Rugby, Rebels & Guinness

Base: Leonardo Hotel Dublin Parnell Street (formerly Jury’s Inn Hotel)

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This trip to Dublin was one of those journeys where several different stories overlap perfectly. There was the excitement of travelling for the Six Nations, the chance to see England play Ireland at the magnificent Aviva Stadium, the warm camaraderie of supporters travelling with England Rugby Travel, and the pleasure of wandering one of Europe’s most characterful cities on foot.

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Dublin is not a city that demands you rush. It rewards slow wandering, lingering conversations, and frequent pauses for coffee or Guinness. Its streets are layered with stories — Viking traders, Georgian elegance, rebellion, poetry, music, and the unmistakable hum of pub life.

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This guide follows the same rhythm as my original trip:
orientation first, then literature and history, and finally the riverside city and matchday atmosphere.

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Day One: O’Connell Street, Guinness, and Your First Taste of Dublin

Suggested Walking Route Map Outline

Start: Leonardo Hotel Dublin Parnell Street
Parnell Street → O’Connell Street → GPO → River Liffey → Guinness Storehouse → return to city centre → Madigan’s pub

Walking time: 3–4 hours gentle walking (plus museum time)

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Morning: Dublin’s Grand Boulevard

Leaving the hotel and walking towards O’Connell Street feels like stepping into Dublin’s public living room.

The street is wide and open, designed in the Georgian period as a statement of civic pride. Today it remains the beating heart of the city centre.

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Rising dramatically from the pavement is the stainless-steel needle of the Spire of Dublin — officially called the Monument of Light. At 120 metres high it marks the centre of modern Dublin.

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Just a few steps away stands the imposing façade of the General Post Office Dublin. This building is far more than a functioning post office. It was the headquarters of the leaders of the 1916 Easter Rising, the rebellion that ultimately led to Irish independence. Bullet marks can still be seen on the columns.

Standing here, it becomes clear that Dublin’s history isn’t tucked away in museums. It stands openly in the middle of the street.

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Late Morning: A Hop-On Hop-Off Orientation

Doing a hop-on-hop-off bus tour is one of the best ways to quickly understand Dublin’s geography. These tours loop past Trinity College, the Georgian squares, the Guinness brewery, and Phoenix Park.

For first-time visitors this provides the mental map that makes the next few days of walking far more enjoyable.

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Afternoon: The Guinness Story

No visit to Dublin feels complete without a pilgrimage to the brewery founded by Arthur Guinness in 1759.

The Guinness Storehouse is located at St James’s Gate and has become Ireland’s most visited attraction.

The museum is built around a giant pint-glass shaped atrium and tells the story of Guinness through ingredients, brewing, advertising and culture. It’s a reminder that Guinness is as much craft as culture.

Arthur Guinness famously signed a 9,000-year lease on the brewery site — a bold act that has become one of Dublin’s most repeated legends. The experience ends at the panoramic Gravity Bar, where visitors receive a perfectly poured pint while looking out across the rooftops of Dublin.

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Evening: A Proper Dublin Pub Dinner

In the evening do what Dublin does best — go to the pub! Go for Dinner at Madigan's, or one of the traditional pubs lining O’Connell Street, where you enjoyed the kind of meal that perfectly suits a day of walking:

• Irish stew

• fresh soda bread

• steak and Guinness pie

• and, of course, a pint of Guinness

The atmosphere of a Dublin pub in the evening is something special — warm light, quiet chatter, and the sense that conversations have been unfolding in the same room for generations.

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Day Two: Trinity, Literary Dublin and the City’s Famous Pubs

Suggested Walking Route Map Outline

Leonardo Hotel → Trinity College → Grafton Street → Molly Malone Statue → Davy Byrne’s → McDaid’s → Bruxelles (Phil Lynott statue) → Palace Bar → River Liffey walk

Walking time: 4–5 hours including stops

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Morning: Trinity College

The walk south across the River Liffey brings you to the elegant grounds of Trinity College Dublin.

Founded in 1592 by Queen Elizabeth I, Trinity is Ireland’s most prestigious university and has educated many of the country’s greatest writers and thinkers.

Among its famous alumni are:

• Jonathan Swift

• Oscar Wilde

• Samuel Beckett

The college is home to the Book of Kells, one of the most beautifully illuminated manuscripts in the world.

Walking through the cobbled courtyards gives the sense of a quiet academic world existing within the lively city.

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The Molly Malone Legend

Just outside Trinity stands the famous bronze statue of Molly Malone Statue.

Molly Malone is the subject of Dublin’s unofficial anthem:

“In Dublin’s fair city where the girls are so pretty…”

Whether she was a real fish seller or simply a myth has never been proven, but the statue has become one of Dublin’s most photographed landmarks.

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Afternoon: The Literary Pub Walk

Dublin’s literary reputation is deeply intertwined with its pubs.

Writers gathered here not just to drink but to debate, argue, compose and perform.

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Davy Byrne’s

One of the most famous literary pubs is Davy Byrne's Pub.

James Joyce wrote about the pub in Ulysses, and today it still feels like stepping into a scene from the novel

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McDaid’s

A short walk away is McDaid's.This atmospheric pub has long associations with Irish writers and artists.

Its high ceilings and stained glass windows make it one of the most distinctive drinking spaces in the city.

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Phil Lynott Statue at Bruxelles

Outside the famous rock pub Bruxelles stands the statue of Phil Lynott. Lynott was the frontman of Thin Lizzy and one of Ireland’s most beloved rock musicians. Visitors often stop here for photographs.

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The Palace Bar

The evening ended at the historic Palace Bar. Opened in the early 1800s, this beautifully preserved Victorian pub became a favourite haunt of journalists and writers. Poet Patrick Kavanagh once called it “the temple of art.”

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Day Three: Docklands, Phoenix Park and Match Day at the Aviva

Suggested Walking Route Map Outline

City Centre → River Liffey Quays → Samuel Beckett Bridge → Docklands → Jeanie Johnston Tall Ship → Aviva Stadium

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Morning: The River Liffey

Dublin is a river city. The River Liffey divides the capital into north and south sides, each with its own personality.Walking along the quays reveals the city’s layers — Georgian warehouses, modern glass buildings, and busy bridges connecting both halves. One of the most striking bridges is the elegant Samuel Beckett Bridge. Designed by Spanish architect Santiago Calatrava, its sweeping shape resembles an Irish harp lying on its side.

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The Jeanie Johnston Tall Ship

Moored nearby is the replica famine ship Jeanie Johnston Tall Ship. During the Great Famine in the 1840s, more than a million Irish people emigrated overseas. Ships like the original Jeanie Johnston carried thousands of hopeful migrants to North America. Standing beside the ship makes the scale of Irish emigration feel personal and immediate.

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Afternoon: Phoenix Park

Later in the day visit Dublin’s largest green space — Phoenix Park. At more than 700 hectares it is one of the largest enclosed urban parks in Europe. Dominating the skyline is the towering Wellington Monument.

This massive obelisk commemorates the Duke of Wellington, born in Dublin and famous for defeating Napoleon at the Battle of Waterloo.

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Match Day: England vs Ireland – Six Nations

The highlight of my Dublin trip was watching the Six Nations Rugby match at the Aviva Stadium.

This modern stadium sits beside the River Dodder and hosts Ireland’s national rugby and football teams.

Travelling with England Rugby Travel meant the experience extended beyond the game itself. I attended a special fan event and press conference where England manager Martin Johnson spoke to travelling fans.

Moments like this transform a sporting trip into something memorable — a shared experience among supporters. When the crowd gathers inside the Aviva and thousands of voices sing together, the atmosphere becomes electric. It’s impossible not to feel part of something bigger - and sport always inspires. .

Where to Stay Recommendations

Luxury

• The Shelbourne Dublin

• The Merrion Hotel

• The Westbury Hotel

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Mid Range

• Leonardo Hotel Dublin Parnell Street

• Riu Plaza The Gresham Dublin

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Budget

• EasyHotel Dublin

• Generator Hostel Dublin

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Where to Eat Recommendations

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Luxury Dining

• Restaurant Patrick Guilbaud

• Chapter One

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Authentic Irish

• The Winding Stair

• The Woollen Mills

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Budget / Casual

• Madigan's

• Bunsen Burgers

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Final Reflections: Why Dublin is Perfect for Walks With Grandma

Dublin rewards curiosity rather than speed. Its greatest attractions are not only museums or monuments, but conversations, music drifting from doorways, and the quiet satisfaction of discovering history simply by walking down the street.

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Within a few square miles you encounter:

• centuries of rebellion

• world-famous literature

• legendary pubs

• and one of Europe’s most passionate sporting cultures

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BASE HOTELS
Leonardo Hotel Dublin Parnell Street (formerly Jurys Inn):
https://www.leonardohotels.co.uk/dublin/leonardo-hotel-dublin-parnell-street

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Hotel Riu Plaza The Gresham Dublin:

https://www.riu.com/en/hotel/ireland/dublin/hotel-riu-plaza-the-gresham-dublin

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RUGBY TRAVEL 
England Rugby Travel:
https://www.englandrugbytravel.com/

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MATCH VENUE
Aviva Stadium:
https://www.avivastadium.ie/

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PUBS 
Madigan’s O’Connell Street:
https://www.madigansdublin.com/
 

KEY ATTRACTIONS / WALKS
Guinness Storehouse:

Trinity College / Book of Kells info:

Dublin Literary Pub Crawl:
https://www.dublinpubcrawl.com/

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RIVER / DOCKLANDS
Samuel Beckett Bridge (visitor info):
https://www.visitdublin.com/samuel-beckett-bridge
Phoenix Park:
https://www.phoenixpark.ie/

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DINNER RECOMMENDATIONS
The Winding Stair:
https://www.winding-stair.com/
The Woollen Mills:
https://www.thewoollenmills.com/

F.X. Buckley (Buckley Collection):
https://www.thebuckleycollection.ie/

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