Not a business, strictly speaking, but a very nice 13th century Castle nonetheless. The best…read moretourism is free and this completely uncommercialised castle makes a nice change from some of the other brochure stands around the country. You could even make a day of it with a trip down to the Purty Kitchen, famous for its seafood, or any of the other restaurants in Monkstown village. Watch out though, kids like to drink in the Castle at night and they can give you no end of grief-the cheaky chappies.

Ireland is replete with ruined castles. It's the first thing that many visitors (particularly…read moreAmericans and Australians...200 years of history? Pah!) comment on, and something we Irish tend to take for granted. Monkstown Castle is one such place. Randomly perched on the edge of a roundabout, opposite CBC and next to the tennis club, most people don't even bother giving it a second look (except those wily teenagers always on the lookout for a good drinking spot). Apparently, however, it dates from the 12th/13th century, which makes it pretty frickin' old. And it is just kind of cool to have that history dotted around the landscape of a suburb. Of course, that could just be me...

The smaller sister of Belgrave Square, Eaton is actually probably the greater-frequented of the…read moretwo. It's far more compact, and also has the added bonus of having a climb-able tree, which makes it oh-so-very-much cooler. There used to be a swing and a bungee rope back in my day, but unfortunately they seem to have decayed and disappeared with time (unlike me of course...I've only bloomed!) The gate in is a pretty little addition, and the neighbourhood are excellent at utilizing what is a great amenity to its advantage, hosting BBQs in the summer, and a visit from Santa around Christmas.

.....not to mention the annual Eaton Square Festival !…read more nice neighbours too! Padraig O'Dea Eaton Square Monkstown

And don't forget the annual sports day in Belgrave Square in late summer!…read more Padraig O'Dea Eaton Square Monkstown

Nestled in the posh enclave of Co. Dublin, this square is right out of a novel. It's easy to…read morepicture horses and carriages bringing people to parties in one of the massive houses that surround the square on all sides. Although many of them have now been converted to flats (the need for servant's quarters having abated somewhat, even in Monkstown), they are still lovely to look at. The Square itself is bigger than many others of its ilk, and is home to a 150-year-old tree, which dominates the centre. There are mini-mazes (right out of the pre-Victorian flippancy handbook), and it's a great place to sunbathe of a nice day (just watch out for rugby balls heading your direction...no need to worry about sliotars or GAA though, not really in this neck of the woods!)

Beautiful castle on the coast in Dalkey; great place to visit when spending the day in this…read morebeautiful village.

James moved into this Martello tower for a few days with his friend Oliver St. John Gogarty, who is…read morenow immortalised in pub form. However, Olly seems to have grown tired of his erudite friend, and expressed this displeasure by firing a gun over his bed while he slept, resulting in James taking his Stilton from the cupboard and legging it. His brief stay was not unfruitful, however. It inspired the opening of his novel Ulysses; the gun platform with its panoramic view, and the living room inside the tower are still much as he described them in his book. Now a museum, it houses Joyce's death mask, as well as photographs, papers and first editions.

This is good fun if you feel like doing some walk. You will find it at the very end of the…read morepromenade - honestly, I only found out about this place recently. It is free, no guides available but interesting that information on the walls. It is a very small museum but I kinda of liked. The view on the rooftop is great and I took hundreds of pics.

What a fun, informative and educational experience! The staff interact with the audience really…read morewell and with quick wit! I highly recommend this for ALL newcomers whether moving here or just visiting!

Dalkey is a posh little village, so it is small wonder that they get all the best stuff. Not only…read moredo they have a castle, but they also have actors who dress up as 14th century tradespeople to go with it. On your visit, you will meet a Viking coin minter, a medieval cook, an archer or barber surgeon, depending on whose day off it is. Some else dressed in a doublet will show you around and give you the skinny on Dalkey's famous residents. After the tour is finished, you are free to climb to the battlements for panoramic views of surrounding sea and mountains, and a cathartic giggle. It's only about five minutes from the DART and it's a good option if you have restless children and a spare six quid.

When you're on the Dart on the way to Bray, when you're just left Dalkey train station, turn your…read morehead to left (or better yet, sit in the rearward facing seat and avoid neck strain) and you will see the lovely vista of Dalkey terrace. These lovely pastel-coloured Victorian houses are the only houses that were actually built out of what was meant to be a housing project on a much larger scale that was interrupted by the arrival of the famine. These houses are amongst the most expensive private residences in Ireland. Bono lives in one, while Enya and Jim Sheridan live just around the corner. So if you're heading south on a Dart out that way, try to guess which house is Bono's and give it the finger. The smug hypocritical little twat.