even have to worry about the otherwise
–Š—†‡”‹‰ –”ƒˆϐ‹…Ǥ – …‘–ƒ‹• ‡˜‡”›–Š‹‰
that gives Dublin its special atmosphere. It
is a popular and stylish shopping district,
full of designer and music labels, famous
jewellers, fun boutiques, and the ultimate
retail therapy of Brown Thomas, the hoary
Irish department store. A word of warning:
children may not want to be pulled away
from the riveting street artistes in their
unusual costumes who keep the crowds
entertained with mime, juggling and
other acts. At one end of Grafton Street
is the nearly 500-year old Trinity
College, and at the other is the soothing
sprawl of the St Stephen’s Green.
Forget about home-grown maidans when
you come to this 23-acre roll of nature
right in the heart of Dublin. St. Stephen’s
Green is in the centre of the most-
renowned and largest of Dublin’s Georgian
squares. It comprises a pleasant park
whose gardens were originally laid out in
1880 for Lord Ardilaun of the famous
Guinness family; who wanted to donate a
healthy, leisure space to the people. There
ƒ”‡ ϐŽ‘™‡” ‰ƒ”†‡•ǡ ƒ „ƒ†•–ƒ† ˆ‘”
lunch-time concerts in summer, and a lake
full of ducks, geese, swans and other
waterfowl which the children will want to
keep feeding forever. Let them run free,
and do have a picnic here.
At Grafton Street’s junction with Nassau
Street is Dublin’s signature statue, Molly
Malone at her wheelbarrow, selling her
cockles, her mussels and whatever else
might have taken the 19th century passer
by’s fancy. You will at once want to burst
into the song that celebrates her, ‘In
Dublin’s fair city, Where the girls are so
pretty’. Go ahead and burst to your heart’s
content. Dubliners won’t mind. And
neither will the tourists. They are more
likely to join you in a lusty recital. It might
become a full scale performance if the
nearby buskers and street performers
decide to leave their section of the paving-
stones and join in.
St. Stephen’s Green
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