Where is Temple Bar?
Temple Bar itself is the central street of an area that stretches from O'Connell Bridge and Westmoreland Street westward to Christchurch Cathedral, bounded on the south and north by Dame Street and the river.
What's Happening in Temple Bar?
Shops, culture, pubs and restaurants - Temple Bar is Dublin's self-designated Cultural Quarter. There is always something happening in Temple Bar, make sure you check out the markets and festivals. Markets in Temple Bar:
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Temple Bar Food Market: Saturdays 10am - 4:30pm on Meeting House Square.
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Temple Bar Book Market: Saturdays & Sundays 11am - 6om on Temple Bar Square
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Designer Mart at Cow's Lane: Saturdays 10am - 5pm at Old City in Temple Bar -- features all handmade and designer pieces by Irish and Ireland-based artists and designers
Festivals of Temple Bar:
There are many, but these are our favourites...
Visit the Temple Bar Cultural Trust Website for more information on upcoming events in Temple Bar.
History of Temple Bar
At the end of the 1980s, Temple Bar was earmarked for demolition and clearance to make way for a new National Bus Station. But somebody realised that despite (and because of) its run down state it had become a home for artists' studios, alternative boutiques, record shops and second-hand bookstores. This development echoed nicely the rich cultural history of the place, for it was here that Ireland's first theatre, The Smock Alley Theatre, opened in 1662 and here, in the Musick Hall on Fishamble Street, that George Frederic Handel conducted the first ever performance of his Messiah. Instead, an ambitious project was put in place to renovate and rejuvenate the area in keeping with its culture and history and creating in the process what became known as "Dublin's Left Bank".
Our Temple Bar Recommendations
Day Time: Stroll around and enjoy the cosmopolitan buzz, watch and listen to the many street buskers and entertainers and enjoy the blend of old and new architecture. Visit the Irish Film Centre and take in an arthouse movie or to the Gallery of Photography. For cultural history, go and see Isolde's Tower, not the pub of the same name but the nearby remains of an ancient tower that was once part of the old city walls, and pay a visit to Dublinia, a multimedia exhibition of mediaeval Dublin that finishes with one of the most striking views in the city.
Night Time: After dark Temple Bar is all about eating, drinking and having fun. We have put together a list of our favourite pubs and clubs to visit. Check out the Temple Bar Gallery for art exhibitions and The Music Centre for gigs. The Project established itself as Dublin's most avant-garde theatre company. It's now re-housed in a new building on the original site. Among those who built their early reputations at The Project are Jim Sheridan, oscar-winning director of My Left Foot and In America, Liam Neeson and Gabriel Byrne.
Barnacles Temple Bar House is in the middle of this cultural explosion and is the perfect place to stay when you're going to explore and uncover the secrets of Temple Bar. | 
