A Guide: How to do Dublin on St. Patrick's Day the Best Way

Eleni
Oct 25, 2022
2 min read

Updated: Oct 26, 2022

St. Patrick’s Day (don’t refer to it as St. Patty’s when in Ireland) is an Irish cultural celebration filled with shamrocks and beer. Getting to celebrate this holiday in Dublin, Ireland is a top exchange opportunity that I encourage you to attend!

Logistics:

Arriving and Leaving Dublin

The Dublin airport is decently far away from the city center and you can get there via taxi, uber, or bus. The bus is very easy to take and leaves directly outside of the airport, you can easily ask the drivers to ensure you are on the right one. Make sure you bring euro coins!

When leaving Dublin give yourself more time than you normally would to make it to the airport and get through security. Everyone is leaving Dublin at the same time and security gets really backed up so it is better to be there around four hours in advance.

Accommodation

Secure Accommodation VERY early

Airbnbs, VRBOs, and hostels will fill up months ahead of time and you do not want to be stuck at an expensive place or really far away. We recommend looking during the fall time and trying to book a refundable option in case something last-minute changes.
Popular student accommodation spots: Abbey Court Hostel, Holiday Inn Express City Centre, Drury Court Dublin, Talbot Coach House (Airbnb by Kevin)

Fun Activities:

Guinness Storehouse Tour:

Get tickets ahead of time to get an optimal timeslot. A bit pricey for a beer with a view but it is a typical tourist activity.

Jameson Whisky Tour:

Very fun tour if you like whisky, you get four ounces of whisky for a great price. They have a nice bar even if you don’t want to do the full tour.

St. Patrick’s Day Parade:

A family-friendly parade that happens throughout the city center! Beware, the roads are blocked off and if you want to get to Temple Bar later in the day you might have large detours.

Temple Bar:

The main area is full of bars on St. Patrick’s Day; go for some good music and great beers!

Cliffs of Howth:

Take a break from the crowds and chaos and go for a hike by the Cliffs of Howth. It takes approximately 2 hours and is under an hour away from the city.