Ireland (Lonely Planet, 9th Edition) - Fionn Davenport [62]
The chunky medieval Record Tower (Map), between the lower yard and Castle Gardens, is not just the oldest bit of the whole place (built in the 13th century), but it’s also the last remaining medieval tower in Dublin. Today it is home to the small Garda Museum ( 666 9998; admission free; 9.30am-4.30pm Mon-Fri, weekends by prior arrangement only), which tells the story of the various Irish police forces, beginning with the Royal Irish Constabulary, founded in 1822 by order of Robert Peel.
CITY HALL
Fronting Dublin Castle on Lord Edward St, City Hall (Map; 222 2204; www.dublincity.ie; Cork Hill; adult/student/child €4/2/1.50; 10am-5.15pm Mon-Sat, 11am-5pm Sun) was built by Thomas Cooley between 1769 and 1779 as the Royal Exchange, and later became the offices of Dublin Corporation (now called Dublin City Council). It’s on the site of the Lucas Coffee House and the Eagle Tavern, in which Dublin’s infamous Hell Fire Club was established in 1735. Founded by Richard Parsons, Earl of Rosse, it was one of a number of gentlemen’s clubs in Dublin where less-than-gentlemanly conduct took place. It gained a reputation for debauchery and black magic, but there’s no evidence that such things took place.
The Story of the Capital is a multimedia exhibition in the basement, tracing the history of Dublin from its earliest beginnings.
The 1781 Municipal Buildings, just west of the City Hall, were built by Thomas Ivory (1720–86), who was also responsible for Bedford Tower in Dublin Castle.
NATIONAL MUSEUM OF IRELAND – ARCHAEOLOGY & HISTORY
Designed by Sir Thomas Newenham Deane and completed in 1890, the star attraction of this branch of the National Museum of Ireland (Map; 677 7444; www.museum.ie; Kildare St; admission free; 10am-5pm Tue-Sat, 2-5pm Sun) is the Treasury, home to the finest collection of Bronze Age and Iron Age gold artefacts in the world, and the world’s most complete collection of medieval Celtic metalwork.
The centrepieces of the Treasury’s unique collection are Ireland’s most famous crafted artefacts, the Ardagh Chalice and the Tara Brooch. Measuring 17.8cm high and 24.2cm in diameter, the 12th-century Ardagh Chalice is made of gold, silver, bronze, brass, copper and lead. Put simply, this is the finest example of Celtic art ever found. The equally renowned Tara Brooch was crafted around AD 700, primarily in white bronze but with traces of gold, silver, glass, copper, enamel and wire beading, and was used as a clasp for a cloak.
The Treasury includes many other stunning pieces, many of which are grouped together in ‘hoards’, after the manner in which they were found, usually by a farmer digging up a field or a bog. Be sure not to miss the Broighter and Mooghaun hoards.
An upstairs exhibition illustrates Dublin’s Viking era, with items from the excavations at Wood Quay – the area between Christ Church Cathedral and the river, where Dublin City Council plonked its new headquarters. Other exhibits focus on the 1916 Easter Rising and the struggle for independence between 1900 and 1921. Frequent short-term exhibitions are also on offer.
NATIONAL GALLERY
A magnificent Caravaggio and a breathtaking collection of works by Jack B Yeats – William Butler’s younger brother – are the main reasons to visit the National Gallery (Map; 661 5133; www.nationalgallery.ie; West Merrion Sq; admission free; 9.30am-5.30pm Mon-Wed, Fri & Sat, 9.30am-8.30pm Thu, noon-5.30pm Sun), but not the only ones. Its excellent collection is strong in Irish art, but there are also high-quality collections of every major European school of painting. There are free tours at 3pm on Saturdays