St Stephen's Green, Dublin

Favorite thing: My morning here was one of the best memories of my first trip here in 2004.

Then in 2007 I came back and it was just as great as I remembered it to be. Between Grafton Street and the mall being on one corner, the LUAS being right there and the compact size, this is a great city park.

I will always make time to come here whenever I am in Dublin.

Fondest memory: On my last afternoon in Dublin the sun had come out so I headed to St Stephens Green to eat my lunch. When I was walking into the park I was handed a flyer for a free Shakespeare play that was starting in an hour in the park. I'd never read or seen a Shakespeare play in my life, but I figured it was worth checking out since it was free!!

I had a lovely afternoon watching a Midsummer Nights Dream in the little "ampitheatre" beside the Yeats memorial! I think it was a rather uncoventional rendering of the bards work but very enjoyable and a lovely setting!! :)

Favorite thing: Dublin in a sunny day; what could be better than that? As the rain in this city is the norm, not the exception, even the faintest sunray is celebrated with joy. And maybe the best place for an unusual Irish sunbathing is in the wonderful St. Stephen's Green park, where locals and visitors join together looking for a quite place to have lunch.

Fondest memory: During my five days in Dublin, not only it didn't rain, but also I could enjoy the sun light for the first time this year. I wasn't expecting such a generous weather on those latitudes, but certainly I was more than happy in not using my umbrella any single time... I missed my sunglasses, though ;-)

Favorite thing: By which of course I am referring to the green spaces in the city and not those of the smoking regulars in Brogan's of Dame Street (not a bad little pub though!). Some parks worth knowing about should you be here and want to escape the traffic for refreshment are:

St Stephens Green - at the top of Grafton Street and very populous during the summer. Good spot to chill out on a summer's day. Nice ducks.

The Iveagh Gardens: Enter off Harcourt Street or Hatch Street. These were once private grounds and are still unknown to a lot of Dubs. Very tranquil, even at the height of the summer. No ducks worth mentioning.

Merrion Square: By the parliament and national gallery. They do free concerts there every June at lunchtimes, but for the rest of the time it's largely deserted and peaceful. Absolutely no ducks at all.

Mountjoy Square: Once the north city's counterpart to Merrion Suare - but boy has this park come down in the world! Enter off Summerhill and at your own risk. Not much grass left (watch out for needles if running barefoot through what's left of it) and whatever ducks there once were have long since been eaten.

Millennium Park: Not really a park at all. It's beside the City Hall on Dame Street and is where the Corpo demolished a building for road widening purposes back in the 1970s. It's scheduled for demolition itself too. Plans are afoot to build a City Hall extension on it. Popular with weary backpackers grabbing a sandwich. No ducks - but visitors might like to know they are sitting directly above the confluence of the Poddle and Liffey rivers, historically the pool after which Dublin is named!

Blessington Street Reservoir: Not to be confused with the city reservoir in Blessington, Co Wicklow, this old pond has been given a facelift in recent years. Enter off Blessington Street and enjoy the sculptures designed by the local primary school kids. Peaceful spot, and even some ducks!

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Fondest memory: St Kevins Church: Not much left of the church but the gravestones have been set aside to open the churchyard up as a park. Entrance by the old Marshalsea off Camden Street. No ducks, but I spotted a sparrow's nest there last time.

Favorite thing: ENGLISH VERSION Relax (after a night in pubs for instance), in Stephen's green park. VERSION FRANCAISE Après une nuit de fête dans les pubs de la ville par exemple, pourquoi ne pas se relaxer à Stephen's green park ?

Favorite thing: Have a stroll in the St Stephens Green. A favourite meeting place for the people of Dublin. It is a meeting place for students from nearby Trinity College, workers from the offices and shops that surround the park, tourists and shoppers from nearby Grafton St. It was originally a walled area with walks surrounding it. The area was levelled and walled in 1678 and a ditch dug round it. The four sides, each a quarter of a mile in length, were known as Leeson’s Walk (S), French Walk (W), Beaux’ Walk (N) and Monks’s Walk (E).

Favorite thing: Very green, nice flowers, lots of water, too corwded on sunny day, quite peacful in the evenings. Pity they close the doors so early.
Its perfect for a little break and lying on the sun :-)

Favorite thing: After pubing it up with Lochlainn Tuesday evening, we took a longer route home down Grafton Street, where I spotted this interesting set of colors.

Favorite thing: walk around the greens - this photo really doesn't do it justice - the lovely parks in Dublin are a peaceful respite in a day filled with touring the sites!

Favorite thing: Visit St Stephens green - a green expanse, right in the middle of Dublin! and - Trinity college...
In the picture- my friend Bela with his brother.