I find it really hard to rate Dr. Quirkeys because I don't want to encourage gambling. In these…read moretough economic times, I wouldn't want anyone to lose their hard earned cash... That being said I've been dragged in here a few times and sometimes it can be fun to get rid of your loose change or win an ugly stuff animal that isn't worth the 4 Euros you spent trying to get it. Be warned though that these games are rigged!! Watch out for the people eying your machine too. They're waiting for you to put in all your money so they can swoop in afterwards and collect your reward. Another word of caution for the Dr. Quirkey's newbie: there are some rough people that hang out here. Because it's located on the top of O'Connell Street, you get a lot of bratty little kids that are bored and looking to rattle some cages. This place is good for a cheap thrill or if you need to kill time before you catch your bus out of town.

I'm not sure I've ever been to a place like this. Sure, I've been to Las Vegas and casinos in other…read morecities; but I don't think I've ever seen parents walking the kiddos past all the slot machines to get to the air hockey tables in the back, and then letting the DDR machine babysit while they go spin the slot machines. There's no drinks here, so you don't have the drunken debauchery that sometimes accompany casinos. There is a decent variety of games (blackjack, roulette, video poker) but they're all automated (no dealers, no chips, no cashier) and honestly it gets boring pretty quickly. Dr. Quirkey's is good for an hour or so of (relatively) inexpensive entertainment, but not much beyond that.

This is not one of the many free museums in Dublin since it was privately restored and operated…read more Still it's not that expensive and easily worth it. Book ahead of time because they are often sold out -- especially during tourist season. This was a Georgian mansion that was later converted to tenement slum housing (100 people lived in 17 rooms). You learn a lot about the history of the building and a bit about what happened in Dublin 100 years ago. As always, the tour quality depends on your guide and Sheila was excellent. Very knowledgeable, welcoming, and with a touch of humor. The videos you watch are informative. We also learned that "hit the hay" and "hit the sack" are from this era -- essentially make sure there are no mice in your bed before going to sleep. And "no pot to piss in" comes from the very poor during this era as well. This is an almost immersive experience which is much more meaningful than reading about it or just seeing photos.

If you are interested in visiting Ireland and Dublin it is quite worth your while to visit 14…read moreHenrietta Street. It is not an all day affair but you will come away with a rich understanding of Ireland and Dublin's sociological history.

Meh. Had a friend say we couldn't miss this, that the museum had an astonishing collection of…read morebeautifully made books from around the world. If that's true, very little of it was on display when I visited. And for the price of admission especially, what an underwhelming experience. The exhibits- sparse and also meh. The best part of this place was their cafe. My bowl of soup was gigantic and they had an impressive array of sweets, so don't miss that if you visit here.

If you are an academic, you'll fricken love this place! It's quality. The building itself is…read moregorgeous and worth seeing whether you are really into writers or not.

The good: James Joyce lovers will enjoy this three floor space for its history and deeper…read moreexploration into the muse(s) behind his literary contributions, his loves, family and life. Bad: Three story building in an old Georgian Space - probably not easily accessible to and for those with mobility problems and equipment.

Maybe I was just so unlucky when visiting this museum of James Joyce because I saw very little,…read moreexcept an big old but empty house, some posters about Ulysses in the stair cases, an empty small auditorium, and the restoration of Joyce's original tiny Manhattan- style apartment (that's actually the best part of this entire museum). Joyce had a such rich life full of stories, sentiments and legendries and I don't know why this museum can't be a bit more diligent to display his life and work. During the same trip I visited Dublin, there was a free exhibition about Yeats' life and work at the National Library and that exhibit was full of in-depth insights, all-media display, and a lot of details and art works. Don't you Dubliners love your two literature giants equally? Can you guys treat James Joyce a little bit better? I am literally angry now!

Milk & Cookies is a free story telling event run by volunteers every month. It is held in the…read moreExchange Building in Temple Bar. They usually have at least 2 professional storytellers and then audience members are invited at the beginning of the night, if they have a story, to participate. It was my second time to go to the event and is well worth the visit. The event is very popular. It kicks off at 7.30 but we got there for 7 and there was a queue of people outside the door already. Once the doors were open we were offered tea/coffee and cakes/cookies. The room is beautifully decorated with fairy lights and there is an almost amphitheatre of chairs and beds surrounding duvets and bean bags on the floor for people to sit on. Even with our early arrival we only managed to get a space to sit on the floor, so if you're not there early be prepared to stand. Each night has a different theme, on the occasion the theme was "show & tell" so each story-teller brought an item (ranging from pebbles to a wooden carved deer antler) and they told their stories based on the item. The story-tellers themselves ranged from professional to first timers and the stories ranged from the sad to the beautiful to the inspiring to the hysterical. While the stories were being told there was a screen on the right side of the room where someone was drawing interpretations of the stories. The really great thing about this event is that audience members arrived with cakes and cookies they have freshly baked which are passed around throughout the night (did I mention this is all free!) and during the interval 3 people are chosen from the audience to judge the "bake-off" so the person with the best cake of the night wins a prize. The event runs for about 3 hours but you can leave at any time. Drawbacks: There is only one bathroom and if you're not early you will find yourself standing or sitting on the floor. It's a very popular event so the room is packed with people. After 2 hours sitting on the floor I was feeling a little cramped. There is a lovely sense of community from the organisers and audience members of Milk & Cookies. Everyone is made feel welcome and those that have the courage to get up and tell stories are given lots of encouragement. There is an upcoming Milk & Cookies After Dark night coming up soon (in the Complex in Smithfield and it's bring your own bottle) which I can't wait to check out. I have to take my hat off to the organisers, the volunteers who make tea/coffee and hand out cakes and those who go to the trouble of making for a group of people some they hardly know every month. Free events like these in Dublin are treasures. Highly recommended

Powered by volunteers and donations alone it seems a miracle this event has continued for so long,…read morethat is until you witness the magic that is Milk & Cookies. Most of the story telling is top notch but if there's one that's not your cup of tea you can console yourself with an actual (and free) cup of tea. There's also coffee and herbal infusions and cookies and buns and cakes and smiling people and blankets and pillows and low relaxed lighting. Pro tip, I like to bring my crochet (it's like knitting but cooler), you can get a lot completed and not all the story tellers entertain you visually. Pro tip 2, bring your own baked goods and enter them into the bake off, cool prizes can be won. Presently Milk & Cookies home is at Moxie Studios which thankfully doesn't suffer from the stuffiness of the Exchange or the draughtiness of the Chocolate Factory their two previous venues. It's just right. It is a very special place where all people should visit. Check the website and social media for updates.

My husband is a huge GAA fan and so he insisted we visit Croke Park and the Museum. The tour of the…read morestadium was very interesting. We enjoyed the opportunity to see the park from a few perspectives, including the field, the locker rooms, the stands and even a luxury box. Our guide was both very knowledgeable and enthusiastic making the tour all the better. The day we visited the museum there were a number of international visitors, who were unfamiliar with the games so the guide took time to explain each of them in detail. The tour itself was a highlight of our trip. The Museum is well done. It is very informative and interesting even for those with no previous exposure to any of the Gaelic games. We really enjoyed the interactive section of the museum but felt several of the interactive parts could/should stand a bit of refurbishment during the off season as they didn't seem to be working.

I decided to buy the €10.50 ticket which gave me admission to the museum and a stadium tour. I…read morewould definitely recommend it, thoroughly enjoyable and informative. Our guide was great. The museum is full of memorabilia and fascinating tit-bits of information about our national game. They also have an option for you to try out your football and hurling skills in an interactive games area, now that was great fun! It also confirmed what I already knew; I am useless at both games. They have cheaper student rates and you can make it cheaper again by choosing to either go to the museum or the tour. But for what you learn, it's worth the price.

The O'Reilly Theatre presents a premium, varied and innovative programme within its auditorium with…read morean emphasis on multi as well as inter cultural presentations with both Irish and International artists performing. The space comprises of one sizeable theatre space. I recently went to see a Christmas pantomime in the auditorium and got to witness first hand the considerable seating capacity, outstanding acoustics and high-tech art staging and lighting apparatus, all working to ensure no production fails to disappoint. With fully retractable raked seating and a mechanical stage platform, the auditorium is an exceedingly malleable space and boasts one of the widest stages in Dublin that can accommodate 590 people seated or 1000 people standing. However for more intimate presentations, the motorised stage platform raises from the ground to any preferable height up to stage level, creating a more enclosed stage area, with the bigger stage curtained-off. Moreover, the O'Reilly Theatre boasts broad backstage amenities and dressing rooms, meeting rooms, a bar/refreshment area and a lecture theatre. Situated in the foyer, adjoined to the theatre is the bar that is appropriate for any conference registration, refreshments or drinks reception. Seating can be set in an abundance of ways to suit your requirements from theatre to boardroom style or possibly in a more unceremonious, candlelit nightclub style.

For my birthday my wonderful friend treated me to probably one of the most amazing performances…read morethat I have ever seen. I had chills coupled with pumping adrenalin watching it. But I'll get back to that later. The venue itself looks unremarkable from the outside; I didn't even realise that we have a Great Denmark street in Dublin. The venue has a large coffee and tea area, which is always good. We arrived for the performance exactly on time but they would not allow us in, there was a crowd of us. All hell broke loose, it was really ridiculous because the show had not even started and all the commotion ended up disturbing the performers more. The manager came out at the interval and after the show to apologise profusely for some of her over zealous staff. Good PR points there. The production company was DV8, and the production was, 'To be straight with you.' I beg you please, please, please try to see if this show is coming to a place near you - you simply must see it! The venue did an amazing job with the art direction, the stage was revolutionised. The performers; did the most physically demanding dancing and acting that I have ever seen. Shocking violence of true stories of gay people being persecuted in third world countries coupled with pure comedy and all through dance. It received a standing ovation. Afterwards a few of the audience got to go to the Q&A with the director and a panel of other important folks. It was broadcast on national radio. Most of the participants asked intelligent questions about religion & sexuality. I just wanted to know how the hell the genius director (Lloyd Newson) came up with the dance routines... OK I am gushing now, but it is that good - really. Kudos to the venue too for hosting this production and doing such a great job. I will be back!