Hidden Gem Places to Visit in Dublin, Ireland

Grafton Street in Ireland

by Donal Buckley ‘26

After being out of school for almost a month, settling back into classes is no easy feat. But, it was a much needed break, and for me, a very exciting one. My family took a two-week trip to Ireland to visit our extended family for Christmas. All of my grandparents, cousins, aunts, and uncles live in Dublin — the capital city of Ireland — and it’s always special when we get to go back.
Since both of my parents’ sides of the family are massive, it proved to be quite the hectic trip as we juggled spending time with everyone. But we also took the time to explore the city more than we usually would. As locals, my parents usually don’t bother with tourist attractions and spend most of their time catching up with their siblings. So, while we couldn’t fit in everything touristy, we visited many of Dublin’s hidden gems. Travel guides may not tell you about the things below, but if you’re ever in Ireland, you should stop by these underrated attractions.

Grafton Street

Lined with a strip of unique stores and gorgeous lights, Grafton Street is one of the main outdoor shopping centers in Dublin. Every time we go back, we always take sneaky trips here, just to see if there’s anything new. Shops of all kinds inhabit the street, including clothing stores, cafes, jewelers, and more.

This year, we went on Christmas Eve, and as the day grew dark, the street truly lit up. During the winter, festive lights are hung to create a holiday atmosphere. Strolling through crowds of people under these lights helped put me in a festive mood, so even if you don’t shop here, there are still some great photo opportunities as well.

Personally, I love the jewelry stores on Grafton Street the most. I’ve bought a few necklaces and bracelets there and I absolutely love wearing them. Another standout is Butler’s Café, and if you buy a drink from there, they’ll give you a free piece of chocolate. At the top of Grafton Street is also Stephen’s Green Shopping Centre, an indoor mall. Since Ireland is a notoriously cold country, spending some time inside is a nice treat as well.

Dollymount Strand

After the insanity of Christmas Day, it’s always nice to take a relaxing stroll along the coast. While Ireland’s beaches are far from tropical, the cool breeze provides a nice wake-up after the late night before. The Dollymount Strand is a path across the ocean that leads to a lighthouse. On the way, there’s a coffee shop as well as a beach to take another walk on.

The Dollymount Strand is also across from Ireland’s famous Poolbeg Stacks. This power station not only generates electricity for over a half a million homes in Dublin, but the two large chimneys are considered an iconic landmark of Ireland. There are multiple spots on the Dollymount Strand to get them in the background of a photo as well.

14 Henrietta Street

If history’s your thing, then 14 Henrietta Street is a must-visit for you. This is a one-hour tour of an old tenement building in Dublin. This trip back in time takes visitors through 300 years of history, from how the building was originally for the elite class to it becoming tenement housing for those who could not afford anything else.

The tour was especially interesting because it exposed the horrible living conditions many people faced hundreds of years ago. It opened my eyes to how bad many people had it in Dublin, and the tour explains what contributed to the bleak situation. I won’t spoil the whole tour, but if you ever find yourself in Dublin, this one is a must-see.

My favorite part of this museum was how it was organized. Each group goes through the house with a guide and each room tells its own story of the history of 14 Henrietta Street. It’s a truly fascinating and interactive journey through a dark part of the city’s history.

Jameson

Another slightly different trip through Ireland’s history is whiskey tasting at the Jameson distillery. For people my age, this one would be especially interesting. I’m not old enough to drink in the States, but the legal age for alcohol consumption in Ireland is 18, so if you’re in the age range of 18-20, it would be a missed opportunity not to sample some whiskey.

While I’m not personally a fan of whiskey, the experience more than made up for it. We were taken into a bar that replicated the office of John Jameson, who created the drink of his namesake. Then, our guide gave us the history of Jameson’s whiskey, how it’s made, and eventually taught us how to properly taste-test the liquor.

A few burning sips later, I felt like a whiskey connoisseur. I was fascinated by how many different flavors and aromas could come from a simple-looking beverage. At the end of the experience, we were taken into the distillery’s actual bar, where we could order special cocktails made with whiskey. Even if you’re not the biggest fan of alcohol like myself, it was still an informative experience that I’d highly recommend.

Glasnevin Cemetery

Glasnevin Cemetery is the largest burial site in Ireland, and there are actually more people buried here than those currently living in the country. As yet another fascinating facet of Ireland’s history, Glasnevin should be added to any history buff’s bucket list of Dublin.

The tour of the gravesite took us to the headstones of many of Ireland’s most famous historical figures, such as revolutionary leaders and politicians. The most impressive, though, was the crypt of Daniel O’Connell. He is often regarded as Ireland’s most famous historical figure. Nicknamed “The Liberator,” he played a major role in the liberation of Ireland from England. On the tour, we were taken under a large tower and into where he’s buried. We were even encouraged to touch his coffin for good luck.

Glasnevin doesn’t just hold political figures, though, and is a regular burial site for members of the city. I have family buried in the cemetery, so while taking our tour, it was nice to pay our respects to those who went before us as well.

Night Out in Town

Running through tourist attractions is exciting, but one of my favorite parts of the trip was spending a night out in town with my cousins. We started the night playing pool before going to a bar and ordering a few rounds of drinks. Then, we finished at a diner many of my cousins go to late at night. We didn’t get home until close to 3am, and it was one of the best nights of the trip.

Since I’ve grown up in a different country than the rest of my relatives, it’s interesting to compare the lives of young adults in both countries. Spending a night out in town is something many people my age do in Ireland, but because I’m not old enough to go to bars in the States, I’ve missed out on that opportunity. It was nice to experience something that many people my age are able to do.

Also, going to pubs and drinking with friends is a very Irish thing to do. So, it was a new experience, but it was nice to engage with my culture as well. For anyone of age visiting, I’d highly recommend going to at least one of the many bars the city has to offer.

There’s more to do in Ireland than those select few activities we squeezed into our trip. I’ve been to Dublin plenty of times before, but this trip will stand out to me as one of the best. For anyone planning to visit the city, take some time to explore some of the lesser-known attractions, because you might uncover some hidden gems like we did.

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