Shane O’Reilly has lived in Dublin all his life; that’s decades of memories and adventures around the city centre. While he watched as his friends emigrated during the recession, he started working at different jobs in Dublin, mainly as a freelance writer and editor. He is the author of The 500 Hidden Secrets of Dublin.
“I love how you can traverse from one side of the city to the other on foot in an hour or two. That there is always greenery in sight, and that there is always somewhere new to investigate; a pop-up stall, a market, a festival, somewhere to eat, to drink. Dublin has retained all its charm and character as it has grown to become this mini metropolis.”
“First of all, it would have to be a sunny cloudless day in the summer. I’d take the 46A bus straight into St Stephen’s Green and get a take-out coffee at Kaph, and also a donut from one of the new bakeries on George’s Street. Coffee in hand, I would check out the interior design shops and the Asian market around Drury Street.
Then it’s onto a 145 bus for a short trip up along the Liffey in the direction of Guinness Storehouse. Once off the bus at Heuston Station, it’s a short walk to the stunning IMMA (The Irish Museum of Modern Art) to see the latest exhibition.
"DUBLIN HAS RETAINED ALL ITS CHARM AND CHARACTER AS IT HAS GROWN TO BECOME A MINI METROPOLIS."
Around lunchtime I’d head to Capel Street, a street that in recent years has become a mecca for authentic Asian cuisine and good craft beer bars. A window seat at Aobaba is great for people watching, while eating their delicious pork bánh mì and prawn Summer rolls with sweet chilli dipping sauce.
After this it’s a short walk back to meet friends in Trinity College at the Pavilion Bar and sit out on the cricket pitch grass, pint of cider in hand and enjoy the atmosphere and the sun.
Once it gets cool, it’s time to head out to Toners, home of a great pint, a great snug and a great beer garden (with TVs). If you’re peckish along the way, there are a multitude of places for a bite to eat.”