Experience in Dublin, Ireland by Ria

What is it like to live in Dublin? Would you recommend it? What is the city like?

I am a native of Dublin. It is a vibrant city with great night life, friendly locals and lots of history. Dublin is within driving distance of the Dublin mountains, and has a beautiful coast. The weather can be very unpredictable but is relatively mild throughout the year.

What is the student lifestyle like in Dublin?

I think it's great, but obviously it's different depending which university you attend. Trinity, NCI, NCAD and some parts of other universities are situated in the city centre where students are close to pubs, music venues, etc... UCD and DCU are a bit far out but on direct bus routes to town.

How much does it cost to live in Dublin?

Dublin is not cheap. Realistically, it would be very difficult to find accommodation cheaper than 400€ per month, with many student paying more than that due to the recent rise in all rental and sale prices. Buses on average cost 2€. 30 per trip. You can get monthly student bus and rail tickets which may work out worthwhile if you have to travel a lot. Food is cheap to buy, with Aldi and Lidl stores all over the place.

Is it difficult to find accommodation in Dublin? Is there any advice you can give?

Yes, it is difficult to find good value, well located accommodation. It is not realistic to expect to get somewhere in the city centre. Lots of incoming students come hoping to find a place that's in walking distance of their college, but these locations would generally be very expensive. It is normal in Dublin to get a bus or cycle to work or college. Rooms do not tend to be shared in Dublin. Bills and internet are not usually included in the price either.

What is the food like? What are your favourite dishes?

I cook a lot, and Dublin has become far more varied in it's eating habits over the last 15 years. It is very affordable to eat well, if you prepare your own food. There are also lots of specialist shops here too, with health food stores, Asian markets, cheese shops and bakeries easily accessible.

What places would you recommend visiting in Dublin?

The National Gallery, The Pheonix Park (the President lives here. The zoo is also here as well as free roaming deer), St. Annes Park (beautiful rose gardens, stables that have a lovely coffee shop), Bull Island (great for a seaside walk near the city), Howth (pretty town at the north of the Dublin bay, short DART journey there, great seafood restaurants, Christchurch and St. Patrick's Cathedrals (two architecturally stunning buildings within 5 minutes of each other), IMMA (Modern Art Museum set in beautiful gardens).

Is it good to eat out in Dublin? Can you tell us your favourite spots?

There are plenty of great places to eat in Dublin. Walking the length of Georges St., there are at least 10 really good restaurants, ranging from tapas to Japanese and Mexican food. Yamamori has the best Bento boxes I've tasted. There are also several good vegetarian restaurants in Dublin, like Cornucopia on Wicklow Street.

Is the nightlife good in Dublin? Where is good to go?

I think the nightlife is great. There is live music all over the city seven nights a week, whether you're into acoustic nights, Irish trad, emerging rock bands or more established acts. There is also a thriving stand up comedy scene and spoken word and poetry nights too.

There are 2 especially lovely cinemas (The Lighthouse in Smithfield and the IFI in Templebar) that show independent and foreign language films as well as mainstream ones. In both cinemas you can buy wine or coffee and take it in to the screenings.

There are some great pubs in Dublin. The Bernard Shaw is a quirky pub that has a bus at the back that serves pizza slices. The Black Sheep (Capel St. ) and its sister pubs Brewdock (Amien Street) and Against the Grain (Wexford St. ) and well loved for their craft beers. Whelan's, also on Wexford St. is a long standing venue, that showcases great bands (usually only €10 in) and stays open late with DJs on after the acts.

What advice would you give future students heading to Dublin?

Don't just stick with other Erasmus students. Get to know your new classmates and see as much of the city as you can while you're here. I would advice joining the Dublin Bike Scheme. It's €20 per year and then you can borrow the public bikes (the first 30 mins are free, and you can get most places in that time). Dublin is ideal for cycling in, it's very flat and you skip all the traffic, making it the fastest way of getting about.