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Dublin Disabled Access Review

By John Sage
Dublin Disabled Access Some of the bus routes in Dublin use accessible busses like this one. Other ones use older busses which have 3 steps to get into.– Dublin welcomes visitors with historical sites, enticing pubs, and some of the friendliest people anywhere. It makes for a popular destination by itself or as a starting point for a trip around Ireland to places such as Galway, Cork, and Belfast. Cobblestones and hills can present challenges to disabled visitors, however overall Dublin disabled access is definitely good enough to make it a worthwhile destination for disabled travelers. We gave Dublin an overall accessibility rating of 3 stars due to the presence of some small hills and medium cobblestones.

These small grooves run down the middle of many sidewalks to help drain rainwater. Most of the sidewalks in Dublin are wheelchair accessible like this one.Grafton Street is an outdoor shopping area that is easy to get around. Most of the shops have step-free wheelchair access.Taking a guided walking tour will provide you with the historical significance of the various buildings as well as the interesting facts about the city. Standard group walking tours can be done by wheelchair users, however disabled tourists may prefer hiring a private guide for a Dublin disabled accessible tour that avoids the hills and cobblestones.

The Dublin Castle doesn't look like much of castle. The main entrance has steps, but staff can open a door to the right which has a ramp.Overall, disabled access at Dublin tourist attractions is good. The Old Library at Trinity College contains the medieval Book of Kells and is accessible to wheelchair tourists. A staff member will have to escort you to the private elevator to get upstairs to the library. Dublin Castle is a short walk away and is actually an 18th century palace. The palace portion is accessible but the underground ruins of a 13th century castle can only be reached via stairs. The Kilmainham Gaol (jail) can be visited via a 1 hour guided tour. The tour route is not accessible so one of the staff members can provide you with a private tour. It is located away from the city centre, but an accessible bus from Temple Bar drops you off not far from the entrance.

Kilmanhaim jail played a key part in the history of Ireland and is definitely worth a visit. Visits are only by guided tour which is not accessible. A staff member can bring you on a private accessible guided tour.To visit all of the tourist sights, disabled tourists will need to use accessible busses, accessible trams, and walk/roll over cobblestones and hills. It may sound daunting, but it really isn’t. The tourist attractions can be grouped by location. Those found west of Trinity College include Temple Bar, Dublin Castle, Chester Beatty Library, and Christ Church Cathedral. Those found east of Trinity College include the National Museum: Archeaology, the National Gallery of Ireland, Merrion Square, Number 29 Geogian House, Grafton Street, and St. Stephen’s Green Park. Tourists will need to take a bus, tram or taxi to visit Kilmainham Gaol, Guinness Storehouse, and the Old Jameson Distillery. For this reason, we gave Dublin a 2 star rating for proximity of sights to each other.

The main street running through Temple Bar runs parallel to the river and is flat.  It has some severe cobblestones causing us to give Dublin a 2 star rating for cobblestone smoothness. The streets that run perpendicular to the river slope upward as you move away from the river. Our disabled travel agents have mapped out the slope of these streets and provide this information as a part of our accessible holiday planning services.

Because the city centre is comprised mainly of 100+ year old buildings, few hotels have disabled access in Dublin. Many have a step or a flight of stairs at the entrance and small bathrooms without grab bars. Disabled tourists can call various hotels to inquire about accessibility or use an accessible travel agency such as Sage Traveling.

Overall wheelchair access in Dublin is similar to many popular European destinations; disabled tourists will encounter some difficulties with cobblestones, hills, access to buildings, and finding truly accessible hotels. Nevertheless, Dublin is a friendly, fun, intriguing city well worth a visit.

 

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Read more:

Dublin Accessible Travel – main page
   Pros and Cons of Dublin Disabled Access
   8 Keys to Success for Dublin Disabled Travel
   Dublin Accessible Van Transfers
   Dublin Mobility Scooter Rentals
   Travel Insurance for Disabled Travelers
Dublin Trip Planning by Sage Traveling – Travel with Ease!

 

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