2-Hour Historical Walking Tour from Dublin
Description
This is more than just a 'sightseeing tour' (but there's plenty to see) but an in-depth presentation of the main features of Irish history—the English conquest, the influences of the American and French Revolutions, the Great Hunger, the struggle for independence, the Northern Ireland Peace Process, Brexit—by a history postgraduate.
Tour Options
Itinerary
Tours leave from the Grattan statue, College Green, opposite Trinity College front gate and enter the campus where we outline its history as Ireland's oldest university (1592) & its most valuable artefact, the Book of Kells, an 8th century manuscript of the four Gospels, written in Latin.
Originally Ireland's colonial parliament, built in 1729, abolished by the Act of Union in 1800, symbolic of 'Protestant Ascendancy', particularly in the 18th century & of the period's neo-classical architecture.
Originally ear-marked for demolition, this area of narrow streets was repurposed as 'Dublin's Cultural Quarter' in the 1990s.
Wood Quay was the site of extensive archaeological excavation in the 1980s of the Viking city, who had founded the city in AD 840.
Ireland's legal headquarters, where a Civil War started in June 1922, between those who supported, and those who opposed, the Treaty of December 1921, which had brought to an end the War of Independence 1919-21.
Dublin's oldest cathedral (1030), rebuilt in stone in the 1170s by Strongbow, who was central to the original English invasion of the 1170s.
Inside is a statue of Daniel O'Connell, Dublin's first Catholic Lord Mayor (1840). He led a successful campaign for Catholic Emancipation (1829), the end of all anti-Catholic laws, hence he's known as 'The Liberator'.
Originally built by ('Bad') King John in 1204, it was the seat of British administration until 1922. Also the location of the Dubh Linn (Black Pool), from which Dublin gets its name.
Highlights
What's included
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Wheelchair accessible
- Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
- Service animals allowed
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Infants are required to sit on an adult’s lap
- Transportation options are wheelchair accessible
- Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
- Travelers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness
Reviews(991)
Darragh was out guide and he was excellent. He dealt with the very complex political, social and economic history of the city in an entertaining and accessible way. He made it interesting and engaging. Excellent time. I am a professional tour guide in Belfast and run similar tours and was impressed by his enthuiasm, knowledge and spirit.
Our guide was excellent. He was knowledgeable and funny. His passion for Dublin was clear. Highly recommend!
Thank you to Colm, our guide, for a very enjoyable, informative and entertaining walking tour. Colm’s renditions of various folk songs and poetry added to his rich story telling. A tour we recommend highly.
Articulate, competent, passionate; great historical walking tour. Daragh did a fantastic job! Highly recommend!!
The guide was interesting and entertaining. We found out a lot of history we did not know and got to see a lot of the city. He recommended a lovely pub for lunch after.
Excellent guide, history and knowledge.
Daragh was a phenomenal tour guide. He gave such an eloquent and concise introduction to Irish history that set the tour group up very to understand the significance of all the things we saw. 10/10 would recommend to future visitors to Dublin.
Daragh was an incredible wealth of knowledge of Dublin culture and history. He did a great job at parsing the intricate parts of the past and applying that to present day. 10/10 would book this tour again.
Engaging walking tour of Dublin - learned a lot! Guide was great - very nice & handled the participants very well.
John was an exceptionally knowledgeable and friendly guide.
