A heady mix in Guinness country.Byline: by MARY MURTAGH SCOUSERS - they get everywhere. We arrived at The Clarence - Dublin's highly acclaimed luxury hotel owned by U2's Bono and The Edge - to be greeted by Wallasey's finest. Exiled Merseysider Anna Wood is the sales and marketing manager and you couldn't ask for a warmer welcome. She married a Galway man and crossed the water to set up home in Ireland's capital. The hotel she looks after inspires envy. It's all oak panelling and high ceilings and is sandwiched between the river Liffey Liffey redirects here. For the Australian town see Liffey, Tasmania. The Liffey (An Life in Irish) is a river in the Republic of Ireland, which flows through the centre of Dublin. Its major tributaries include the River Dodder, the River Poddle and the River Camac. and Temple Bar, Dublin's Mathew Street equivalent. The only way you would be more central would be to pitch a tent on Grafton Street. It was our base for a long weekend which was designed to inspire us to fall in love with Dublin again. Well, I never fell out of love with this quirky and walkable capital city, but I did remind myself why I always enjoy visiting. Here are just some of the highlights: Bewley's on Grafton Street: Much-loved city landmark and tea shop and coffee house par excellence. Literary giants James Joyce, Samuel Beckett and Sean O'Casey used to love to pop in for a pot of tea and so should you. Walking tour with renowned Dublin author, artist and historian Pat Liddy. His award winning tours will have you in stitches, shaking your head in wonderment and expand your knowledge of Dublin. Listening to him I finally understand what the big deal was about the Book of Kells Book of Kells: see Ceanannus Mór. Book of Kells Illuminated manuscript version of the four Gospels, c. late 8th–early 9th century. . The Guinness storehouse is a riveting day out. The building is amazing, the museum fascinating and the Gravity bar, with its views across Dublin and to the Wicklow mountains, is a great place to sink a pint. You will need the whole day to do, see, smell, taste and read everything so go early. Try a Black Velvet cocktail too. You'll be surprised how nice this champagne and Guinness combo is. Roar like a marauding ma·raud v. ma·raud·ed, ma·raud·ing, ma·rauds v.intr. To rove and raid in search of plunder. v.tr. To raid or pillage for spoils. invader on the Viking Splash Tours. You hop on board their vintage WWII WWII abbr. World War II WWII World War Two amphibious vehicles and as you learn about Viking Dublin, driving though its streets, you startle startle /star·tle/ (stahr´tl) 1. to make a quick involuntary movement as in alarm, surprise, or fright. 2. to become alarmed, surprised, or frightened. unsuspecting pedestrians with shouting 'grrrr' at them. Sounds stupid but is surprisingly good fun for kids and adults alike. Wander around Trinity College. The backdrop for Educating Rita, this 400-year-old university is home to the Book of Kells and is Ireland's Oxbridge equivalent. Ireland may not have a reputation for food in the way that France or Italy has but the grub in Dublin can be as good as Paris or Rome if you know where to go. Try the MV Cill Airne which has been converted into a floating restaurant on the Liffey, dinner in the Tea Room of The Clarence hotel or Galway Bay oyster and champagne at Beshoff 's in the fishing port of Howth, just outside the city. For a gastro splurge try Michelin starred L'Ecrivain Restaurant. I've been to Dublin many times. I've roughed it as a student, popped over on a no-frills flight for a whistlestop weekend and luxuriated in The Clarence. But every time I've been I've seen and done different things. This time around I missed out on returning to the superb Dublin Writers Museum The Dublin Writers Museum was opened in November 1991 at No 18, Parnell Square, Dublin, Republic of Ireland. The museum occupies an original 18th-century house, which accommodates the museum rooms, library, gallery and administration area. and I still haven't made it to the acclaimed Kilmainham Jail or any of the city's vibrant theatres. That's the beauty of Dublin - its inexhaustibility in·ex·haust·i·ble adj. 1. That cannot be entirely consumed or used up: an inexhaustible supply of coal. 2. Never wearying; tireless: an inexhaustible campaigner. . There are better transport links between Liverpool and Dublin than there are to London. You can sail from Birkenhead every morning and evening and fly between the two cities three times a day. You would get to Dublin's famous shopping boulevard, Grafton Street, quicker than you would find a parking space on a Saturday at the Trafford Centre. So, what are you waiting for? Travel Tips Dublin Tourism's website www.visitdublin.com has everything you need to plan a trip. Catch Pat Liddy's Walking Tours of Dublin at www.walkingtours.ie. Organise your visit to the Guinness Storehouse (where you can buy advance tickets to beat the queues) at www.guinness-storehouse.com. You will find MV Cill Airne at Quay 16, North Wall Quay, and you peruse pe·ruse tr.v. pe·rused, pe·rus·ing, pe·rus·es To read or examine, typically with great care. [Middle English perusen, to use up : Latin per-, per- the menu at www.mvcillairne.com. Treat yourself with a stay at The Clarence. To find out more visit www.theclarence.ie CAPTION(S): OH MY GOODNESS: Try the black stuff from the Guinness brewery; above, The Clarence hotel |
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