IN CASE YOU hadn’t heard, there a dedicated bus tour of Dublin’s North Side in the works.
The new route will take tourists to Croke Park, The Botanic Gardens and Glasnevin Cemetery, aka all the usual tourist spots.
However, every northside Dubliner knows their side of the city is dotted with less well-known places of interest.
Here are just 21 lovely landmarks that could definitely be added to the route.
1. Des Kelly’s Carpets
The one that replaced the Silver Skate will never be forgiven.
2. Caffé Caira
No walk along Howth Pier is complete without those wonderful chips.
3. Quinns
Always packed on match days.
4. The Wooden Bridge
Nothing says ‘a day at the beach’ like that sight on the Clontarf seafront.
5. Tamangos
And failing that, the site of The Grove in Raheny or the long-forgotten Barcode down at Westwood Gym in Fairview.
6. The Blessington Street Basin
A tiny slice of heaven in the middle of all the madness.
7. The Fruit and Veg Markets on St. Michan’s Street
Where do you think all those fancy Dublin restaurants get their greens? A trip down good old Moore Street wouldn’t go amiss either.
8. Clery’s Clock
The BEST place to meet on O’Connell Street.
9. Cross Guns Snooker Hall
Hidden down by the banks of the canal.
10. Dalymount Park
They used to hold UEFA Champions League qualifiers and FAI cup finals there you know? Tolka Park is another one you could probably add to the list.
11. The last Ballymun tower block
All the others may be gone but there’s still one left, for now.
12. The old Clontarf baths
They’re still there somewhere behind all those trees.
13. Drumcondra Railway Bridge
Just what you need on the way home from the airport.
14. The Cadbury Factory
Coolock’s chocolate heaven, just beside the old Tayto plant, and only a few minutes up the road from good old UCI.
15. Northside Shopping Centre
Not forgetting The Omni, Artane Castle or Phibsborough now mind you.
16. Maureen’s in Stoneybatter
Just one shining example of the city’s iconic newsagents and corner shops.
17. The Gravediggers
Sure there’d be uproar if this North Dublin institution wasn’t included.
18. The Hungry Tree at King’s Inns
This natural phenomenon speaks for itself.
19. St Mary’s on Mountjoy Street aka The Black Church
Walking anti-clockwise with your eyes closed, two or three times around the church at midnight, reciting the ‘Hail Mary’ backwards will summon the Devil, apparently.
20. The Carlton Cinema
An old gem left to fade away behind an endless list of 3 and 4D movies. There once was a time when you could peek in the windows and see nothing but red carpet for miles.
21. That railway bridge over the Liffey
An ad so perfect, they could never EVER remove it.
