How to Study Abroad in Dublin, Ireland

So you have always loved St. Patrick’s Day? There’s just something about little men dressed in green, shamrocks, and pots of gold that really trips your trigger? Awesome! You should study abroad in Dublin, Ireland!
Dublin is home to about 2 million people and was founded as a Viking settlement during the 9th century. Although it is not one of the most popular study abroad locations, it definitely has it’s own merits and will serve as a great base for your study abroad location. What exactly can you do while studying abroad in Dublin? Here are some of our tips for getting the most out of your time in this awesome city!
1. Experience a real St. Patrick’s Day. Sure, we dress up in green in the USA and drink green beer on St. Patrick’s Day. But you have not ever really exprierenced St. Patty’s until you have done it in Dublin. St. Patrick’s Day is always on March 17 (which means you would need to study abroad during the spring semester) and there is a great parade in Dublin that features fantastic street performers. The festivities last for about four-days, so don’t feel like you have to skip school on the 17th to really enjoy this event!
2. Drink Guinness with the locals at Kehoe’s. This local-hotspot is everything that an Irish pub should be: a small space filled with friendly people and tasty beer! It can get very busy on the weekends, so you might want to go here on a weekday to avoid the crowds. However, if you make friends with a bartender, this might become your main pub because he will save you a spot at the bar.
3. Attend classes or just walk around the campus at Trinity College. Trinity College was founded in 1592 by Queen Elizabeth I and has served as an intellectual center ever since then. Some famous alumni include Samuel Beckett, a Nobel laureate, and Oscar Wilde, a playwrite. If you are not attending classes at Trinity, wake up early one Sunday morning and head over to the campus. It is absolutely beautiful to watch the sun rise and hear the morning Mass bells ringing in one of the various gardens on the campus.

4. Lock your friends in Kilmainham Gaol. Kilmainham Gaol is a famous prison that has served as the temporary homes for many Irish rebellion leaders and criminals, including the Phoenix Park murderers, Charles Stewart Parnell, and Joseph Plunkett. Today, it serves as a reminder of the struggles the Irish people have enduring while attempting to gain independence and is a museum that is ran by the Office of Public Works. Truthfully, I don’t think you can lock your friends inside the prison, but it is still a really cool place to see if you want to gain a better understanding of the Irish people and their history in their fight for independence.
5. Spend some time in Temple Bar. This neighborhood had somewhat of a bad reputation in the past, but it really is very charming and great place to spend a day. In Temple Bar, you can see old mixed with new in the form of cobblestone streets and new shopping centers and cafés. When I had some spare time in Dublin, I liked to get a cup of coffee or something to snack on at Fitzsimons and then check out either the Irish Film Institute or the Project Arts Centre.
Have you studied abroad in Dublin? Do you have any tips for other students who are planning on studying there? Share them with us in the comments section below.
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