Docklands – The New Old Dublin

From the time of the Vikings, Dublin has been an important trading city. The longships of the Norse traders, although often belligerent marauders, berthed way upriver (near to Christ Church Cathedral) but over the centuries, as ships grew larger, the harbour had to move evermore east in search of deeper water. Today’s main port is about four kilometres away from its ancient origins. As the port moved so did the reclamation and expansion of the city. Now the modern Docklands is a witness to hundreds of years of development and trade. One of Dublin’s most treasured 18th century buildings, the Custom House, once dominated the skyline of the port but now has had to take its place alongside the modern edifices of commerce, finance, the giants of information technology and apartments, whose residents can enjoy the bracing sea air. But alongside the creations of the 21st century are the engineering wonders of the 18th and 19th centuries; quaysides, warehouses, docks, locks, lifting bridges and even atmospheric old pubs, as well as the grim reminders of famine and heart-breaking emigration ships. It’s a wonderful world of old and new.

Places we will see or pass by

• The historic Custom House
• The Jeanie Johnston (replica famine ship from the 1840’s)
• The Diving Bell – an engineering marvel of its day
• Windmill Lane Recording studios (former U2 studios)
• Silicon Docks high tech companies Google, Meta, X & Airbnb

Relevant self-guided or guided visits 

• EPIC – the Irish Emigration Museum
• The Jeanie Johnston Famine Ship
• Windmill Lane Recording Studios (frequented by Sinead O’Connor, Hozier, Rod Stewart, The Spice Girls, Van Morrisson, Ed Sheeran, David Bowie, Lady Gaga and many more) 
• The atmospheric Ferryman’s Pub
• Coffee on the historic Cobh tender, the Cill Áirne