They are called O'Donoghue's, Nesbitt's and Foley's, and they serve a dark, creamy beverage called Guinness. If you are fortunate, a fiddle, tin whistle and bodhran will materialize, along with a soft chorus of Molly Malone . So might a song or two with revolutionary themes, like the IRA's thievery in Johnson's Motor Car . So the young might see the morn . . . Forget renting a car in Dublin unless you plan a visit to the Irish countryside.
Parking is difficult and traffic is very congested in central Dublin.
It's also a challenge to follow directions on streets that bend in several directions and change names. If you are not staying in the suburbs, try walking during daylight hours and cabs at night. You may be pleasantly surprised how close your destinations are. But the Irish pound's drop against the U.S. dollar makes a huge difference. For example, the advertised rates at the Hibernian, listed in Small Luxury Hotels of the World , are unchanged since 1999.