Cycling the City: Dublin Culture Night 2023

Dublin Culture Night 2023 was an unforgettable experience, especially with its overlap with Carfree Dublin Day during European Mobility Week. It was the perfect opportunity to cycle around the city and attend various events. Here's a recap of our night cycling through Dublin’s vibrant culture!

Dinner at Capel Street - Dublin’s Newest Car-Free Street

We kicked off our evening by heading to Dublin's newest car-free street, Capel Street. Our first stop was All Bar Chicken, a casual restaurant known for its great atmosphere, delicious wings, and friendly service. With fantastic tunes in the background, we indulged in a plate of wings, a beer for me, and a glass of wine for Enid.

Car-Free Dining Experience

The dining experience on Capel Street is enhanced by the fact that it’s now a car-free zone, giving it a unique and relaxed ambiance, perfect for soaking in the city’s energy.

Collins Barracks Museum

After dinner, we hopped back on our bikes and cycled to Collins Barracks Museum, a short ride along the Luas tram tracks. We contemplated taking the tram with our bikes folded, but cycling through the city just felt more fitting for the night.

At the museum, we attended a fascinating talk titled "The Way We Wore", which explored Irish fashion from the 18th and 19th centuries. It was enlightening to learn the social history behind the beautiful garments on display.

Highlights of Collins Barracks

Collins Barracks is a treasure trove of decorative arts, including a permanent exhibit on Irish modernist designer Eileen Grey. Although we didn’t have time to explore the full museum, it’s definitely worth a return visit. Plan to spend a few hours here if you want to take in everything, from Irish coins to the Asian art collections. Plus, like most Irish museums, Collins Barracks has a wonderful café where you can enjoy lunch during your visit.

Bike Disco in the Phoenix Park

Our next stop was the lively Bike Disco in Phoenix Park. This fun-filled event, supported by Fingal County Council and Dublin City Council, featured a leisurely cycle through closed-off roads, with bikes decked out in flashing lights and music setting the tone. Families joined in the event, and the atmosphere was both festive and serene as we cycled through the park at dusk.

The beauty of Phoenix Park shone through in the twilight, and we were even lucky enough to hear the soft sounds of nature—birds chirping and the wild fallow deer rustling in the distance.

Thanks to OPW and Dublin Cycling Campaign

A special thank you goes to the OPW for opening up Phoenix Park for this event and to the Dublin Cycling Campaign for organizing such a fantastic night. It was a great example of how active travel can make a night out in Dublin even more enjoyable.

Ending the Night: Home by Bus

After cycling from the Southside to the Northside of the city, we decided to wrap up our evening. Instead of cycling all the way back, we opted for public transport. We headed to Heuston Station where we originally planned to take the Luas but found a convenient 145 bus waiting, which would drop us off close to our destination on Leeson Street.

Thanks to our foldable Brompton bikes, we could easily hop on the bus and enjoy a comfortable ride home. This flexibility is one of the many reasons why cycling and using public transport in Dublin beats driving a car, especially with the added hassle of parking.

Dublin - A City for Cyclists

The combination of cycling and public transport made our Culture Night in Dublin seamless and stress-free. Dublin is such an accessible city, and events like these remind us of how enjoyable cycling in Dublin can be. With the city's evolving infrastructure, car-free streets, and public transport options, it's clear that Dublin is becoming a more bike-friendly city.