Dublin
Dublin (Irish: Baile Átha Cliath, "Town of the Hurdled Ford") is the thriving capital city of the Republic of Ireland. It is noteworthy in terms of its vibrancy, its nightlife and its tourist attractions, and is the most popular entry point for international visitors to Ireland. As a city it is disproportionately large for the size of the country (2006 pop. Greater Dublin Region 1.6m); well over a quarter of the Republic's population lives in the metropolitan area. The centre is, however, relatively small and can be navigated by foot, with most of the population living in sprawling suburbs.
Dublin is split into two halves by the River Liffey. On the North side of the Liffey is O'Connell St. - the main thoroughfare which is intersected by numerous shopping streets, including Henry Street and Talbot Street. On the South side is St. Stephen's Green, Grafton St. (shopping), Trinity College, Christ Church and St. Patrick's Cathedrals, and many other attractions.
Dublin postcodes range from Dublin 1 to Dublin 24. Odd numbers are given North of the river Liffey, while even numbers are given to areas South of the river, As a general rule the lower the postcode the closer you are to the city centre. This may become slightly distorted as you head into the suburbs but generally follow the north south divide.
A good online map and journey planner is available from the Dublin Transportation Office. If you zoom in on the map you can get aerial photography of the city.
The Tourist Board web site is also worth visiting. They have a good mapping section (powered by Google Maps) which shows the locations of the main city attractions, hotels, etc.
If you're already in the city, the main tourist office, located in St. Andrews Church just off Grafton St. in the city centre, is a good place to start for information. You can book accommodations and tours there as well as find general information on where to go and what to do.
Dublin is served by a single terminal airport approximately 10km north of the city. An extension to this terminal opened in October 2007. The existing terminal can be very crowded and passengers can expect crowds and queues, especially for security control when departing. A new terminal has been long-debated and is scheduled to open in 2010.
A full list of airlines flying to Dublin, along with timetables, can be found on the Dublin Airport website.
Ireland's flag carrier Aer Lingus flies to Dublin from a large number of British and European cities, from the USA, and from Dubai. Aer Lingus fares are often lower than other flag carriers, but in part this has been achieved by matching the service levels of low-fare competitors. As a result, they now charge for checked-in bags and seat reservation at time of booking (note that this does not apply to United States and Dubai flights).
Europe's largest low fare carrier, Ryanair has one of its main bases in Dublin from which it flies to many regional airports in the UK. as well as many European airports. While famous for its low fares, Ryanair can be more expensive than other airlines especially for last minute bookings, and often, one may pay unexpected costs for hotel rooms if one's connecting flight is canceled without notice (as happens not infrequently). Ireland's third airline Aer Arann links Dublin to many regional Irish airports and some smaller UK cities.
