This college started out as a small private college in Ranelagh and has developed significantly…read more Probably the biggest step was developing this state of the art building in the IFSC. They have a variety of classrooms and lecture theatres here and the building is very modern and airy. The offer mainly business courses but have branched out into other areas as well. They are probably most competitive with the ITs rather than the university, and they run evening and distance learning courses as well

Spending your weekends stuck in lectures here is no fun. At least the NCI make it comfortable…read more The building in the IFSC is relatively new, and it shows. Well-structured lecture halls, so you've plenty of room and the acoustics are good. There's a decent enough canteen, but there's also plenty of food options around the IFSC, including the Point Village market. Getting to and from is pretty easy too. The Red Line of the Luas will bring you right outside the door (make sure you're on a tram heading to the Point though. And if you're feeling energetic, there's a Dublin Bikes platform around the corner too.

The Open University is based in the UK; but, there is a satellite office in Ireland. If you're…read moreinterested in distance learning and based in the Republic of Ireland, this could be ideal! The day schools take place in various locations convenient to students; but, this office is ideal if a student is in need of counseling for their study path as it is an advice center. I took advantage of this convenient office location and was seen immediately without an appointment (although an appointment is advised nonetheless). For those who want to obtain a degree/diploma, this is a great program! And, there's comfort in knowing that there is an actual presence here although it is qualified as a distance learning program. Is that Pomp and Circumstance I hear...?!

This is the university I want to go to when I leave school. I feel its got everything you could…read morewant in terms of facilities and the atmosphere is one of companionship and pride for the college. I'm not yet old enough to attend the university however I visit it regularly for sports, which is my main reason for loving this place. I play a lot of hockey and they have two really good pitches, one sand based and the other a top of the line water based one. It is actually the National Hockey Stadium. There are stand for this pitch, which you may have seen as Setanta Sports have broadcasted some club games from here before. These pitches are also used for soccer. You regularly see people of all ages playing five a side soccer on the sand. There is a new rugby and gaelic pitch, and athletics track as well as a fully equiped gym and quite a few basketball/volleyball/badminton courts. There is even rock climbing. Above these facilities is the SPorts Cafe which serves nutricious food for the athletes The university is of course primarily for education. It has a very good reputation with many famous people, such as Rosanna Davidson - former Miss World, having graduated from here. There are many scholarships to be won to attend here also. The easiest way to go view this campus is to bring your dog for a walk around its lovely grounds and take in the atmosphere.

I don't attend UCD but I've come here before a few times for various events like the L'Oreal Colour…read moreTrophy and career seminars. I also used to train in Taekwondo here and use the gym too. I go to a small college in the city centre which just has one building, so UCD is ginormous to me, almost like a mini city and a haven for anyone who loves sports and club activities. The lecture halls and facilities are top notch, everything was very modern and pristine and they have a lot of eateries on campus and nice greenery for students to relax. It was my first choice on my CAO form which I unfortunately did not get so I can't comment on the educational aspect, but I have friends who go here/ went here who have said many good things about it. But apparently you can take elective modules and do extra classes and earn credits from it, something which is not available at my college but would love to have. It also seems a lot more student focused. The only downside is the location; it's pretty far out, but it's in a nice area of Dublin. It's just getting to and from there if you live in the city centre can be quite annoying. But overall, it seems like a great place to be a student.

The American College- or Irish American University- in Dublin is aimed at international students…read morewho want to study hospitality management or business in a small group setting as opposed to a larger college environment. The real reason to have a closer look at this place, at least for me because I don't want to study here, is the fact that the College is housed in the childhood home of Oscar Wilde at the corner of Merrion Square. It's a beautiful house and well worth a look. There is also a few commemorative plaques to see.

The most tech-y of the Dublin universities, DCU is also the only one on the northside. And it's…read morevirtually unaccessible to anyone not from around the city centre northwards. Kind of like UCD actually (acronyms apparently have more than letters in common!). It has a reputation for being slightly more vocational than either Trinity or UCD, and focuses far more on the science end of things, rather than the more traditional arts and humanities (which it still has, I hasten to add). The campus is very modern, belying its more recent development in comparision to Trinity and even UCD. However, it's lovely in its modernity and it's got some top facitilies too.

Worked there for a year (Post-Doc). Nice place actually, great campus, safe place. And great…read morerestaurant on-campus. And I left 4 EUR a day at the Spar for coffee. One of my labs was cold all the time, but I was told that would be a problem of that specific building. Well... what can you do?

This has to be one of, if not the, coolest university campuses in Ireland…read more NCAD is located on the grounds of an old distillery, with the stills remaining in the largest square of the campus. This place is full of character. The mix of old and new between buildings is beautiful.

Not a college that I have attended full time but they do run night course in life drawing etc which…read moreis great as you are going to get some of the country's best teachers. It is the country's oldest art college and to my knowledge the only one dedicated exclusively to art. It's very competitive to get a place in the college. My friend's sister lectures here so we always get to check out the annual fashion show which is great craic. If you go by there you can inspect the top pieces of work selected by the college, it's a good chance to form an opinion on the next wave of Irish artistic talent.

I've loved every second here. Ireland's 'University Town', you really do feel like you know a large…read morechunk of the staff, and your fellow students, in a way that reflects the size of the university. I have nothing but praise for the History Department. The town needs the university and the university needs the town. Lunch in Elite Confectionary (bliss) or a quiet pint in The Roost are unmatched, and there is nothing better than a walk around the south campus if you've time to kill. The university is expanding rapidly, and you'd worry about it retaining its sense of community. Maynooth has a lot to offer.

I did my undergraduate degree here so I feel that I am good expert on all things Maynooth related!…read moreI really loved my time here, the first year was a tough adjustment but once I got into the second year I really got into the swing of things. I also started to spend an unhealthy amount of time in the student bar. It's a small college so the excellent thing is you really get to know people easily. The teachers that I had there were great and very approachable. The Old Campus crowds are spectacular and well worth the visit to walk around. History just oozes from the place. The college chapel there will stunned you to silence. Dublin buses and trains run there frequently, the train goes from Connolly.

Trinity's Long Library is famous for it's enormous collection of famous, almost mythical books and…read morehouses one of the worlds oldest and most famous works of literature, The book of Ceils. Not only this, it is an extraordinary building and an architectural wonder. Of course, I didn't have any interest in these things. I just went to see it because it inspired George Lucas to model part of the Jedi Academy in Attack of The Clones on it. Still, pretty cool library. Worth a look.

Picture it: Late 90s Dublin in July; an American teen, lately dragged through every tourist stop…read moreand local museum her parents can find, is heading for the exit from Trinity's Book of Kells exhibit. But wait. Suddenly the room opens up to reveal a huge barrel ceiling and row after reaching row of ancient books. Parents forgotten, she wanders, ogles, sits. There's peace here, quiet. The air is warm and still and bright thanks to column after column of tall uncovered windows. There's a hint of dust and the low murmur of a few hundred tourists trying their best to be quiet. She brings out a sketchbook and for the next twenty minutes enjoys the family trip to Ireland more than she had in days. On your visit, give this space the time it deserves and don't rush through to the giftshop. There's plenty of time for tourism, this is time for you.