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

This Weekend in Dublin

The first Summer Sensational starts today 8th July and runs until Sunday 11th July in Temple Bar. This age-friendly festival offers plenty of events for everyone such as special workshops for children, baby discos, outdoor movies on the square, free entertainment, and so much more! One such workshop, the Feast For the Senses at the Ark, explores the five senses through various activities. You can download the full program of events on their website.

This Sunday 11th July is also the last day of the 2010 Photo Ireland Festival. As Ireland’s first international festival of Photography and Visual Culture, it celebrates Ireland’s own photographic talents as well as those of artists from abroad. There are workshops, exhibitions, and talks for anyone who is interested in attending.

Northern Adventures

Hello everyone,

This past weekend I travelled to Northern Ireland on a guided tour. We arrived in Belfast late Friday afternoon and were led on a bus tour by a native of the city. Not only did we see some of the famous murals of Belfast but also got a better sense of the culture there. The next day was full of tiring yet fun-filled activity. We left bright and early to head to the Carrick-a-rede rope bridge. This bridge is thirty metres high and crossing it allows you to observe breathtaking views. As seen in my pictures above, the scenery there is beautiful!

Later in the morning we drove to the Giant’s Causeway. These unique rocky formations were a result of an ancient volcanic eruption and climbing around the area was certainly loads of fun! As the most popular tourist attraction in Northern Ireland, Giant’s Causeway was packed with people taking in the surroundings. From there we briefly stopped to take pictures of Ireland’s ‘most romantic castle’, Dunluce Castle, and then travelled on to Derry for the night.

After a fun evening on the town, we had a special tour of the Prehan House on Sunday morning. As one of the North West’s most historic buildings, this early Georgian family home has a rich history and still contains many original artefacts and works of art. Afterward we ate lunch inside the Grianan of Aileach, a stone ring fort that resides on the summit of Greenan Mountain. From this spot we had absolutely majestic views of County Donegal!

My weekend to Northern Ireland was quite enjoyable. Not only is Northern Ireland full of intriguing history, but it also has breathtaking scenery.

Courtney

This Weekend in Dublin

This Saturday the first Dublin Garden Squares Day takes place, celebrating Dublin's Georgian garden squares, with walking tours, live performances, guided tours, children's events, plant & food stalls and a giant hot air balloon in Merrion Square! The events take place in the five major city centre squares: Mountjoy Square, Parnell Square, St. Stephen's Green, Merrion Square and Fitzwilliam Square.

And on Sunday 4th July you can catch a free Trad Concert celebrating Independence Day at Central Bank Plaza in Dublin city centre, featuring Beoga, Martin Donohue and Séan O Sé.