The Great Dublin Scavenger Hunt

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Picture this: you have just landed in Dublin and it’s about 9:00 in the morning. You have been advised to stay awake all day to better acclimate to the time change, but that seems like a daunting task after an overnight flight.


My advice in this common situation is to stay away from bus tours or quiet museums your first day (or at least the morning), because they are recipes for falling asleep in public. Instead, you should find an activity that keeps you moving and helps familiarize you with Ireland’s capital city. Why not try this scavenger hunt? It is great for families, groups, or individuals, and at the end you will have great pictures and better memories.


Have each team or person bring a camera or phone and see who can capture the items on the list. This activity is a great way to make sure you beat the transatlantic jet lag faster by keeping you moving and you get to see things, so you don’t feel like you have wasted a precious day of your trip.


Make sure to start and end at the same location as specific times. I think the spire of O’Connell Street works well because it can be seen from all around the city, especially on the north side of the River Liffey. The clues and the answers can be found below, and a PDF of the list can be found here (without the answers). Make sure you print a couple copies before you leave, and enjoy your day exploring the city I consider a home away from home!

  1. The Dublin Tourist Office in St. Andrew’s Church

  2. The “Hags with the Bags” (statue of two women on a bench near Ha’penny Bridge)

  3. The “Tart with the Cart” (Molly Malone statue on Suffolk St)

  4. The “Great Emancipator” (monument to Daniel O’Connell)

  5. The Trinity Bell Tower

  6. The “Uncrowned King of Ireland” (Charles Stuart Parnell monument in Parnell Square)

  7. Site of the Reading of the Proclamation (Steps of the GPO on O’Connell Street)

  8. The Irish “Starbucks” (Bewley’s on Grafton Street)

  9. James Joyce on a Walking Stick

  10. The “½ Cent Bridge” (Ha’penny Bridge)

  11. Penney’s Department Store

  12. The National Theatre

  13. Donkey Diner (Bad Ass Cafe in Temple Bar)

  14. Eason’s Bookshop (extra credit for more than one)

  15. A creative picture

  16. Hodges/Figgis Bookshop

  17. Tara Street Station

  18. Pearse Railway Station

  19. The Patron Saint’s Church (St. Patrick’s Cathedral)

  20. Leo Burdock Fish & Chips

Have you tried the hunt? What do you think? I would love to hear your suggestions on items I should either add or remove from the list to make the activity the best it can be.