Dublin is amazing! So much culture and history. Take no notice of the whingers! It'll take all day to get to and from the west coast though, so I really wouldn't recommend you do this on a weekend trip. There's plenty to see in Dublin. Save the West Coast for a separate trip. You won't find cheap food and drink in Dublin, but it's not London prices, so if you're only going for a weekend and probably getting rock bottom price flights, just suck it up and enjoy.

We enjoyed just walking round the city and seeing the famous landmarks. We walked through Temple Bar and back out just to see it! We also went to the emigration museum and would have liked to visit the Gaol but didn't have time. I would happily go back again despite the cost of eating and drinking out.

Btw, there are a few BYO restaurants, mainly Lebanese, which keep costs down.

Where are you staying OP?

Agree with pp, madness to go to the west coast on a weekend trip.

EPIC is fantastic.

epicchq.com

Don't bother with the Guinness storehouse.

I live in Dublin, but for various events have had to stay overnight in Town. Hotels I have liked (and convenient to city centre/ tram & bus links/ airport links) include The Spencer and (the snappily named 🙄) The Hilton Garden Inn Custom House. It would be worth checking hotels soon, on booking.com or similar, because if your weekend clashes with a concert in the 3 Arena, hotel prices will rocket.

For the bus tour... bear in mind where you need to go to meet them (or will they pick you up?) - if you have to meet them v early, I would try to stay nearby. The weather at that time of year is unlikely to be great, and it possibly will be dark for most of the day! I wouldn't attempt this type of tour on a weekend break, but I understand you didn't ask for opinions on that part!

I like the Guinness store house, although it is very touristy. We have brought family before who have enjoyed it. I liked the Jameson and Teeling whiskey tours too (one or the other would do, they are samey).

You can wander around the city quite a bit, or there are hop on/hop off tours too. Or the tram (Luas) is regular and convenient to use.

Food can be as expensive/cheap as you want, but a sandwich and coffee for lunch won't leave you much change out of €10 each. There are plenty of coffee shops and sandwich places. If we go out for dinner in Town, a meal and a couple of drinks will cost us around €50 each. Lots of places do early bird/pre-theatre menus, and you can find somewhere as fancy or casual as you like.

I know Dublin very well and would definitely not recommend taking a bus trip across the entire country on a weekend trip!

Good things to see and do:

History:
Henrietta St Tenement Museum
1916 GPO Museum
Writers Museum
Little Museum of Dublin St Stephen's Green
St Michan's Crypt for Mummies which inspired Bram Stoker to write Dracula
Christchurch Cathedral
St Patrick's Cathedral - Jonathan Swift, Gullivers Travels lived around there
The Long Library in Trinity College (The Book of Kells)
The National Museum
The National Library
The Natural History Museum (The Dead Zoo)
EPIC Famine / Emigration Museum

Art / Culture / Museums
Irish Museum of Modern Art (IMMA) in an old soldiers hospital
The Hugh Lane
National Gallery of Ireland
Temple Bar Gallery
Gallery of Photography
The RHA Gallery

Theatres / Venues:
The Abbey National Theatre
The National Concert Hall
The Gaiety Theatre
Olympia Theatre
Bord Gais Theatre
O2 Theatre
The Gate Theatre
Smock Alley Theatre #
Vicar Street

Parks :
St Stephen's Green
Phoenix Park - houses the Presidents Residence & a zoo
Iveagh Gardens
Irish National War Memorial Gardens

Bars:
The Palace
The Long Hall
Farrier and Draper
Fallon & Byrne wine cellar
Ely wine bar
Fade St Social
Peruke and Perriwig

Cafes:
Avoca
Bewleys
Fallon & Byrne

Restaurants
L'Gueuleton
Bunsen Burgers
La Cucina