Best way to spend St. Patrick's Day

Description:

St Patrick's is one of two Anglican cathedrals in Dublin. It is built on the site where St Patrick is said to have baptized converts to Christianity. St Patrick's Cathedral, in its present state, was constructed in 1192, replacing an original wooden chapel. The main attractions in St Patrick's are the tombs of Jonathan Swift and his lover in the nave. The cathedral also contains the longest medieval nave in Ireland, and a stone slab, engraved with a Celtic cross, that covers the well from which St Patrick baptized the converts. The adjoining garden is a welcome oasis in this densely built-up district of the city.

Description:

Starting at O'Connell street the parade will weave and wind its way through the crowd lined streets of Dublin City. Passing Trinity College, Dame street, Christchurch Cathedral before finally ending at St. Patricks Cathedral. The theme of the parade for 2010 is 'Extraordinary World'. This is the real climax of the festival and is highly anticipated by people from all over the world. Almost 675,000 visitors lined the streets last year to cheer on the parade. Expect lots of marching bands, dancers, creative street theatre performers, artists and giant inflatable characters to float through the city.

Description:

Temple Bar is often used to symbolize the extraordinary changes which Dublin has undergone in recent years. In the 1980s, this district of the city was earmarked as the site for a vast bus station. Galleries and small shops colonized the cheap properties, however, the bus-depot plans were abandoned, and the area now boasts a warren of bustling shops, cafes, galleries and restaurants. Some of the country's best cultural institutions have found a home in Temple Bar, including the Irish Film Centre and the Gallery of Photography. Two new civic spaces - Temple Bar Square and the striking Meeting House Square - have been created and utilized by artist and traders. In short, this district is one of the city's most colourful and vibrant; make a point of seeing it for yourself. Temple Bar boasts a warren of bustling shops, cafes, galleries and restaurants. Some of the country's best cultural institutions have found a home in Temple Bar, including the Irish Film Centre and the Gallery of Photography.

Description:

The Lighthouse Cinema offers a diverse programme of top Irish and international films. You can view foreign-language, arthouse as well as classic movies. The interior is stylish and modern yet manages to still have a cosy atmosphere. The facilities also include a café bar where you can relax before or after the film.

Description:

Merrion Square is the grandest of the city's great set-piece squares. The park in the centre is owned by the Catholic Church, which has leased it to the city. It is a beautifully maintained green space in the heart of the city dotted with sculpture and public art, the most visible of which is probably the monument to Oscar Wilde in the north-west corner. Wilde spent his childhood at 1, Merrion Square, while W.B. Yeats lived at No. 82. On Sundays, artists hang their works for sale on the railings surrounding the park.

Our Local Expert Says:

Visiting Dublin without seeing the Guinness Storehouse is like seeing Paris without the Eiffel Tower, New York minus the Statue of Liberty, or London without Big Ben!

Description:

Dublin's most popular and most spectacular visitor attraction, the Storehouse is a modern Disneyesque visitor centre, right at the heart of today's working brewery, set inside a beautifully converted fermentation building used between 1904 and 1988. It comprises seven floors of exposed glass and steel, linked by a giant atrium. There is all manner of historical and modern brewing paraphernalia to marvel at but do note that visitors do not get to see the actual brewing process taking place - though it is all happening just a few yards away from where you stand. Each floor deals with the process of making and marketing Guinness, from its origins in 1759 right up until today. It's a fascinating story, tracing ingredient, the brewing process, transportation (much more interesting that it sounds!). the tasting laboratory, advertising ( many people's favourite area), and finally the stylish 7th floor Gravity Bar. You'll never taste a better pint of Guinness in your life than the one that is served up here, and with its full-length glass walls and 360-degree views, the only better view of Dublin is from a helicopter. Slainte!

Description:

Help to kick start the parade and get your funky heels on by entering the World Record Breaking 80 Metre Stiletto Heel Dash. The woman with the most outrageous pair of shoes in the race will win a voucher for the retail outlet Marks & Spencer. By entering you not only get to show off your best pair of shoes but you also have the opportunity to help a charity organisation the Marie Keating Foundation in their fight against cancer. The registration fee for this event is 25.00euro .To register for the event visit www.mariekeating.ie or call the fundraising team on +353 1 6283728