21.11.11

Christmas Parties in Temple Bar Hotel Dublin





Magical Christmas Parties in Temple Bar Hotel




Temple Bar Hotel have some great offers this year for their Christmas parties. You can eat for as little as €6pp, get complimentary reserved seating in their bar Buskers and discounted entry to their club Alchemy. On top of all of this, they provide you with Christmas novelties and treats to make your night a special one!




They offer a four course meal for just €22pp and can hold up to 55 people in any one party! What's more, is that the party planner doesn't have to pay for their meal as it's for FREE!!




To check availabilites or to book one of these party nights, call or email Grace on the details below now.




Tel: 01-6129241 Email: events@tbh.ie

26.10.11

Halloween in Temple Bar Dublin


CarnEVIL

If you are looking for somewhere this weekend with outrageously freaky entertainment, spine chilling beats and blood spattered clowns then Alchemy Club and Venue in Temple Bar, Dublin is the place for you! To celebrate one of our favourite annual holidays, Alchemy will host CarnEVIL this Saturday the 29th and Sunday the 30th of October. It's Halloween.....but with a circus twist.

Admission is €10 in advance or €15 on the night. Tickets can be in Buskers or Alchemy. For more information: http://www.alchemyclub.ie/

10.10.11

Dublin Marathon

I've noticed lots of enthusiastic runners around Dublin city and suburbs over the past few months, no doubt a large share of them are in training for the Dublin city marathon which takes place on Monday, 31st October 2012.

My three brothers are taking part this year. One is flying in from Chicago, one from London and my little brother is coming up from West Cork to take part. The rest of the family have been summoned to Dublin to cheer them on! The competition between them is beginning to intensify but with a few injuries being mentioned it's hard to know which brother will 'win'.

There is a great atmosphere around Dublin every year for the marathon. All the Dublin hotels are busy and most including Temple Bar Hotel serve up a healthy, carbohydrate rich breakfast on the morning.

Best of luck to my three brothers and to all those taking part in the marathon this year.

15.8.11

Dublin Gospel Choir

As strange as it may sound, St. Mary's Church of Angels was the place to be last Saturday night! One might think a church would be the last place you'd want to spend your Saturday night but between the disco lights, the smoke effects and the dancing crowd, some might say it would beat Dublin's club scene any day!


Dublin Gospel Choir (or DGC as they like to call themselves) belted out an array of tunes that carried on for over two and a half hours last Saturday night in aid of a fundraiser for the church's local charity. Tickets were only €10 for a student/with a concession and €15 for adults. 'Aint't no Mountain High Enough', 'Oh Happy Days' and 'Lifted' were among the many songs that graced the stage that night as part of their set list. The choir were bursting with energy throughout the whole night, encouraging the crowd to get up, dance and sing along to the songs.

The show was finished at a reasonable hour-10.30pm- so a trip over to Temple Bar to continue the nights festivities was the perfect way to follow on the night. A quick drink in Buskers Bar before heading to Alchemy nightclub was the ideal Saturday night adventure.

The MC for the night (who was a monk) was brilliant! He was funny and really got the crowd involved. He was delighted with the turn out and thanked us endlessly for our support. DGC have taken a break for the summer but usually sing in this church on the first and third Sunday of each month. They are definitely a must see, Click on the link here to go to their webpage.

9.8.11

Nice Italian Restaurant in Temple Bar

There are many Italian restaurants in Dublin city centre but if you're looking for one of the best then I would look no further than Toscana on Dame Street. It is approximately a ten minute stroll from Temple Bar Hotel. They do an excellent lunch value menu as well as a pre-theatre menu. I would strongly recommend the meatballs and the vegetarian lasagne is one of the best I've tasted, served with fabulous home-made chips! The service is friendly and most importantly Italian! Toscana really is a genuine Italian restaurant.

25.7.11

The New Theatre in Temple Bar






I never thought watching a play that only consisted of two people, in a theatre that was hidden within a bookshop would be so entertaining! Last Wednesday night, myself and my friend attended a play called Ergophobia in the New Theatre in Temple Bar, Dublin. It was a play that told the story of two men-one with the potential to lose,the other a loser with potential. The two actors were great and really held the audiences attention throughout the evening. It was an interesting play that was funny, heartfelt and definitely worth the €15 entry fee!






The theatre only has about 70 seats in total which created a very intimate setting. The play lasted for 90 minutes and there was a 15 minute break in the middle which allowed us to get a glass of wine/tea/coffee in the bookshop outside. I thought it was a great idea to build this theatre in conjunction with the bookshop as it combines two businesses together allowing one to enhance the other. The theatre is located on Essex Street which is just down past Temple Bar square. The play was over by 9.30pm so it's definitely a great way to either start an evening or finish it. A quick drink in Buskers Bar before or after is the perfect solution for a night out!






24.6.11

Midsummer Madness





Facebook fans, brace yourselves for a great deal!...







For the months of July and August, we are providing our Facebook fans with a great deal that cannot be missed. Our Midsummer Summer deal currently offers our guests a one night, room only stay in the hotel for €79 per room when you book and pay in advance (Sun to Thurs only). Whats extra for you guys is that if you mention when booking that you are a fan of ours on Facebook, then you'll get the choice of a free ticket for you and your guest to the Dublin Walking Tours or else you'll both get a free cocktail..what more could you want from an offer?





Call our reservations team now to book your Midsummer Maaaadness offer and don't forget to tell her that you are a fan of ours on Facebook!



Tel: 01-6773333
Email:
reservations@tbh.ie
Web: www.templebarhotel.com
Fax: 01-6773088

13.6.11

Blood Brothers at the Gaiety





Blood Brothers is a captivating musical telling the story of twin brothers who were separated at birth and brought up in two completely different environments. Somehow fate and the bond of brotherhood intervened to ensure the brothers got to know each other from a young age, much to the distraught of their mothers.

Rebecca Storm is the lead and her incredible voice will stay with you for days after especially in 'Marilyn Monroe' and 'Tell me its not true'.

Blood Brothers runs in the Gaiety Theatre until 25th June 2011. It is definitely worth seeing and it will appeal to young and old, male and female.





The Gaiety Theatre is a 10 to 15 minute walk from Temple Bar Hotel. For our best available rates check out http://www.templebarhotel.com/.

24.5.11

Barrack Obama's Visit



Is Féidir Linn!


These wise words were spoken yesterday by the American President Barrack Obama when he encouraged us in these hard, recessionary times that 'Yes We Can!'. Grinning from ear to ear yesterday in College Green in front of Trinity College, Barrack reached out to thousands of admiring, Irish followers. He was charming, polite and as expected, a true gentleman. People of all ages had queued since the night before to come see this inspirational man and listen to his heartwarming speech. He mentioned our country's great relationship with America, the historic connection between the two countries and his Kearney ancestors from Moneygall. He spoke about his hopeful belief that this country can battle through this terrible recession and come out of it as good as we were before it hit. He only graced our Irish soil for a mere 24 hours but it was enough to bring hope and spirit back into the hearts of our people.


Barrack and Michelle visited Moneygall in Co. Offaly on Monday afternoon before the big gathering in College Green. While there they met Barack's cousin 'Henry the 8th', had a quick pint of Guinness in Hayes' pub, took a trip into the local shop and chatted timelessly to the local villagers. They were greeted with enormous welcome from the locals and were treated as one of their own.


May the 23rd 2011, is a date that will surely go down in history for Dublin, when the American President brought hope and life back to the Irish people. It will certainly be a while before Dame Street, Temple Bar and the areas that surround it will see such an iconic figure in its midst which will atract such an enormous adoring crowd.


President Obama..after your visit, it is without a doubt that the thought on every Irish mind today is the creed: Is Féidir Linn!

18.5.11

Bridges over the Liffey

Dublin City is divided by the River Liffey and while there is the obvious need for bridges to transport traffic, the most important function of bridges is to link and connect people according to Michael Phillips, City Engineer with Dublin City Council. In a recent talk at the Central Library, The Ilac Centre, Dublin entitled ‘Bridges over the Liffey’ Michael gave listeners a historic insight into the 20 bridges that connect North and South Dublin city and as he explained the erection of bridges has a lot to do with what is going on at that current time. With just a lunch time hour Michael gave a brief yet interesting overview of each bridge.

Some interesting snippets:

• The current width of the River Liffey is about three times shorter than back in the 13th Century due to land reclamation
• The iconic Ha’penny Bridge got its name from the fact that is was originally built as a toll bridge and yes you guessed the price of the toll!
• O’Connell Bridge is unique in that it’s width is nearly the same as the length

The Central Library is a ten minute walk from Temple Bar Hotel.

10.5.11

Castleknock Barbeque


A beautiful hotel in a countryside location, good company and great food...what more could you ask for? That's what i was thinking last week when i was out in Castleknock Hotel and Country Club with my work colleagues. We were invited out to our sister hotel in Castleknock last Thursday to join the staff and their corporate clients for a great night of entertainment. They hosted an amazing evening that included a selection of games and even a falconer who displayed a very interesting collection of birds for our amusement-some of the guests even got to hold them on their arm!!

We helped ourselves to some wine and the array of salads and meats that were laid out for us.Their location for a summer BBQ is perfect. They have a huge outdoor patio area which has outdoor heaters and sheltered areas. There's plenty space for people to sit out with big gardens to roam around in. It's the ideal place for a birthday or a post-wedding day party celebration.

To top it all off we were serenaded for the evening by a fantastic Dublin based singer,
Sean Boland, who sang songs by Michael Buble and Frank Sinatra. It really added to the overall atmosphere of the hotel and it made everyone very much at ease. My overall opinion of the hotel was it was classy, stylish and very elegant and overall a definite must see!

27.4.11

Dublin Gospel Choir

If you are a sufferer of 'the Sunday night blues' then I have the cure! Dublin Gospel Choir perform the first and third Sunday of every month at the 7pm mass in St. Mary of the Angels Church on Church Street.

The music is so uplifting that it's near impossible not to clap and sway along with them. Their powerful voices are exhilarating and roof raising! The choir are a good mix of ages and gender. The music will transport you from Dublin city centre to another world!

The Church is a 20 minute walk from Temple Bar Hotel or 5 minute in a taxi.

19.4.11

Facebook Competition

Introducing, the Temple Bar Hotel's best competition to date! This is a prize not to be missed. It includes the very best elements of a city break...with no expense spared.

A two night weekend stay in our lovely three star hotel which is located right in the middle of the city centre. Along with this we are offering a free lunch in Buskers bar, a lovely meal in the Terrace restaurant, tickets to the Guinness Storehouse AND the Dublin Bus Tour, along with cocktails to kick-off your night and then free club entry into Alchemy Nightclub and Venue. What more could you want? Oh ya, a late check-out time on the day of your departure, so you can rest that sore head of yours after your wild night out in the town:)All you have to do is log onto our Facebook page, 'like' us and then answer one simple question. You should tell your friends too because if they win, they might just bring you!!


Competition runs until April 27th, the winner will be announced shortly after this. Good luck and get liking!!



6.4.11

Grand Canal Theatre-Sound of Music



The Hills are Alive...The Grand Canal Theatre

Firstly, i must say...what a great spot! The amazing architecture of the building, the beautiful views of the city and the selection of great restaurants located nearby with well-priced dinner offers really made this night out a great experience. My first impressions of the theatre itself were that is was very clean, the staff were well groomed and polite and the great views you get of the stage from your seat were great( and i was seated up high).


Apparently you can't bring your drinks into the theatre which is acceptable i suppose(i didn't know this at the time though so i successfully brought my glass of wine in with me).They do have a brilliant service to compensate for this as you can pre-order your interval drinks so when you come out your drinks are waiting for you with your allocated number alongside it. Genius:)


The musical itself was outstanding. The voices of some of the actors were unbelievable, especially the Mother Abbess. The children were so cute and really good at their parts. Maria was very like the character she was playing and had a lovely voice also.The props and stage settings looked very realistic and kept changing in every scene so not to get boring.


Tickets only cost €25 for an adult or €20 for an OAP or student. Upcoming acts are: Sicter Act, Mamma Mia, Dirty Dancing and many more. Overall, i would definitely advise anyone to go to this musical for a bit of fun and uplifting.

24.3.11

1916 Rising Walking Tour




One of the best things I’ve done in this city I’ve learned to call home is the ‘1916 Rebellion Walking Tour’ with Dubliner Lorcan Collins as the tour guide. Lorcan is a gifted story-teller with a fantastic enthusiasm for this specific and pivotal time in Irish history. In the two hours I spent in his company I learned more about 1916, or perhaps I gained a deeper understanding of it than all my years in school. The tour will appeal to a large audience as Lorcan makes an asserted effort to engage with everyone in the group.
As Lorcan brought the group along the route he pointed out numerous historical interest points that are not obvious to the uninformed as well as the more obvious landmarks such as the GPO and James O’Connell’s statue. Lorcan does not adhere to the ‘pretty’ areas of Dublin as he escorted us down some of the more ‘local’ streets to learn of their relevant to the Rising. However I felt this added to the authenticity of the tour. I must say I felt a sense of privilege to be on the tour when I became aware of some puzzled stares from passersby who must have been intrigued at the attention our group were giving to Lorcan with his larger than life personality.
Lorcan’s knowledge, passion and sense of humour makes this tour a must for both locals and tourists. The pace is very manageable for all ages.
All tours leave from the International Bar, Wicklow Street (10 min walk from Temple Bar Hotel). Monday to Saturday at 11.30am and Sunday at 1pm. The price is a very reasonable €12.

25.2.11

Election Day


Election Day Dawns...


It's that crucial time again folks! Nerves and excitement fill the country today as citizens flee to their nearest polling station to vote for their choice of parliament. Workers are rushing out on their lunch break, parents are sneaking out when the kids are gone to bed and the newly turned 18 years old are bravely experiencing their very first public vote, all in an attempt to make our country a better place.

You'll be interested to know that President Mary Mc Aleese and her husband Dr. Martin Mc Aleese both voted in St. Mary's Hospital in the Phoenix Park earlier today. Polls are due to stay open until 10pm tonight so make sure you take a few minutes out of your day to vote for the party you think will do our country the most justice.


The parties running for election today are Fianna Fáil, Fine Gael, the Green Party, Sinn Féin, The Socialist Party, Labour Party, People Before Profit, Christian Solidarity Party, The Workers Party and the South Kerry Independent Alliance.
Lets make the country a better place by voting for your chosen party today!
For more information on the election updates, please click the following link http://www.rte.ie/news/election2011/


15.2.11

Girls Night Out

Food, Drink and a Bit of a Singsong...

I am now officially a pro at making Dublin's best cocktails! Myself and my work mates hit the town last Thursday night to soak up the city atmosphere after a hard days work.

We started off by going to
Salamancas Tapas Bar for an Early Bird meal, which was really good value.
I got a glass of wine, a steak and dessert for only €15; it was the perfect portion size too as I wasn't too full or any bit hungry after it.

We journeyed on then to
Buskers bar afterwards for our cocktail lessons which were great craic! We got loads of attention from Emre (the guy who gave us the lessons) and we made up some really tasty concoctions. The lessons lasted for two hours, we got two cocktails and one shot and it only cost €25 each!!

Rock Star Karaoke followed after that then which was loads of fun! We got to sing with a live band instead of just singing on stage on your own in front of a tv screen.

All in all, it was a very enjoyable night and I'd highly recommend it to any of you who are in dire need of a fun night out!





9.2.11

Jameson Film Festival

Not long to go now until the Jameson Film Festival kicks off in Dublin. The festival runs for ten days from February 17th to 27th and presents over 120 films.

There is a wide range of flims to choose from including categories such as Irish Cinema, Latin Cinema, Real to Reel, French Cinema, First Look...to name but a few.

For more information on the festival and the films check out www.jdiff.com

28.1.11



TradFest is back!!
For those of you who enjoy lively music, a couple of beers and mostly a bit of craic, then the TradFest is the thing for you! Already the place is buzzing and its only Friday; two more days of madness to come:) Traditional Irish music is serenading the cobbled streets of Temple Bar, chefs are preparing their best Irish stews and bar staff enthusiasts are mixing up their best Irish coffee yet. Dublin city in January has never felt so busy, which is great after the winter blues. Hotels are filling up with culchies, city people, tourists, families, you name it...people are coming from far and wide to indulge in this festive event. I'm looking forward to finishing work this evening so that i can pop downstairs (to Buskers Bar), have a few drinks and then enjoy a few tunes in the Singers Club. I would recommend 'Clannad' this weekend also; they are a renowed trad band and they are playing tonight and tomorrow night in the Christchurch Cathedral. If you get a chance, pop into Buskers Bar in Temple Bar as there is a once-off TradFest menu created especially for the occasion (and it looks yum!). If you like a copy of the menu you can email me on meeting@tbh.ie
Enjoy yourselves and let me know how you get on or if theres any crazy stories that Dublin needs to hear about!!