Author Archives: stevedineen

Periscope towards the past, in Dún Laoghaire

Posted on May 21, 2015 by stevedineen

The winds of change are swirling through Dún Laoghaire. This harbour town, home to a mailboat servicing Dublin to Holyhead for over 170 years, recently lost its only ferry service, which served the same route. Plans are afoot for an … Continue reading →

Posted in Tourist attraction reviews | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

The 300-year old page turner

Posted on May 7, 2015 by stevedineen

Old museums and libraries with little if any turnover of materials face an on-going, major challenge. They need to remain relevant, retain some feeling of life and modernity, and find a way to coax old visitors back. Tucked in behind … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Turning on and tuning in at the hurdy gurdy

Posted on April 23, 2015 by stevedineen

For many tourists in Dublin on these sunny, spring days, a visit to Howth for its coastal walks, views and fresh fish and chips is on the radar. Some will also make the pilgrimage there this weekend for International Marconi … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , | Leave a comment

Putting its own stamp on history

Posted on April 9, 2015 by stevedineen

It’s Easter Week and many visitors to Dublin are undoubtedly strolling along O’Connell Street for a look at the building that made the headlines this week ninety nine years ago. The General Post Office’s Portland stone portico and Ionic columns … Continue reading →

Posted in Tourist attraction reviews | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Shedding light on the bank with few windows

Posted on March 26, 2015 by stevedineen

For most visitors traversing Dublin’s city centre, the building opposite the main Trinity College entrance is striking for its smooth granite exterior and alcoves where windows might have stood. Tourists discover that it’s a bank, formerly ‘Grattan’s Parliament’. Yet it … Continue reading →

Posted in Tourist reviews | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Going to print, over time

Posted on March 12, 2015 by stevedineen

For almost two thousand years, man has printed on wood. Each written language transcends boundaries and time, bound by a unique code of letters, numbers and symbols, and materials that connect pages of the printed word. The printing presses and … Continue reading →

Posted in Tourist reviews | Tagged , | Leave a comment

People power

Posted on February 26, 2015 by stevedineen

If you’re meandering along the northern perimeter of St Stephen’s Green, gazing across at the row of majestic buildings opposite, you’d be forgiven for being surprised to see a museum. Nestled among the suave clothes shops and restaurants is a … Continue reading →

Posted in Tourist attraction reviews | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Doing time in Kilmainham

Posted on February 12, 2015 by stevedineen

Ideally, the visitor interested in Irish history will arrive in March next year. 27 March 2016, Easter Sunday, will mark the political anniversary of the 1916 Rising, when the Irish Volunteers and others, led by Pádraig Pearse, seized the General … Continue reading →

Posted in Tourist attraction reviews, Uncategorized | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Yeats Country

Posted on January 29, 2015 by stevedineen

If you’re re-visiting Dublin after many years, and a sign for a W.B. Yeats exhibition outside the National Library on Kildare St looks familiar, don’t be alarmed by déja-vu. It’s the exhibition that opened nine years ago and never left … Continue reading →

Posted in Tourist attraction reviews | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Capital gains

Posted on January 15, 2015 by stevedineen

When a visitor reaches the top of Dame Street, the tourist attractions suggest an area of the city that once possessed great power and prestige. Dublin Castle, administrative centre of British rule in Ireland, stands near Christ Church, Ireland’s most … Continue reading →

Posted in Tourist reviews | Tagged , | Leave a comment