DUBLIN
O’Connell Street North of the Liffey, O’Connell Street boasts many
options, with scores of local shops, interesting markets and two of the city’s
oldest department stores. Clery's sells everything from computers to candies.
Nearby Arnotts, on Henry Street, is the posher of the two, offering a personal
shopper and a gift department. How about a table-top pool (£17), Japanese
table-top relaxation fountains (£35) or for that surprise office party
gift, a turbo groomer to remove unwanted ear and nose hair (£15)? Just
around the corner on Capel Street The Irish Dance Centre has handmade traditional
costumes for several hundreds of pounds and tiny tiaras from around £20.
Nassau Street
Bordering Trinity College, south of the Liffey, there is a concentration of
Irish gift shops. House of Ireland (www.hoi.ie) has woollens, celtic jewellery
and Waterford Crystal. A few yards away Kelvin & Howling has a splendid
range of tweed ties (£6.60), caps (£19), hats (£5.20), waistcoats
(£50) and the sort of suits George Bernard Shaw sported (£350).
Grafon Street
The jewel in the Grafton Street crown is Brown Thomas, a sort of Irish Harvey
Nichols. It is packed with famous designer labels for those who simply cannot
choose between Prada and Karen Millen. Just off the main drag on Clarendon Street
is the city’s best delicatessen, Magills. Food hampers start at around
£20 and a range of home made Magills branded chutneys, jams and marmalade
cost around £2.
Shopping
malls
The biggest is St Stephen’s Green at the southern end of Grafton Street.
TK Maxx is a factory outlet with cut price famous brands. Fancy a pair of DKNY
jeans for under £25?
For the classic country look try Dunnes, a sort of Irish M&S. The mall is
also good for hats and teenage urban wear
TempIe
Bar
One block south of the Liffey Temple is the most gentrified part of the city
buzzing with bars, restaurants, fashion stores and gift shops.
This is where you’ll find the wild and wacky Mosko (gifts), 12 Springers
Yard, paint your own ceramics at Hey! Doodle Doodle, 14 Crown Mley, or discover
the House of Astrology 9 Parliament Street, and Off world Science Fiction, 17
Crow Street.
GETTING
THERE:
Ryanair (0870 156 9569, www.ryanair corn) offers return flights to Dublin from
all regional airports including Manchester Liverpool, Birmingham and Stansted
for £44. Bewley’s Principal Hotel (Dialling from the UK:
003531670122) offers double rooms from UH£122 (£95) per night Irish
Tourist Boar& 0800 039 7000, www.irelandtraveLco.uk
Just click here to take another European city tour.
