Why Dublin?
The Irish capital boasts hundreds of years of rich history, making it a destination that allows you to explore the present and the past in equal measure.
As Ireland's economy has returned to rude health in recent years, the cultural and culinary traditions of the city also have boomed – plus it hosts unique national and international shopping destinations.
You will almost be overwhelmed by the choices on hand for a short break in this confident, friendly city. With playwrights such as W B Yeats, Samuel Beckett, Sean O'Casey and more recent talents such as Martin McDonagh and Enda Walsh, it's no surprise to find the Irish capital boasts a wide variety of theatre options.
The Smock Alley Theatre (www.smockalley.com) still occupies a space on the south Dublin quays that housed its first incarnation, the Theatre Royal, since 1662, albeit with a hiatus of 225 years when the building was a Catholic church.
In a Victorian building off the historic St Stephen's Green, the Gaiety Theatre (www.gaietytheatre.ie) offers a range of jukebox musicals and pantomime during the winter. Opened in 1871, it features a wall of handprints of some of the Irish and international stars who have performed there, including opera singer Luciano Pavarotti and local legends such as Maureen Potter and Niall Toibin.
The Abbey (www.abbeytheatre.ie), Ireland's national theatre, was founded in 1904 by Yeats, and has been the standard-bearer for Irish culture over the years, holding premieres of plays by the likes of J M Synge and, more recently, Roddy Doyle. It puts on Irish-language plays, as well as hosting touring productions of Tony-winning shows such as Come from Away.
A comfortable bed
Dublin is a city defined by the river that runs through it, the Liffey, and the best place for any traveller to base themselves is along it. The Spencer (www.thespencerhotel.com), a boutique hotel, is on the northern bank and is just minutes' walk from the centre of town, near to tram routes that will take you farther afield. Some of the light and airy rooms have balconies giving great views of the Dublin Mountains far to the south, while the smart, modern building conceals a decent-sized pool, a spa complex and gym, and a restaurant serving excellent Asian-inspired cuisine. Parking is available in nearby underground spaces. There are a wide variety of elegant and stylish rooms and suites, all of which have air conditioning and Nespresso machines, as well as power showers and docking stations. Expect to pay from about €200 (Dh846) per night for a double room.
Book a table
The food scene in Dublin has exploded in recent years: local food blog Lovin Dublin nails it when they wrote recently that "long gone are the days of hmm-ing and haw-ing over whether to go to 'the Italian' or 'the Indian' for dinner on a Saturday night; the problem right now is trying to choose between the 40 or so really, truly super restaurants in the city centre".
Taking its name from a dish prepared for Beckett as he was recuperating from being stabbed in Paris in 1938, Assassination Custard (www.facebook.com/assassinationcustard) is a tiny, two-to-three-table restaurant in south Dublin, near St Patrick's Cathedral. Chefs Ken Doherty and Gwen McGrath take their inspiration from the Mediterranean, from southern France through Sicily and the Middle East. The menu changes constantly, but the pair have riffed on such classics as vitello tonnato and home-made labneh. Prices are cheap, with a meal for two of five dishes setting you back less than €40. Booking is essential.
Take a trip back in history at Delahunt (www.delahunt.ie), a Dublin favourite on Camden Street (fast becoming a must-visit location for foodies), which James Joyce referenced in Ulysses: "But wait till I tell you, he said. Delahunt of Camden Street had the catering... Lashings of stuff... to which we did ample justice. Fast and furious it was. After liquids came solids. Cold joints galore and mince pies…"
Comprising three venues, the restaurant, sitting room and cafe, head chef Dermot Staunton's menu at the restaurant always offers "three starters, three mains, three desserts, and rotating specials". For €34 to €44 (Dh144 to Dh186) per person, the menu features the cream of Irish produce, including home-smoked salmon and native fish and beef, served under vaulted ceilings and amid the original features of the Victorian building.
Find your feet
Steeped in the history of the country's centuries-long struggle to throw off the shackles of British rule (which eventually led to independence in 1922), Dublin proudly celebrates its role in that fight. Visit Dublin offers a series of apps (www.visitdublin.com/see-do/dublin-discovery-trails) that will guide you across the city in the footsteps of the Irish rebels who took part in the Easter Rising in 1916 that is widely credited with revitalising the national movement that resulted in self-determination six years later. The two-hour tour takes in Dublin Castle, from where the British ruled Ireland, to the General Post Office, where the rebels made their final stand. Other walking apps also explore the capital's literary, military and cultural history.
Another innovative way to soak up the city's inimitable characters is to take the Talking Statues tour (www.talkingstatuesdublin.ie). Walk a route that brings you past ten of Dublin's most famous statues – as you pass them, check in with your smartphone to receive a call back from such luminaries as James Joyce (written by Roddy Doyle and voiced by Gabriel Byrne) or Oscar Wilde.
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Read more:
My Kind of Place: Galway, Ireland
Where to eat, sleep and shop in Belfast
On a Game of Thrones trail in Northern Ireland
In the footsteps of literary greatness in Ireland
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Meet the locals
The neighbourhood of Stoneybatter, which sits just to north of the Liffey and the city centre, has been described by some as Dublin’s “Little Williamsburg” – in reference to the hipster Brooklyn suburb of New York. Bordered by Phoenix Park – one of the largest urban spaces in Europe – the redbrick streets of this formerly working-class district have seen a blossoming of cultural and culinary establishments.
Shoppers’ paradise
Avoca began as a wool mill in County Wicklow in the 1720s, and became a leading weaver of local fabrics. Over the years, it has developed into a clothing, retail and food brand – an "Irish Cath Kidston". Located on Suffolk Street in the heart of Dublin, the brand has a seven-storey department store (www.avocahandweavers.com) which was listed by Vogue UK as one of the best 100 shops outside of Great Britain. You can browse from fashion to home furnishings; there is also china and vintage furniture. It has been described as "a mixture of Heal's for homewares, Selfridges Foodhall, Bettys tea rooms, Ghost for womenswear and Daisy & Tom for kids clothes and toys".
Don’t miss
The Poolbeg Stacks excite great debate among Dubliners – the 200-metre-high towers at the Poolbeg Generating Station have been decommissioned since 2010, but are an unofficial icon for the city. U2 filmed their Pride (In the Name of Love) video using them as a backdrop. The Great South Wall at the Port extends more than four kilometres into Dublin Bay and affords astonishing views of the stacks and across the region.
Getting there
Emirates (www.emirates.com) and Etihad (www.etihad.com) fly direct from Dubai and Abu Dhabi to Dublin, in about eight hours. Return fares cost from Dh3,200, including taxes.
Director: Laxman Utekar
Cast: Vicky Kaushal, Akshaye Khanna, Diana Penty, Vineet Kumar Singh, Rashmika Mandanna
Rating: 1/5
The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4-cyl
Power: 153hp at 6,000rpm
Torque: 200Nm at 4,000rpm
Transmission: 6-speed auto
Price: Dh99,000
On sale: now
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
Formula Middle East Calendar (Formula Regional and Formula 4)
Round 1: January 17-19, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 2: January 22-23, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 3: February 7-9, Dubai Autodrome – Dubai
Round 4: February 14-16, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 5: February 25-27, Jeddah Corniche Circuit – Saudi Arabia
Skewed figures
In the village of Mevagissey in southwest England the housing stock has doubled in the last century while the number of residents is half the historic high. The village's Neighbourhood Development Plan states that 26% of homes are holiday retreats. Prices are high, averaging around £300,000, £50,000 more than the Cornish average of £250,000. The local average wage is £15,458.
Test
Director: S Sashikanth
Cast: Nayanthara, Siddharth, Meera Jasmine, R Madhavan
Star rating: 2/5
A MINECRAFT MOVIE
Director: Jared Hess
Starring: Jack Black, Jennifer Coolidge, Jason Momoa
Rating: 3/5
If you go...
Etihad Airways flies from Abu Dhabi to Kuala Lumpur, from about Dh3,600. Air Asia currently flies from Kuala Lumpur to Terengganu, with Berjaya Hotels & Resorts planning to launch direct chartered flights to Redang Island in the near future. Rooms at The Taaras Beach and Spa Resort start from 680RM (Dh597).
UAE v Zimbabwe A
Results
Match 1 – UAE won by 4 wickets
Match 2 – UAE won by 5 wickets
Match 3 – UAE won by 25 runs
Match 4 – UAE won by 77 runs
Fixture
Match 5, Saturday, 9.30am start, ICC Academy, Dubai
Mercer, the investment consulting arm of US services company Marsh & McLennan, expects its wealth division to at least double its assets under management (AUM) in the Middle East as wealth in the region continues to grow despite economic headwinds, a company official said.
Mercer Wealth, which globally has $160 billion in AUM, plans to boost its AUM in the region to $2-$3bn in the next 2-3 years from the present $1bn, said Yasir AbuShaban, a Dubai-based principal with Mercer Wealth.
“Within the next two to three years, we are looking at reaching $2 to $3 billion as a conservative estimate and we do see an opportunity to do so,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Mercer does not directly make investments, but allocates clients’ money they have discretion to, to professional asset managers. They also provide advice to clients.
“We have buying power. We can negotiate on their (client’s) behalf with asset managers to provide them lower fees than they otherwise would have to get on their own,” he added.
Mercer Wealth’s clients include sovereign wealth funds, family offices, and insurance companies among others.
From its office in Dubai, Mercer also looks after Africa, India and Turkey, where they also see opportunity for growth.
Wealth creation in Middle East and Africa (MEA) grew 8.5 per cent to $8.1 trillion last year from $7.5tn in 2015, higher than last year’s global average of 6 per cent and the second-highest growth in a region after Asia-Pacific which grew 9.9 per cent, according to consultancy Boston Consulting Group (BCG). In the region, where wealth grew just 1.9 per cent in 2015 compared with 2014, a pickup in oil prices has helped in wealth generation.
BCG is forecasting MEA wealth will rise to $12tn by 2021, growing at an annual average of 8 per cent.
Drivers of wealth generation in the region will be split evenly between new wealth creation and growth of performance of existing assets, according to BCG.
Another general trend in the region is clients’ looking for a comprehensive approach to investing, according to Mr AbuShaban.
“Institutional investors or some of the families are seeing a slowdown in the available capital they have to invest and in that sense they are looking at optimizing the way they manage their portfolios and making sure they are not investing haphazardly and different parts of their investment are working together,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Some clients also have a higher appetite for risk, given the low interest-rate environment that does not provide enough yield for some institutional investors. These clients are keen to invest in illiquid assets, such as private equity and infrastructure.
“What we have seen is a desire for higher returns in what has been a low-return environment specifically in various fixed income or bonds,” he said.
“In this environment, we have seen a de facto increase in the risk that clients are taking in things like illiquid investments, private equity investments, infrastructure and private debt, those kind of investments were higher illiquidity results in incrementally higher returns.”
The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, one of the largest sovereign wealth funds, said in its 2016 report that has gradually increased its exposure in direct private equity and private credit transactions, mainly in Asian markets and especially in China and India. The authority’s private equity department focused on structured equities owing to “their defensive characteristics.”
The National's picks
4.35pm: Tilal Al Khalediah
5.10pm: Continous
5.45pm: Raging Torrent
6.20pm: West Acre
7pm: Flood Zone
7.40pm: Straight No Chaser
8.15pm: Romantic Warrior
8.50pm: Calandogan
9.30pm: Forever Young
Where to donate in the UAE
The Emirates Charity Portal
You can donate to several registered charities through a “donation catalogue”. The use of the donation is quite specific, such as buying a fan for a poor family in Niger for Dh130.
The General Authority of Islamic Affairs & Endowments
The site has an e-donation service accepting debit card, credit card or e-Dirham, an electronic payment tool developed by the Ministry of Finance and First Abu Dhabi Bank.
Al Noor Special Needs Centre
You can donate online or order Smiles n’ Stuff products handcrafted by Al Noor students. The centre publishes a wish list of extras needed, starting at Dh500.
Beit Al Khair Society
Beit Al Khair Society has the motto “From – and to – the UAE,” with donations going towards the neediest in the country. Its website has a list of physical donation sites, but people can also contribute money by SMS, bank transfer and through the hotline 800-22554.
Dar Al Ber Society
Dar Al Ber Society, which has charity projects in 39 countries, accept cash payments, money transfers or SMS donations. Its donation hotline is 800-79.
Dubai Cares
Dubai Cares provides several options for individuals and companies to donate, including online, through banks, at retail outlets, via phone and by purchasing Dubai Cares branded merchandise. It is currently running a campaign called Bookings 2030, which allows people to help change the future of six underprivileged children and young people.
Emirates Airline Foundation
Those who travel on Emirates have undoubtedly seen the little donation envelopes in the seat pockets. But the foundation also accepts donations online and in the form of Skywards Miles. Donated miles are used to sponsor travel for doctors, surgeons, engineers and other professionals volunteering on humanitarian missions around the world.
Emirates Red Crescent
On the Emirates Red Crescent website you can choose between 35 different purposes for your donation, such as providing food for fasters, supporting debtors and contributing to a refugee women fund. It also has a list of bank accounts for each donation type.
Gulf for Good
Gulf for Good raises funds for partner charity projects through challenges, like climbing Kilimanjaro and cycling through Thailand. This year’s projects are in partnership with Street Child Nepal, Larchfield Kids, the Foundation for African Empowerment and SOS Children's Villages. Since 2001, the organisation has raised more than $3.5 million (Dh12.8m) in support of over 50 children’s charities.
Noor Dubai Foundation
Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum launched the Noor Dubai Foundation a decade ago with the aim of eliminating all forms of preventable blindness globally. You can donate Dh50 to support mobile eye camps by texting the word “Noor” to 4565 (Etisalat) or 4849 (du).
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Xpanceo
Started: 2018
Founders: Roman Axelrod, Valentyn Volkov
Based: Dubai, UAE
Industry: Smart contact lenses, augmented/virtual reality
Funding: $40 million
Investor: Opportunity Venture (Asia)
Result
2.15pm: Maiden Dh75,000 1,950m; Winner: Majestic Thunder, Tadhg O’Shea (jockey), Satish Seemar (trainer).
2.45pm: Handicap Dh80,000 1,800m; Winner: Tailor’s Row, Royston Ffrench, Salem bin Ghadayer.
3.15pm: Handicap Dh85,000 1,600m; Winner: Native Appeal, Adam McLean, Doug Watson.
3.45pm: Handicap Dh115,000 1,950m; Winner: Conclusion, Antonio Fresu, Musabah Al Muhairi.
4.15pm: Handicap Dh100,000 1,400m; Winner: Pilgrim’s Treasure, Tadhg O’Shea, Satish Seemar.
4.45pm: Maiden Dh75,000 1,400m; Winner: Sanad Libya, Richard Mullen, Satish Seemar.
5.15pm: Handicap Dh90,000 1,000m; Winner: Midlander, Richard Mullen, Satish Seemar
More on Quran memorisation:
UPI facts
More than 2.2 million Indian tourists arrived in UAE in 2023
More than 3.5 million Indians reside in UAE
Indian tourists can make purchases in UAE using rupee accounts in India through QR-code-based UPI real-time payment systems
Indian residents in UAE can use their non-resident NRO and NRE accounts held in Indian banks linked to a UAE mobile number for UPI transactions
ASSASSIN'S%20CREED%20MIRAGE
%3Cp%3E%0DDeveloper%3A%20Ubisoft%20Bordeaux%0D%3Cbr%3EPublisher%3A%20Ubisoft%0D%3Cbr%3EConsoles%3A%20PlayStation%204%26amp%3B5%2C%20PC%20and%20Xbox%20Series%20S%26amp%3BX%0D%3Cbr%3ERating%3A%203.5%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
The smuggler
Eldarir had arrived at JFK in January 2020 with three suitcases, containing goods he valued at $300, when he was directed to a search area.
Officers found 41 gold artefacts among the bags, including amulets from a funerary set which prepared the deceased for the afterlife.
Also found was a cartouche of a Ptolemaic king on a relief that was originally part of a royal building or temple.
The largest single group of items found in Eldarir’s cases were 400 shabtis, or figurines.
Khouli conviction
Khouli smuggled items into the US by making false declarations to customs about the country of origin and value of the items.
According to Immigration and Customs Enforcement, he provided “false provenances which stated that [two] Egyptian antiquities were part of a collection assembled by Khouli's father in Israel in the 1960s” when in fact “Khouli acquired the Egyptian antiquities from other dealers”.
He was sentenced to one year of probation, six months of home confinement and 200 hours of community service in 2012 after admitting buying and smuggling Egyptian antiquities, including coffins, funerary boats and limestone figures.
For sale
A number of other items said to come from the collection of Ezeldeen Taha Eldarir are currently or recently for sale.
Their provenance is described in near identical terms as the British Museum shabti: bought from Salahaddin Sirmali, "authenticated and appraised" by Hossen Rashed, then imported to the US in 1948.
- An Egyptian Mummy mask dating from 700BC-30BC, is on offer for £11,807 ($15,275) online by a seller in Mexico
- A coffin lid dating back to 664BC-332BC was offered for sale by a Colorado-based art dealer, with a starting price of $65,000
- A shabti that was on sale through a Chicago-based coin dealer, dating from 1567BC-1085BC, is up for $1,950
At a glance
Global events: Much of the UK’s economic woes were blamed on “increased global uncertainty”, which can be interpreted as the economic impact of the Ukraine war and the uncertainty over Donald Trump’s tariffs.
Growth forecasts: Cut for 2025 from 2 per cent to 1 per cent. The OBR watchdog also estimated inflation will average 3.2 per cent this year
Welfare: Universal credit health element cut by 50 per cent and frozen for new claimants, building on cuts to the disability and incapacity bill set out earlier this month
Spending cuts: Overall day-to day-spending across government cut by £6.1bn in 2029-30
Tax evasion: Steps to crack down on tax evasion to raise “£6.5bn per year” for the public purse
Defence: New high-tech weaponry, upgrading HM Naval Base in Portsmouth
Housing: Housebuilding to reach its highest in 40 years, with planning reforms helping generate an extra £3.4bn for public finances
Meydan race card
6pm Dubai Trophy – Conditions(TB) $100,000 (Turf) 1,200m
6.35Dubai Trophy – Conditions(TB) $100,000 (Turf) 1,200m
1,800m
7.10pm Jumeirah Derby Trial – Conditions (TB) $60,000 (T)
1,800m ,400m
7.45pm Al Rashidiya – Group 2 (TB) $180,000 (T) 1,800m
8.20pm Al Fahidi Fort – Group 2 (TB) $180,000 (T) 1,400m
8.55pm Dubawi Stakes – Group 3 (TB) $150,000 (D) 1,200m
9.30pm Aliyah – Rated Conditions (TB) $80,000 (D) 2,000m
Volvo ES90 Specs
Engine: Electric single motor (96kW), twin motor (106kW) and twin motor performance (106kW)
Power: 333hp, 449hp, 680hp
Torque: 480Nm, 670Nm, 870Nm
On sale: Later in 2025 or early 2026, depending on region
Price: Exact regional pricing TBA
The specs
AT4 Ultimate, as tested
Engine: 6.2-litre V8
Power: 420hp
Torque: 623Nm
Transmission: 10-speed automatic
Price: From Dh330,800 (Elevation: Dh236,400; AT4: Dh286,800; Denali: Dh345,800)
On sale: Now
