To wonder why MN hates Dublin?

[HollyCarrot]

I am Irish. I'm watching the Irish version of newsnight and it's all about MN bad reviews of Dublin. We have lots of problems here but I don't get that people would dislike us that much?

@Caca, my one gripe with the Irish countryside is the almost total absence of field paths and established public rights of way across land — I’ve loved being able to walk through fields and woods when living in rural England.

Not this again, there was a huge long discussion about this only a few weeks ago.

And no, I don't hate Dublin and have absolutely no idea why some MNers are so venomous about it. Maybe it's sold as something it isn't? I don't know. I had a very nice weekend there last year and I would go back but there are a lot of places on the island of Ireland I've not been to so I'd probably go somewhere like Belfast or Cork first.

As for being expensive, I've not been anywhere in Europe recently that was cheap (Hamburg, Copenhagen).

I know, I grew up in rural Ireland. But it’s one of the great advantages of rural England for me.

YABU to think that everyone on Mumsnet “hates” Dublin. It was one thread about it. There’s tonnes on here about loads of different cities - London gets slagged off way more probably justified

I have to say, I quite enjoyed Dublin when we went - we avoided Temple Bar except for briefly popping our heads in; and we love finding out the history of places so did plenty of Walking tours, went to the Jail, Castle etc. Absolutely fascinating. We also went just before St Patrick’s Day so places were lit up in green at night, which was beautiful. Trinity College is stunning and we had a lovely tour round it. I also think Guinness was actually really well laid out with plenty of history and information to soak up. The bar was a bit “meh” but that’s not really what I went for! Yes it’s pricey but we went expecting London type prices, and DP drinks craft beer so I’ve resigned myself long ago to paying through the nose for his beers.

Even the hop on hop off bus was one of the best - we bought a 5 day travel card which was excellent value, not like some cities where you spend £££ for a mediocre pre recorded spiel.

As PP said, if you just stick to the tourist areas then it’s probably dirty and crowded because they all are - if you’re willing to do a bit of research and have a bit of a wander off the beaten track you can find some lovely hidden gems.

Emerald

Clontarf, Malahide, raheny, howth are all lovely too on the north side. I grew up beside the sea on the north side
I agree. The best beaches there, beautiful homes.
I meant the socialising northside of the city. Templebar Smithfield Abbey street area is a bit murky.
Outside the city street on the NS is beautiful.

I LOVE Dublin! My best friend lives there, they have really good food and such beautiful places to visit and walk about!

Dublin has been voted the safest European country for the LBGT community to visit.
Most people love a natter and are happy to help if you're in a pickle, if your a tourist we want to know where you're from and all about your place. If you need help on/off buses with a buggy. If your famous you can shop in peace.
You can't beat the people for good craic and generosity. Most of the time

Dublin is expensive because of a lot of big international banks and tech firms have their European headquarters there. This drives up the price of rental accommodation and hotel rooms as well as prices for property along the train line in the suburbs. I’m from Dublin and live there and I wouldn’t be bothered with the city centre. It’s dangerous at night with a serious number of druggies and homeless. Dun Laoghaire, Dalkey, Glasthule and Sandycove are the most beautiful parts of the city and worth a visit for lunch and a drink or a walk along the sea front.

I love Dublin but I find the city very visitor unfriendly, hardly any seating areas in the actual city center, you have to go down to the river to sit down. Well actually apart from the river there’s nowhere to sit at all.

YABU to think that everyone on Mumsnet “hates” Dublin. It was one thread about it.

No, actually, it wasn't -- it was just this thread that got picked up in the Irish press. And this particular thread only existed because the OP wondered (how innocently or goadily is not entirely clear) why Dublin 'was so bad', according to previous Mn threads on 'Places you would never return to' or 'Disappointing places you've visited', in which Dublin has featured frequently.

Whenever anyone complains about their trip to Dublin, prices, fake etc just remember, Temple Bar is a essentially a holding pen for tourists.

It's just like a lot of places, people don't do any research, only visit the least attractive overpriced tourist traps and then write off the whole places etc as not very nice.

Look at all the crap people say about the Canary Islands, Mallorca, Spain etc because they never went anywhere except the worst Brits on the piss resorts dominated by cheap AI hotels.

All have beautiful, authentically Spanish areas and cultural interest but you'd never know listening to some people who complain about people laying around a pool getting pissed and eating chips.

It's just like a lot of places, people don't do any research, only visit the least attractive overpriced tourist traps and then write off the whole places etc as not very nice.

Yes, I think it's the complete lack of research that always strikes me on all these threads, as well as some weird expectation that there's some tickybox list of Must-See Things that will be of equal interest to everyone. So you have people with absolutely no interest in Renaissance art complaining that the Mona Lisa is underwhelming or that there are too many Madonna and Child paintings in the Uffizi, when it's never clear what would have been the 'right' experience of either.

I'm Irish. Dublin has a certain charm, I'm Trinity College, Dun Laoghaire and the coastal areas, James Joyce etc however it is grotty and doesn't hold up well with other European capital cities particularly in terms of public transport. I wouldn't live there, not that I could afford to anyway. I'd probably visit more but it's getting more expensive than London /Scandinavia.

This is weird to me.
I used to visit Dublin a lot with work.
I love the place.
I love the people.
I always had a great time.
Haven't been for about 7 years though so not sure if it's changed a lot in that time?

I just dislike Ireland completely, both northern and southern. The films all show exactly the opposite to the several places I've been in Ireland. I was very disappointed and wouldn't go again

Its jut an ordinary city. And yes, the previous poster is entirely right about the hypersensitivity. If somebody doesnt have a complete knowlede of the minutae of Irish history (why would they) they're jumped on.

BellyButton85 what films are you thinking of? You know The Field was set quite a time ago..

But Gallivespian I don’t think Dublin gets singled out really any more than other similar “let down” cities.

And I agree with you that it’s mostly people who go hyping it up then stay in the Temple Bar area and realise that it’s noisy, crowded, and full of Stag do’s. And yes, definitely to the different experiences and interests colouring perceptions - in Rome DP and I actually ended up with a running joke about “oh look, another Frescoe”. I’m sure it was fascinating to others but to us, it was just yet another pretty painting We didn’t slate Rome for it though, just we appreciated the other bits more (and I’m sure others would have been deathly bored with us stopping at every single bit of Roman architecture to coo at it).

Apparently the Japanese Embassy has a specific hotline for tourists who go to Paris and are massively underwhelmed by it - there’s so much hype that people get a shock when they experience the real thing!

It was my thread. I didn't realise it was picked up be the press but nice that they realise I am a pogues fan
I started the thread on the back of places to go and places to avoid thread
My family are from Dublin (all RIP) and I wanted to go and find my history. I thought a short break with a friend would be a good start
I feel a name change is in order

I just dislike Ireland completely, both northern and southern. The films all show exactly the opposite to the several places I've been in Ireland.

Which films were those, @BellyButton85? The Quiet Man? Darby O'Gill and the Little People?

I don’t think Dublin gets singled out really any more than other similar “let down” cities.

It's not just my perception, @Dyrne -- I haven't done a count, but the poster who started the thread on Dublin that got picked up in the media was actually saying 'Why is Dublin so bad?' based on her perception of how often it figured in Mn lists of let-down places.

I don't think you should NC, @IfIShouldFallFromGraceWithGod -- it's a good name. Did you ever go on this famous trip in the end?