Inner City Southeast, Dublin

A good starting point for a sightseeing tour in Dublin is O'Connell Bridge, which spans the Liffey (here 45yd/42m wide) in the center of the city. Built in 1792-94, it was widened in 1880. The river, flanked by quays on both sides in its passage through the city, is crossed by a total of 10 road bridges.

To the east of Dublin's Trinity College, in Westland Row, is the handsome neo-Classical St Andrew's Church (1832-37).

Immediately adjoining St Andrew's Church, to the east of Trinity College, is Pearse Station, which has services to Wexford.

From Pearse Station, Pearse Street leads past the main building of Dublin City Library and over the Grand Canal (with its docks on the left) to Shelbourne Park, with a greyhound racing track.

Facing the main entrance to Trinity College is the large building now occupied by the Bank of Ireland, originally designed (by Sir Edward Lovett Pearce, 1729) to house the Irish Parliament but in 1802, after the Act of Union, sold to the Bank of Ireland. The curving facade with its different orders and sculpture groups - resulting from alterations carried out at different times - ranks as one of Dublin's finest. The noble banking hall, converted from the Old Commons' Chamber, can be seen during banking hours.

The National Library (1890), to the left of the entrance gateway to the Bank of Ireland, has collections of early printed books (notably 17th C. Irish literature), old maps and topographical works, and a newspaper archive.

To the rear of the National Library and Museum in Dublin, set back from the street, stands Leinster House, the Republic's Parliament, the seat of the Dáil Eireann (House of Representatives) and Seanad Eireann (Senate). This sober and dignified building (by Richard Cassels, 1745) was originally the town house of the Dukes of Leinster.

To the southwest of the National Gallery in Dublin lies Leinster Lawn, with a monument commemorating the founders of the Irish Free State (including Arthur Griffith, the first Prime Minister). This opens into elegant Merrion Square, which is surrounded on three sides by handsome Georgian houses. Among residents in the square have been Oscar Wilde's parents, Daniel O'Connell and W. B. Yeats. On the west side of the square is the Rutland Fountain (1791).

From the southeast corner of Merrion Square Fitzwilliam Street runs south to Fitzwilliam Square (c. 1825), Dublin's best preserved Georgian square. Fitzwilliam Street, also Georgian, is a good example of the style, with the additional attraction of a view of the Wicklow Mountains on the horizon to the southwest.At 29 Fitzwilliam Street Lower is a house displaying the lifestyle of 1800 Georgian Dublin. It is furnished and decorated in the Georgian period. Guided tours only, includes audio-visual show.

On Dublin's Upper Merrion Street we come to the Natural History Museum, which has a large collection displaying the fauna of Ireland (including skeletons of prehistoric animals). It also contains the Blashka Collection (glass models of marine creatures). Opposite the museum, at No. 24, is the house in which the Duke of Wellington was born.

Farther south along Upper Merrion Street from the National History Museum, beyond Merrion Row, we come to Ely Place, a cul-de-sac of elegant Georgian houses of about 1770. The finest is Ely House (No. 8), with a handsome staircase and good stucco ceilings; it is now the headquarters of the Knights of Columbanus.

Opposite Ely Housein Dublin, Hume Street leads to the east side of St Stephen's Green, a 20ac/9ha park laid out in 1880 at Arthur Guiness's expense, with flower beds, ponds and a variety of monuments, including a fountain ("The Three Fates") by Joseph Wackerle, a gift from the German people in thanksgiving for Irish help in relieving distress after the World War II, and a memorial stone to W. B. Yeats by Henry Moore. The park is a popular resort of Dubliners, particularly during the midday break (deck chairs can be hired); there are lunchtime concerts of Irish music in July and August.A highly ornate Victorian facade conceals the ultramodern St Stephen's Green Shopping Center. On the west side of the park can be seen the Royal College of Surgeons (1806) and on the south side of the square stands the Department of Foreign Affairs, formerly the residence of Lord Iveagh, which has a large garden, and the Neo-Byzantine University Church (1854).

The two buildings on the south side of St Stephen's Green (Nos. 85 and 86) are known as Newman House. They are owned by University College and have recently been thoroughly restored. These houses are especially renowned for their stucco work. No. 85 was built for Captain Hugh Montgomery and No. 86 was designed by Robert West. The buildings commemorate John Henry Newman, the first rector of the Catholic University, the precursor of University College.

Immediately south of Newman House in St Stephen's Green stands University College. The Republic of Ireland has two universities, Trinity College and the National University of Ireland, to which University College in Dublin and colleges in Cork and Galway belong. Particular attention is given at this university to the Irish language. Following the considerable expansion of University College the original buildings in Earlsfort Terrace now house only the faculties of medicine and architecture; the rest of the university occupies a new site at Belfield, 3mi/5km southeast on the N11, on a spacious campus developed since the mid-1960s, with some interesting modern buildings.

In Dawson Street, to the north of St Stephen's Green, is the Mansion House (1705), seat of the Lord Mayor of Dublin since 1715, with the Round Room by John Semple.The Round Room was the meeting place of the first Irish Parliament in 1919. There the Proclamation for the Irish Republic was ratified.

In Dawson Street, to the north of St Stephen's Green, is the Royal Irish Academy, with a library which contains a priceless collection of manuscripts of the sixth to the 17th C., including the "Cathach," a psalter possibly written by St Columba.

In Dawson Street is St Ann's Church (by Isaac Wills, 1720), with a mid 19th C. neo-Romanesque facade and good woodwork in the interior.

Going west along Dublin's Anne Street which branches off Dawson Street, we reach Grafton Street, one of the principal shopping streets of the city (pedestrian precinct). Here visitors should not miss seeing the traditional and exclusive "Browne, Thomas and Co." department store. A respite from shopping can be found at Bewley's Cafe in Grafton Street, a favorite rendezvous for Dubliners.

On South William Street, which can be reached by making a detour from the northwest corner of St Stephen's Green along South King Street, which runs west to South William Street, stands Dublin's Civic Museum, originally headquarters of the Society of Artists, and built in 1765-71. It has an exhibition of old plans, models, etc., of Dublin in the Octagonal Room.

On South William Street stands Powerscourt House, an imposing mansion (1771-74) built by Robert Mack for Viscount Powerscourt, now converted to commercial purposes (Powerscourt Town House Center). The beautiful stucco work in the staircase hall, main hall and reception rooms can be seen on application.The extension of South William Street leads back by way of College Green to Trinity College.

The center is in a modern building constructed on the Grand Canal Basin in Dublin, beside Pearse Street Bridge and the I.D.A. Enterprise Tower. It houses an exhibition designed to introduce the visitor to the story of Ireland's Inland Waterways. Attractions include an audio-visual show and working models showing various engineering features.

The National Concert hall is a music venue that was designed in the classical style for the Great Exhibition of 1865. Presentations include visiting international artists and orchestras, as well as concerts of jazz, contemporary and traditional Irish music.

Joyce's Ulysses refers to this house which was a dancing academy. The house contains all murals and a fine Georgian interior. An archive to James Joyce is being assembled.

A former school run by Patrick Pearse, it is now a museum in beautiful grounds. Attractions include exhibitions and a 20-minute audio-visual show entitled "This Man Kept a School".Outdoor concerts are held during the summer season.

The Iveagh gardens were designed by Ninian Niven in 1863 with fountains, rustic grotto, maze, wilderness, rosarium, woodlands, etc.

Artifacts dating from 7000 BC to the 20th C. include examples of Celtic and Medieval art, everyday culture of prehistoric Ireland, as well as ancient Egypt.

Dublin's Viking Adventure allows the visitor to experience Dyflin, the former Viking village, built one thousand years ago. The Viking Msueum features a comprehensive presentation and interpretation of the archeological finds from recent excavations.

The National Photographic Archive is part of the National Library of Ireland. A collection of photographic images relating to Irish history, topography and cultural and social life are displayed.

The Irish Jewish Museums tells the story of the Jewish community in Ireland.