Dublin is a reasonably safe city, but use caution when venturing into the northern part of O'Connell Street and surrounding areas at night. Temple Bar can get crowded and rough late at night, especially during weekends—pickpockets haunt the area. Do not leave valuables in a parked car, even if they are in the trunk or covered with a coat. Do not park your car in the streets; use designated car parks, they are safer. Be as careful of your handbag or wallet as you would be in any major city; do not carry your passport or large amounts of cash on you or leave them in your hotel room (unless it has a safe). Cell phone theft has become common around the city center, so be extra careful about using one in public places. Dublin also has a drug problem, which is more prominent the farther north of the river you go.
For the latest information, contact your country's travel-advisory agency.
Dos & Don'ts
Do check out the free entertainment provided by Dublin's buskers. Although Grafton Street has been the traditional haunt of these street performers, many of the more exotic artists now frequent Temple Bar Square, where you can catch fire-eaters, limbo dancers and madcap comedians, as well as your average guitar strummer.
Don't be daunted by Dublin's reputation for hard drinking. Drinking is considered a sociable pastime, but generally speaking, it's a drinking culture of leisurely pints enjoyed over long conversations.
Do try the Guinness—it's the country's most famous beverage, after all. But don't feel compelled to drink it for your entire stay if it doesn't suit your palate. They say it's an acquired taste, and not everyone acquires it—even some born-and-bred Dubliners. But be careful where you try it. In places such as Temple Bar, the quality isn't maintained. Ask a local for the best places. Kilkenny and Smithwick's are two other good beers, with the former harder to come by.
Don't assume all pubs are the same. If you want to get a good deal, do check the drinks price list, displayed by law just inside the entrance of each bar. Prices can vary wildly from pub to pub, and mixed drinks are generally very expensive. You'll also find the price of soft drinks exorbitant.
Do purchase the Dublin Pass, advertised at a lot of tourist venues, but only after you have read the fine print. It may make sense if you want to pack a lot of sightseeing into a short time, but remember that the benefits of the card are limited.
Don't travel during morning or evening rush hours if you can avoid it. Getting stuck in Dublin's infamous traffic gridlock is not a great way to spend time. Despite express bus lanes, public transport will also be jammed with people traveling to and from work.
Do use the word "lift," not "ride," when asking someone to take you someplace in their car. "Ride" is the slangy equivalent of the f-word.
Don't expect to hear much Gaelic in the city: English has long been the first language of Ireland, other than in some rural areas, and although most Dubliners have a basic grasp of the Irish language, some aren't too familiar with it. However, you could be lucky enough to meet some fluent Irish speakers. Some phrases you may encounter include slainte (pronounced slawn-cha), which is a toast to good health; cead mile failte (pronounced cade mee-la fawl-cha), which means "a thousand welcomes"; and go raibh mile maith agat (pronounced guh rev mee-la moh a-got), which means "a thousand thank yous." Also, on public lavatories you may see the words fir (men) and mna (women).
