12. LEISURE, SPORT and SPARE TIME the Beautiful Blackrock Park, in the South, with a Wonderful View of the Howth Peninsula

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12. LEISURE, SPORT AND SPARE TIME the beautiful Blackrock park, in the south, with a wonderful view of the Howth peninsula. A wonderful park surrounds the Malahide castle, 10 miles Northeast of This section of the book will just give you some advices of what Ireland Dublin, and it’s a must for a daily trip. Moreover, some nice squares in the city and especially Dublin offer to you for your spare time, your hobbies and your centre has a cute park in the middle, where you can walk, read a book or have your leisure. Once you have found an accommodation and a job, and you have resolved lunch break, in a peaceful and relaxed atmosphere just a few meters from the all your little problems to clarify your position in regard to taxes and social welfare, traffic. You can visit Merrion Square, Montjoy Square, Fitzwilliam Square and the you might have some time just for you, to enjoy Dublin and its special green at the Trinity College. Don’t forget St. Stephen’s Green, in the very centre of environment. Dublin, with its nice trees and lakes. Also UCD (University College of Dublin), From public parks to football courts, from libraries to cinemas you won’t even if a little bit far has a huge green park. Herbert Park, in Ballsbridge, is a little ever get bored of your spare time, and you will enjoy resting and having fun after treasure. Parks are all free, and are a valid alternative to libraries and other leisure your daily duties. structure such as cafés. The opening time is in general 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. in winter and to 9,30 p.m. in summertime. They are always provided with banks and 12.1 Parks sometimes picnic tables, sidewalks and children playgrounds. For more details about the parks, you can buy a guidebook edited by Lilliput Press and written by

Moira Bowers, entitled Dublin City Parks and Gardens. As probably someone of you knows, Dublin is proud to have the biggest Another charming place is the Botanical Garden where you'll find urban park in all Europe, Phoenix Park. It is as big as all parks in London. If you go glasshouses, tropical plants and thousand of different trees, plants and flowers; there on a weekend, you’ll find plenty of people walking, biking, running, you'll be astonished by the atmosphere of beauty and peace that makes this garden rollerblading and even riding horses. Families with young kids go there, as well as a real oasis in the surrounding traffic. More over, some interesting walks can be young group of friends or old couples. You can see horse-riding policemen, soccer found along the Grand Canal in the south side of Dublin. matches or even dears, if you are lucky. Phoenix Park offers you also some interesting monuments such as the Phoenix, the Wellington obelisk, the cross built in occasion of the Pope visit in 1979 and more. Not to mention the presence of the Zoological Garden. Don’t miss to go there next Sunday, you won’t be 12.2 Sport Facilities disappointed. Besides Phoenix Park in Dublin there are plenty of other parks (much Irish people like sports, both individuals and team oriented. Usually at smaller), and maybe there is one right around the corner of your house. I would like school sport is an important part of the basic education, and colleges and to mention Fairview park, on the east side of the city, just at the limit to the sea, or universities are really sport-focused, providing students with any kind of facilities ______© Simone Luchini 2000 © Simone Luchini 2000 156 157 for people interested. You usually have clubs that you can join for a few pounds, freak can expect: from the noble trout to the king salmon, from the common carp and then be able to participate to all the sport sessions that you want. If you are not to the pike, from black-basses to perches. Just a few kilometres far from every city a student it won’t be that cheap, but you’ll still be able to practice your preferred you can find your little space, away from the noise and the pollution, where spend sport. In Dublin you can find gyms, squash and tennis courts, free soccer, rugby or some time resting and regenerating your mind. Gaelic games fields (i.e. in some parks), bowling, swimming pools, baseball, ice Generally, since only trouts and salmons are considered valuable fishes, skating. You can ride a horse or play some sports like polo; you can prepare for the you won't need a permit for coarse fishing (pikes, bream, tenches, rudds, roaches, Belfast Marathon or just go to see other people playing the main sports. Sports are perches, carps and eels); you can use only one rod at time and live bait is forbidden. very popular in Ireland even if you are not a sportsman but you just enjoy watching There is no closed season. Anyway, always ensure you know the rules and you have a good match. If you are a golf fan, you won’t move anywhere else, since Dublin in (if required) the permit. For this you can contact the Department of the Marine particular and Ireland in general have an incredible extension of golf courts, from Fisheries Administration or the Central Fisheries Board. the small one to the immense one. Great fun also if you don't have a bike to ride: you can rent one just for the day and organise your daily trips with a group of friends or joining the many associations that regularly manage excursions and 12.4 Voluntary Unpaid Apprenticeship/Voluntary and Charity gatherings. Just check with your nearest bicycles dealer, it'll have all the information Organisations – Volunteerism/Volunteering you need. Do not miss to go to Shelbourne Park on Wednesdays, Thursdays or

Saturdays, when the greyhound races take place: with only IR£ 5 (2 with student ID A very nice way of spending your spare time is being useful to other – € 6.35/2.54) you can have a lot of fun, bet a few pounds, and if you want use the people. In Dublin and in all Ireland there are plenty of opportunities with not- nice restaurant and bar indoor facilities, from where you can assist to the races profit association that always need your help. From walking old people for their seated and relaxed. shopping to assisting poor people, from taking care of abandoned animals to first

aid and medical emergency. It’s not a waste of time, you will learn a lot about

human behaviour and maybe you’ll make new friends: it’s not too bad for someone 12.3 Fishing that might have some problems in making new friends in a new country! For a complete list of all the voluntary organisations, you can consult the exhaustive Fishing deserves a little paragraph, since for the beauties and the richness Directory of National Voluntary Organisations, edited by A & A Farmar and sponsored of the Irish waters every year thousands of fishermen come here form every part of by the National Social Service Board; or also Hey You! A Guide to Voluntary Work the world. Ireland has a wonderful country that is the ideal place for lakes, rivers Opportunities edited by Wolfhound Press. and streams. This clear waters are abundant in all the species of fishes that a fishing ______© Simone Luchini 2000 © Simone Luchini 2000 158 159

12.5 Libraries 12.6 Museums and Galleries We forget too often that the public structure offers us a great instrument of education and culture, the public libraries. These are places where you can still Dublin offers a great choice of art, history and culture in the many find an element of the nature that has almost disappeared from our common life: museums that you can visit during your spare time. From civic museums to the silence. What’s better to relax your mind to spend some hours in a wonderful national galleries, from contemporary arts to old libraries, from museums of natural place like a library? A library can provide us with the right atmosphere, polite users history to jail museum, you'll find them all. This book, as specified at the beginning, and a quantity of resources that is difficult to find in another place. does not want do be a tourist guide, so this chapter is just an introduction, a You can read all the newspapers and magazines (even the foreigners one) suggestion. You can find detailed information about these places in any good without paying a penny, and if you need some photocopies, you can have them. guidebook. You can write the letter that you did not ever write, for lack of time or maybe of the necessary concentration. You can borrow a book and then decide if you prefer to read it there or bring it with you; in this case, to borrow books, you will be 12.7 Cinemas and Theatres requested to show proof of residence and get a membership card. You can study your subjects if at home you don’t have the required concentration. And it’s One of the favourites hobbies of the Irish people is going to the movies. probably the only place left where you can be sure to find a phone directory book if In Dublin you can easily find any kind of movie theatre, from the small ones that you haven’t one at home. usually host high quality (but certainly not popular) movies to the huge one where Usually libraries are provided with Internet connections or Tel Net you have the choice between 20 screens, you can buy your popcorns and soda and services, and you can research on-line your book in the main libraries all over the you can be surprised by the high level of the sound and the other special effects. word. Sometimes you can also find other persons that want to start with you a Cinemas have usually a discount for students, but some times not for the weekend. language exchange, and the library is a good place where to find them. What else? If you can, go in the afternoon, it's usually half price. You can generally pay also Probably there is a lot more, but these reasons are enough to convince you to with credit card, and the last trend is to buy the tickets on-line with a credit card (or spend there a visit or maybe more than one. Just check which library is closer to just book them) and even reserve the exact seat where you would like to see the your location and ask about opening hours and, if required, membership. You can movie. No queue, no first lines of seats, and no corners: just the seat that you like. find the complete list of public libraries in the introductory pages of the phone All cinemas have a phone number with a recorded message to check the time of the book under Dublin Corporation. ______© Simone Luchini 2000 © Simone Luchini 2000 160 161 shows. Otherwise, you can have updated information consulting the daily careful: for what it's worth it! There’s even a state channel in Gaelic, TnaG (Telefís newspapers or some Irish websites. na Gaeilge). For the theatres you still have a big choice between opera, drama, For the other main channels, you need to subscribe a contract with comedies, cabaret, students’ plays, alternative acting and any sort of creative Cablelink (monthly fee around IR£ 10/€ 12.70) to be able to receive cable TV. performance from famous and unknown artist. Theatre may be an interesting and Once you sign up and start paying, you can see the British BBC 1 and BBC 2, original alternative to the standardised cinema; everything that goes on in Dublin EuroSport, MTV, CNBC, Channel 4 from Northern Ireland, Sky One and Sky can be found in The Event Guide, in Hot Press or checking directly with the theatres. News, TV 5, the National Geographic Channel and many others. In addition to A popular happening of the last years is the presence and prosperity of these, you might chose also a satellite that will allow you to see entertainment small theatres that offer comedy and cabaret, performed by Dublin comics: channels like Sky Premier, Sky Movies and Sky Cinema, Discovery and History improvisations, monologues, sketches are attracting hundreds of people every Channel (very interesting) and many more. It usually costs you an installation fee weekend, and the price are raising but are still worth it a funny comedy night. Book and a monthly rent in addition to the Cablelink fee. You'll soon be able to take in advance or you may have problems. advantage of new technologies and have a free Internet connection (faster than a regular modem connection) and residential phone services through the same fibre optic network to which you are linked. 12.8 TV, Cable And Satellite Another solution in addition or in alternative to the non-satisfactory programs of public TV (and also to the cinema) can be the use of a good VCR,

renting good movies and inviting friends. You can become member (usually they If you don't feel like going out (maybe it's raining or it's cold outside), you require proof of residence) of one of the many video rental stores, and with a few can just call to order a pizza and spend the rest of the evening watching TV. Ireland pounds get every day a different movie that you can see at the time that suits you has a few national channels, RTE 1 (Radio Telefís Éireann, the state broadcasting and with some breaks, if you need them. Laser has a huge selection of movies, of authority), TG4 and Network 2 (state channel as well), TV3 (private) that can be any kind, and it's recommended for difficult-to-find old movies, rare films, and seen without any special equipment. But you should be aware that an annual fee is foreign movies. Otherwise, if you don't have special requests, just go to any due to the Government in exchange to this “free” service. Basically, since you Chartbusters, Movie Magic, Xtra-vision or Advance Vision (or many others), better bought a television, you have to pay this unfair tax even if you never watch those for new releases and popular music since they are provided with a larger amount of channels. You can pay this money (around IR£ 70/€ 88.88 per year) at any Post copies of the most requested movies. Office, and have more details at the G.P.O. in O'Connell St. I don't know what By the way, in case you don’t have a VCR and maybe not even a TV, and systems the inspectors use to detect illegal users, nor what rights have to inspect you don’t want to buy a new one, you can find good deal renting one. There are a your private residence without your consensus, but the fine can be quite high, so be ______© Simone Luchini 2000 © Simone Luchini 2000 162 163 lot of stores that will rent you the equipments for as little as a few pounds per 12.9 Contacts: month. Check also with ESB, the electrical national company. You can rent TVs Theatres: Murphy's Laughter Lounge, Eden and VCRs and pay them with your monthly bill for a reasonable price. Gaiety Theatre, Sth. King St., Dub 2 Quay Tel. 01 677 1717 Dub 1, Tel. 01 874 4611 Gate Theatre, 1 Cavendish Row, Dub 1 The Norseman, 28-9 East Essex St., Tel. 01 874 4045 Dub 2, Tel. 01 671 5153 Lambert Puppet Theatre and The International Bar, 23 Wicklow St. Museum Dub 2, Tel. 01 677 9250 Clifton lane, Monkstown Tel. 01 280 The Ha'penny Bridge Inn 0974 42 Wellington Quay, Tel. 01 677 0616 City Arts Centre, Moss St. Cinemas: Dub 1, tel. 01 677 0643 U.C.I. Cinemas E-mail: [email protected] Coolock, Tallaght and Blanchardstown Crypt Arts Centre, Dame St., Dub 2 Tel. 01 459 8400/848 5122/1 850 Tel. 01 671 3387 525354 Dame Tavern, 18 Dame Court, Stella Picture Theatre Dub 2, Tel. 01 679 3426 207 Lwr. Rathmines Rd., Tel. 01 497 Andrews Lane Theatre, 1281 9-17 St. Andrews Ln., Dub 2, Classic, 314 Harold's Cross Rd., Tel. 01 679 5720 Dub 6, Tel. 01 492 3324 Abbey and Peacock Theatre, Ambassador Cinema, Parnell St., Dub 26 Lwr. Abbey St., Dub 1 1 Tel. 01 878 7222/456 9569 Tel. 01 872 7000 The Olympia Theatre, 72 Dame St. Savoy Cinema, Upr. O'Connell St., Dub 2, Tel. 01 677 7744 Dub 1, Tel. 01 874 8822 The National Concert Hall, Sheridan Imax Theatre Tel. 01 475 1572 Parnell St. 1, Tel. 01 817 4200 Trinity Players Theatre, Trinity College Virgin Multiplex Dub 2, Tel. 01 608 2242 Parnell Ct. 1, Tel. 01 872 8444 Comedy and Cabaret: IFC (Irish Film Centre)

Eustace St., Temple Bar, Dub 2 Tel. 01 677 1425 81 Eglington Rd., Dub 4 Morehampton Rd., Dub 4, Tel. 01 668 Tel. 01 677 8788 http://www.dublinzoo.ie Tel. 01 269 4111 1841 Screen, College St., Dub 2 Sports: Department of the Marine Fisheries Irish Sailing Association, 3 Park Rd. Tel. 01 672 5500 Gaelic Athletic Association Administration, Leeson Ln., Dub 2 Dun Laoghaire, Tel. 01 280 0239 TV Licence Enquiries, G.P.O. Parnell Park, Tel. 01 831 2099 Tel. 01 785 444 Irish National Sailing School Upr. O'Connell St., Dub 1 Leinster Senior League Central Fisheries Board, Mobhi Boree 115 Lwr Georges St., Dun Laoghaire Tel. 01 705 8800 Tel. 01 677 4824 Glasnevin, Dub 9, Tel. 01 379 206 Glenans Irish Sailing Centre Cablelink Irish Rugby Football Union Irish Horse Board, Naas Rd. 28 Merrion Sq., Dub 2 Tel. 01 799 8555/01 799 8444 Landsdowne Rd., Dub 4, Dub 12, Tel. 01 501 160 Irish Water-ski Federation Movie Rental: Tel. 01 668 4601 Aircraft Owners and Pilots Mount Salus, Knocknacree Rd., Dalkney Laser Specialist Video Libraries Mountaineering Council Of Ireland Association Co. Dublin, Tel. 01 450 2122 23 Sth Gt. George St., Dub 2, House of Sports, Long Mile Rd. Loughlinston Rd., Celbridge, Co. Kildare Scubadive Diving School Tel. 01 671 1466 Dub 12, Tel. 01 450 1633 Tel. 01 088 505 055 Coliemore Harbour, Dalkey 116 Ranelagh, Dub 6, Tel. 01 497 3893 Bikes: Ballon and Airship Association Tel. 01 850 357 Chartbusters, Tel. 01 278 1846 The Cycle Superstore c/o 39 Whitebeam Rd., Clonskeagh, Irish Amateur Rowing Association Xtra-vision, Tel. 01 452 7722 Tallaght, Dun Laoghaire Dub 6 Long Mile Rd., Walkinstown, Dub 12 Advance Vision, Tel. 01 284 6064 Tel. 01 450 2744/280 0417 All-Ireland Polo Club, Phoenix Park Tel. 01 450 1633 Libraries: C. Harding for Bicycles Dub 8, Tel. 01 677 6248 Irish Canoe Union http://www.iol.ie/dublincitylibrary/ 30 Bachelors Walk 1, Tel. 01 873 7043 Irish Squash Racket Association Long Mile Rd., Walkinstown, Dub 12 The Gilbert Library McCormacks Cycles Ltd Long Mile Rd., Dub 12, Tel. 01 450 1564 Tel. 01 450 9838 138-141 Pearse St., Dub 2 31A Dorset St. 1, Tel. 01 836 6173 Tennis Ireland, Argyle Sq. Tel. 01 677 7662 McDonalds Cycles Ltd Central Library, ILAC Centre 38/39 Wexford St. Dub 2 Henry St., Dub 1, Tel. 01 873 3996 Tel. 01 475 2586 The National Library Raleigh Ireland Ltd., Kylemore Rd. Kildare St., Dub 2, Tel. 01 603 0200 Dub 10, Tel. 01 626 1333 Botanic Gardens, Glasnevin, Dub 9 The Bike Store Limited Iveach Gardens, Clonmel St., Dub 2 58 Lwr. Gardiner St., Dub 1 Dubh Linn Garden, Dub 2 Tel. 01 872 5931 Dublin Zoo, Phoenix Park, Dub 8 Golfing Union of Ireland