Chilling Out in Dublin

“Hibernia,” Latin for Ireland, means “Land of Winter”--a beautiful name, if not quite apt. For despite the lofty latitude, snow seldom falls in the city of my birth. And though it may rain, roses bloom for much of the year.

In winter, Dublin becomes a cozy capital, and it’s an ideal time to visit with most of the tourists gone, the theater season in full swing and hotels offering winter deals.

Pantomimes--vaudevillian spectacles of music and merriment built around nursery-rhyme or fairy-tale characters--take center stage. This year “Mother Goose” is playing at the Gaiety Theatre, “Rockingson Crusoe” hams it up at the Olympia, while “Aladdin” appears at the world-class Lambert Puppet Theatre.

The city is steeped in a literary past, of course: Giants like Swift, Wilde, Shaw, Yeats, Joyce, O’Casey and Beckett have left an indelible presence. On cooler days, when there are fewer pedestrians clogging the streets, it can be a delightful diversion to follow pavement plaques illustrating episodes from Joyce’s “Ulysses.” But look up and the future is written boldly in the sky where huge cranes proclaim a building boom in Dublin, which has become one of Europe’s trendiest metropolises.

During my most recent visit last November, I started a self-styled walking tour of sites I thought perfect for a winter’s day. But first, I fortified myself with a hearty Irish breakfast of bacon, eggs, sausage, white pudding and brown bread at the Kilkenny Design Centre. Famous for distinctive hand-knitted sweaters and scarves, crafts and pottery, this fashionable shop overlooks the hallowed halls of Trinity College.

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Founded by Queen Elizabeth I in 1592, Trinity is where many of Europe’s great artists and politicians have studied (Swift, Beckett, poet Thomas Moore, Oliver Goldsmith and Edmund Burke, to name a few). The movie “Circle of Friends” was filmed on the campus, a beautiful ensemble of 18th, 19th and 20th century buildings and cobbled walkways.

I then followed Nassau Street, along the south edge of Trinity, to College Green, a sweeping arc of 18th century buildings that was the site of Ireland’s House of Parliament (now the Bank of Ireland). Here the visitor enters Trinity College through its imposing front gate and comes quickly upon the Old Library.

When I introduced my teenage daughter, Fiona, to the library’s 8th century Book of Kells (gorgeous volumes of the Gospel illustrated by monks and considered one of the world’s great works of art), she was so impressed she vowed that if she ever lived in Dublin, she would visit daily to view a different page. One summer I waited in line for more than an hour for a hurried glimpse of the magnificently illustrated manuscript. But in winter there are no crowds and no time restrictions.

From Trinity, I backtracked on College Green, past the statue of Molly Malone, toward Grafton Street, Dublin’s most fashionable pedestrian mall. Poets, pamphleteers and performers of all kinds make Grafton vibrant, even on the darkest winter days. Flower stalls splash color over street corners. Vendors sell costume jewelry and trinkets from carts. Endless crowds weave past distinctive shop fronts. And an irresistible aroma of roasting coffee from the century-old Bewley’s Oriental Cafe (whose facade is decorated with Egyptian motifs) suffuses the street. Bewley’s, considered one of the great coffeehouses of Europe, is wildly popular and remains open until 3 a.m.

By the time I reached the top of Grafton Street, double-decker buses added to the bustle, and I found it refreshing to cross into St. Stephen’s Green to take in the tranquillity of Dublin’s favorite park. Framed by graceful Georgian townhouses, the Victorian landscape features formal lawns, flower beds, duck ponds, a bandstand, fountains and sculptures of Irish warriors and writers--most notably, Henry Moore’s representation of Yeats. A pathway near Fusilier’s Arch, which is dedicated to Irish soldiers who fought with the British army in the Boar War, leads to a raised garden for the blind, where names of plants are written in Braille.

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At the southwest corner of St. Stephen’s Green, turn right onto Cuffe Street (before it becomes Kevin Street), and enter a shabby though venerable section of the city. St. Patrick’s Cathedral will be to the right on Bride Street. This 12th century treasure chronicles the city’s history from the 5th century, when St. Patrick baptized converts on the site. The carved well stone can be seen in the northwest end of the cathedral. True to character, Cromwell stabled his horses within the walls and here, too, William of Orange gave thanks for his victory over the Catholic King James II at the Battle of the Boyne. Swift, author of “Gulliver’s Travels,” is buried in the south aisle beside his beloved, Stella.

The Norse King Sigtryggr Silkbeard founded nearby Christ Church Cathedral in 1038, and services have been held there ever since. Magnificent architectural styles overlap: Hiberno-Romanesque, Norman, Gothic. The 12th century Romanesque doorway in the south transept is considered the finest of its kind in the country. An armored effigy in the nave remembers Strongbow, the first of the Norman conquerors to seize Irish land, and an iron casket in the Chapel of St. Laud contains the heart of St. Laurence O’Toole, Dublin’s patron saint.

Dublin’s rich and varied musical offerings reach a crescendo in winter. During the holidays and into January, the churches celebrate with free concerts of sacred music. Handel’s “Messiah” is a perennial favorite, first performed in Dublin in Fishamble Street in 1741. The Dublin Grand Opera Society brings Italian opera to the Gaiety--Pavarotti sang here early in his career. The National Concert Hall is home to the National Symphony Orchestra, which performs throughout the cool-weather months.

The pubs, too, are livelier in winter as traditional Irish music spills from the city’s innumerable establishments to the accompaniment of Guinness, that dark brew that banishes the chill of winter and tastes best in its native city. (My daughter and I both like Donoghue’s pub on Baggot Street.) And of course, Dublin is home to Irish rock band U2, and lead singer Bono and guitarist the Edge are investors in the Clarence hotel in the Temple Bar neighborhood.

A short walk down Lord Edward Street leads to Dublin Castle, seat of the English viceroy until Irish Independence. Along the way, look out for brass pavement markers depicting artifacts--a scattering of combs, brooches and arrowheads--excavated on the site. A tour of the Castle’s State Apartments includes a descent to its Viking foundations.

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Across the road, a web of narrow cobbled streets extends to the River Liffey and Temple Bar, Dublin’s hippest neighborhood. This cultural quarter of eclectic boutiques, art galleries, pubs, restaurants, the Irish Film Centre, nightclubs and the Ark children’s center has been transformed from a former slum into one of the liveliest sections of town. During a previous visit, I followed the skirl of bagpipes to a nearby rehearsal room. And I watched sword dancing in Gogarty’s Pub, where traditional music and dancing are a specialty. On Saturdays in autumn and winter, outdoor food markets take over Meetinghouse Square, formerly a Quaker enclave.

Beneath Merchant’s Arch, fortunetellers offered me readings and a boy made music on plastic bottles. Crossing the Ha’penny Bridge to buy sweaters in the Dublin Woollen Mills, I watched a serious swimmer cause a stir as he breasted the Liffey’s chilly (and hygienically questionable) waters.

To dodge an afternoon shower, I took shelter in Bewley’s Cafe, glad for an excuse to check out their renowned sticky buns. For more than a century, stimulating conversation has flowed as freely as the coffee in this convivial atmosphere. They serve Irish breakfast all day long, as well as shepherd’s pie, salads and sandwiches. I soon found myself chatting comfortably with a visitor from Chicago beside a glowing coal fire. Dublin is a friendly place.

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A hoard of treasures at the National Museum nearby on Kildare Street lent luster to a gray day. Dazzling torques, bracelets and ornaments exhibited there are among the finest prehistoric gold artifacts in Europe. Some date back to 2200 BC. Through iron bars of the museum’s coffee shop you can glimpse the Dail (the Irish lower house of Parliament), formerly the townhouse of the Dukes of Leinster.

Around the corner, on the north side of St. Stephen’s Green, the Shelbourne Hotel saw action during the Easter Week Rebellion of 1916. British soldiers were barricaded within while the troops of Countess Markiewicz attacked from St. Stephen’s Green. In 1922, the Constitution of the new Republic was drafted in Room 112 and, in the ensuing civil war, the hotel was again caught in the cross fire; this time a Free State garrison held sway.

Today, the Shelbourne plays a leading role in Dublin’s lively social scene. A civilized ritual is afternoon tea by the fire in the Lord Mayor’s Lounge, or a drink in its elegant Horseshoe Bar. Liam Neeson, Van Morrison, Kevin Costner and Gabriel Byrne are just a few of the celebrities who have supposedly dropped by. A suite of rooms remembers Princess Grace’s state visit to Ireland and, appropriately, Julia Roberts stayed here while on location for the movie “Michael Collins” (the Republican leader was one of the signatories of the Irish Constitution).

Only 30 minutes south of Dublin, in the village of Enniskerry, is Powerscourt, a favorite haunt of Dubliners. Powerscourt was the former country estate of Sir Richard Wingfield, a 17th century English general. The Avoca Handweavers have set up boutiques within the exposed brick walls of the partly restored mansion, which was gutted by a chimney fire in 1974. A roofless shell for more than 20 years, Powerscourt is now open year-round. I paid two visits during my short stay, irresistibly drawn back by the spectacular gardens (which look good in any season), the house exhibition and the delightful tearoom with its imaginative menu and large array of desserts. Expert pastry chefs were preparing for a festival of Christmas delicacies, including plum puddings and Christmas cakes. Though it was November, roses still bloomed.

Another favorite day trip for Dubliners is one hour north in County Louth, where Stone Age people built tombs at Newgrange. Aligning their boulders with the sun, these mighty builders left behind a wondrous link to ages past. On Dec. 21, if the day is clear, the sun enters the hillock through a small opening to penetrate a long passage and flood the inner chambers with light for 17 minutes. Newgrange, built more than 5,000 years ago, is older than the pyramids and more mysterious, for no clues remain to help us decipher the richly carved stone slabs that surround the exterior and flank its interior. There’s a 10-year wait to be present here for the winter solstice, though awe-inspiring simulations take place all year.

For an expansive and inexpensive tour of Dublin and environs, take the DART train from Pearse, Tara or Connolly stations.

“From swerve of shore to bend of bay,” to borrow from Joyce, this popular public transportation follows the coastline between the picturesque fishing village of Howth and the resort town of Bray. Around Dalkey and Killiney, mountains and sea conspire to make this panoramic view one of Dublin’s best. It’s been compared to the sunny Bay of Naples; hardly a scene that evokes the chill of winter.

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GUIDEBOOK

Weather or Not

Getting there: Delta, KLM and Virgin Atlantic fly, with one change of planes, from LAX to Dublin. Advance-purchase, round-trip fares start at $905.

Where to stay: The Court Hotel, Killiney Bay, County Dublin. Incomparably situated, overlooking the bay. Rates start at $125 for a double, including breakfast; from the U.S. telephone 011-353-1-285-1622.

The Gresham Hotel, 23 Upper O’Connell St., Dublin. Rates start at $145 for a double, including breakfast; tel. 011-353-1-874-6881.

The Merrion, 22 Upper Merrion St., Dublin 2. Dublin’s newest luxury hotel. Weekend winter rates start at $530 for a double room for two nights; tel. 011-353-1-603-0600.

The Shelbourne Hotel, 27 St. Stephen’s Green, Dublin. Rates start at $250 for a double, including breakfast; tel. 011-353-1-676-6471.

Lucca House, 2 Ailesbury Way, Ailesbury Road, Dublin. A cozy bed and breakfast in a lovely neighborhood. Rates start at $90 for a double, including breakfast; tel. 011-353-1-269-6448.

Where to eat: Roly’s Bistro, 7 Ballsbridge Terrace, next to the American Embassy, 15 minutes from the city center. Sophisticated and superb Irish cuisine at affordable prices. Pan-seared scallops with white truffle proved memorable. Entrees $15 to $20; local tel. 68-2611.

The Buttery Brasserie, 2 Royal Hibernian Way (in the fashionable Royal Hibernian Way arcade), offers an eclectic menu. I enjoyed the salmon special of the day. Entrees $7.50 to $14; tel. 679-6259.

For more information: Irish Tourist Board, 345 Park Ave., 17th Floor, New York, NY 10154; tel. (800) 223-6470 or (212) 418-0800.