Living Dublin

Other Web Sites about Dublin

It's been commonly said that every Irishman has a book in him. These days every Irish person seems to have a web site in him or her. Many of these are about Dublin.

While I have no intention of adding here the kind of long and irrelevant link lists that clutter so many other sites (an unfortunate by-product of the current state of search engine technology), I do feel the need to give space and credit to some of the other Dublin sites out there.

The list below does not include commercial sites or official tourism sites - these are easily found - but are all individual and personal takes on Dublin based on the webmaster's personal experience. Some are by friends or acquaintances, some I've had contact with and some are just sites I've come across and liked.

Fantasy Jack Palance has roamed the streets of Dublin for some years, armed only with his digital camera. The outcome is an incredible archive of almost 5,000 photos of every aspect of the city and its people. In particular his record of the construction work on the new LUAS line should be donated to the National Archives.

Unfortunately, FJP no longer maintains the site (having moved on, one presumes, to a real life away from his Apple), but you can still get inside his idiosyncratic view of Dublin, check out his musical mixes and ponder on his real identity at www.fantasyjackpalance.com.

I thought about calling this site Hidden Dublin, but Peter Scott has already cornered this concept with his excellent Insider's guide to hidden Dublin. Another Dub and another musician, he's currently based in the University of Durham. His labour of love is a mixture of useful facts, tips and hints, as well as several photos: all of which you won't find in the standard tourist blurbs.

Aidan O'Rourke is a Mancunian. A photographer and a journalist, his site has a truly awesome collection of photos of cities he's travelled to all over the world. Although Manchester and its suburb of Salford (where the other Manchester football team come from) retains pride of place in his work, he's a second-generation Dub and Trinity College graduate, so Dublin remains his "home from home", to use his own words. Check out his Comparison of Manchester and Dublin.

I've been coming across The O'Byrne Files in web searches for years. This is a true "personal home page" full of Dublin wit and wisdom and plenty of links. Neil O'Byrne has his own Dublin Slang Dictionary and Phrasebook which you might want to compare with mine. In fairness, his is more of a dictionary, where mine seems to be evolving into a Glossary of Terms.

WARNING: This site is not work-safe - the homepage launches a horrendous MIDI version of Molloy Malone on unsuspecting surfers :) .

Ken Finlay is a renowned local historian from, I think, Dun Laoghaire. His Chapters of Dublin History is a remarkable resource for genealogists and anyone researching Dublin's history. In addition to the many antiquarian books he has scanned and rendered in digital format there's a wonderful archive of old photos of Dublin. Recently he's added a forum, as well as notices of events of local-historical interest.

Need to keep tabs on what's on while you visit Dublin? Dublin Events has comprehensive and up to date listings for theatre, cinema, exhibitions and live music in the capital, as well as lots of other information of use to tourists and residents alike.

Finally, if you are visiting Dublin as part of a wider European tour, check out Europe for Visitors. Durant Imboden's site offers a host of information for those visiting mainland Europe.

© Living Dublin 2003-2005