Dublin City Tours

Name: Dublin City Tours
Address: Dublin, IE
Telephone: +353871346059
Price range: £
Rating: 5

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Dublin City Tours

My name is Alan Swaine, I am a national tour guide of Ireland working in Dublin. Come with me to discover the history of Dublin.
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Scheduled tours available and private bookings available on request.

10/07/2024

Myself, Dan and Ian went down to the National Heritage Park in Co. Wexford last week. Can't recommend it enough.

A really good Overview of Irish life and homesteads from the the Mesolithic into the Middle Ages.

27/06/2024

Myself with Mike, Tom, Scott and Sean who all the way from Virginia! We had a great day on Sunday in the aftermath of at Marlay Park.

We had a whole day of walking around Dublin visiting Christchurch, Trinity College, Dublin Castle and plenty of pubs in between.

18/06/2024

Myself and my dad went down to today to find some lost relatives. Here is the grave of Michael J Swaine and his family.

MJ Swaine was a notable politician in his day and a noted adversary of Jim Larkin who referred to him as the 'Ducker' Swaine in the the Irish Worker Newpaper I'm the run up to the municipal elections of 1914 that would end the famous 1913 strike and lockout.

Thanks to Kate who helped us out in finding the graves and some great information about the site.

16/06/2024

Down at Glendalough this week with a Polish Group from Impakt Travel.

We did a hike around the lakes and a visit to Powerscourt House and Gardens.

Thanks to and .

31/03/2024

A very Happy Easter to everybody.

Here's the Mythology Tour group from last night with . Great to finally have the light back in the evenings.

19/03/2024

If you're passing by the Temple Bar pub take a look and see if you can find the pubcam opposite. You will be live to the world on the Internet!

Tour today with with some fine people finally getting over the worst effects of St. Patricks Day.

18/03/2024

Great day out today with today. Over for St. Patricks Day and enjoying every minute!

29/02/2024

Tour today with the National Tour Guiding Day Class around the Liberties with .

This is part of the Diageo Learning for Life Programme that the student take part in every year.

A great week had so far by everybody, roll on the final day

25/02/2024

Lovely day out with the class from at the Giants Causeway and Belfast.
Big thanks to as always and Larry from .

14/02/2024

A Valentine's love story. ♥️

In 1880, Katharine O'Shea had become known among London society for hosting dinner parties for London's political elite. Soon she would invite the well known Irish MP Charles Stewart Parnell for dinner. When Parnell failed to reply to her invitations Katharine decided to invite him in person.

Their first meeting took place in the summer of 1880 outside the palace of Westminster. After inviting him to dinner, Katharine and Parnell got into a cab together. She later described,

"In leaning forward in the cab to say goodbye, a rose I was wearing in my bodice fell out onto my skirt. He picked it up and, touching it lightly with his lips, placed it in his buttonhole."

The two fell in love instantly. Over the coming months they would write to one another constantly with Parnell soon addressing her as "my dear wife". The big problem however, was that Katharine was already married.

While she had been estranged from her husband William O'Shea since 1875, the two had not divorced, likely because she was expected to gain a large inheritance from which William hoped to benefit.

It is thought that by 1881, William knew of the affair and definitely would have known by 1882, as Charles and Katharine welcomed their first of three children, Claire-Sophie.

By 1889 the affair was widely known and gossipped about, but it wasn't until William O'Shea filed for divorce that the scandal would reach its zenith.

Among Victorian society, The O'Shea affair would utterly destroy Parnell's political career as well as the Irish Home Rule Party but; with the affair revealed and Katharine's divorce finalised, the two would finally marry on June 25th 1891. Tragically, their marriage would last just three months.

Parnell fell ill in September and would later die in the arms of his beloved wife on October 6th 1891. His final words were, "Kiss me sweet wifie and I will try to sleep a while".

Among his possessions, Katharine found an envelope with her name and the date they had met on it. Inside, was the rose that had fallen from her bodice the day they first met.

On his burial, she placed this rose to lie on Charles' heart for eternity. ♥️

14/11/2023

Today is the Feast Day of St. Laurence O'Toole, the Patron Saint of Dublin. The good folks at were very kind my group with let us in from the cold and talk about the man himself.

10/11/2023

Massive thanks to today showing the gang from Liberties College around !

The student has become the master! Thanks Bart!

06/11/2023

Sometimes it's nice to be guided...

Thanks

06/11/2023

Sometimes is nice to be guided... Thanks

02/11/2023

Lovely day out at with Frank and Linda!

That's a full pint by the way, just big hands.

13/09/2023

Wonderful morning with Steve and Lynn from Canada!

05/07/2023

There is a bright future in tour Guiding and a rainbow of colour on this tour.

Congratulations to one of the recent graduates of the National Tour Guiding Award, and on the launch of the LGBTQ+ Tour of Dublin. Really enjoyed it and looking forward to seeing this tour explode.

28/06/2023

Visiting the Rock of Cashel today with my group from Virginia and Tennessee with

Big thanks to our tour guide John he was fantastic.

25/06/2023

On top of my post last week about the Irish Mythology and Folklore Tour. We have been awarded the 'Best of the Best' award by for the Mythology and Folklore Tour.

Absolutely over the moon about this. Massive thanks again to for all their hard work in promoting Tours and supporting working guides!

Feeling very chuffed about that one 😄

15/05/2023

Showing Anthony and Maria around today.

Had a wonderful time and was even treated to some live opera.

Thanks again!!

28/04/2023

The Mythology and Folklore Tour is going to 7 days a week as of next week!

If you're interested in joining on a mythology and folklore tour see the link in bio.

08/04/2023

Ever notice that Oliver Goldsmith is missing a button on his waistcoat?

John Henry Foley was the sculptor and worked in a Realist style. The missing button represents Goldsmiths nature of enjoying the finer things in life but never having much money.

It was also noted at the time when the statue was put how remarkable it was that Trinity College would erect a statue to possibly it's worst ever student.

21/03/2023

If you are thinking of pursuing a career in tourist guiding or want to continue your professional development within tourist guiding please visit open evening tomorrow or feel free to give me a DM.

22/01/2023

We really had a phenomenal week with and the group from

Massive thank you to Louise, Kelley and Deirdre for their time and effort.

Above, is the group graduating from the Guinness Learning for Life programme, cocktail making at a talk with Lauren from the Guinness Archives and the amazing Head of Global Quality at Guinness. Amazing to have the opportunity pick his brain for an hour.

02/12/2022

Check out James Joyce's doggy waistcoat.

27/11/2022

Great tour of Glasnevin Cemetary on Friday with Ultan.

Thanks so much for a great tour.

mcevoy.33

15/11/2022

Thomas Farrell - Sir John Gray Statue O'Connell Street.

The John Gray Memorial Statue would be unveiled to the public of Dublin on June 24th 1879 just less than four years after a committee had been formed in October 1875.

Over the years since its inception, the project had endured a number of organisational and financial setbacks.

Farrell’s original design consisted of a pyramidal structure, including a fountain in tribute to Gray's work on Vartry Reservoir. Although the design was approved by the committe, funds raised would be insufficient to carry out the original design. Instead, by 1879, the committee resolved to erect only the statue of Sir John Gray on a plain marble pedestal in the hope that this would lead to further subscriptions and the ability to complete the memorial as intended.

The ceremony for the Gray Memorial took place at 3 o’clock on June 24th with the Archbishop of Tuam, Dr. John McHale, unveiling the sculpture in front of a large crowd, estimated to be of around 30,000 people by the Freeman's Journal. According to the same article, the weather during the ceremony was poor with the platform of family and committee members covered in umbrellas.

Regardless, the Gray Memorial was received with widespread cheers and Farrell’s depiction of John Gray considered masterful. The Gray memorial is completed in seravezza marble atop a plain marble pedestal. The depiction shows Gray in a standing position, wearing gentlemen's clothing of the time including long pants, waistcoat and a long light jacket. Gray’s right foot is placed forward, with a scroll in his left hand and his right hand raised slightly holding a pen. This is likely based on a photograph of Gray (pictured).

The enthusiasm for further subscriptions to complete the monument would fail to materialise and as consequently, the John Gray Memorial technically remains incomplete to this day. Initially Farrell's lone statue of John Gray was considered a fine testiment to the man, but as the city has grown the Gray memorial has become somewhat lost within the cityscape.

What do you think of the Sir John Gray Memorial?

12/11/2022

A very young George Harrison from the Beatles taken on O'Connell Street by famed Dublin street photographer, Arthur Fields. Better know to most people as 'The Man on the Bridge'. Circe 1950.

If you have photographs at home from The Man on the Bridge did you know that you can upload them to the Man on Bridge Project website in order to fulfil the collection of his photographs.

Do you have any photos from The Man on the Bridge?

05/11/2022

Massive thank you to all the team at for the tour today.

Big thank you especially to Gemma and our guide Pat. The history of 14 Henrietta Street is something very special in Dublin city and is a living monument to the Dublin of the past, the present and the future.

Thank you Pat for an incredible experience.

20/09/2022

Myself and the Napier Family today spotted on the Dublin Pubcam outside

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Telephone

+353871346059

Website

http://www.localdublintours.ie/

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Videos

I never thought I would be posting a video of Nigel Farage on this page but this video is just too iconic. #dublin #ireland #walkingtour #discoverireland #discoverdublin #dublintours #travel #traveller #backpacker #vacation #studyabroad #studyireland #visitdublin #history #heritage #vikings #medieval #war #wanderlust #guinnessstorehouse #britishhistory #brexit #nigelfarage

Heratio Nelson's head. After Nelson's Pillar was blown up by the IRA in March of 1966, the students Union of @ncadsu went a stole Nelson's head from a lock up on Ardee Street. Very shortly after it was stolen it made a mysterious appearance at a Dubliners concert in the @gatetheatre_dublin. Over the next few years the Students Union rented it out to pay off the debts of the Union before giving it back. The head is now in @dclareadingroom. Video: from RTE Archives. #irishmen #irishwomen #dublin #ireland #dubliner #irish #education #irishteacher #teaching #irishtourism #tourism #tourist #liberties #irishart #irishhistory #history #travel #art #school #schooltrip #photography #irishfolk #irishmusic #traditional #traditionalmusic #sculpture #folklore #vikings #arthistory

Massive thank you to @jamesdeanfox for making this promotional video for @dublincitytours and @dublinschooltours #irishmen #irishwomen #dublin #ireland #dubliner #irish #education #irishteacher #teaching #irishtourism #tourism #tourist #liberties #irishart #irishhistory #history #travel #art #school #schooltrip #photography #irishfolk #irishmusic #traditional #traditionalmusic #sculpture #folklore #vikings #arthistory

FIRST TOUR OF 2021 THIS SATURDAY - JUNE 19TH @1PM (link below) https://www.eventbrite.ie/e/159586568723 Explore Dublin City with me this Saturday afternoon from 1pm. Tour will meet at Palace Street outside Dublin Castle. Perfect for locals, visitors and people who have recently moved to Dublin and want to see a bit more. Tour will include: Dublin Castle Dubh Linn Gardens Christchurch Cathedral Temple Bar Ha' Penny Bridge O'Connell Bridge GPO Numbers are strictly limited - Tickets are available via Eventbrite or you can contact me directly via Instagram to reserve your place.

So this is my commute most mornings 🇮🇪

Amanda Gibson representing Ireland in the 1979 Disco Dance Championships #discoaintdead

Welcome to Dublin

Happy International Tourist Guide day to all my colleagues around the world! Sure, the industry across the globe is at somewhat of a standstill but I can wait to be back out on the streets again showing people the best that Dublin has to offer. Thanks so much to @kayshbrady for making this lovely video of our tour last summer. #irishmen #irishwomen #dublin #ireland #dubliner #irish #touristguide #irishteacher #atgi #irishtourism #tourism #tourist #harp #irishart #irishhistory #history #travel #art #school #travelgram #photography #irishfolk #irishmusic #traditional #traditionalmusic #sculpture #folklore #vikings #dubhlinn

Slippy ducks eating slippy bread

This year, I'm okay with Christmas starting in November...

Ah would ya look.

Had a great tour over the weekend. And as an added bonus @kayshbrady made this beautiful video of our history of Dublin tour. 😍 Keep your eyes peeled for the next tour I'll be doing very soon.