Hi Miss Isness
I'm in Dublin :)
The Dublin/Wicklow mountains border the city to the south, you'll enjoy hiking there. I grew up in County Wicklow, the 'Garden of Ireland,' so I can point you in the right direction.
I love catching live music, especially a good traditional folk session, but so far i've not been out 'on the town' much since I relocated here. My neighbour is a musician though, so i'll chat to him about where to go. There are probably good open mic nights galore - it's Dublin after all! You'll like Temple Bar in the heart of the city - it's got a devoted music 'hall of fame' exhibition, and is the cultural centre of the city - especially for music.
I've just come back from a mammoth cycle exploring the coastal towns to the north of the city - there are beautiful view of Dublin Bay from Howth, a small peninsula worth a hike in itself. Further north, following the coastal road, there's a quaint wee town called Skerries surrounded by sandy beaches, golden fields and famous for its old windmills. Please bear in mind that I've seen all this today in glorious sunshine - a rarity in Ireland! Bring a waterproof jacket!
In the city itself keep an eye out for Trinity College, it's our prime university and has the setting to match. St.Stephen's Green is a gorgeous square not far from there - the flowers are in full bloom this time of the year. On certain evenings, artists will display their work on the railings all the way around the square. The canal to the south-of-centre is nice stroll. I'll think of other things in the coming week and report back to ya. I have a lot of exploring yet to do meself!
One thing I've done a couple of times is to walk along the Sandymount Strand. The tide goes waayyy out and you can basically walk out and soon forget that you were in a city 15 mins before... great for silence!
I'm aware of the caution that's required regarding meeting up with forumites, so I'll just say up front that I would be more than happy to meet you, at your discretion of course.
Slán!
Neil
