Interaction12 :: Dublin, Feb 01-04

Visa Information

People from most countries will be able to enter Ireland without a Visa, but we recommend that you check dfa.ie before your trip.

Transport from the Airport

Dublin Airport is approximately 12km from the city centre with a number of transport links:

Taxis

A taxi from Dublin Airport to Dublin city centre will cost approximately €27.

Car Rentals

All car rental companies can be found in both the Terminal 1 Arrivals Hall and Terminal 2 MultiStorey Car Park.

• Hertz: +353 1 844 5466
• Budget: +353 1 844 5150
• Avis: +353 1 605 7500
• Sixt: +353 1 812 0410
• Europcar: +353 1 812 2800

Buses

We recommend the Airlink (single €6/return €10) or the Aircoach (€7 single/€12 return approx. depending on stop location). You can buy tickets for both buses at the airport and they both leave every 10-20 minutes.

Bus Directions to Your Hotel:

Times and Locations

Here’s a list of times and locations you can pick up your name badge. This will give you access to workshops (if you’re attending them) as well as the conference so make sure to carry it with you at all times.

If you have a day pass, you can only pick up your armband on the morning of the day you’re registered for.

Wednesday, Feb 1

Registration open from 8:00am-3:00pm

Workshops @ IADT Dun Laoghaire

Registration open from 7:00pm-9:00pm

Welcome Party @ Dining Hall, Trinity College

Thursday, Feb 2-Saturday, Feb 4

From 8:00am (Thu) or 8:30am (Fri & Sat)

Convention Centre Dublin

Wednesday, Feb 1: Daytime

Workshops @ IADT, Dun Laoghaire

Shuttle Buses

Dublin City Centre to IADT

(If you’re staying at the Trinity Capital, you can catch the bus from the Mont Clare). There will be volunteers at each hotel to direct you to the bus pick-up spot.

IADT to Dublin City Centre

Buses will stop at the following hotels: Mont Clare, Maldron, Clarion (near CCD) and the Morrison.

If You Miss the Shuttle…

Bus

Route 46A runs frequently from city centre to near IADT and takes around 45 minutes. For stop locations and timetable visit the Dublin Bus website.

DART (Train)

The DART from city centre to Dun Laoghaire town takes around 20 minutes. From the DART station you’ll then need to take either a short bus ride on routes 46A, 75 and 746, or a 20-minute walk. For DART stop locations and timetables visit the Irish Rail website.

Taxi

A taxi from city centre to IADT will cost approximately 20 euro.

Wednesday, Feb 1: Evening

Welcome Party, Dining Hall Trinity College

Getting to Trinity College

There won’t be any transport provided to the Welcome Party, but Trinity College is extremely central. If you enter from the Front Gate on College Green, the Dining Hall is on your left off the square.

Getting home from Trinity College

Buses will be provided to selected hotels – times and departure locations to be announced on the night.

Thursday, Feb 2 – Saturday, Feb 4

Conference @ Convention Centre Dublin (CCD)

Shuttle Buses Going to the CCD

Clarion and Maldron hotels are within view of the CCD and a couple of minutes walk. The Luas (tram) runs behind The Morrison, 2 streets down. Stops are provided at George’s Dock, Mayor Square and Spencer Dock.

Thursday

Friday

Going from the CCD

Buses will be provided from the CCD to the above hotels on Friday only. Times will be announced on the day.

Thursday, Feb 2 – Saturday, Feb 4

Social Events (Evening)

Getting to the Parties

Thursday, Feb 2

Buses will be available from the conference venue at 5:15pm to the Coroflot Networking Party and the SapientNitro Great IxDA Debate.

Friday, Feb 3

You’ll have to make your own way to the IxDA Awards sponsored by Google – but the location is extremely central. Walking from the CCD or The Morrison should take around 20 minutes or a short taxi ride of under 10 euro.

Saturday, Feb 4

Buses will be available from the conference venue from 5:30pm to take you to the Guinness Storehouse for the closing party sponsored by Microsoft.

Getting Home from the Parties

Every night except Thursday, buses will be available to take delegates back to these hotels: Mont Clare, Trinity Capital, Maldron Cardiff Lane, Clarion hotel and The Morrison.

Dublin Bikes

If you want to use dublinbikes you will have to sign up to their service. Since you are a visitor to Dublin we recommend the 3-Day Ticket. These tickets are convenient, great value for money and can be purchased from any of the 15 credit card terminals for just €2. The first half-hour of use is free; after that a service charge applies. You can buy a 3-Day Ticket at stations with credit card terminals. This facility is available at 15 station terminals (see Station List or download the Station Map 720KB PDF). Consult the terminal menu to obtain a short-term ticket that you will need to keep throughout the period covered by your subscription. This card contains an ID which you will need to enter each time you hire a bike, in addition to a PIN selected by you. It is important that you keep your ticket in the event that any issue may arise.

Dublin Bus

Dublin Bus currently operates almost all commercial routes in the Greater Dublin Area (GDA). It is the main public transport provider for the GDA (extending as far as Newcastle in County Wicklow, Balbriggan in north County Dublin, Dunboyne in County Meath and Maynooth in County Kildare). Dublin Bus also provides many different services for tourists such as sightseeing tours and themed routes, for example the Dublin Ghost bus!

Dart

The DART (Dublin Area Rapid Transit) is the rail line running along the coast of Dublin, from Malahide and Howth southwards as far as Greystones, Co Wicklow. The DART system is administered by the national rail operator, Iarnród Éireann (Irish Rail). You can connect to the regular train service for communities north of Dublin, right up to Belfast. The DART is most convenient if you are moving in or around the coastal areas.

Luas www.luas.ie interaction map

The Red Line

The Luas Red Line runs directly behind The CCD, conveniently linking to downtown Dublin and to Connolly and Heuston rail stations. Stops are provided at George’s Dock, Mayor Square, and Spencer Dock. The Morrison Hotel, where initial registration takes place on Tuesday evening and all day Wednesday, is located 5 minutes away from Jervis on the Red Line.

Art and Museums

Collins Barracks – Museum of Decorative Arts & History

Originally an army barracks, the buildings were reopened in 1997 with a new purpose. Here you’ll find Irish haute couture garments, furniture, silver, jewellery, ceramics, and exhibitions exploring Irish military history, including the 1916 Easter Rising. This museum is located along the LUAS red line, which means you’ll be able to get to it very easily from the CCD.

Hugh Lane Gallery

The collection, started by the Gallery’s founder Sir Hugh Lane in 1908, has now grown to include over 2000 artworks, ranging from the Impressionist masterpieces of Manet, Monet, Renoir and Degas to works by leading national and interna- tional contemporary artists.

Chester Beatty Library

The Chester Beatty Library, Dublin is an art museum and library which houses a great collection of manuscripts, miniature paintings, prints, drawings, rare books and some decorative arts assembled by Sir Alfred Chester Beatty. The library’s current main exhibition is “China through the Lens of John Thomson: 1868-1872.” Thomson’s works present the human aspects of life in China through the extensive record of everyday-street scenes, rarely captured by other photogra- phers of that era. Timed to coincide with the Chinese New Year celebrations this assembly of stunning photographs is not to be missed.

Natural History Museum

This museum has many galleries of animals from all over Ireland and overseas and also geological exhibits from a total collection of about 2 million scientific specimens. Its a wonder- ful “old-school” museum with a modern touch having re-opened after its recent renovations.

National Gallery

The Gallery has an extensive, representative collection of Irish painting and is also notable for its Italian Baroque and Dutch masters painting. The new Millennium Wing that opened in 2002 houses the “Masterpieces from the collection” exhibition which gives a wonderful overview with some of the more famous pieces of Art.

IMMA

The Irish Museum of Modern Art is housed in the Royal Hospital Kilmainham. Since its opening the Museum has rapidly established itself as a significant and dynamic presence in the Irish and international arts arena. It is widely admired by its peers throughout the world for the range and relevance of its exhibitions.

Shopping

Grafton Street

Grafton Street, located between Trinity College and St. Stephen’s Green is the more upmarket shopping area with fashionable stores such as Brown Thomas, the department store catering for many designer showcases, both foreign and local. Dublin’s leading and most exclusive jewellers, Weirs, is also here, as well as the most popular of the famous Bewley’s Cafés. The nearby Powerscourt Townhouse (located on South William Street) one of the nicer, albeit small, shopping centres in the city. The southside’s largest and one of the city’s most famous shopping centres, the St. Stephen’s Green Shopping Centre is located at the top south end of Grafton Street.

Georges Street / Camden Street

Georges Street is home to the superb Georges Street Arcade, a red-bricked indoor market of stalls and stores offering everything from unusual fruits and foreign produce to second hand clothes, memorabilia, fortune telling and body piercing, books and more. Behind the Arcade, near the Powerscourt Townhouse is the Castlemarket area, with numerous clothes and shoe shops and some fine food shops and restaurants. Outside, the street has a number of home furnishing shops, trendy bars, music and art shops.

Nassau Street / Trinity College

Running the axis of the south side of Trinity College, Nassau Street is the main area for quality Irish design, including woollens and tweeds (both traditional and modern designer styles) and also ceramics and glassware. For those of Irish ancestry are a number of heraldic shops so along with the designer shops Nassau Street is the ideal place for Irish gifts and souvenirs.

Temple Bar

After a great deal of Urban Renewal in the late 1980s / early 1990s Temple Bar becamse Dublin’s thrumming cultural heart. Today it is packed with small shops associated with crafts, art, clothes and music, as well as Pubs and Bars. Cow’s lane, located toward the western end, regularly hosts a weekend farmers market where you can enjoy a fine selection of artisan goods.

Henry Street / O’Connell Street

Henry Street has department stores such as the popular Arnotts, and an assortment of popular clothing and footwear stores. The ILAC Shopping Centre and the newer Jervis Street Shopping Centre are both here. The well-known outdoor food market of Moore Street is always full of bargains and in recent years has become an excellent resource for foreign and ethnic foods. The nearby O’Connell Street, Dublin’s main thorough- fare, is home to the excellent Clery’s Department Store and Eason’s Booksellers as well as several other shops.

Dublin Restaurant Guide

Irish food is famous all over the world. From our strong agricultural foundations we’ve managed to build an industry of artisan level foods and luxury consumables. So what better way to enjoy the taste of Ireland than by patronizing some of our high level restaurants and eateries.

• The Bank, College Green

  The Bank on College Green is dedicated to serving you excellent food, in comfortable surroundings with friendly service. Whether you are looking for a hearty breakfast, a light lunch or a tasty steak dinner, they have a menu for you. Their award winning food always includes the freshest local ingredients, with Irish beef and lamb regularly on the menus and their seafood coming directly from Wrights in Marino.

• Rustic Stone, South George’s Street

  Rustic Stone’s philosophy is simple: tasty, nutritious, innovative cuisine that is accessible to all. bearing this in mind the restaurant is a fun, inviting and relaxed place to eat. By adopting an old Spanish technique, Customers are served their meat or fish dishes on a hot volcanic stone which they cook themselves. This method adds an element of theatre to the meal yet at the same time adds to customer preference allowing them to have their dish cooked exactly how they like it.

• Alfie’s, 10 South William Street

  Alfie’s in South William St is a hip, new restaurant. Located in the centre of Dublin, only a few steps from Grafton Street. They serve delicious Irish and international cuisine, alongside excellent wines and a fine choice of beers. Friendly, informative service, modern decor and a vibrant atmosphere will make your dining experience one to remember. Be sure to check out the upstairs bar!

• Cactus Jacks, Millenium Walkway

  Cactus Jacks restaurant is one of Dublin’s finest Mexican restaurants. Its menu is designed to cater for all tastes from authentic Mexican dishes to succulent steaks to their new tapas range. They pride themselves on excellent food at reasonable prices served in a relaxed atmosphere by very attentive staff.

• Brasserie Sixty6, Great South Georges St.

  Brasserie sixty6 aims is to bring an innovative accessible menu of the highest quality food and an expertly chosen wine list to their diners in funky, stylish surroundings, all at a reasonable cost to you. They take their food very very seriously. All food – everything – is cooked to order. A very solid choice.

Coffee + Tea Shops

Large coffee-house chains like Starbucks and Costa Coffee are an obvious choice if you want something familiar and quick. If, however, you are like me, and you love real coffee then I’d recommend the following few places. They are all favourites of mine and often enjoy my patronage.

• 3fE, The Twisted Pepper, Abbey St.

  In preparation for his 2009 world barista championship bid, Colin built a bespoke training room in his Third Floor apartment, complete with a competition spec espresso machine. A friend of a friend named Trev dropped by one day to sample the coffee and was so impressed that he offered Colin a city centre space where he could recreate that same experience and bring life to a music venue that slept all day. In December 2009 Third Floor Espresso opened its doors in the lobby of the Twisted Pepper with one barista, a grinder and an espresso machine serving coffee roasted by Steve.

  Today it has expanded into the main bar and taken on three baristas; Ger, Pete and Jordan. It has also become the first shop in Europe to house an über boiler for the preparation of manual-brew filter coffees.

  4 words: Very hip. Excellent coffee.

• Busyfeet & Coco Cafe, 41-42 South William Street

  This bustling, quirky bohemian café emphasizes good, wholesome food. Organic ingredients play a prominent role on a menu that’s laden with delicious salads and sandwiches. It’s also one of the city center’s best-situated spots for a bit of people-watching, as Dublin’s young and hip stroll by all day long.

• Cafe Leon, Wicklow Street

  In the french tradition of the patisserie, Cafe Leon specializes in all manner of traditional french breads and baked goods. My personal favourite is their strong black filter coffee accompanied by their absolutely sumptuous chocolate fudge cake. A perfect hangout to spend an evening with good company in an indulgent and rich atmosphere.

• Foam Cafe, 24 Strand Street Great

  Upon entering the cafe, visitors are immediately at ease in its warm, comforting atmosphere. Foam Cafe is a refreshing relief compared to the modern and mundane interiors of today’s typical coffee shops. You’re encouraged to enjoy the kitsch decor and the very tasty food. All at very reasonable rates. Foam Cafe is an affront to cold minimalism with its cozy curious space.

• Science Gallery Cafe, 191 Pearse Street

  Open at Ireland’s leading research university, Trinity College Dublin, since February 2008, Science Gallery is a dynamic new model for public engagement with science, technology and innovation which has rapidly achieved significant international profile. Science Gallery Cafe resides within the gallery itself and serves as the perfect place to ruminate upon the exhibition. A place to relax and share ideas, engage and debate. All that AND perfect Italian style coffee.

Pub Guide

• 4 Dame Lane, Dame Lane

  4 Dame Lane can be difficult to find as it is tucked away in the alley leading from Georges Street to Andrew Street parallel to Dame Street but it is worth the hunt. Its a moody budy bar with a great party atmosphere. The district in which it rests is a very busy night life spot, with cool jazz often emanating from the neighboring establishments

• Grogans’, 15 William St.

  This is one of the best “Traditional Irish” pubs you’ll find in the City Centre. No music here, just the clink of glasses and the babble of chat. Art lines every wall, some of it from established artists, some of it from up and coming talents, all of which contribute to the artistic and cultured atmosphere. Its a great place to sit in, have a drink and a good chat!

• The Brazen Head, 20 Lower Bridge St.

  Around the corner from Christ Church you’ll find The Brazen Head, a pub that proudly boasts its status as Dublin’s oldest. Established in 1198 its difficult to ascertain how much of the original building is intact, however over the years its been added to and refurbished to provide a modern and effective service while still also retaining the character of its historical charm. If you’re interested in traditional or historical Irish pubs then this should be your first port of call.

• The Bernard Shaw, 11-12 Richmond Place, Portobello

  Selling itself as a Pub, Cafe and Creative space, The Bernard Shaw is a funky joint to while away an hour or two, particularly in the early evening. Primarily decorated with murals from Street Artists such as Maser and No!dea, this haunt has a unique and buzzy vibe. From the initial “old man bar” impression when you get in the front door, you move through into a faux rough hewn back room replete with photography and art lining the walls. From there you can make your way into the back garden which has game tables and a bus from which Pizza is cooked and sold in the evenings. A fantastic place to check out.

• The George, South Great Georges St.

  This pub-slash-club has been the cornerstone and the foundation of the Dublin Gay scene from the earliest days, long before homosexuality was decriminalised in Ireland. The George features two bar areas; the front bar affectionately known as ‘Bridies’ after one of the bar’s longest serving staff members; with its low lighting and velvet clad barstools is the perfect spot for a quiet drink and a chat. The main club venue has been graced by the presence of some of the hottest international acts including Alexandra Burke, Daniel Johnson, The Saturdays and Bananarama. Always a fantastic night out!

Wi-fi Spots

My Place Connect has a comprehensive list of free wi-fi spots all over Ireland – one-time registration required.

Currency

The Euro (€) is the only accepted currency in the Republic of Ireland. ATMs and currency exchange facilities are both available in the airport when you arrive.

Electricity Voltage

Standard electrical voltage in Ireland is 230V 50Hz with a 3-pin IS411 (BS 1363) type plug (same as UK). If you are coming from the USA please check your appliances first as you may need to use a converter/transformer in addition to a pin adapter if it is not dual voltage.

Weather

Average temperatures in Dublin for February range between 3°C (37°F) and 8°C (46°F), although it has been a tiny bit warmer of late! It’s also a good idea to have an umbrella on you at all times.