from our Dublin Images Flickr Group was taken by Sylvia Taylor.

The picture brings together some of the city's newest additions along the River Liffey in a spectacular way - The Convention Centre Dublin, the Dublin Wheel and the Samuel Beckett Bridge.

Sylvia says of her picture:
"Dublin City is a fantastic place to take great pictures especially at night time. This particular picture was taken on my Nikon D40x on a slow shutter speed of 14 seconds and an ISO of 100. That weekend the Convention Centre and the Dublin Eye were lit up blue to represent National Diabetes Day so it was a great opportunity to capture an image of these two features lit up the same colour."

BT Young Scientist & Technology Exhibition

The BT Young Scientist & Technology Exhibition 2011, now in its 47th year, takes place on 12th - 15th January.

The competition has received a record-breaking number of entries this year, with 3,943 students submitting a total of 1,735 projects. 520 projects will be featured at the exhibition, which takes place at the RDS in Ballsbridge, just a few minutes from Mount Herbert Hotel.

We are offering a special rate for people visiting the BT Young Scientist & Technology Exhibition, with an overnight stay and full Irish breakfast from just €37.50 per person sharing.

Call us on 01 6142000 for more details or to make a booking.

National Crafts & Design Fair at RDS Dublin

If there's ever a time to start your Christmas Shopping, it's when the National Crafts & Design Fair comes to the RDS!

Running from the 1st December until the 5th, this annual event brings together 500 designers, artists and crafts people offering everything from chcolate to high fashion.

Entry is €10, with discounts for OAPs and Groups, and if you haven't had a chance to see everything (or buy everything!) you wanted, you can also get a free re-admission ticket on your way out.

Complimentary gift wrapping is available and early birds who get there on the first day of the event will also be treated to a 10% courtesty discount on all purchases.

As well as array of arts & crafts, there is also a Food Emporium offering aselection of food and wine from across the globe, along with free talks, tastings and demonstrations.

The RDS is only a ten minute stroll from Mount Herbert Hotel, making us the ideal place to stay if you're visiting the Fair from further afield. Take a look at our Christmas Shopping Stay, which includes a hot whiskey or Irish coffee with mince pie on arrival, an overnight stay in one of our stylish rooms and a full Irish breakfast the next morning from just €34.50 per person sharing. Call us on 01 6142000 for more details or to make a booking.

We hope you enjoy the 2010 National Crafts & Design Fair and find some great gifts!

Sligo Win 2010 FAI Ford Cup Final

Sligo Rovers won the 2010 FAI Ford Cup Final on Sunday, much to the delight of our Sales & Marketing Manager Michelle Sweeney, who hails from Enniscrone.

Our Tritonville Bar & Terrace was jam-packed full of fans on the day, with Sligo's Ocean FM coming along to broadcast the run-up to the match live from Mount Herbert Hotel. With a sea of supporters, live interviews and great music, the atmosphere was absolutely electric here!

Michelle is pictured above (third from left) with the lucky winner of Ocean FM / Mount Herbert Hotel competition Una Kilgannon of Templeboy, Sligo Mayor Matt Lyons (front row, second from left), and Sligo Rovers supporters.

Christmas in Dublin

Take a peek at a few of the events on offer this festive season in Dublin, just a snowball's throw from Mount Herbert Hotel!

Xpose Xmas Xperience 19th - 21st November
Get ready for the Christmas party season with fashion and beauty inspiration from the Xposé Xmas Xperience at the RDS. The 3 day event will feature catwalk shows & make-up masterclasses hosted by Xposé’s glamorous leading ladies, along with live entertainment by F.Y.D. on Friday's opening night and Jamie Archer on the Saturday.

Taste of Christmas 26th - 28th November
If you haven't had a chance to take a look at the new Convention Centre Dublin yet, what better reason than to go along to the Taste of Christmas! Meet the experts for their top tips on festive food & drink at this three day feast and sample signature dishes from Dublin's top restaurants. Celeb chefs (including Gino D’Acampo, Kevin Dundon, Heston Blumenthal, Catherine Fulvio, Conrad Gallagher and Donal Skehan) will be demonstrating how to create the perfect Christmas feast with live theatre shows in the sate-of-the-art auditorium, so you'll have no excuses!

A Chocolate Christmas in Temple Bar 3rd - 5th December
A fabulous combination of chocolate and winter wonderland, this 3 day festival is choc-a-bloc with festive fun for all the family, including outdoor movies, panto, chcocolate making talks, demonstrations, workshops and most importantly - tastings!

7UP Christmas on Ice
This year you can take your pick of two fantastic venues to take to your skates at. Admire the views from Arnotts rooftop rink or enjoy the festive atmosphere at the RDS, and chase the chills away with hot chocolate, gourmet coffee and treats from the chocolate fountain. 7UP Christmas on Ice opens at Arnotts on 12th November and at the RDS from 3rd December, and runs until mid January 2011.

Stay at Mount Herbert Hotel during the festive season and get an Irish coffee or hot whisky and a mince pie on arrival, an overnight stay in one of our stylish rooms and full Irish breakfast the next morning from just €34.50 per person sharing with our special offer. Call us on 01 6142000 for more details or to make a booking.

Christmas Parties at Mount Herbert Hotel

Looking for somewhere to celebrate Christmas with your colleagues or a group of friends? Our Gourmet Extravaganza is fun, festive and most definitely a feast. The evening starts with spectacular cocktails created by designer specialists, along with amuse bouche canapés, before a lavish 8 course tasting menu in our Cordyline Restaurant, with party novelties to get everyone in the festive mood.

And for one of these 8 courses, our Chef will be putting on a dramatic display in front of guests and making Christmas pudding ice-cream in just seconds with liquid nitrogen! As well as gourmet entertainment, there will also be fantastic live music to really get the party started and a bar extension so that it can keep on going.

For those looking to celebrate during the daytime, we are also offering a fabulous four course Festive Lunch.

Our Gourmet Extravaganza is €49 per person and our Festive Lunch is €25 per person.
See menus for both here.

Call us on 01 6142000 for details or to make a booking!

A Dublin Image from our Flickr Group

Image Copyright Patrick Losty

We have selected the fabulous image above to feature on our blog from our Dublin Images Flickr Group, taken by Patrick Losty. This picture is a great juxtaposition of old and new, with our neighbour Aviva Stadium in the background. Read Patrick's background info on his interest in photography and how this picture came about:

"I have been taking pictures of my home city Dublin since the mid 1980's and from the late 1980's I focused on Dublin Bus and Bus Eireann operated buses branching out into civil aviation in the early 1990's, started off and encouraged along the way by fellow transport photographer and author Jonathan McDonnell.

My photography interest is still as strong as ever and in fact the availability of digital cameras from 2004 onwards opened up many more items of interest where previously film cameras were restricted to 36 prints which meant many items in day to day life went unrecorded, digital cameras allow almost 100% coverage.

Wheelingintheyears.com
I have supplied the text and images for the yearly series currently up on Barry Millar/Tony Murrays excellent website, www.wheelingintheyears.com which covers every year from 1987 up to and including 2009. These mostly transport related photofeatures cover the main events that occurred during the specific year and some years feature non transport/non Irish items. If you click on year 1989, pictures 9 & 10 (April 1989) show the Johnson, Mooney & O'Brien Bakery Buildings, Ballsbridge and the Sweepstakes Building, Ballsbridge which were located not too far from Mount Herbert Hotel. Click on 2009, the new Samuel Beckett Bridge, the opening of IKEA Dublin, Guinness 250 were featured, click on 2007, the closure of Jurys Ballsbridge was featured. So there is something in the yearly series for everybody to enjoy.

I also provide Tony's website www.dublinbus.cc with photofeatures such as the Bombardier buses which were withdrawn from service in 2001, there are many other bus types featured too. On Saturday, 30/10/10, the famous and much loved Dublin Bus route 10 was withdrawn so I covered that most historic event, an image appears on my www.Flickr.com site under 'Shamrock 105'.

So the picture of the 'Railway Preservation Society of Ireland' (RPSI) steam train is one such item that will be on a shortlist for inclusion in Wheeling In The Years 2010. I generally watch the advertisements in 'The Irish Times' advising of such RPSI trips and then decide the best location for pictures taking account of sun direction and in this case Sandymount Railway station platform was chosen for this 22 August 2010 image."

Concerts at The O2

Dublin is a city with no shortage of live music or fantastic venues to enjoy it in. Here are some of the concerts lined up for the remainder of 2010 at The O2 Dublin. Mount Herbert Hotel is close to The O2 and we are currently running a great offer which includes an overnight stay in one of our stylish rooms with full Irish breakfast the next morning from just €37.50 per person sharing.* You can also get a pre-gig bite to eat in our Tritonville Bar & Terrace. Call us on 01 6142000 for more info or to make a booking.

*Subject to Availability. Terms & Conditions Apply.

November 6th
Paramore

November 7th
Simply Red

November 11th
Gorillaz

November 13th, 14th & 16th
Michael Flatley

November 22nd
Andrea Bocelli

November 27th
Diversity

November 29th
The War of the Worlds

December 3rd
Cheerios Childline Concert

December 4th
Horslips

December 5th & 6th
Arcade Fire

December 12th
Here Come the Girls!

December 14th
Deadmaus

December 15th
Elton John with Ray Cooper

December 16th
Shakira

December 18th
Meatloaf

2010 GUINNESS Series

Rugby fans don't have much longer to wait for international rugby to return to Lansdowne Road with the Autumn Internationals kicking-off at Aviva Stadium next month. The first match on 6th November sees Ireland play World Cup holders South Africa. In a clash of colours the visiting team gets to wear their home jersey, but to mark the special occasion South Africa have waived this right so that Ireland can play in green. The Ireland team will also play Samoa on 13th November, New Zealand on 20th November and Argentina on 28th November.

At just a stone's throw from Aviva Stadium, Mount Herbert Hotel is the ideal place to experience the atmosphere of the Guinness Series. Our room only rates for the Autumn Internationals start from just €49.50 per person sharing - give us a call on 01 6142000 for more information or to make a booking.

The 2010 Guinness Series Ireland Squad:

Forwards (19)

Rory Best (Banbridge/Ulster)
Tony Buckley (Shannon/Munster)
Tom Court (Malone/Ulster)
Sean Cronin (Buccaneers/Connacht)
Stephen Ferris (Dungannon/Ulster)
John Hayes (Bruff/Munster)
Cian Healy (Clontarf/Leinster)
Jamie Heaslip (Naas/Leinster)
Brett Wilkinson (Connacht)
Denis Leamy (Cork Constitution/Munster)
John Muldoon (Galwegians/Connacht)
Donncha O'Callaghan (Cork Constitution/Munster)
Sean O'Brien (Clontarf/Leinster)
Mick O'Driscoll (Cork Constitution/Munster)
Mike Ross (Clontarf/Leinster)
Donnacha Ryan (Shannon/Munster)
Devin Toner (Lansdowne/Leinster)
Damien Varley (Garryowen/Munster)
David Wallace (Garryowen/Munster)

Backs (15)

Isaac Boss (Terenure College/Leinster)
Tommy Bowe (Ospreys)
Gordon D'Arcy (Lansdowne/Leinster)
Gavin Duffy (Galwegians/Connacht)
Keith Earls (Thomond/Munster)
Luke Fitzgerald (Blackrock / Leinster)
Shane Horgan (Boyne/Leinster)
Rob Kearney (UCD/Leinster)
Johne Murphy (Young Munster/Munster)
Ronan O'Gara (Cork Constitution/Munster)
Brian O'Driscoll (UCD/Leinster)
Eoin Reddan (Lansdowne/Leinster)
Jonathan Sexton (St. Mary's College/Leinster)
Peter Stringer (Shannon/Munster)
Andrew Trimble (Ballymena/Ulster)
Paddy Wallace (Ballymena/Ulster)

Camphill Ladies Raise €25,000

Here's a piece about Camphill Communities of Ireland's participation in this year's Flora Women's Mini Marathon that was featured in their newsletter, Camphill Spirit. Mount Herbert Hotel are delighted to have been able to provide a helping hand to the partipants with our facilities. Congratulations to Camphill on raising this phenomonal amount for their charity.

Camphill Ladies Raise €25,000
The Flora Women's Mini Marathon of 10k took place on a very wet day in Dublin on Bank Holiday Monday, June 7th 2010. In total there were 40,397 runners from all over the world. The Dublin Mini Marathon is the biggest all women event of its kind in the world and a major event in every charity's organisational calendar including Camphill. 121 volunteers were drawn from all communities in Ireland from Ballybay to Carrick-on-Suir and Dunshane and Greenacres in between. All ran or walked in support of Camphill Communities and in excess of €25,000 was raised for individual communities, thanks to their efforts. About 70 Camphill participants enjoyed the facilities offered by the Mount Herbert Hotel in nearby Ballsbridge, and arrived in time for a pre-run lunch and change of clothes. After that, the Greenacres bus began ferrying people to the start at Merrion Square an back afterwards for a hot shower and refreshments. Our thanks to John Loughran of the Mount Herbert for his support, which he has undertaken to provide again next year, when we hope to double our participation and funds raised. For information, sponsorship cards or tee shirts contact Michael Hilary at: 087 2568810

Dublin Marathon

People all over Ireland and further afield are getting ready for the 31st Dublin Marathon, which takes place on Monday 25th October.

13,000 entries were received this year for what is internationally known as the "Friendly Marathon", not least because of the great support shown by specatotors on the city's streets. The single lap course is mostly flat, participants will be happy to know, and takes in Dublin sights including St. Stephen's Green, Trinity College, O'Connell Street, Phoenix Park, and the RDS just up the road from us.

We've put together a great Dublin Marathon special offer here at Mount Herbert Hotel. Park your car for free, check in and enjoy dinner in our Tritonville Bar & Terrace (with pasta on the menu for marathon participants!), have a great night's sleep in one of our stylish rooms, and get an early breakfast the next morning before the event (with a selection of fresh fruit available but also full Irish breakfast to keep the spectators going!). And there's no need to think about checking out until later on as we've extended this until 4pm for our Dublin Marathon offer. This offer is just €49.50 per person sharing, or €79 for single occupancy!

Call us on 01 6142000 or email us at info@mountherberthotel.ie for more information or to make a booking.

To all who are particpating, good luck, we hope the weather is perfect on the day!

Ulster Bank Dublin Theatre Festival

The Ulster Bank Dublin Theatre Festival started its mammoth programme of 363 performances in 22 venues from 10 different countries yesterday, and goes on until October 17th.

As well as a huge variety of shows to take your pick from, there is also a long list of special events.

"In Development" gives you the opportunity to see major Irish theatrical works before they hit the stage (free but booking essential).

"Panel Discussions" looks at topics including the recent turbulence of the world economy, the ethical, environmental and social responisibilities of supernational companies, and the influence of the audience on artists' works (free and not ticketed).

"The Wonderful World of Hugh Hughes" includes an invitation to help him create his next show with an audience, and a documentary about him after which he will be available to answer questions (both free and not ticketed).

The full programme is available on the festival website and information is also being posted on their blog.

Mount Herbert Hotel is just 2 DART stops from the city centre for anyone looking for accommodation for the festival.

Enjoy the show(s)!

Mount Herbert Hotel's Gardens

If you've had breakfast at Mount Herbert Hotel you might have noticed the beautiful roses on our tables. What you might not know is that they are hand-picked from our very own rose garden! As well as supplying us with lovely blooms in all sorts of colours, our gardens are the ideal spot to relax in. And as the weather starts to cool down, you can still enjoy the view from our Tritonville Bar & Terrace and Cordyline Restaurant.

Dublin Culture Night

The annual and very popular Culture Night takes place tonight, with arts and cultural venues all over Dublin and across the country opening their doors until late, with free admission.

From 5pm - 11pm in Dublin tonight you can choose from any number of events including literary readings, drama workshops, exhibitions, music performances, dance classes, and more.

Michael Bublé at Aviva Stadium

Michael Bublé will be taking to the stage of the new Aviva Stadium this Friday and Saturday on his Crazy Love Tour.

Bublé fans can enjoy a drink or a bite to eat right next door to Aviva Stadium at Mount Herbert Hotel. From 4pm-10pm we will be serving a 2 course dinner for €20 and 3 course dinner for €25 in our Cordyline Restaurant, both with tea or coffee included. And as well as drinks in our Tritonville Bar & Terrace, we'll also be serving canapé platters (at €20 and serving 4 people) and drinks in our lobby. There can't be a better place to get your night started!

This Weekend in Dublin - All Ireland Football Final & Dublin Port Open Day

There will be a fantastic atmosphere in our Tritonville Bar & Terrace this weekend for the All Ireland Football Final on Sunday with Cork v Down at Croke Park!

Tomorrow, Dublin Port is holding a free Family-Friendly Open Day. You can explore Ireland's largest port and find out what goes on behind the scenes with coach and boat tours and be entertained by balloon modellers, face painters, video installations, interactive games and more.

This Weekend in Dublin - Mountains to Sea & Absolut Fringe

There are two great festivals to take your pick from this weekend in Dublin.

The Mountains to Sea Book Festival runs until Sunday, mainly in venues in Dun Laoghaire, and includes literary tours, readings and discussions, as well as performances of scenes from Ulysses at the Joyce Tower in Sandycove.

Absolut Fringe begins 16 day of theatre, comedy, music, dance & spectacle tomorrow, and its quirky website can help you find exactly the kind of show you're looking for, with options such as "Cheap for Students", "Date Night", "Unusual Venue" and "Tiny Capacity".

Dun Laoghaire is a short and scenic trip on the DART from Mount Herbert Hotel and the city centre is just 2 stops away from us.

The Convention Centre Dublin Opens

The Convention Centre Dublin, nicknamed "The Cube with the Tube", officially opened its doors yesterday. As big as the Sydney Opera House, Ireland's first purpose-built convention centre was designed by Irish-born Kevin Roche and can accommodate up to 8,000 delegates. The building features a unique glass-fronted atrium running the full height of the building, giving panoramic views of the River Liffey, Dublin city centre and the Dublin Mountains. You can reach the latest addition to Dublin's exciting new venues in a few minutes by car from Mount Herbert Hotel, and it's also just a quick trip by DART & Luas.

This Weekend in Dublin - All Ireland Final & Red Bull Exhibition

Kilkenny and Tipperary will be competing in the All Ireland Hurling Final this Sunday at Croke Park. We have a great All Ireland Hurling Final special offer available which includes overnight accommodation and a full Irish breakfast the next morning.

Drop in to the grounds of Trinity College and take a look at the images that have made it into the final 50 of the Red Bull Illume Image Quest 2010. Well worth a visit when you hear that 22,764 action and adventure sports images were entered! 10 category winners were selected, along with overall winner Chris Bukard for his picture of a surfer riding waves on Chile's West Coast.

Visit Dublin App

Dublin Tourism has brought out a new Visit Dublin Smartphone App which is like having your very own personal tour guide for the city. It gives you the opportunity to discover Dublin and its sights before you get here, while you're on your way, or when you're doing your sightseeing. The App includes audio descriptions of over 80 points of interest, a daily bulletin of what's on in the city, and, most impressively, a "What's That" feature which enables you to point your phone at a building of interest and access information on it. Very handy indeed!

Welcome Back Peter & Dot

Many of our guests return to stay time and again, but not often with such a gap as Peter & Dot Hall! They stayed at Mount Herbert Hotel recently for a second time, after their first visit in 1969, and very kindly gave us a copy of their original bill (above). It came to a grand total of £4, 13 shillings and 6 pence!

Their first visit to Dublin was part of a coastal tour of Ireland, and Peter, who is an artist, has made regular trips with Dot over the years to bring his work to the Western Light Gallery on Achill. Peter and Dot's second stay with us came about due to a change in how they usually travel to Achill, requiring an overnight stay in Dublin. Dot, remembering their first stay at Mount Herbert Hotel, suggested they come back. Chatting together about their memories of their first stay with us, one thing that clearly stood out for them both was seeing rabbits on our lawn on the morning of their second day here!

We are delighted that Peter and Dot remembered us and came to stay a second time, and hope to welcome them back again soon!

This Weekend in Dublin - Heritage Week

Heritage Week starts tomorrow with events going on across the country. In Dublin this weekend you can enjoy music, song and dance at an interactive, family-friendly concert at The National Concert Hall, see screenings of amateur film-making in Ireland at the Irish Film Institute, learn about native Irish species at the Natural History Museum, enjoy a Family Day at the National Print Museum, see traditional lace-making in the old kitchen at Farmleigh House and listen to St Georges Brass Band on the lawns of the National Botanic Gardens. For the full list of events see the website.

A Visual Tour of Sandymount Village

If you've stayed at Mount Herbert Hotel you might recognise some of the sights in these pictures of Sandymount Village, taken by photographer Colette Farrelly, or you may even have seen the prints of some of these images on the walls of the hotel.

If you've yet to come and stay with us these pictures will give you a glimpse into our surroundings, with Sandymount Village just a stone's throw away from us.

This Weekend in Dublin - Ceili Culture

Céilí Culture takes place tomorrow and Sunday in Temple Bar's Meeting House Square. The festival celebrates Irish music, arts and culture with performances from Kíla, Paddy Casey, Sharon Shannon Big Band featuring Shane MacGowan, Damien Dempsey and Conor Byrne. The full line-up and tickets are available on the website.

There are also free workshops taking place at The Banquet Hall, Smock Alley on Saturday from noon to 4pm for families and children who want to learn about traditional music and instruments, with crash courses in the bodhán, uileann pipes and flute.

A Great Review!

Here's a great guest review from someone who came to stay on our Grand Canal Theatre package that we thought we'd share with our blog readers:

"We had a fantastic time at The Mount Herbert Hotel recently. From the moment we arrived the staff were friendly and inviting. We had a beautiful dinner in the restaurant before going on to a show in the Grand Canal Theatre and then next morning, a great selection of food was available for breakfast. Rooms were spacious and clean and beds were very comfy! Overall we had a great night in the hotel and would love to recommend it to others! Take a look at the great theatre and concert deals they have on offer in the nearby theatre and stadiums!!!"

This Weekend in Dublin - Free Concerts, National Crafts & The Wheel of Dublin

In Dun Laoghaire this Sunday and next, free concerts are taking place on the East Pier from 3-5pm. This Sunday sees Colm Lynch and The Barley Mob taking to the stage and next week you can catch Bipolar Empire, Riptide Movement and Preachers Son. Dun Laoghaire is a short ride on the DART from Mount Herbert Hotel.

At the RDS, just down the road from Mount Herbert Hotel, the annual National Craft Competition takes place until 12th August as part of the Fáilte Ireland Dublin Horse Show. The competition, which has a prize fund of over €28,000, includes ceramics, glass, furniture and textiles and "aims to promote the practise of craft in Ireland and to encourage the highest standards of design and technique in both traditianal and contemporary craft disciplines".

A new addition to the city at the Point Village that you can go along and enjoy any weekend is The Wheel of Dublin. Get 360-degree views of the capital and its coastline from the 60m high observation wheel, including our next door neighbour Aviva Stadium. This attraction is also rainproof as the pods are enclosed. Tickets cost €9 with group and family discounts available, and The Point Village is just a short distance from Mount Herbert Hotel.

Grand Canal Theatre Packages

Our newly launched Grand Canal Theatre packages are fantastic value, with classics Chitty Chitty Bang Bang and Fame the Musical on offer at the moment! The packages include tickets to the show, pre-theatre dinner in our Tritonville Bar & Terrace, overnight accommodation and full Irish breakfast the next morning. And at just one stop from Grand Canal Theatre on the DART, Mount Herbert Hotel is ideally located for a visit to the venue.

Chitty Chitty Bang Bang is on now and runs until 14th August, and Fame the Musical starts on the 19th of this month and runs until 12th September. See all of our special offers, including our Grand Canal Theatre packages.

This Weekend in Dublin - Sean-nos in Temple Bar, Story of Motown, O2 Challenge

If you haven’t made plans yet, here are a few ideas for events taking place this weekend in Dublin.

Tomorrow, Friday the 30th of July, Temple Bar is featuring Sean-nós singing and dancing workshops. From 18:30 – 20:30 in the newly opened culture box on East Essex Street, you can learn “old style” sean-nós songs and take part in sean-nós dancing. For just €20, these workshops will allow you to experience first-hand traditional Irish culture.

Starting today the 29th of July, the Story of Motown is being presented at The Olympia Theatre. Lasting until Saturday the 31st, the show features all the classic hits from the Motown period of music history. Hits from The Jackson 5, Stevie Wonder, Marvin Gaye, Smokey Robinson, The Miracles, and much more will be recreated for your enjoyment.

The first rugby game at the new Aviva Stadium is also this Saturday, July 31st! Called the O2 Challenge, this game kicks off at 2:30pm and features rising young players from Ireland’s four provinces. Since we are located right next to the stadium, our Tritonville Bar & Terrace is the perfect place to grab a bite to eat before or after the game!

The Final Goodbye

Hello all,

Unfortunately, my time here in Dublin has come to an end. Interning here at The Mount Herbert Hotel has truly been a great experience. Not only have I learned a lot, but I have also developed a strong bond with the hotel itself. The staff at The Mount Herbert Hotel and Dubliners in general are extremely friendly, warm, and welcoming. As a city filled with cultural attractions and bustling streets, Dublin is surprisingly easy to get around. Within a few days, I learned the ins and outs of the Dublin area and ultimately fell in love with the city. Great people, great food, great music – Dublin truly is a spectacular place. Its clean streets, lively pubs, and trendy shops simply make the city even better!

Overall, I’m so glad that I chose to come to Dublin this summer for two months. Working at The Mount Herbert was truly the ‘icing on the cake’. Whether you’re a tourist looking to visit Dublin or even if you're just from the area and want an escape, The Mount Herbert Hotel is an excellent choice of stay. The food at our Tritonville Bar & Terrace is absolutely delicious and the bedrooms are also quite spacious and modern. The hotel’s location, right next to the new Aviva stadium, makes it even more appealing!

Although I am excited to return home to see my family and friends, a huge part of me is going to miss the life and routine I created for myself here in Dublin. Even though it is hard to leave, I know I will likely return in the near future. My whole trip here in Dublin has been an amazing experience and one that I will certainly never forget!

Courtney

This Weekend in Dublin - Carlsberg Comedy, Guitar Festival & Festival of World Cultures

This weekend in Dublin a variety of festivals are going on that offer culture and entertainment.

The Carlsberg Comedy Carnival starts today at the Iveagh Gardens in Dublin Centre! This festival, which lasts until Sunday the 25th, features over sixty international and Irish comedians over the course of the weekend. In addition to its incredible line-up of comedians, musicians and performance artists will keep you entertained between the shows.

Walton’s Guitar Festival of Ireland also starts today and lasts until Sunday, July 25th. As Europe’s most prestigious guitar festival, it features great performances in classical, jazz, folk, and world music. Visit the website for this world-class music event for more event details!

In addition, the 10th annual Dun Laoghaire Festival of World Cultures begins tomorrow the 23rd of July and goes until Sunday the 25th! This international arts festival is filled with cultural events such as world music concerts, fairs, markets, performances, street events, and so much more. Not only are most of the events free but the festival is also easily accessible from the DART station near The Mount Herbert Hotel!

European Travels

Hello everyone,

Since my time here in Dublin is concluding at the end of July, I decided that I would try and fit in a few trips to other nearby European countries while I had the chance. During the past two weekends I visited Scotland and England with a few friends of mine. Seeing as I am interning here at The Mount Herbert Hotel during the week, the only free time I have to travel is on the weekends. Although I only had about two days each in Edinburgh, Scotland and London, England, we managed to successfully cram in most of the popular tourist sites.

Edinburgh, Scotland is a picturesque city filled with gorgeous Georgian buildings and lovely colourful gardens. The highlight of my trip was the three hour long free walking tour of the city, which allowed us to see all the major monuments and buildings in addition to great views of Edinburgh Castle. As an old Harry Potter fan, I was also quite intrigued to see the café where J.K. Rowling wrote her first two Harry Potter books. I even got to try a few local food favourites--fried mars bars and fried pizza! Overall, Edinburgh is quite easy to travel around and filled with interesting history.

In London, England our weekend was packed with activity. As a much larger city, travelling around London took some getting used to. After figuring out how to read and comprehend the huge map of London, we found their TUBE / bus system to be quite efficient and fast. In just two days, we managed to go to the Absolut Ice Bar, Portobello Market, Westminster Abbey, the National Gallery in Trafalgar Square, the British Museum, and the Tower of London. In addition we also saw the changing of the guard at Buckingham Palace, the House of Parliament, Big Ben, and even took a ride on the ferris wheel called the London Eye. London is a huge city overflowing with activity, culture, and plenty of tourist attractions.

Above, you will see some pictures from my weekends abroad. Both cities were amazing to see and I’m truly glad I was able to visit them. Sadly, however, my time abroad is running out. With only one full weekend left before I leave to go home, I look forward to spending it here in Dublin!

Courtney

This Weekend in Dublin

French Week at the Docklands is currently going on until this Sunday, July 18th! The event, which celebrates all things French, is featuring Le Marche de France, the fabulous French markets that are run nationwide. Stop by and enjoy fresh French food, crafts, and music. The oldest sailing ship in Europe, The Belem, is even parked in Dublin Harbour for the festivities. It is expected that over 80,000 visitors will come to celebrate French culture and heritage during the six days of the event!

Dún Laoghaire

Looking for a great place to spend the day? Try Dún Laoghaire -- a stunning suburban seaside town about twelve kilometres south of Dublin city centre. For any tourist looking to escape the city for a day, Dún Laoghaire is the perfect place.

Above are pictures from my visit to this beautiful coastal town. Easily accessible by bus or DART, Dún Laoghaire is quite simple to get to. Situated on one of the largest harbours in the country, the town is notable for its two granite piers. On any given day, the piers are full of people walking, jogging and enjoying the scenery. A lighthouse stands at the end of both piers and many sailboats reside in the pristine harbour.

With one main shopping street, two shopping centres, and a wide range of terrific restaurants, Dún Laoghaire has plenty to offer. Best of all, it is easy to get to from The Mount Herbert Hotel as the Landsdowne Road DART Station is just a short walk away!

My day visit to this serene seaside town was relaxing and enjoyable. The views from the harbour are fantastic and the town centre has many interesting shops. If you are looking for somewhere to go on a nice, sunny day, I would highly recommend a visit to Dún Laoghaire!


Courtney