SMALL PRINT:THE LE Cool Walking Tours of Dublin are kicking off again with some new dates announced (see lecoolwalkdublin.tumblr.com). The route offers a noticeably, well, cooler perspective of Dublin, its people, spaces and goings-on than we're used to from traditional walking tours.
So, with the cool side sorted and the historic sites of Dublin already blanketed with walking tours, what other walking tours could aspiring guides look to cash in on?
The Nama Tour
Take a breathless walk through streets no longer paved with gold up to Smithfield and the former Light House Cinema, before hopping on the Luas to the IFSC and finish with a picnic in the shell of Anglo Irish Bank’s almost-headquarters.
This evening tour is followed by a pub-crawl of the dozens of pubs and clubs in the city in receivership and/or examinership to drown one’s sorrows.
The Boyband Walking Tour
Starting at Korky’s shoe shop on Grafton Street, where Ronan Keating used to grab size sevens for customers before life was a rollercoaster, this tour traverses large tracts of the south side of the city, taking in the Institute of Education where Jedward were past pupils before swinging up towards the Pod complex, home to Boyzone’s early rehearsals. Yes, that’s right, Boyzone actually rehearsed.
The Prank Stroll
Beginning on O’Connell Bridge at the plaque dedicated to Fr Pat Noise who died a dramatic death (especially considering he never existed), before heading to the Palace Bar on Fleet Street, where Flann O’Brien parked a car with no engine outside after pushing it there, just so when he got in to “drive” it while drunk, the charge of driving while under the influence would have to be dropped.
Next stop, Leinster House, to discuss the Galway man who drove a cement truck to the gates.
Feel free to remain outside Leinster House to soak up a decade of pranks, which happened on a constant basis at the public’s expense.
