2 Days Holidays in Dublin

You may think that only 48 hours in Dublin is not very much time to get to see much of what the city has to offer, but we want to show you that it is.We have come up with some of the most important things to see in Dublin. Starting off day one with a visit to Kilmainham gaol, It is one of the largest unoccupied gaols in Europe, covering some of the most heroic and tragic events in Ireland's emergence as a modern nation from 1780s to the 1920s. Access to Kilmainham Gaol by Guided Tour Only. Duration: 60 minutes.

Only a short walk from Kilmainham Goal is the Irish Museum of Modern Art (IMMA). The grounds of this building are absolutely amazing. The Gardens on this estate are free to walk around and hold some beautiful views of the city.

Moving on towards the city, your next stop is of course the Guinness store house. This major tourist attraction is located at St. James's Gate Brewery in Dublin, Ireland. Since opening in November 2000, it has received over four million visitors The Storehouse is laid out over seven floors surrounding a glass atrium shaped in the form of a pint of Guinness. The ground floor introduces the beer's four ingredients (water, barley, hops and yeast), and the brewery's founder, Arthur Guinness. Other floors feature the history of Guinness advertising and include an interactive exhibit on responsible drinking. The seventh floor houses the Gravity Bar with its fabulous views of Dublin city and the Wicklow Mountains is where visitors may drink a pint of Guinness included in the price of admission.

In the heart of the Viking district of Dublin you will find Christchurch cathedral. Christ Church Cathedral is located in the former heart of medieval Dublin, next to Wood Quay at the end of Lord Edward Street. Christ Church is the only one of the three cathedrals or acting cathedrals which can be seen clearly from the River Liffey. Another well Known cathedral a short walk from Christ church is the St Patrick’s Cathedral. Founded in 1191, is the larger of Dublin's two Church of Ireland cathedrals, and the largest church in Ireland with a 43 metre (140 feet) spire.

After a long day being a tourist you will want to head for something really nice to eat. We recommend Roly’s Restaurant in ballsbridge, Dublin 4. Roly’s comes highly recommended. If you wish to book a table, be sure to speak with one of our desk agents, they will be happy to help you out. Day two will start in the city centre at the Spire of Dublin on O’Connell Street. The Spire of Dublin, officially titled the Monument of Light[1] is a large, stainless steel, pin-like monument 121.2 metres (398 ft) in height, located on the site of the former Nelson's Pillar on O'Connell Street in Dublin, Ireland.

Beside the spire if the General Post Office (GPO), During the Easter Rising of 1916, the GPO served as the headquarters of the uprising's leaders. The assault by the British forces extensively damaged the building and it was not repaired until the Irish Free State government took up the task some years later. The original columns outside are still pocked with bullet-marks. Walking down Henry Street and crossing over the Ha’penny Bridge you will walk into what is known as the Temple bar district. Unlike the areas surrounding it, Temple Bar has preserved its medieval street pattern, with many narrow cobbled streets. It is promoted as "Dublin's cultural quarter" and has a lively nightlife that is popular with tourists.

Once you have enjoyed the sites and sounds that temple bar has to offer you can walk on through and on the other, passing the well known Bank of Ireland Building where Barack Obama made his speech while on his visit to Ireland you will come across Trinity College, the home of the book of Kells. The Book of Kells takes its name from the Abbey of Kells that was its home for centuries. Today, it is on permanent display at the Trinity College Library, Dublin. The library usually displays two of the current four volumes at a time, one showing a major illustration and the other showing typical text pages. While doing all this sightseeing you need to make sure you are well rested and that you have a perfect base in the centre of the city, that’s why The Grand Canal Hotel is you perfect option. To make a Booking at the Grand Canal Hotel Call 01 646 1000 or go to www.grandcanalhotel.ie

Top five events in Dublin for 2013 from now until June!

With the Irish Gathering set to make 2013 a busy year for events all over Ireland, we at the Grand Canal Hotel wanted to give you a heads up on the big events that are happening in Dublin City this year. From the 14th to the 24th of February the Jameson Dublin International Film Festival will be presenting over 140 films from the four corners of the globe to the Irish Audience. Over that last number of years this festival has gained major momentum. This takes place in all of the Dublin City Centre Cinemas including Cineworld, The Savoy, Screen, Irish Film Institute and Light House Cinema in Smithfield. The majority of films shown at the Film Festival are Irish premieres, and for some of the films shown, the festival represents the only public screening that will take place in Ireland. For more information go to www.jdiff.com

On the 17th of March, as part of ‘The Gathering Ireland 2013’ for the first time ever, St. Patrick’s Festival is inviting up to 8,000 people around the world to march in the St. Patrick’s Day Parade in Dublin. The parade will march through the streets of Dublin, passing historic landmarks along the way including the GPO, Trinity College, Dublin Castle and City Hall. The route is 2.5 km long. For more information go to www.stpatricksfestival.ie

The 2013 Heineken Cup final on the 18th of May takes place AVIVA Stadium, Lansdowne Road, Dublin 4 not far from the Grand Canal Hotel. The Heineken Cup Final kicks off in the Aviva Stadium at 5pm. Nearby at the RDS the Amlin Challenge Cup final on Friday, 17 May kicks off at 8pm. With the two finals being played side-by side, it’s hoped that up to 70,000 supporters will converge on the city for this un-missable weekend of European cup rugby. For more information go to www.ercrugby.com

For 30 year the Flora Mini Marathon has seen thousands of participants swarm to Dublin to raise money for charity. 2013 will be no different! On June 3rd the 31st annual Flora Mini Marathon will see 40,000 ladies raise money for around 600 different charities. For more information go to www.florawomensminimarathon.ie

Finally, Dublin Pride Festival takes place on the 21st of June and runs until June 30th in Dublin’s City Centre. This festival is a celebration of three important historical events, the 40th Anniversary of the creation of the Irish Gay Movement, the 30th Anniversary of the Dublin Pride Parade and the 20th Anniversary of the decriminalisation of homosexuality in Ireland. This year’s pride festival is hoped to be the biggest yet.

These are only five of the bigger events that are taking place in Dublin for the first half of the year. All five of these events are set to attract a large number of visitors to the city so be sure to make you hotel booking well in advance. For more information or for accommodation go to www.grandcanalhotel.com or call 01 646 1000!