What Are The Best Souvenirs You Can Bring Home From A Trip To Dublin?
When you travel to a city, one of the last ports of call is always to bring home a little something so that you’ll remember it for years to come. Especially if you enjoyed yourself.
Looking at souvenirs in Dublin, you’re pretty much spoiled for choice, from touristy bits in souvenir shops to unique tokens that will trigger a memory in your head every time you look at them, like something from the Guinness Storehouse. That’s all well and good to have a heap of options, but what are the best types of souvenirs you can bring home from a trip to Dublin that will set you apart from the millions of tourists that visit every year?
In this post, we are going to give you some genius ideas on what souvenirs to buy in Dublin before you head home. We’ll include some generic ones if you’re not too fussy and some more creative ones for those who take this stuff seriously.
Time to go shopping!
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1. An Aran Sweater
Aran sweaters originate from the Aran Islands off the coast of Galway, where locals have made them for many generations. Originally, the sweaters were worn by fishermen to identify them if they had an accident out at sea.
The sweaters themselves are made of wool that is water repellent and can absorb a whopping 30% of the water before even feeling the slightest bit damp. Most importantly is the wool’s insulating capacity. Because it has a high amount of air inside of it, it prevents the person who wears it from getting too hot or too cold. These sweaters are must-have souvenirs from Ireland.
The Aran Sweaters are sold at a shop at the bottom of one of Dublin’s most famous streets, Grafton Street, in a shop called the Aran Sweater Market. There you can buy all sorts of products made with the wool used in sweaters and other gifts. If you forgot to get your hands on one, don’t worry as the Aran Sweater shop sells products from their website and ships worldwide.
2. A Bottle Of Jameson
It’s true that some of the best whiskey comes from Ireland. Good ‘aul Jameson is an Irish favourite among tourists when they visit the capital. They love to buy a bottle of it at Dublin Airport as souvenirs on their way home.
A bottle of Jameson comes in a couple of sizes, including the 375ml, 750ml and 1-litre bottles. They end up buying a little 50 ml bottle in the airport duty-free as a souvenir, which wouldn’t last long in any Irish household.
The cost of a bottle of Jameson really depends on what size you want and where you buy it, but you’re talking at least 30 euros for a standard 700ml bottle. For the cheapest price, purchase it at Dublin Airport when you fly out.
3. A Guinness Pint Glass
Did you really visit Dublin without having a pint of the country’s most renowned stout? Guinness is arguably the most popular alcoholic drink in the country. Every tourist must try it at least once before they head home.
A brand-new, gleaming Guinness glass is a cool souvenir you can bring home from Ireland. The glass is wide at the top and has thin walls that curve in and lead to the base, and, of course, the Guinness logo is on the front, so everyone knows what you’re drinking.
Getting your hands on one of these bad boys isn’t as difficult as it used to be back in the day. At the end of a visit to the Guinness Storehouse, there’s a souvenir shop as you approach the exit where you can buy all sorts of merchandise, including branded pint glasses, old and new, so make sure you don’t miss it. If you decide not to visit the Guinness Storehouse, you can always purchase one online through Guinness’s website.
4. A Painting Of The Poolbeg Lighthouse
Poolbeg Lighthouse is seen as one of Dublin’s best-kept secrets on the outskirts of the city. The Dubs take great pride in their evening stroll out to the red-fronted lighthouse out on the Irish sea.
In certain areas of the city, you can find vendors selling canvas paintings of the frequently visited lighthouse. One of the most notable spots where you can find these is outside of Merrion Square during the daytime, especially on the weekends. If you manage to miss them, there are some websites that also sell them. In terms of price, you can bag yourself one of these stunning paintings for as little as 15 euros, and they go all the way up to their hundreds.
Because of the way a canvas picture is, you must pack it correctly in your case so it doesn’t rip. Our advice would be to wrap it up and face it down so nothing damages the painting itself.
5. A Dublin GAA Jersey
Gaelic football has been a serious part of Irish society for decades upon decades. It’s the first sport that the majority of children in the country are encouraged to have a whack at. The sport has similarities to rugby, where 15 players on one team take on 15 players from another, and they must hit the ball either over the bar or into the back of the net to gain points.
Dublin is one of the leading Gaelic football teams in the country. The county team has won many All Ireland Championships and is seen by their opponents as one of the more difficult teams to beat.
A great gift from Dublin to bring home would be a county jersey. The jerseys themselves change almost every year, so getting your hands on one in 2022 and letting it age for 20 years would be a brilliant idea and an interesting souvenir to take a look at when you’re older.
Dublin county jersey prices start at 45 euros and can reach 60 euros depending on demand and the time of year. They can be purchased in stores like Lifestyle Sports or online through the Dublin GAA website.
6. Trinity College Merchandise
Dublin’s Trinity College is Ireland’s top university. It’s that one place that everybody wants to go to study, like your Cambridges and Harvards. Similar to those universities, Trinty College sells its own brand of merchandise and would be a good souvenir option to bring home from Dublin.
Whether you’re spending a day in Dublin or a week, you’re probably going to end up going to see the Book of Kells, which is in Trinity College. This is where you can get your hands on some of their merchandise. The innovative gift shop is just after the exit of the library, and there’s a hell of a lot you can get your hands on, whether you’re looking for a warm sweater for those short winter nights or just a simple notebook for the year of studies ahead.
7. A Packet Of Tayto
If I had to sum up Dublin in one packet of crisps, it would have to be Tayto. They’ve been around since the 1950s and boy have they evolved since then, from starting off as unflavoured to now being served in all sorts of flavours, including cheese and onion, smokey bacon, and much more. Once that first crisp touches your mouth, you’ll fall into an addiction that you’d wish you’d come across sooner.
A packet of Tayto can be bought in any shop across Dublin, and I mean any. Wherever you look, a packet is sold for a little under a euro, but for better value, you’re better off heading to a supermarket and buying a 6 pack for less than 3 euros. For added taste, get a sliced pan of bread and have a crisp sandwich. You’ll thank me later.
Mr Tayto, the man on the front of the packet, is a well-known Irish figure. You’ll often see him on billboards across the country, in newspapers, and anywhere else where they can advertise Tayto as a brand. Those who don’t find Tayto as appetising as us from Dublin can always head over to some websites that sell Tayto merchandise and look at the other types of souvenirs that you can buy. Alternatively, make your way to Tayto Park, a theme park branded around the crisps themselves. It’s only 30 minutes from the city centre and has a huge gift shop selling all sorts of bits.
8. A Farmers Cap
Another good souvenir to bring back from your trip is a farmers’ cap. While you mightn’t see a whole pile of people wearing these while walking around Dublin city centre, they’re still widely worn among people in more rural areas around the country. The actual name for them is flat caps, but Dubs being Dubs, caught up in thinking all of Ireland is just Dublin because they don’t usually see anybody wearing these, they seem a bit different to what they’re used to, they’ll sometimes refer to them as a farmers’ hat.
The hats are made with a mixture of wool, cotton, and tweed. To spot one, you might want to take a look at the TV programme Peaky Blinders, where a lot of the characters wear them.
You can find a farmers’ hat in many clothing shops across the city, including the likes of Penneys, H&M, and more.
9. A Bar Of Cadbury Chocolate
Cadbury is the leading chocolate brand in Ireland. Everybody eats it religiously around the country. There’s something about its taste that sets it apart from its competitors. It’s a lot milkier and sweeter. Just how us Irish like it.
Anyone who visits Dublin and gets their hands on this stuff goes mad for it. You can purchase the scrumptious chocolate in all sorts of flavours, but the most popular is the original milk chocolate. There’s nothing that can beat the OG. A small bar of the good stuff will only set you back a little under a euro, but if you want to get the bigger ones, which a lot of tourists do, expect to pay up to three euros.
Finding a bar won’t be hard as it’s sold all over Dublin in every second shop. Whether you’re in a supermarket picking up a few bits for dinner or at a garage getting some petrol, at the till when you pay, that’s where they’re usually found.
A bar of Cadbury chocolate is one of the tastiest gifts you can bring yourself home from Dublin.
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Written By Adam
Where In Dublin is owned, controlled and run by Adam Ryan. He’s a one-man army who knows Dublin like the back of his hand and strives to help anybody planning on visiting Dublin enjoy themselves.