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Disabled Access in Dublin

Getting There

Airport

Dublin Airport is fully accessible. There is a Tourist Information office inside the airport to answer any questions that you might have. You can take a taxi into City Centre or the easy, accessible, cheap Airlink bus. The bus is 6 euro each way from airport to City Centre. Walk out the airport and you will see the double decker Airlink busses parked across the street about 20m away. Buy the ticket from the bus driver. Bus 747 leaves every 10 minutes and Bus 748 leaves every 30 minutes. Ask the drivers which one will take you closest to your hotel.

http://www.dublinbus.ie/en/Your-Journey1/Timetables/Airport-Services/

Train

Getting Around

Most of the tourist sights in Dublin are within walking distance of each other but you could also use the accessible busses and accessible trams to some of the more outlying sights (Guinness Brewery, Kilmainham Jail, & Jameson Distillery). A day pass or 3-day pass for the Sightseeing Bus may be the best option for getting around (if accessible). In the Temple Bar area, the streets have level 3 cobblestones but the sidewalks are paved. Outside the Temple Bar area, streets and sidewalks are paved.

http://www.visitdublin.com/Information/Default.aspx?id=338 – excellent info on accessible transporation

http://www.accessibleireland.com/category.php?catg_id=5&id1=x&id=8 – Accessible transportation info for Dublin

http://www.irishtourist.com/general_information/disabled_visitor_information.shtml – Accessible transportation info for Ireland

Maps

http://www.visitdublin.com/pdf/DublinCityAttractions&AreaMap.pdf – attractions map

http://www.visitdublin.com/pdf/DublinCityStreetMap.pdf – street map

http://www.visitdublin.com/pdf/TempleBarMap.pdf – Temple Bar map

http://www.visitdublin.com/travel/Maps/dublin/ – Interactive map

Bus
There are two types of busses. One of them has 2 steps to get into and a pole in the middle of the door that makes it too narrow for a wheelchair to be carried in. The other type has a ramp that extends onto the curb,has a spot on the bus designated for a wheelchair, and is full accessible.

http://www.dublinbus.ie/en/Your-Journey1/Accessibility/ – bus accessibility info

http://www.dublinbus.ie/en/Tourist-Information/ – bus info

http://www.visitdublin.com/travel/Maps/busmaps/termini.aspx – bus map. Website not working?

http://www.dublinsightseeing.ie/cityTour.aspx – Sightseeing Bus stops

http://www.dublinsightseeing.ie/mapimage.html – Sightseeing Bus map

http://www.dublinsightseeing.ie/pdf/tours_08.pdf – Sightseeing Bus brochure

15 euros for 1 day pass, 25 euros for 3 day pass including airport transfer, sent email about accessibility

Train / Light Rail

http://www.accessibleireland.com/advertisement.php?catg_id=5&id_advt=178&id=8 – Dublin Light Rail (called LUAS), accessible but only two lines

http://www.visitdublin.com/pdf/LUASRouteMap.pdf – Dublin light rail map

http://www.accessibleireland.com/advertisement.php?catg_id=5&id_advt=179&id=8 – DART (Dublin Area Rapid Transit – serves Dublin suburbs)

http://www.accessibleireland.com/advertisement.php?catg_id=5&id_advt=182&id=8 – Irish Rail

Subway (Metro)
There is no subway.

Taxis

http://www.accessireland.info/dublin/transport/taxis.htm – 2 taxis

Accessible Car Rental

Tourist Sights

Recommended itinerary
Note – several attractions are closed on Monday
Day 1 – Historical Walking Tour at 11:00 am, Dublin Castle, Chester Beatty Library,
Day 2 – Trinity College Tour & Book of Kells @10:15 am, then bus or taxi toKilmanhaim Jail & Guinness Brewery
Day 3 – National Museum: Archaelogy, Number 29 Georgian House, National Gallery,
At night – Irish Music and Dancing, Temple Bar
Other – Jameson Distillery, Christchurch Cathedral, St. Stephen’s Green, Grafton Street, Marion Square
Bold – don’t miss!

Tours

Walking Tour – doable in a wheelchair with a few challenges. departs at 11 am and 3 pm in the summer, 2 hrs in length, tour starts at Trinity College and finishes at Dublin Castle, www.historicalinsights.ie,
Challenges include less than 100 m of level 3 cobblestones in Trinity College, less than 50m of level 3 cobblestones near the Irish Parliament, 3 steps to get down at the City Hall, and less than 30m of level 3 cobblestones at Dublin Castle. The elevation is about half level 1 slope and half level 2 slope. Total walking tour length is 1.1 km.

Trinity College Tour & Book of Kells – accessible with some cobblestones, 30 minute tour followed by a visit to the Old Library which holds the artistically decorated medieval bible, the Book of Kells. Departs from Trinity College Gate.
The tour covers 500m. About 100m of it is over level 3 cobblestones. At the Old Library, after looking at the introductory display on the Book of Kells, have a staff member let you into the elevator up to the Book of Kells.

http://www.tcd.ie/Library/heritage/tours.php – tour website

Mid-May – September Daily Tours departure Schedule
10.15, 10.55, 11.35, 12.15, 12.55, 1.35*, 2.15, 2.55, 3.40*
*except Sundays  

Bus/Van/Boat Tours

Most busses inaccessible but they have 6 busses. Send email to find out which busses are accessible on a give day.  Infosightseeing@dublinbus.ie

South/West of Trinity College
Temple Bar – neighborhood with many pubs. There are 3 streets that are just south of the river and run parallel to it. The first street is called ____ and is flat and paved. The second street is called Temple Bar in some places and Fleet Street in other places. It has level 3 cobblestone in the street, but the sidewalks are paved. Some of the sidewalks may have restaurant tables blocking them and you might have to hop down and up a curb to avoid them. The third street is called ____. It is paved but has a level 2 slope on most of it.

Dublin Castle – 45 min tour of the Castle which is actually a 18th century palace. 80% is accessible (13th century Normal castle  ruins below ground are not). There is a paved level 3 slope 30m? hill if you enter from the East. If you enter from the North, there is a steeper level 3 hill to climb in front of the City Hall. At the entrance, have a staff member open the side door near the ramp to get to the ticket office. Afterwards, a staff member will take you back down the ramp to another side door, where you will take an elevator to the start of the tour.

Telephone No: +353 1 645 8813, Email: tours@dublincastle.ie, Website: www.dublincastle.ie

Chester Beatty Library – Accessible and free, contains collection of literary and religious artifacts, 300 m from Dublin Castle

Path from Dublin Castle to Chester Beatty Library:

Christ Church Cathedral – accessible entry but they need to install a temporary ramp

Irish Music & Dancing – Irish music and dancing at the Arlington Hotel Temple Bar. www.legends.ie. If you purchase dinner for 30 euros, you will be seated in the section at the front where the tables are high and have barstool level seating. If you do not purchase dinner, get there early (or call ahead) and you can sit in the raised level further back where the tables are lower.

East of Trinity College

National Museum: Archaelogogy  – 40 min tours available, accessible except for 7 steps to get up to to Viking Ireland exhibition,

National Gallery of Ireland – Fully accessible, best art gallery in Ireland, contains Irish art as well as art from all over Europe

Merrion Square – park surrounded by 18th century houses, need info about accessibility

Number 29 Georgian House – 19th century house, 35 min tour, mainly accessible, ___% of tour is accessible, companion of wheelchair users is admitted free, www.esb.ie

“Wheelchair access is available to the basement of the exhibition, audio visual area, tea room and gift shop. Access is also available to the hall floor and dining room.” Contact 01 7026165 or NumberTwentyNine@esb.ie for arrangements.

Grafton Street – outdoor shopping center, most shops are step-free

St. Stephen’s Green park * – Park with 3.5km of accessible paths

Telephone No: +353 1 475 7816, Email: info@heritageireland.ie

http://www.heritageireland.ie/en/Dublin/StStephensGreen/

May want to use public transportation to reach

Kilmainham Gaol (Jail) – 1hr tour of prison followed by prison museum, nearly completely accessible, they can install a temporary ramp to make it accessible, or one of the staff actually took us on a private tour of the jail, take the 78A? bus to get there, get off at ___, then go1 block east on level 2? Slope, 1 block north on level 3 slope, and 1 block west on level 2 slope. Total walking distance from bus stop to entrance is 300m

Tel: +353 1 453 5984, kilmainhamgaol@opw.ie

http://www.heritageireland.ie/en/Dublin/KilmainhamGaol/

Guinness Storehouse * 9:30-17:00 – Fully Accesible. Museum about Guinness and brewing process. Bar on 7th floor provides best view in Dublin. From the bus stop, go to the side entrance by following the red line shown on the map below. The last 30m of the route is over cobblestones. Ring the bell and the side entrance door will open.

http://www.guinness-storehouse.com/pdfs/GUINNESS-Storehouse-map.pdf – map showing location of Guinness Storehouse

Old Jameson Distillery – 10 min video & 20 min tour, fully accessible, can be reached by accessible LUAS tram. Get off at ___ stop.

http://www.jamesonwhiskey.com/Heritage_Old_jameson_distillery_Tour_info.aspx

Other information on places that are not accessible

Van Tour – not doable due to accessibility.

http://www.newgrangetours.com/tours.html  10am-4:30

http://www.overthetoptours.com/newgrange/NEWGRANGE.html – shuttle bus 9:00am-1:00pm

Newgrange and Hill of Tara are not accessible:

http://goireland.about.com/od/preparingyourtrip/qt/lessable.htm

Trim Castle is not accessible:

http://www.heritageireland.ie/en/midlandseastcoast/TrimCastle/

Irish Musical Pub Crawl – 19:30-22:00, email said it was not accessible and involved a few upstairs rooms

Blarney Castle

http://www.accessibleireland.com/advertisement.php?catg_id=&id_advt=135&id=3

Cliffs of Moher

http://www.accessibleireland.com/advertisement.php?catg_id=&id_advt=245&id=3

Bushmills Distillery

http://www.accessibleireland.com/advertisement.php?catg_id=&id_advt=251&id=3

Hotels

Fleet Street Hotel – not accessible, single step at entrance, bathrooms are too narrow for a wheelchair. 31” hotel room doorway, 26” for bathroom door, bathroom is too small to get the wheelchair next to the bathtub.

Restaurants / Going Out

Many restaurants have a step or two to get into the restaurant. Some have accessible tables on the sidewalk. Many bathrooms in restaurants are downstairs in the basement and not accessible.

http://www.accessireland.info/dublin/food_drink/restaurants.htm – 7 dublin restaurants

http://www.accessireland.info/dublin/food_drink/pubrestaurants.htm – 2 dublin pub/restaurants

http://www.accessireland.info/dublin/food_drink/pubs.htm – 1 pub

Additional Accessibility Resources

http://www.accessireland.info/dublin/attractions/museums.htm – info on some additional museums not listed above

http://www.enabletravel.info/ – general access info on Ireland, trip review from New Zealand based travel agent

http://www.geocities.com/globalaccess_99/exploringireland.htm – trip report on Ireland

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showpost.php?s=4ec61103b95f674790f35ff38c0ae1d0&p=56993133&post-count=29 – decent accessibility info on some Dublin sights

http://www.pwdi.ie/useful_links/index.htm – lots of irish accessibility links

http://www.dublincity.ie/accessibilityforum/default.aspx?g=forum – forum on Dublin accessibility

National Rehabilitation Board, 44 North Great George’s Street, Dublin 1

Disability Federation of Ireland, 2 Sandyford Office Park, Sandyford, Dublin18 295-9344

http://www.iwa.ie/issues/IssuesPublic.aspx – Irish Wheelchair Association

Dublin Tourism

Tourism Centre
Suffolk Street
Dublin 2

Telephone:  +353 1 6057700  +353 1 6057700 told me to call US office
Web site: http://www.visitdublin.com/

Tourism Ireland (US office) – 1-800-sharmrock, called and it connected to a person in Dublin

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