Discover a new side to Dublin’s history and culture with a visit to one of the city’s top attractions offering a host of fresh experiences for 2022
If you’re looking for an enriching and immersive experience of Dublin, you’ll be glad to hear some of the city’s intriguing visitor attractions are doing things a little differently this year, thanks to recent investment from Fáilte Ireland. Whether this is your first time to Ireland’s capital or you’ve toured the city’s highlights before, you’ll discover something fresh and exciting when you pay a visit to any one of these sites in 2022. Learn even more about the history and culture of Dublin through these new interactive and accessible enhancements of the city’s most notable museums, heritage sites and tourist attractions.
The first stop is The Custom House, which is now open to visitors for the first time, with audio benches, visual displays and interactive screens for a multi-sensory experience. Explore the jewel in Dublin’s architectural crown and become immersed in this masterpiece of neo-classicism. Built-in 1791, the building has stood sentinel, overlooking the River Liffey and the ships that docked along the quays. When visiting the brand new Custom House Visitor Centre, you’ll be taken on a journey through 230 years of Irish history with knowledgeable and friendly guides, learning about the rocky start of the building’s development and its destruction during the War of Independence in May 1921.
Make your way then to the nearby EPIC The Irish Emigration Museum, where a new film installation, “Ireland Never Leaves You”, further shows just how much emigration has changed over the last two-and-a-half centuries. This is just one part of what has become a must-visit attraction in recent years. Learn all about the many different stories of people who’ve left these shores for new worlds, the struggles some faced and the outstanding achievements made by so many members of the Irish diaspora.
Glasnevin Cemetery is the burial place of countless heroes of Irish literature, art, music and history, but what about all the others resting in its grounds? This year sees a new addition to this 290-year-old heritage site: the new Extra-Ordinary Lives Tour explores the fascinating stories of people – both famous and not so famous – whose lives and experiences shaped the Ireland of today. From the woman who “died once but was buried twice” to the lion tamer who died at the paws of his own animal and the many victims of pandemics past, every person buried here lived their own extraordinary life and this moving display pays homage to the permanent residents within its walls. Of course, the tales of the most famous among them, including Daniel O’Connell, Michael Collins, and Countess Markievicz, can also be heard at great length by the knowledgeable and very entertaining guides.
Whether you’re a fan or curious about the fascinating history of the grounds and sport, the Croke Park GAA Museum is well worth making time for, and visitors this year will discover many more insightful artefacts throughout the newly-revamped exhibition space. Learn all about the tragedy of Bloody Sunday and those who lost their lives, the Gaelic games’ unique place in Irish society and culture, as well as the ancient sports of hurling and camogie and their links to Irish myth and legend.
Finally, polish off the day learning about Dublin’s intriguing whiskey production history at one of the city’s oldest and yet newest distilleries – Teeling Whiskey Distillery, which brothers Jack and Stephen Teeling opened in the Liberties area of the city in 2015 – 233 years after their ancestor Walter Teeling established his distillery in nearby Marrowbone Lane. This award-winning attraction has seen some recent upgrades to its already enticing visitor experience. Immerse yourself in the sights, sounds smells and tastes of a hard-working distillery, nose the famous Teeling Small Batch Whiskey straight from the barrel in the Maturation Space, learn the rich history and provenance of Dublin distilling, and follow a street art storyline around the walls of the space, created by local street artist Shane Sutton. And be sure to sample the delights of the distillers’ labour.
Other Dublin attractions that have recently been upgraded include St Patrick’s Cathedral, Newbridge House & Farm, the Irish Whiskey Museum, Dublinia, Christ Church Cathedral and the Clondalkin Round Tower.
For a convenient and colourful way to catch all these new experiences, and more besides, consider leaving the driving in the expert hands of the team at DoDublin. The famous green Hop On, Hop-Off Tour bus allows you to easily access the city’s most popular attractions with tales and songs entertaining you all along the route. DoDublin has been bringing Dublin stories to life since 1988 and are masters at showcasing the best the city has to offer.
Find out more about these and countless other exciting attractions at failteireland.ie.
