Teacher Training in Dublin
The Republic of Ireland’s capital city is a vibrant, thriving, and youthful European city that bridges the gap between tradition and a modern way of life. Every corner pub, street, and Georgian square of Ireland’s largest city holds a story waiting to be shared.
Leo Maguire, an Irish songwriter, once wrote:
“Dublin can be heaven, with coffee at eleven and a stroll through Stephen’s Green”
Dublin and Surroundings
Irish people are famous for their songs, dance, and literature. Dublin is the birthplace of three winners of the Nobel Prize in Literature: George Bernard Shaw, Samuel Becket, and William Butler Yeats. We are the only country with a musical instrument as our national emblem, which would explain why we’re also a 7-time winner of the Eurovision song contest. Our history is rich with folklore and our ‘gift of the gab’ is attributed to our love of storytelling, making our presence, despite being such a small island, being world-renowned.
And if you don’t believe me Come and meet me there In Dublin on a sunny Summer morning
Leo Maguire, Irish Songwriter.
10 best things to do in Dublin
1) St Stephens Green
St Stephens Green is a historical park and garden. It is located in the center of Dublin City, south of the River Liffey and it provides an oasis of green tranquility in the middle of a bustling city. Many Dubliners spend their lunch break here, and in summer, theatre productions and music bands create a lively atmosphere. St Stephens Green park is adjacent to one of the main shopping streets, the pedestrianized Grafton Street, which is also famous for its street musicians.
2) Museum of Literature Ireland
Discover Ireland’s rich literary heritage, experience immersive exhibitions, filled with treasures from the National Library of Ireland, including ‘Copy No. 1’ of Ulysses. The museum’s nickname, MoLi, is a tribute to the character Molly Bloom from James Joyce’s influential novel!
3) Bray Head
Situated on the border of Country Dublin and County Wicklow, Bray is a much-loved seaside town featuring notable venues and attractions such as the SeaLife aquarium, The Harbour Bar, and many ice-cream parlors along the stoney beach. Plan an afternoon hike to reach the cross at the summit for one of the best bird’s eye views of both counties. The cross that can be seen from miles away was erected in 1950 and attracts hundreds of hill walkers each year. Alternatively, take the route from Bray to Greystones where the DART train conveniently brings you right back to Dublin city center in less than 1 hour.
4) Guinness Storehouse
A must-see for beer lovers! The Guinness Storehouse leads you to experience the most iconic Irish stout, its history of its founder, Arthur Guinness, how its marketing became recognized all over the world, and what makes its flavor so unique. Learn the craft of pouring a perfectly chilled pint of Guinness for yourself, or opt to take in the views of Dublin from the Gravity Bar and be served instead by the experts! No wonder the Guinness Storehouse has been rated as one of the most popular visitor attractions in Europe!
5) Trinity College Dublin
Visiting the most famous university in Ireland is like a journey to the 16th century. Present and past meet to convey passion and love for knowledge in the center of Dublin. Trinity was the alma mater of Jonathan Swift, Oscar Wilde, and Samuel Beckett. The campus is a masterpiece of Georgian architecture and it is elegantly landscaped, too. Within its walls, in the Old Library, you can take a look at its most well-known treasure, the Book of Kells, an illuminated manuscript Gospel book with the four Gospels of the New Testament completed by St Jerome in 384 AD. The popularity of the manuscript derives largely from its extravagant decoration, which is unmatched in scope and artistry.
6) Christchurch Cathedral
Here lies the heart of medieval Dublin with its foundations dating back 1000 years. Restored in the 19th Century, this Anglican Cathedral is situated atop Wood Quay, a former Viking settlement site demolished in the 1970s. Christchurch connects to the Dublinia Museum via a stained glass ornamented bridge over High Street. Home to Strongbow, the mummified cat and rat, and the embalmed heart of Dublin’s Patron Saint, St Laurence O’Toole. From the depths of the crypts to the peak of Christchurch’s Belfry tower, a visit here is a journey through the ages!
7) Temple Bar district
Temple Bar is often called the “bohemian quarter.” It is the place to be if you love entertainment, art, and culinary action. Pay a visit to Meeting House Square on Saturday afternoon and sample produce from the Temple Bar Markets. Here you will also find art galleries, theatres, including Smock Alley, Dublin’s oldest theatre, and other cultural institutions, like the Irish Film Institute. It is also one of the best places to hear live Irish folk music, and immerse yourself in the Irish pub culture.
8) Kilmainham Gaol
You may recognize the panopticon layout of this jail from the 1993 film ‘In the Name of the Father’ starring Daniel Day-Lewis. Before its use as a filming set, this heritage site is where many of the revolutionaries involved in Irish 1916 Rising were imprisoned and executed before closing in 1924. Available by guided tour only, this former prison is just around the corner from the old Royal Kilmainham Hospital and Irish Museum of Modern Art. Make sure to book your tour before arriving on Irish soil as tickets sell out weeks in advance
9) EPIC – The Irish Emigration Museum
Ireland has a long history of emigration. More than 10 million people have left Ireland to build up a new life elsewhere. In the process, they have shaped the countries they settled in, while not forgetting their Irish roots. Epic is an interactive museum – swipe through video galleries, dance through motion sensor quizzes, listen to remastered audio from 100 years ago, and watch videos that bring Irish history to life. At EPIC you’ll discover the far-reaching influence of Irish history, and the impact the 10 million Irish men and women who left Ireland had on the world.
10) Teeling Whiskey Distillery
Located in New Market Square nearby to St Patrick’s Cathedral and Marsh’s Library, Teelings’ opening in 2015 marked a significant step towards the revival of whiskey production since its demise in the 20th century. Other distilleries that have since reopened in the Liberties area or ‘Golden Triangle’ in nearly 125 years, include Pearse Lyons and Roe & Co Distilleries. The Phoenix on Teeling’s label represents the rebirth of the industry from the ashes of the Great Whiskey Fire that took place in 1875 in the same area. Learn about the patient process behind how Ireland’s water of life, or ‘uisce beatha’ is made, using copper pot stills, malted barley, matured in wine barrels. Slainté!
Our Cultural Activities
The following free time activities are included in the price of each one-week course in Dublin:
- one guided tour of the city
- one full-day excursion
Two-week courses include an additional guided tour of the city.
Our guided tour of the city
Join Linda on this 1.5-hour tour of Dublin, where we will ease ourselves into the heart of the bustling Irish capital by first walking through St Stephen’s Green, a Georgian era park rich with a variety of flora and fauna. Enjoy the songs of the musicians or ‘buskers’ whose melodies echo down Grafton Street, our iconic shopping street whose walls and shop fronts are made up of Victorian-era and modern buildings.
On almost every corner in Dublin proudly stands the statues of figures throughout centuries of Irish history who fought for Ireland’s Independence – from Theobald Wolfe Tone to Daniel O’Connell. We will saunter through the lively cobbled streets of the atmospheric Temple Bar area, and finally, gaze upon the Spire that towers over Dublin city center.
Learn about Irish customs, culture and perhaps pick up a few words of ‘Gaeilge’ in your introduction to Baile Atha Cliath.
One full-day excursion in Ireland
Escape from the city and experience the luscious green landscapes that Ireland is known for!
You are given the following options for your full-day excursion, subject to availability. Make sure to book your return flight accordingly so you won’t miss this opportunity to immerse yourself in the Emerald Isle’s rugged landscapes and ancient history.
Cliffs of Moher
On the edge of County Clare stands the previously nominated one of ‘7 Wonders of the World’. Admire these breathtaking views overlooking the Atlantic. Included in your visit is admission into the visitor center, where you can get an insight into the wildlife that resides along these harsh coastlines. Stop for lunch at Doolin before you soon step foot onto the rocky, fertile landscape of The Burren. You will then reacquaint yourself with city life in Galway city Centre as your final stop in the West of Ireland.
- Start time 6:50 am
- Returning to Dublin 17:00 (depending on traffic)
Wicklow
Located just south of County Dublin, on this tour you won’t have to travel too far into the countryside to immerse yourself in the rural side of Irish life. You will be introduced to working sheep farm, observing the farmers trained sheepdogs to what they do best. You will then pay a visit to the small Wicklow village of Hollywood where you can grab some lunch, later traveling along with Laragh Village before finally arriving at Glendalough, the “Valley of Two Lakes”. Roam the 6th Century monastic site and learn about St. Kevin’s life of penance and prayer on the land, while appreciating the untouched nature of the glacial valley of Glendalough that hosts these preserved historic ruins.
- Start time: 8:30 am
- Returning to Dublin: 17:30 (depending on traffic)
Celtic Boyne Valley
You will make several stops along this journey through Ireland’s Ancient East. You will start the day at the sacred Hill of Tara, before stopping at the Anglo-Norman ‘Trim Castle’. Moving onto Loughcrew, also known as ‘Slieve na Galliagh’, the highest point in County Meath where you will stop for lunch and visit the Passage Tomb & Megalithic Cairns from 3000BC. Before the journey back to Dublin passing the Hill of Uisneach, you will make one final stop at St Fechin’s Church among the remains at Fore Abbey.
- Start time: 8:00 am
- Returning to Dublin: 18:00 (depending on traffic)
About the Training Centre in Dublin
All our courses in Dublin will take place either in the Morning (9:00 13:45) or in the Afternoon (14:00 – 18:45) depending on classroom and trainer availability.
How to reach us
Our course venues in Dublin are St Mary’s Boys School, behind St Mary’s Church on Haddington Road, Dublin 4.
The school building on St. Haddington Rd is right behind St Mary’s Church, in walking distance to St. Stephens Green park.
You can get there by using the Dublin tram, called LUAS. Get off at the stop Charlemont when using the Green Line and walk eastwards along the canal.
Alternatively, there are also some buses that stop close to Haddington Road, at Baggot Street (Bus stop No 752 and 782) and Northumberland Road (Bus stop No 412, 413, and 489) see dublinbus.ie.
If coming from St Mary’s Road, you will see the archway you can find in the picture below.
The school will be on your second left.
At the corner of AIB Bank on Baggot Street/Pembroke Road, walk to the end of Eastmoreland Place and you will see another archway entering a small park that exits out in front of the school.
