Facts About Dublin that You Didn't Know

By Visit Dublin

Dublin's Official Tourism SiteBIO

From urban design to celeb-spotting, Dublin is a vibrant and ever-evolving city with plenty to discover, both for first timers and those who think they already know it well. Discover some little known facts about Dublin to help you decide what to do in the city...

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10 million pints of Guinness...

... are produced in Dublin every day! You can smell the hops from many places in the city and that’s because at Dublin’s Guinness Storehouse, the traditional stout beer is made in huge quantities for the fine folk who like to enjoy a pint of Guinness or what’s also known as a ‘meal in a cup’. If you’re looking for things to do in Dublin, visit the brewery too and enjoy panoramic views of the city.

Bonus info: The world-renowned Guinness Book of Records came into existence in 1954 when Guinness’ Managing Director, Hugh Beaver, determined to help people settle obscure debates that came up during conversations in bars across the world! So how many grown adults do you think you could fit in a Volkswagen Beetle?

Urban design in Dublin is dynamic

Dublin’s ‘Love the Lanes’ initiative is a plan designed to transform the less well-used lanes of the iconic Temple Bar into vibrant spaces. Also, our urban development initiatives would give Copenhagen a run for its money: at Dublin’s urban farm, Airfield, you’ll find green woodlands that are home to over 2,000 native trees. Beekeeping is a real buzz too with Irish bank AIB investing in rooftop beekeeping at their city headquarters.

You CAN get across Dublin without passing a pub

In Ulysses, James Joyce mused that “a good puzzle would be to cross Dublin without passing a pub”. And now you can! The Joyce riddle has been solved by tech buff Rory McCann, who developed an algorithm to plot a route from one canal to another without hitting a Dublin pub.

St Valentine is buried in a Dublin church

Forget Paris, Dublin is the city of love: we have our own Romeo and his name is St Valentine, the saint for lovers all over the world. The remains of this patron saint lie in Dublin’s Whitefriar Street Church, and many make the journey to visit him each year; so don’t forget to bring your love letter.

Dublin has the largest walled park in Europe

Dublin may be a small city but we’ve the largest enclosed city park in Europe. At 1,750 acres, Dublin's Phoenix Park, is five times the size of London's Hyde Park and double the size of New York's Central Park. Phoenix Park is also home to Dublin Zoo, wild roaming deer and offers the best Segway tours and concerts. It’s so popular even the Irish President lives there in Áras an Úachtaráin while the stunning Farmleigh House runs tours and hosts a variety of events all year round.

Dubliners are pedal pushers

Listen to this: the city has over 120 miles of cycle tracks, and Dublin’s Bike scheme has 450 bikes for public use and 40 bike stations around the city. Cycling in Dublin has never been easier. Cycling in big cities can be intimidating, but fear not, Dublin is more accessible than most – you can cycle from one side of Dublin city to another in half an hour!

Handel’s Messiah was first performed in Dublin

On 13 April 1742, Handel's Messiah, one of the most famous musical pieces in the world, premiered to 700 people in Temple Bar. Every year Fishamble Street – first made by the Vikings to connect with the River Liffey – is filled with the sounds of choirs as they perform excerpts from Handel's Messiah.

A Dubliner designed the Oscar award statue

Long before Colin Farrell and Jonathan Rhys Meyers, Dublin had direct links to Tinseltown. Most know that the roaring lion in the clip at the start of MGM films was born and reared in Dublin Zoo. But lesser known is the fact that the designer of the infamous Oscar award in 1928 was Dublin-born Cedric Gibbons. And the Oscar goes to…quite a few Dubliners actually – George Bernard Shaw, Barry Fitzgerald, Brenda Fricker and Glen Hansard have all won Oscars, not to mention Daniel Day Lewis (an honorary Dubliner) who lives just down the road in Annamoe, Co. Wicklow.

Dublin is perfect for celeb-spotting

A host of celebrities enjoy the city: Beyoncé and Jay Z were recently spotted with their daughter Blue Ivy strolling in Phoenix Park. Party-lovin’ Will Ferrell and the Anchorman cast drank pints in Toners pub; while even Miley Cyrus enjoyed a quiet dinner with locals in Mulligan’s of Stoneybatter – a great spot for a hearty meal produced with local ingredients.

Dublin has a rich and thriving art scene

Dublin has always had a wealth of inspiring art museums, galleries, sculptures and outdoor installations to explore, from the National Gallery and the Irish Museum of Modern Art (IMMA) to public art dotted throughout Dublin’s Docklands or the exciting urban space designed by Martha Schwartz at Grand Canal Square.

As you explore the city a bit more, you will see that the Dublin’s street art scene is in full Bloom! Where else would you find graffiti inspired by James Joyce? Be sure to check out artist James Earley’s Joycean makeover of Bloom’s Hotel in Temple Bar – a unique piece of artwork. With city councils promoting artists, streets are being enlivened with creative work. Other classic locations to check out local street art are U2’s infamous Windmill Lane Studios, and the Camden Street area