Transcript Welcome to Dublin

Welcome to Dublin
Cheád Míle Fáilte
(A hundred thousand welcomes)
from all at
WING Autumn General Assembly
Dublin 4 – 5 November 2013
...............
Venue
The Westin Hotel, Westmoreland Street, Dublin 2.
5 Star hotel located in the heart of the city with an abundance of Dublin’s
best sights and shopping on it’s doorstep.
Sightseeing
In Ireland, we are famous for a number of things:
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Literary Dublin / Trinity College
Guinness (Local Beer/Stout)
Irish Pubs / Temple Bar
Dublin Castle
Christ Church
Other
Literary History
• Dublin is one of the Literary capitals of the world and was
designated UNESCO City of Literature in 2010.
• Our most famous writers are people such as James Joyce, William
Butler Yeats, Samuel Beckett, Oscar Wilde and Jonathan Swift.
• Four Nobel Prizes for Literature have been awarded to writers
associated with Dublin – playwright George Bernard Shaw, poets
William Butler Yeats (W.B. Yeats), Seamus Heaney and the multifaceted Samuel Beckett.
• Dublin is home to many of the national cultural institutions,
including the National Library, National Gallery, the Abbey (National
Theatre), the Dublin Writers’ Museum, Chester Beatty Library,
Trinity College and the National Concert Hall.
Trinity College
(a stone’s throw from the hotel)
• Trinity College was established by Royal Charter in 1592. It’s library has
always been a priority and is now famous as the home to The Book of
Kells.
• Tours can be arranged of the campus (keeping in mind it is a functioning
University) for €10 per person. They last 35 minutes and include the four
major historic squares and provides an insight into the history of the
college and it’s buildings. It also includes an introduction to the Old
Library, the home to the Book of Kells.
• The book of Kells was written by the Columban Monks over 1200 years
ago and is famous for it’s lavish decoration. It contains the four gospels in
Latin, written on Vellum (calf skin). It has been on display in Trinity College
from the mid 19th century. It was bound into four volumes in 1953. Two
volumes are on public view at any one time. One is opened to a major
decorated page, the other is open to two pages of text. The volumes and
pages are changed at regular intervals.
Have a pint of the Black Stuff!
• The Guinness Storehouse is one of Ireland’s biggest
visitor attractions.
• See:
– The step by step brewing process
– The cooperage and transportation of the beer
– Watch the reel of their award winning advertisements throughout the
years
– Pour your own pint
– Sample the classic dishes made using Guinness
– Finally, sit and enjoy the view in the Gravity Bar over-looking Dublin
Irish Pubs / Temple Bar
(The entrance to Temple Bar is across the road from the hotel)
• Irish pubs have always been the social and community hub for the people
of Ireland. It is the place to meet and socialise with the people of your
locality.
• We are famous for our traditional pubs designed mainly from wood and
usually decorated with bits and bobs collected over the years.
• Temple Bar is one of the oldest parts of Dublin and has always been the
heart of Dublin City. It’s history is full of references to culture, design,
craft, publishing, the performing arts, coffee houses, political debate and
great colour and energy and the same is still true today.
• Walking around Temple Bar, there is an abundance of Restaurants, Pubs
(with live music), Coffee Shops, etc. There are always performers out
dancing or playing music ensuring Temple Bar is always the liveliest place
in Dublin.
Dublin Castle
Dublin Castle was originally built in 1204 AD (809 years ago) on a site
previously settled by the Vikings. It functioned as a military fortress, a
prison, treasury, courts of law and the seat of English Administration in
Ireland for 700 years.
Rebuilt in the 17th, 18th, 19th and 20th centuries, Dublin Castle is now used
for important State receptions and Presidential Inaugurations.
The State Apartments, Undercroft, Chapel Royal, Craft Shop, Heritage Centre
and Restaurant are all open to visitors.
The castle is located 5-10 minutes walk from the Westin Hotel and guided
tours can be arranged for those interested. They last 45 minutes and are
€4.50 per adult. Should you be interested in same, please let me know by
one of the contact methods provided at the end of this presentation.
Christ Church Cathedral
Christ Church Cathedral is one of Dublin's finest historic buildings. It dates back to
1038 when Sitric, the then Danish king of Dublin, built a wooden version first.
In 1171 the original simple foundation was extended into a cruciform and rebuilt
in stone by Strongbow, although the present structure dates mainly from 1871
to 1878 when a huge restoration was undertaken. Only the transepts, the
crypt, and a few other portions date from the medieval times.
Highlights of the interior include magnificent stonework and graceful pointed
arches, with delicately chiselled supporting columns. Strongbow himself is
among the historic figures buried in the church, as is archbishop Browne, the
first Protestant to occupy the church, during the reign of the English King
Henry 8th.
It has a long musical history, the first performance of Hendel’s Messiah in 1742
was performed locally.
Shopping
• Grafton Street is one of the main shopping areas in Dublin and is only 5
minutes from the hotel.
• It is full of high street and upmarket shops, department stores and
nearby shopping centres. It is the perfect place for window-shopping,
enjoying a coffee in the flagship Bewley's and listening to street
performers. Or if you are a die-hard shopper, this pedestrianised street
won't let you down, providing some of the best shops in Dublin.
• Should you wish to indulge in a little retail therapy during your stay,
please contact my assistant, Sarah Rooney, by any of the means
provided at the end of this presentation and she will organise to show
you around.
Other
• Museums
– Museum of Decorative Art & History
– Irish Museum of Modern Art
– National Museum of Ireland – Archaeology
– National Museum of Ireland – Natural History
We can arrange tours for any of the above should anyone be interested.
• Walking Tour
– Pat Liddy’s Walking Tours of Dublin are renowned even with those
born and raised here. Please see their website if you are interested in
same: http://www.walkingtours.ie/en/dublin-walking-tours/
• Details on Dublin’s Hop On / Hop Off bus tours, should you be interested,
are provided on their website
http://www.dublinsightseeing.ie/citytour.aspx
Contact Details
Should anyone have any questions now or upon your arrival, or if you have
any issues, please contact my assistant Sarah Rooney on:
Ph: 00353 85 1090 430
E-mail: [email protected]
Or myself on:
Ph: 00353 87 2540 113
E-mail: [email protected]
I hope you all enjoy your stay and I look forward to meeting you all on 4th
November.
Tony