Ireland (Lonely Planet, 9th Edition) - Fionn Davenport [78]
Beyond the Royal Canal
These days it makes for a lovely walk, but when ‘Long’ John Binns put his money into the construction of the Royal Canal (Map) from 1790, it was an exercise in misplaced optimism and self-flagellating revenge. The usefulness of such waterways was already on the wane, and he invested in the project only because when he was a board member for the Grand Canal (opposite) a colleague mocked his day job as a shoemaker. Sure enough, the canal was a massive bust; Binns lost a pile of money and became a figure of fun.
Binns’ catastrophe is the stroller’s good fortune and the towpath alongside the canal is perfect for a walk through the heart of the city. You can join it beside Newcomen Bridge at North Strand Rd (Map), just north of Connolly Station, and follow it to the suburb of Clonsilla and beyond, more than 10km away. The walk is particularly pleasant beyond Binns Bridge in Drumcondra. At the top of Blessington St a large pond, once used when the canal also supplied drinking water to the city, attracts water birds.
Beyond the Royal Canal lie the suburbs and an authentic slice of north city life. There are also some beautiful gardens, the country’s biggest stadium, a historic cemetery and one of the most interesting buildings in all of Dublin.
CROKE PARK
It’s a magnificent stadium – if you’re impressed by them – that is Ireland’s largest and the fourth largest in Europe, but Croke Park (Map; 819 2323; Clonliffe Rd) is about much more than 82,000-plus sporting butts on plastic seats. No, Croker – as it’s lovingly known in Dublin – is the fabulous fortress that protects the sanctity and spirit of Gaelic games in Ireland, as well as the administrative HQ of the Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA), the body that governs them. Sound a little hyperbolic? Well, the GAA considers itself not just the governing body of a bunch of Irish games but also the stout defender of a cultural identity that is ingrained in Ireland’s sense of self. To get an idea of just how important the GAA is here, a visit to the Croke Park Experience ( 855 8176; www.gaa.ie; New Stand, Croke Park, Clonliffe Rd; adult/child/student museum €5.50/3.50/4, museum & tour €9.50/6/7; 9.30am-5pm Mon-Sat, noon-5pm Sun Apr-Oct, 10am-5pm Tue-Sat, noon-4pm Sun Nov-Mar) is a must, though it will help if you’re any kind of sporting enthusiast. The twice-daily tours (except match days) of the impressive stadium are excellent.
To get to Croke Park, catch bus 3, 11, 11A, 16, 16A or 123 from O’Connell St.
NATIONAL BOTANIC GARDENS
Founded in 1795, the 19.5-hectare National Botanic Gardens (Map; 837 7596; Botanic Rd, Glasnevin; admission free; 9am-6pm Mon-Sat, 11am-6pm Sun Apr-Oct, 10am-4.30pm Mon-Sat, 11am-4.30pm Sun Nov-Mar) are directly north of the centre, flanked to the north by the River Tolka.
In the gardens is a series of curvilinear glasshouses, dating from 1843 to 1869, created by Richard Turner, who was also responsible for the glasshouse at Belfast Botanic Gardens and the Palm House in London’s Kew Gardens. Within these Victorian masterpieces you will find the latest in botanical technology, including a series of computer-controlled climates reproducing environments of different parts of the world. Among the pioneering botanical work conducted here was the first attempt to raise orchids from seed, back in 1844; pampas grass and the giant lily were also first grown in Europe in these gardens.
To get here, catch bus 13, 13A or 19 from O’Connell St, or bus 34 or 34A from Middle Abbey St.
GLASNEVIN CEMETERY
Ireland’s largest and most historically important burial site is Prospect Cemetery (Map; 830 1133; www.glasnevin-cemetery.ie; Finglas Rd; admission free; 24hr, tours 2.30pm Wed & Fri), better known simply as Glasnevin Cemetery, after the north Dublin suburb it lies in – it’s an easy walk from the National Botanic