Things to do in Dublin when it rains: indoor ideas

In short: in Dublin, rain is part of the scenery and the city has plenty to keep you dry. See the Book of Kells and the Long Room, enjoy the free national museums and the Chester Beatty, go up the Guinness Storehouse, book Kilmainham Gaol, and end the day in a pub with Irish music.

Trinity College: the Book of Kells and the Long Room

The Book of Kells, an illuminated medieval manuscript, is on display at Trinity College, together with the Long Room, the historic library with its wooden shelves. An indoor visit, ideal on a grey day; book a time slot, as queues can be long in high season.

The national museums, free

• The National Museum of Ireland – Archaeology, on Kildare Street: Bronze Age gold, early Christian treasures and the remarkable “bog bodies”.
• The National Gallery of Ireland, on Merrion Square: Irish and European painting.

The Chester Beatty

In the gardens of Dublin Castle, the Chester Beatty library displays manuscripts, rare books and works of art from Europe, the Middle East and Asia. A free, quiet and often overlooked visit. The castle itself can be visited, with its State Apartments.

Beer and whiskey

• The Guinness Storehouse, in the old St James’s Gate brewery: the story of the black stout over several floors, up to the panoramic bar at the top. Book a time slot.
• The whiskey distilleries in Smithfield and the Liberties offer tours with tastings (adults only).

Irish history

• Kilmainham Gaol, a landmark of the struggle for independence: the guided tour is fascinating, but places go fast. Book ahead.
• EPIC, the Irish emigration museum on the docks: an interactive journey through the millions of Irish people who left for every corner of the world.
• The General Post Office (GPO), on O’Connell Street, at the heart of the 1916 Rising, houses a museum about it.
• The Little Museum of Dublin, facing St Stephen’s Green, tells the story of the city in the 20th century in a short, lively visit.

The cathedrals

Christ Church Cathedral and its medieval crypt, then St Patrick’s Cathedral, the largest in Ireland, are a few minutes apart.

Pubs and music

Rain is the best excuse to settle into a pub. Many host traditional music sessions in the evening, and sometimes in the afternoon at weekends. Temple Bar is the liveliest but also the most touristy; pubs in Smithfield, Stoneybatter or the streets around Grafton Street are often calmer.

Our tips

• A raincoat and shoes that don’t mind water: the weather changes quickly, several times a day.
• Group by area: Trinity College, Kildare Street and Merrion Square are neighbours; so are the castle, the Chester Beatty and the cathedrals.
• Use the sunny spells for Howth or Glendalough, kept in reserve.

Month-by-month temperatures and rainfall are on our Dublin page. For sunny days: Things to do in Dublin and Where to stay in Dublin. Country tips: Travel in Ireland.