leinsterfans.com - Visitor Guide
by Robbie O'Connor, 2011-12-23
Many thanks must go to apple sourz for putting this guide together
We would like to welcome all visiting rugby supporters to Dublin and hopefully you will get an opportunity to enjoy everything our capital city has to offer. To assist you with your travel plans and help you make the most out of your time in Dublin, we have compiled some information you may find useful for your visit. It has been said that you cannot please all of the people all of the time but we will do our utmost to ensure your stay in Dublin is a memorable one, although a favourable result (for visiting supporters) is most unlikely.
Getting to Dublin
On arrival at Dublin Airport you have several transfer options available for travel to the city centre. All the below options are located directly outside the door on the Arrivals level of the airport.
Taxi: A taxi trip to the city centre will cost somewhere between 20-25 euro.
Aircoach: The blue coaches of the Aircoach service depart every 15 mins and will cost 7 euro single or 12 euro return. This service can also bring you directly to Ballsbridge and many hotels in the general area for the same price. www.aircoach.ie
Dublin Bus: Dublin Bus operate a number of services to the city and prices start at around 1.60 euro (16A service) to 5 euro (Airport Express) each way. Dublin Bus has an office located in O'Connell Street. www.dublinbus.ie
If you arrive by Ferry you will find yourself either in Dun Laoghaire (Stenna Line) or Dublin Port (Irish Ferries). Dun Laoghaire would be the recommended option as the harbour is located beside a direct train link to the city which passes close to Ballsbridge (either Sandymount or Lansdowne stops). It is only a short drive from Ballsbridge, where the RDS is located.
Getting to the Royal Dublin Showground (RDS)
The Royal Dublin Showground is approximately 2 miles from centre of Dublin City (O'Connell Street) travelling south past St. Stephen's Green and is within walking distance from Lansdowne Road. A map of the Ballsbridge area of Dublin is provided at the bottom of this page.
The RDS is served by a number of different busses operated by Dublin Bus. Any route that serves the area of Ballsbridge would be ideal for getting to the ground and surrounding pubs and restaurants. Any of the following bus numbers: 4 | 5 | 7 | 7A | 8 | 18 | 45 will bring to the Ballsbridge area and more importantly to the Horse Show House pub which is where the Leinster Supporters club meet up before and after the games in the RDS.
Taxi: A taxi from the city centre to Ballsbridge will cost about 6-8 euro but there may be traffic restrictions around the RDS on match days.
Walking: The RDS is around a 25 minute walk from the city centre. The most straight forward way to get to stadium from Grafton Street is to walk along Nassau Street and keep going straight passing the Schoolhouse Bar and Restaurant and continuing into Ballsbridge (maps.google.com). After passing over the river Dodder, the entrance to the RDS is to the right on Angelsea Road.
Accommodation
If there is one thing that Dublin has no shortage of (apart from bars) it is accommodation. Dublin city has a wide range of accommodation to suit every taste and budget from the most luxurious 5 star hotels to the most basic of hostels!
You may find some of these links useful when seeking accommodation and please do not be afraid to log onto the forums on www.leinsterfans.com or www.leinsterrugby.ie to acquire some in depth local knowledge.
- www.jurys-dublin-hotels.com
- www.ichotelsgroup.com
- www.bestwestern.com
- www.QualityHotelDublinCity.com
- www.accomodationdublin.com
- www.d4hotels.com
- www.sandymounthotel.ie
Wining & Dining
The number of bars and restaurants in Dublin are too numerous to mention but it is pretty much guaranteed that you will not go hungry or thirsty. Obviously, Temple Bar is the most famous party area of Dublin and with good reason. With so many bars and restaurants in the area, you are spoilt for choice but it is also perhaps the most expensive area of Dublin in which to eat or drink. The websites listed below will pretty much tell you anything else you want to know about where to go and what to do in Dublin.
- www.irishtourism.com
- www.visitdublin.ie
- www.dublintourist.com
- www.dublinevents.com
- www.tripadvisor.com
When in Rome
Do as the locals do!
Most supporters meet up in the Horse Show House, which is close to the RDS (See location on the map below). There are also a number of other pubs and restaurants in the area, including Paddy Cullens, Crowe's and Mary Macs.
For games played in the RDS, the supporters club meet in the Horse Show House, on Merrion Road before and after the games, although there are several other options around Ballsbridge. There are a number of bars inside the ground, but these do not provide much protection from the elements, so we'd recommend that you try out the pubs outside the ground beforehand. All of the bars around the ground can be very busy both before and after the matches, but tend to get more comfortable an hour or so after the final whistle.
Map of Ballsbridge Area
Google Map of Ballsbridge area, listing hotels, pubs and entrances to the ground
