The place is in a nice suburban neighborhood near UCD. Very safe and quiet in the evening. The dogs are indeed very friendly. You'll need to allow a few minutes to get to events at UCD if you are walking. You can take almost any bus from the campus to the city center, which is very nice. Busses stop around midnight, though, so if you're returning late you will have to take a taxi. I had a great time in Dublin thanks to Frances and her hospitality.