People & Culture

Dublin-born icon, Oscar Wilde wrote, “It is absurd to divide people into good and bad. People are either charming or tedious!” If there’s one thing that’s central to Dubliners, it’s the dry wit you’ll find here; the tongue-in-cheek, good-hearted humour that makes teasing just as much a sign of the welcome as it is part of the vernacular.

The biggest draw to Dublin has to be its people. They’re the reason the city was recently voted in the top 10 friendliest cities in the world; why it has the greatest nightlife; why its art and culture is some of the most influential and vibrant to be found anywhere. And with over 17% of the capital city’s population hailing from overseas, you’ll settle in here no matter where you call home.

Phoenix Park

Phoenix Park Dublin in Autumn

Art and history

Dublin has a spectacularly rich history, teeming with grand architecture and internationally renowned museums. The National Gallery and the Chester Beatty Library are two of the finest and most diversely populated; while across the city, from Farmleigh House in Phoenix Park to Christ Church Cathedral, Trinity College, The Hugh Lane Gallery and Dublin Castle itself, beautiful buildings tell centuries worth of stories.

Musical, dramatic and literary pedigree

From writers like James Joyce, Oscar Wilde, Samuel Beckett and Patrick Kavanagh, to bands and musicians like U2, Thin Lizzy and Sinéad O’Connor, Ireland’s creative legacy is painted across the city. Designated a UNESCO City of Literature in 2009 with over half a dozen book festivals, the internationally prestigious Dublin Literary Award and a world-class new city library in the planning, it’s safe to say Ireland’s capital has literature in its blood.

Gate Theatre Auditorium

The Gate Theatre auditorium

Music and comedy venues from Vicar Street and the Button Factory, to theatres like the Olympia, the Gate and the Abbey are the beating heart of Dublin, nurturing new talent as frequently as they honour the classics. And when it comes to festival season, you don’t want to miss this city: St Patrick’s Festival, Dublin Theatre Festival, Culture Night, Dublin Fringe Festival, Dublin Dance Festival, Dublin Pride, Oktoberfest, Bloom… You’ll never be stuck for choice.

Food

Home to no fewer than five Michelin-starred restaurants (Restaurant Patrick Guilbaud, Chapter One, Liath, l’Ecrivain and The GreenHouse), Dublin’s foodie pedigree is growing every year. Ireland’s premier food and drinks festival, Taste of Dublin, takes place each June in the city’s beautiful Iveagh Gardens.

food

With the coast to the east and Ireland’s famed farmland to the west and south, the fresh produce on offer here is second to none – and the city’s restaurateurs are making the most of it. Traditional treats, pub seats and cutting-edge chefs combine to make eating and drinking in Dublin a peak pleasure.

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City neighbourhoods

Dublin is a city bisected by the River Liffey. People tend to divide it into two key areas: the north side – traditionally home to a working class resident – and the south side, home to the middle and upper classes. That distinction is being quickly eroded, however, as a number of neighbourhoods in the north, such as Smithfield, Stoneybatter and Clontarf become gentrified. The core of the inner city is contained within two canals: the Royal to the north and the Grand to the south. Over 550,000 people live in these 115 square kilometres. Certain areas are still referred to by their old postal district numbers (like Dublin 8 and Dublin 4). The following areas are just a s

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Diverse Community

Over 17% (approximately 92,000) of Dublin’s population is made up of people originally from other countries, with the vast majority of these hailing from Poland, Romania, the UK, Brazil, Italy, Spain and France. This reflects figures in the rest of the country, with Polish people being the largest non-national group in Ireland. Some areas of Dublin are more densely internationally populated than others; for example, one in six residents of Fingal, on Dublin’s northside, is a non-Irish national, while that figure stands at a significant 29% in Saggart, on the southside. It’s no surprise that so many people are choosing to call Dublin home: Ireland is world r

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Things to do

It’s impossible to be bored in Dublin – no matter how you like to spend your free time. Whether you’re a history nut, an art aficionado, a sports fiend or a night owl, this city has the museums, mountains, galleries, markets, nightlife and more to keep you entertained.

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