Shopping

Dublin's most famous shopping street is the pedestrianised Grafton Street, which runs between St. Stephen's Green and Trinity College. It has recently, along with its surroundings, been classified as an 'Architectural Conservation Zone'. This will involve a re-establishment of the area's rich historic charm and urban character.

Brown Thomas, Dublin's most famous and expensive department store is on Grafton Street along with a wide range of clothing, jewelry, and photography shops, etc. Alongside the historic Trinity College you will find Nassau Street where there are many shops selling tourist-related items such as Waterford Crystal, Belleek Pottery, Aran sweaters, and other Irish craft items. Shops selling these items include House of Ireland and Kilkenny Design.

Dawson Street, parallel to Grafton Street, is home to the official residence of the lord mayor - the 'mansion house' as well as several upmarket clothes shops, restaurants and well stocked large bookshops including Hodges Figgis.

Harvey Nichols, an upmarket British department store chain housing some of the world's most exclusive designer names in fashion, accessories, beauty and food and is located in Dundrum Town Centre, just take the green luas line from St.Stephen's green, in the Pembroke district.

The best concentration of shoe shops is found on Grafton Street and the adjoining Wicklow Street.

The Powerscourt Centre, just off Grafton Street, is one of Dublin's most attractive shopping centres, set in a beautifully restored 18th century townhouse. Here, you will find clothes, cafes, galleries and Irish designer jewelers. You must check out the The Loft Market - it is a haven for Dublin Fashion. There are lots of up and coming young fashion designers and vintage clothing sellers such as Perk Up! Vintage, Lisa Shawgi Knitwear and MO MUSE to shop around. Beware the overpriced antique dealers, some of whom will drop a price by 50% after only the merest suggestion that you are willing to haggle (and it still may not be a bargain). For gifts, there is an engraving business based in the centre next to Bonsai Shop.

Leaving Powerscourt via the ornate steps on to South William Street, you will find yourself facing a small street called Castle Market, which leads to a covered red-brick shopping arcade known alternatively as the Market Arcade or the Georges Street Arcade. This area is worth a visit for vintage clothing, fabrics, unusual accessories, vinyl and club wear. It also features some small cafes.

Casa Rebelde is a new and unique football supporters shop located on Crow Street in the heart of Temple Bar that stocks clothing from around the world for the fashion conscious football fan.

All of the above are in Dublin 2.

There is also an extensive shopping area on the north side of the river, in Dublin 1, centred on O'Connell Street and Henry Street (Ireland's busiest shopping street). Clery's (O'Connell Street)(18 O'Connell Street) and Arnotts (12 Henry Street) are large department stores each with a long history. Two large shopping centres, the Jervis Shopping Centre (Jervis Street), and the Ilac Centre (Henry Street) are nearby. The latter also houses Dublin's Central Public Library.

Just off Henry Street is Moore Street, which has a fruit, vegetable and fish market. It's worth a stroll if you want to get a slice of life from the less genteel side of Dublin. For a more traditional Dublin shopping experience go to the Liberties area around Thomas street and check out the stalls on Meath street and the liberty market (off Meath Street) on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays. At the top of Henry Street on Parnell Street is Chapters, which has a massive selection of books at generally cheaper prices than other high street stores, as well as a large secondhand section. It is especially great for 'coffee table' style art books.

For those for whom it just would not be a holiday without hanging out at the mall, there are various shopping centres located around Dublin, including Blanchardstown Centre (Dublin 15) (39 and 70 bus routes), Liffey Valley (Dublin 22) (bus routes 25, 25A, 66, 66A, 67A, 78, 78A, 210 and 239), and The Square, Tallaght, (Dublin 24, last stop on the red Luas). The largest shopping centre in Europe is the recently opened Dundrum Town Centre, which is served by the green Luas tramline from St. Stephen's Green. In Dublin 14, it was awarded the title of best shopping mall in the World, 2006.

Dublin is not cheap for general shopping, although visitors from outside the European Union can obtain a refund of VAT (sales tax: 23%) on many of their purchases. Just look for the refund sign and ask in the shop for details. Keep in mind that most stores will issue VAT refund vouchers only on the same day of purchase. More on VAT refund can be found on Irish eGovernment website.

Also, if you want to find thrifty nick nak shops, then Talbot street is a good start. Like any city, if you look hard enough and don't get caught up in the glitz and glam when shopping, there are great bargains to be found.

Be sure to visit Temple Bar's on Temple Bar Square and Meetinghouse Square on a Saturday morning or afternoon for the markets (Dublin 2), which sells all types of foods, from traditional fare to delicious baked goods. Both squares are also home to several very good restaurants. Meetinghouse Square, which lies only about 150 ft (50 m) west of Temple Bar Square, sells much finer fare and more exotic foods than Meetinghouse Square.

The Temple Bar area offers some alternative to shopping at the larger chain-stores. Small clothing boutiques, including the city centre's only swap shop, are popping up all around the area (Temple Lane, Crow Street and Fownes Street) with an emphasis on vintage and unique original independent designer pieces. If you can't make it to any of the markets at the weekend, the best can be found here during the week.

Also, in Dublin 8, Cows Lane Fashion and Design Market, which is the largest designer market in Dublin, offers handmade one-off original designs. The market is open evey Saturday from 10.00AM-5.30PM. Found outdoors on Cows Lane and indoors in the old Dublin's Viking Adventure‎, this market is not to be missed.

There is fairly extensive duty-free shopping at Dublin Airport, at prices sometimes cheaper than the rest of the city.

TASKS

1. Practice the pronunciation of the following proper names:

Dublin Region, Viking, British Empire, Europe, Oireachtas, Leinster House, Irish, Ireland, Spire, O'Connell Street, Trinity College, Mountjoy, Phoenix Park, Raheny, Bull Island

II. Answer the following questions:

1. What Irish name is the English name for Dublin derive from?

2. Where is Dublin situated?

3. Was Dublin or Cardiff the second largest city in the British Empire and the fifth largest in Europe in the 17th century?

4. When did Dublin enter a period of stagnation?

5. What happened when the English Civil Wars ended in 1649?

6. Who was Dublin originally settled by?

7. When was Georgian style architecture popular?

8. What did the Act of Union between Great Britain and Ireland abolish?

9. What event is remembered as a key moment in Irish history?

10. What areas of Dublin are odd and even numbers given to?

11. Where can you book accommodation and tours?

12. What climate is Dublin known for?

13. What is the lowest recorded temperature in Dublin?

14. What is the hottest temperature ever recorded in Dublin?

15. How do they officially title one of Dublin's newest monuments – the Spire of Dublin?

16. Why do many people visit Trinity College, Dublin?

17. What parks are there around the city?

18. What street is Dublin's most famous shopping street?

19. Where can you find the best concentration of shoe shops?

20. Where is the residence of the President of Ireland (Á ras an Uachtará in), which was built in 1751, located?

III. Complete the following sentences:

1. Originally founded as a Viking settlement, Dublin …….

2. Following the partition of Ireland in 1922, the new parliament, the Oireachtas…….

3. Similar to the cities of Cork, Limerick, Galway, and Waterford—Dublin…….

4.Dublin is listed by the Globalization and World Cities Research Network (GaWC) as …….

5. Dublin experienced huge growth and development in the 17th century because …….

6. By the 17th century Dublin was …….

7. The Easter rising in 1916 and the War of Independence greatly helped Ireland …….

8. A failed attempt to take over the several important buildings, among them the General Post Office on O'Connell Street, led to …….

9. Over a quarter of the Republic's population lives in …….

10. Dublin postcodes range from …….

11. Although some of Dublin's finest Georgian architecture was demolished in the mid-20th century …….

12. Winters in Dublin are …….

13. It could be said that Dublin's climate is …….

14. Overall, the city's climate is mild but …….

15. Dublin has many landmarks and monuments dating back hundreds of years. One of the oldest is Dublin Castle…….

16. The spire was designed by Ian Ritchie Architects, who sought …….

17. Other popular landmarks and monuments include …….

18. Dawson Street, parallel to Grafton Street, is home to the official residence of the lord mayor …….

19. Brown Thomas, Dublin's most famous and expensive department store is …….

20. Harvey Nichols is an upmarket British department store chain housing…….

IV. Explain the meaning of the words and expressions and use them in the sentences of your own:

Viking settlement, period of stagnation, civil war, contemporary cultural centre, Georgian style building, Act of Union, Easter rising, failed attempt, metropolitan area, main thoroughfare, pastiche office blocks, upmarket department store chain.