There are some very interesting things that set this shop apart for me:…read more 1. They've got a huge collection of VHS videos. I'm not sure how many people still use their old VCR players, but I have to admit that I haven't watched anything on VHS in a very, very long time. Thus everytime I walk into the shop I get a bit of a feeling that I've walked into a sort of media museum. It's also a reminder of how amazingly quick we're making technological advances, I mean before we know it DVDs will be on the outs and Blue Ray disks will have completely taken over. 2. They have a good selection of books. Many of which are travel guides! I don't know about you, but I love to travel, but hate shelling out money on someone else telling me what to do. Thus this presents the perfect solution. I can get the travel advice I need without having to spend much of my travel budget!

Oxfam as well as being a worldwide charity/NGO also have a chain of Oxfam Books branded shops…read morethroughout Ireland. This one in the heart of Rathmines,in south east Dublin is great, with a large range of books, all in good condition, all are well priced and expect to find at least one Stephen King or Maeve Binchy novel in here. Unlike a lot of charity shops, which do come in for a lot of abuse for being very uncool, this shop is well presented and doesn't feel like a mothballed 'charity shop' at all. There's also a small range of Oxfam's well known fair trade branded products. Great for cheap books good quality books and your helping a good cause as the bulk of Oxfam Ireland's money goes to long term development work in East, Central and Southern Africa.

I probably drop off more stuff here than I buy but over the years I did find some lovely vintage…read moreitems tucked away between...well...not so nice stuff. They have a small selection of books and jewellery too. I once bought this amazing pair of 50s clip- ons for 2.50Euro. I haven't worn them in a while, must look for them. And whoever does their window display: great job! Items used in the window display go on sale on a certain date (always a Saturday). There is usually a sign up informing people about it and it does get quite busy depending on what goes on sale. If it's bridal, get there early. Very early.

The Oxfam Ireland on Georges Street is well-organized and has some great buys. I'm not just saying…read morethat because it's a charity shop and it deserves your money. A lot of trendy kids come here looking for vintage and second-hand clothes. Oxfam doesn't always deliver but it's worth having a look because every once and a while you'll walk out with an original piece that costs peanuts. An interesting thing about this place is that on occasion it sells low cost wedding ware. The wedding dresses are for the most part (95% of the time) new and are donated by designers or retailers. Sometimes, people bring in their dresses after their wedding day. Of course, this Oxfam accepts other clothes as well. People who are interested in giving away casual attire can drop down their old stuff, but the items need to be cleaned first.

Charity shopping is good for the wallet and the soul. You can get some great bargains and support…read morea good cause in the meantime. Enable Ireland is a charity assisting children and adults with disabilities. To raise funds to support their service, they run retail shops around Ireland. The Thomas street branch would not be my favourite shop for vintage clothes, but they do have some nice accessories, handbags and very cheap books. Always worth a look (and remember, if you have any unwanted items in the house, they will be happy to help you get rid of it!)

Enable Ireland is located on the charity shop mecca that is Georges street, and despite the tough…read morecompetition, it stands out amongst the other, slightly less shiny charity shops. Great, ornate window displays and a plethora of books, Enable is the diamond in the rough of the George/Aungier street charity shops. I got a few great records here about a year back and kept returning as they have probably the strongest selection of cds out of all Dublin's charity shops. Loads of women's clothes, but fellas, not so much.

Enable Ireland is such a great charity shop. First, I must agree with Laura that their window…read moredisplays are really well-thought out. On the plus side, they're usually not so scary. They're fantastic because not only are they color-coordinated, but they give some really amazing ideas of the kind of fashionable ensembles that you can put together from items at a charity shop. That, my friends, is an art. The fact that every Enable Ireland window looks so great makes me think they might have a full-time creative director on their side. Kudos to this genius, whoever they may be. Anyway, inside the merchandise isn't quite as impressive, but given the window's dose of inspiration it's not terribly difficult to find something that'll do. They sell clothes for men, women and children and all of the prices are fantastic. Oh and they have a really awesome selection of books that are sooo cheap. I couldn't believe some of the finds there, and am currently building a library purely from Enable Ireland!

This shop does have some cute stuff, handbags and scarves and a few pair of heels. Can't say that…read moreit would be my favourite shop to look for second-hand bargains, but if you arrive at the right time (you never know when they might have opened boxes with new donations with tiny treasures hidden among the more tacky garments) you can find some nice accessories. Their book selection last time I checked, wasn't the greatest, but for €1 (all books go for that price!) you can pick up some fiction you've probably never heard of before, and if you don't like the first chapters, you at least didn't really loose any money. If you feel like you can freshen up the selection, box your unwanted books and bring them over. They have a sign in the window now which reads that donations are urgently needed. The added incentive: you're supporting a good cause.

I'm all for charity shops, they do good work and I guess they are only as good as the stock thats…read moredonated to him. So, regarding books (which are the only thing in there that I could see of potential interest) there was a small selection of the literary version of TV3 drama and a few cook books. Bottom line: these folks need you people.... give and give generously.

The main reason I will go into this shop is for the books, this shop has a great selection, a floor…read moreto ceiling shelf is packed with lots and lots of books and they aren't just crappy titles either! One negative I have for this shop is this. On several occasions my mom or me have gone down to Oxfam with a bag of clothes and books to donate, the clothes were in perfect condition some of them even has labels still on them but we were told that they were not taking donations and that they had enough stock for now. Maybe they didn't have room to store them but what kind of charity turns away donations? And really good donations too! this has really turned me off this store altogether, after being turned away about three times I have given up trying to donate to Oxfam. You better be more careful Oxfam Dundrum otherwise you might find that no one gives to you anymore!

The impressive book selection in Oxfam has been well covered by previous reviews, but my favourite…read morething about Oxfam in Dundrum is the little box of old cassettes you'll find next to the books. Madonna on a cassette! And Toni Braxton! Talking about a trip down memory lane. I can't count how many teenage binges in the local park back home ended in a badly-drunken singalong to Un-Break My Heart as we spilled the last drops of our vodkas over our pants. Ohhh the poor people living next to the park. I just had to get the tape, just to remind me of the "good ol'days". Can't wait to see what the next trip will bring.

They're doing good work at Enable Ireland, and there's no better reason than supporting a great…read morecharity to stop in and spend a few yo-yos in their Capel Street location. Every week the window is packed with new, much loved pieces for home, dress and giving -the amazing retro teapot I had my eye on was a gorgeous throwback that would give Orla Kiely a run for her euros with it's brilliant graphics and smart colours, all for a fiver. Step inside and unlike some of the other charity shops along Capel street, there's always a crowd. Sort through the stacks of books and old cassettes, trawl the toys or try on the smart jackets -as expected in charity shops everywhere the prices are low and there's some real finds in here.

This is where I found my raincoat. I fell in love with this when I found a great raincoat that was…read morejust what I was looking for and is me. It is an retro style fisherman's raincoat. I remember when I was a child I had one in Yellow and they were the kind where our moms did not mind that we were jumping in pools of water because nothing could get in but that also mean that nothing gets out. I found the marine blue raincoat and it was in mint condition and it was only 6.50 Euros. I have to go back to this place to see if I can find other hidden gems.

There's something very unique about Bernardos on Liffey Street, it's brand new…read more Not the shop, which has been a mainstay on this Quays side street for years now, but the goods themselves. As part of a program launched by the charity, Barnardos now carries merchandise classed as "Brand New", donated from manufacturers and retailers for sale at lower prices in their store. This hasn't increased the amount of goods, and the selection can be just as spotty as when it was nanny's old blouses and cardigans on the racks. But, when every purchase goes to helping children and families here in Ireland there's no better bargain.

Barnardos is Ireland's leading children charity. One of the ways it campaigns for money is by…read morehaving gift shops around Dublin where all proceeds go to helping Ireland's disadvantaged children. The shop of Liffey Street doesn't get as much traffic as it deserves. If you have the patience, you can find some decent stuff. Their used book section sells page turners and classics for next to nothing. Clothing takes up most of the shop and is colour coded to make things easier. There are cute party dresses for little girls and a couple of exotic print blouses for women. The men's section needs a bit more work, but it had some funky vintage shirts. Overall Barnardos is worth a gander. At least your money goes to a good cause!