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Original poster

Short break. Why is Dublin so bad

491 replies

IfIShouldFallFromGraceWithGod · 20/10/2019 18:45

I'm looking for a city break and Dublin was on my list. It scored highly on the worst holiday thread, can anyone tell me why

OP posts:
jennymanara · 22/10/2019 15:34

I said I had not been to cardiff, although wales lots of times, so I can't comment on cardiff.
I loved Galway but did not say it was authentic. Just loved the cosmopolitan atmosphere. It was a lovely place to stop while we travelled around.

jennymanara · 22/10/2019 15:37

And I have only passed through Belfast. Literally over on ferry, stayed the night and left next morning. So can't comment.

Ohhellooooo · 22/10/2019 15:40

It's rather a small city and really expensive however if the weather is good it's a lovely city to walk around. You could take the Dart out to some of the more affluent suburbs such as Monkstown and Blackrock, which are really pretty.

Sakura7 · 22/10/2019 15:42

Nice to hear you had a good time caperplips and your comments are a nice antidote to some of the posts here. I'm not blind to Dublin's problems, but they're being blown way out of proportion here.

Katy, sorry to hear you're getting negative comments about Scotland as well. Maybe I should have said "if this was posted about any English city."

I've been to Manchester several times as I have family there, and it can be pretty dull and drab too. It has some good areas and attractions as well, so it's a balance. I can't see what makes it so much better than Dublin though, other than the fact that it's cheaper. You have to remember though that wages are higher in Dublin, so it's all relative.

Still can't understand why a poster who has spent ONE DAY in the city is so intent on coming back to this thread again and again to tell everyone how shit it is. Seems very odd to me.

jennymanara · 22/10/2019 15:49

I am not saying how shit it is. I have repeatedly said it might be great to live there, but as a tourist it is expensive and not that different.

And great that wages are higher there, but as tourist I am coming from a place where wages are lower, so it is expensive for me. I will go somewhere expensive if it has great unusual things to do. But not to go to things that I can go to in England for a cheaper price and closer by.

caperplips · 22/10/2019 15:49

Agreed Sakura7 it is a mystery why some posters are so dead set against it. There is much love for NI and Belfast throughout the thread and while I agree they are also nice places to visit, I can't help but wonder why there is such a preference for Belfast over Dublin, might it have something to do with the fact that one is in Ireland and the other UK Wink

jennymanara · 22/10/2019 15:51

I doubt it sakura given how many posters have said they loved other bits of Ireland. This is not anti Ireland at all.
In the same way I hated Los Angeles and love other bits of America as a tourist.

isabellerossignol · 22/10/2019 15:53

I can understand people saying it's not really their cup of tea. Everyone likes different things. And I can understand people feeling it's too expensive.

But looking at it objectively I don't understand the 'nothing to do' argument. It's awash with museums, has nice buildings, lovely restaurants, great pubs if that's your thing, lovely coffee shops, history, literature, art, theatre. I honestly can't imagine standing in the middle of Dublin thinking 'there's nothing here of interest'.

jennymanara · 22/10/2019 15:57

Okay it has nothing interesting to do that other cities don't have aside from The Book of Kells.
Virtually every city has lovely restaurants, nice pubs, and most have nice buildings. A lot have fairly good museums. What people are saying is there nothing there that is of interest that they can't do at home or much closer to home. So a boring weekend place to go.

WhatchaMaCalllit · 22/10/2019 15:57

I got as far as this post by @Yoollyball " It's lacking in the usual kind of tourist draws that you expect from a capital city." and I have to ask, what are the 'usual' tourist draws from a capital city?
Museums? Tick!
Galleries? Tick!
Restaurants? Tick!
Cinemas? Tick!
Parks? Tick! Tick! (The Phoenix Park that holds Dublin Zoo and the official residences of the President of Ireland and the USA Ambassador to Ireland is Europe's largest enclosed park).

I'm wondering what is missing?

jennymanara · 22/10/2019 16:00

And where I live is a lovely City, but it is a boring City for a tourist. Lots of lovely restaurants, pubs, cinemas, theatres, parks, a few museums - but nothing stand out at all. There are better examples of museums in London, better parks elsewhere, better theatre in Glasgow and London, better independent cinemas in London.
People want something different. And if it costs more than going to say Manchester, what is the point?

jennymanara · 22/10/2019 16:03

And I know that our local councillors would say the kind of thing people say here about Dublin, about where I live. But we get very few tourists and that is because there is no real draw.

Potnoodledoo · 22/10/2019 16:05

I dont know why people are shocked about the weather.We have basically the same weather as Britain.

Im from Dublin,have lived here all my life.And its just like any capitol city.Some good parts,some bad parts.As if the city or area you come from doesnt have junkies and homeless people.

And its expensive,no shit Sherlock.Its a capital city what d you expect.

Dont go to Temple Bar,ask your hotel for recommendations for places to eat.And places to have a drink.

Theres also Malahide Castle and ardgillan castle both gorgeous places to visit.

Sakura7 · 22/10/2019 16:07

Why do you care so much Jenny? Genuine question.

If I spent a day in a city and found it a bit 'meh', I wouldn't go on a message board and post incessantly about how there's nothing to do (which is blatantly not true in this case) and argue with posters who liked the place and pointed out its good points.

It's not for you, fine, but why are you coming back again and again to argue with prople who know the place a lot better than you do?

jennymanara · 22/10/2019 16:07

Ireland as a country is beautiful to visit. But I would avoid weekend breaks to Dublin. Fly to Dublin, hire a car and get outside and explore the country.
If you want a weekend break where you fly in, and explore a city on foot/public transport, go elsewhere.

jennymanara · 22/10/2019 16:08

@sakura I could ask the same of you?

Drabarni · 22/10/2019 16:09

If you keep away from the Temple Bar area, it's really nice.
Lot's of stag and hen parties, recently went myself.
Obviously, it's the well over priced booze that you go for, in the above circumstances.
However, there were plenty of American and European tourists at our hotel, tht weren't on parties.

flowery · 22/10/2019 16:09

” Virtually every city has lovely restaurants, nice pubs, and most have nice buildings. A lot have fairly good museums. What people are saying is there nothing there that is of interest that they can't do at home or much closer to home. So a boring weekend place to go.”

I live very near Cambridge. Based on the above, presumably I should never go anywhere else ever again...?

That’ll save me a fortune I suppose!

EddieVeddersfoxymop · 22/10/2019 16:10

Oh god, our worst break was Dublin. It rained....so much rain. I'm from Scotland so used to rain but this was damp that crept into my bones.
Temple bar was shit, I don't drink to be fair but it felt unwelcoming. Our hotel was ok, except for the couple in the next room shagging very loudly who then got annoyed with us as we rated their performance out of ten.
And we left in a thunderstorm, after de-icing was needed for the plane in September. I may have watched too many episodes of Aircrash Investigation, but that was not my best flight home.
Never again!

Drabarni · 22/10/2019 16:10

Go and rub the boobies of Molly Mallone. Grin

pachyderm · 22/10/2019 16:11

I've spent a lot of my life in Dublin and agree with a pp that it has lost much of its charm in the last 20 years. Sure, it's awash in hipster bars and all the rest of it but to me it's become overcrowded, bland and unfriendly. And insanely expensive. I struggle to see why anyone would bother.

SorrowfulMystery · 22/10/2019 16:16

There are better examples of museums in London

Sigh. But those won't be museums about Irish history/archeology, Irish art, Irish writers etc. You won't see by and large see independent innovative/site-specific theatre companies like Barabbas, Pan Pan, Rough Magic, ANU, Fishamble and lots of others in Glasgow or London.

People want something different.

Different to what, though?

caperplips · 22/10/2019 16:27

jennymanara I get that you did not like Dublin based on your one day there. You are saying repeatedly that there is nothing of any interest ti do here, it does not have tourist attractions you would expect or like to have in a city. You have said Glasgow and Manchester do have far more tourist attractions. Lots of posters, including me have listed places and things we enjoy about Dublin. I have asked you already what exactly is Dublin missing? I am genuinely interested.

Wexone · 22/10/2019 16:31

@AnOojamaflip Phonix park is the largest enclosed park in Europe. In fact, it is bigger than all the parks in London put together and twice the size of Central Park in New York.
Am shocked, I live in Irealand Dublin is our capital, yes it not perfect, which city is?, it has a lot of history and has changed drastically over the years. You will learn all about that if you visit any of the museums, some of which are free. English people compare it as a small town but yet forget we are a small island. We only have a population of 4.9mil, with aprox 1.3mil living in Dublin. More people live in London than the whole of Ireland. As people say do your research see what attractions you like to do (There are free ones) Stay away from Temple Bar as it is expensive, i am sure other European cities have their expensive parts too. It does rain alot in ireland, but then we are known for our fields of green (Which without rain you will not get). Its not perfect (Which placeis) but do you research and you can have a fab break, it is what you make of it

Molteni · 22/10/2019 17:05

I went with my mum a few years ago. Ugly, dirty, dreary, and unfriendly locals. I'd wanted to visit Ireland for years and was so disappointed.

Bit of a blanket statement; people were friendly to me. At the end of the day you can enjoy yourself in most cities. I liked it. Not particularly expensive, in comparison to some other cities.

I don't see why Belfast comes out far more favourable though (I'm a continental European so my experience may diverge a bit). I read a review afterwards in NRC; that called Belfast pale and unobtrusive with not a lot of beautiful buildings but still worth a visit because of the very friendly people and the warm positive vibe. I think that's a good summary.
Both are worth a visit in my book.