The Dublin Community Blog

Descending as I do, despite a cultivated patrician air and sophisticated epicurean mien, from a long line of rangy mountain farmers, horny-handed and racy of North Kerry’s blanket bogs, I am no stranger to the enthusiasm for a long oul’ walk in the open spaces of the world. On the cusp of 80 years, my grandfather was wont to come north from the misty fastness of Faha Dubh (the Black Wilderness) to visit our chocolate box village by the meandering Shannon and kick along mile after mile of bucolic country lane with his bow-legged lope. Ar dheis Dé go raith a anam dílis.

Suffice it to say, the yen for a wander persists in the Copernican veins. With Bloomsday looming, one is reminded by the peregrinations of Leopold and Stephen that Dublin is just the place to stretch the legs on a fine summer’s evening. As the weather continues passing fair, if not quite so hot, the Dublin Community Blog has a great tip for those who fancy a bit of a turn about the boulevards of the fair city.

Walking Dublin by Paddy Liddy sets out 24 walks which vary in length from a mere 2 mile saunter a la mode du flâneur round historic city-centre sites, certain fashionable precincts and honest-to-goodness cobbled thoroghfares to a somewhat more substantial 8 mile canter about the hill of Howth. My own well-thumbed copy has proved both the impetus and essential companion for several of the most enjoyable days on which I’ve roved out, my wonders to perform, on either side of the Liffey. For the Joyceans among you, it even includes a Ulysses walk, though this frankly should not be attempted sans straw boater and ivory-tipped cane.

One of the Globetrotter series of guides, the charming and companionable Walking Dublin contains everything you need to put a bit of shape on your rambles including, but not limited to details of public transport access to the start and finishing points of each walk, a map of the route, blow-by-blow directions way-marked by points of local and historic interest, walking distance, a generous estimate of the likely time the walk will take and, of no mean importance, the particulars of those hostelries and places of public resort in which the weary traveller may seek a restorative libation (that’s a pint of the black stuff to you or me) and a bite to eat – be it crubeen, tripe or a packet of cheese and onion Taytos.

There has always been a great tradition of walking in Dublin. Not so long ago I read that, as a boy, Flann O’Brien (whose book At-Swim-Two-Birds we’re all supposed to be reading right now) would set forth of a Sunday with his father from their home by the canal just off Leeson Street and walk out of town into the foothills of the Dublin mountains. Mr. Liddy recommends the same and will take the more vigorous of you from the suburbs through creepy Hell Fire Wood to see the even creepier Hell Fire Club which stands to this day in mute, bleak monument to the depravity of those eighteenth century ascendancy bucks who put their mortal souls to the hazard; dabbling in the black arts in their meddlesome preoccupation with peering behind the thin veil that separates the material world from the wierd esoterica of the great beyond.

I’ve used Walking Dublin to find my way from Rathfarnham to Ballsbridge along the tranquil Dodder – a lovely walk – and to inform a wonderful stroll along the coast from Blackrock to Sandycove, my backpack well stocked with picnic wine, baguette and brie from the local Superquinn. And cake.

With Walking Dublin as your constant companion, you’ll soon have enjoyed little-known Dublin treats – visiting the preserved chamber of the House of Lords by ducking into the Bank of Ireland from the portico on Westmoreland Street or whizzing by the Hut in Phibsboro on your bicycle and admiring your upside-down reflection in the curious old mirror built into its façade.

Walking Dublin is available in any daycent buke shop or online.

The Irish Times, and many bloggers, are reporting that Bloomsday (June 16th) which was due to take place on Friday has been cancelled due to the death and funeral of former Taoiseach Charles Haughey.

The James Joyce Centre which organises the event has this to say on its website

“Bloomsday in Dublin, 2006

Owing to the death of former Taoiseach Charles J Haughey, and the state funeral on Friday 16th June, all Bloomsday events at the James Joyce Centre, 35 North Great George’s Street, Dublin 1 have been cancelled as a mark of respect. The Board of Directors and the staff of the James Joyce Centre offer their condolences to the family. ”

Bloomsday. for those who don’t know, is an annual tradition in Dublin where lovers of James Joyce and his novel Ulysses reinact Leopold Bloom’s day from the book including a hearty Irish breakfast, stopping off for a glass of burgundy and a Gorgonzola sandwich at Davy Byrne’s on Duke Street and then being tempted by sirens while having a pint in the Ormond Hotel. It’s a pub crawl all in the name of literature.

I believe some events are still planned in Sandycove at the Martello tower. More information on Bloomsday itself can be found at Wikipedia.

Dubliners are being asked to watch their water usage this summer to ensure there isn’t a drought in the coming weeks.

According to the report on the Irish Times Breaking News site people use an average of 150 litres a day, the equivalent of 15 large buckets a day. That just sounds like so much water.
Among the water-saving tips recommended in the piece include, turning off the tap as you brush your teeth, having showers instead of a bath, and of course not hosing down your garden.

More tap-tips can be found here.

Meanwhile Dublin City Council is reported to be spending some €118m on rehabilitating old leaking water pipes in the Greater Dublin area. The mind boggles when you consider the network of pipes spreads over 2100 km in length ranging in age from new to more than a 100 years old.

I’VE been meaning to write this post for a while, but I thought it might be too much information, but then I thought, meh, feck it.

I have Crohn’s Disease, a chronic disorder of the bowel and digestive tract which causes me all sorts of problems, not least that I have to run to the loo on average nine times a day.

And not just for a wee either.

Now that I’ve grossed you out totally, allow me to explain, there’s method in my madness:

Seeing as I don’t stay indoors, in my own house all day, I frequently need to use public/pub restrooms (or toilets as we say here in Dublin) and because of the Crohn’s I have developed an almost radar-like instinct for finding a clean one.

I can find you a loo, with paper, soap and hot water anywhere in Dublin’s city centre, north or south of the Liffey and I can also pick out with laser-beam precision those which aren’t up to scratch at all.

No Trainspotting moments for me, thank you very much.

So, for all you tourists, visitors and just plain Curious George’s out there, I present to you Karen’s Ultimate Guide to Dublin Ladies Toilets, The Good, The Bad and The Smelly. (Apologies to the blokes, I haven’t done a tour of gents toilets – yet!)

Readers should also note that many of the loos I’m going to list are in pubs, which aren’t strictly public toilets, so I’m not advocating an abuse of these facilities, I’m just saying they’re there and I’ve used them in an emergency. But do stay and have a drink in the pubs I list too, they’re generally lovely. (God I’m gonna get sued aren’t I?!)

Neary’s on Chatham Street, just off Grafton Street. This is a lovely little ‘old men’ pub with dickybowed staff and a gorgeous atmosphere. The lounge and the ladies loos are upstairs (away from the men who have serious business to discuss you see) and they’re usually fairly empty during the day, should you need some privacy. They’re usually clean, with paper, soap and mirrors and the best bit is that they’re situated outside the door of the lounge, so you can run up the stairs and you’re straight there. Genius!

St Stephen’s Green Shopping Centre. Situated on the top floor, you have to pay 20 cent to use these facilities (bit of a cheek if you ask me) but they’re generally clean with soap, mirrors and hand dryers. There are a good number of cubicles but the whole restroom is pretty small so there’s very little privacy as there is usually a queue, meaning people stand waiting directly outside your cubicle. It’s usually noisy though, if that’s any consolation!

The Left Bank Pub, in Temple Bar. Now this is one of my favourites. It’s clean (though personally I think it could do with a bit of a décor revamp) and there’s usually loo roll etc, but the absolute best thing is that the entrance leading down the stairs to the ladies, is off the street. Meaning you can literally duck into a doorway, down the stairs and into the ladies with no delay or hassle at all. Take a bow Left Bank, you deserve it!

The Mint Bar in the Westin Hotel, Westmoreland Street. Pure luxury. The only thing is, you must pass by a doorman, receptionist, concierge and down some stairs to get to them, but they’re fabulous. Lots of cubicles (on the tiny side though) with all the amenities you need and during the day they’re fine on the privacy front. The Molton Brown hand soaps and hand cream are a bonus!

Roches Stores, Henry Street. Ah, bliss. These have to be the best shopping centre toilets in Dublin, I really believe this. The genius thing about these loos is that the mirrors, hand dryers and sinks are situated away from the cubicles, through thick glass doors, SO when you’re in…doing your business….people chattering, applying make-up and washing their hands aren’t standing directly outside your door and can’t hear anything that’s going on. There also seems to be a staff member permanently cleaning here and though there can sometimes be a queue, there are enough cubicles that you shouldn’t be waiting too long.

The Epicurian Food Hall at the Hapenny Bridge. You have to pay 20 cent also here to open the doors of the cubicles (there’s a little slot) but each cubicle is a self contained restroom, in that there is a sink, hand dryer and mirror in there. I’ve rarely queued here and you can simply close the heavy black door behind you and not worry about how long you’re going to be or people outside, as there are several little rooms.

John Keating’s Pub (the one that used to be a church) at the bottom of Mary Street. Big toilets, lots of cubicles, clean, gorgeous soaps and again sinks and mirrors far enough away from the loos to allow for some privacy.

Jervis Street Shopping Centre. Bit of a walk to these loos on the second floor and like Stephen’s Green they’re not great for privacy at all, but they’re clean with paper, soap and hand dryers.
Other emergency loos of note include FitzSimons in Temple Bar, the Foggy Dew beside the Central Bank, the Mercentile on Dame Street and the toilets downstairs in Brown Thomas, (though this one only has a couple of cubicles and there’s an attendant there so NO privacy as she can hear EVERYTHING!)

I feel I owe it to you readers (thanks for sticking with me thus far!) to mention two bars which I frequent (er, frequently) where I believe the toilets need some improvement (here comes the litigation!) Whelan’s on Wexford Street and Pravda at the Ha’penny Bridge.

Whelan’s has two cubicles upstairs and two in the venue area and both are tiny tiny tiny with NO privacy, it’s hit and miss whether there’s paper or soap and in fact in the upstairs loos the doors are so old and splintered that you can almost see straight through them.
In saying that, the pub itself is lovely, great craic and great music, it’s just the loos that let it down.

Pravda is also a great pub, with a lovely atmosphere, delicious food and attentive staff, but again the loos let it down severely, because quite frankly, they smell. It’s an overriding damp, musty smell, there are only three cubicles, again the loo roll is hit and miss and they’re just generally a bit dingy.

Clean up your act lads!

My experience with Crohn’s over the years and in fact, even writing this post, has made me realise that there is a severe lack of public facilities in Dublin, those not located in a pub or restaurant. Your only choice really is to use loos in shopping centres, but surely there should be toilets available for all, as there used to in years gone by?

Any one got any more to add to the list?

THIS post is cogged together from various websites including Dublinks.

O Connell Bridge is the only traffic bridge in Europe as wide as it is long.

O Connell Bridge as originally made of rope and could only carry one person and a donkey at a time. This was replaced with a wooden structure in 1801. The current bridge was built in 1863 and called Carlisle Bridge.

There is a second O’Connell Bridge in Dublin, do you know where it is? Here’s a clue.

There are 12 Dublins in the United States and six in Australia.

Leinster House was built as a private home for the Earl of Leinster. The South side of the River Liffey was not a fashionable place to live at that time and when asked why he was building on the South side he said ‘where I go, fashion follows me’.

Henry Moore, Earl of Drogheda lived in Dublin in the eighteenth century. He called several streets after himself. Henry Street, Moore Street, Earl Street, Drogheda Street. Drogheda Street later became Sackville Street and is now O’Connell Street.

Tallaght is one of the oldest place names in Ireland and it means ‘The Plague Cemetery’.

There are many more, can you think of any?