Going to Dublin, recommendations

[AGuinessOrTwo]

I am going to Dublin for a few days at the end of this week, and I am dead excited. There will be DH and I, and our 2 teenage sons.

We love great food (would love good traditional local food), music (my DH and DC are musicians), culture, history and shopping (local shops preferably).

Does anyone have any recommendations for things to do and places to see great live local music and food?

Also, on a more poignant note, my mother was Irish and moved to the UK as a young child. I've only been there once, so very much looking forward to this trip and show my DC a part of their heritage. I'd love to get a piece of jewellery for myself, locally crafted. Not sure why, I just feel I would really like to do this.

Any recommendations?

Little gem we found was a restaurant called Tokyou. We went for Valentine’s Day and everywhere was overpriced so we tried there and it was the best meal we ate! It was flooded with locals. I’d fly back just for the chicken katsu curry!

EPIC museum is really good.
Kilmainham Gaol
IMMA
Hugh Lane Gallery
I’m from Dublin and I brought a friend on the open top bus and I thought it was hilarious.
Go out to Howth or somewhere else by the sea on the DART. Get some fish and chips and see if you can avoid getting it snatched out of your hands by seagulls.
We went to Lovin’ Spoon for lunch and it was great. (Near Hugh Lane.)

As an aside, is Bruxelles still a rock pub? It used to be metal on one side and indie/ rock on the other!

Take the 111 bus to Trim in Meath from O'Connell Street and go to the púca Festival or go to the Bram Stoker Festival in Dublin.
www.pucafestival.com

https://www.bramstokerfestival.com

Stokerland will be in the grounds of St Patrick's Cathedral.

I'm from Dublin and I've never been to the Guinness storehouse. Way more going on than that. Loads of brilliant restaurants too.

Avoid o connell street full of scobies/ beggars/ crime.
But near enough to o connell st is the Dept store Arnotts which I really like. If you go through tenple bar and over the hapenny bridge its walking distance and avoiding o connell st. The Morrison hotel- nearish to the hapenny bridge along the liffey is really nice for coffee / cake.
I love the Market bar for tapas and across from there is a lovely old irish pub- cant remember the name. Also theres the long hall - traditional irish pub that had bruce springsteem as a customer a few months ago only a few steps away.

The stags head- lovely pub for coffee and a toasty is close to the market bar.
Viking splash is fun.
Christchurch cathedral also fab
The christmas shop in Brown thomas is lovely.
Their cafe is oh so posh and you can just have a coffee. The open topped bus is only alright but will drop you off at kilmaimham gaol.
Dublin is lovely on a sunny day so hope its one of those fresh but sunny weekends

I second avoiding O' Connell Street and its environs, sadly.

Just back from visit to see family in Dublin, and adding a few thoughts

Good lunch/brunch places:

Elephant and Castle on Temple Bar
Lemon Jelly on Millennium Walk
Lucky Tortoise for Korean/Japanese food (the all-in menu is a steal)
Urbanity or Third Space near Smithfield Sq

Places for drinks
Cobblestone
The Piglet Wine Bar in Temple Bar
The Gin Palace on Abbey St for nostalgic reasons but it is really central

Great fish and chips on the harbour at Howth or Fish Shop in Smithfield (need to book this one)

My kids were delighted you get a free chocolate with hot drinks at Butler's Chocolate Cafes (lots all over the city)

There is a jewellery brand called Pog (with a fada) - it's costume rather than fine /maker-made jewellery but it means 'kiss' and I have a necklace my mum gave me that I really like. You can buy it at the EPIC museum shop (the museum is well worth a visit aside from this!).

Avoca for lunch and cakes

Trinity

Leprechaun museum