Here are 5 hidden gems in the heart of Dublin as revealed by Daniel who works at Isaacs Hostel and is a lover of authentic Dublin and Dublin History

Pav Bar Trinity College

The Pav is tucked away right at the back of Trinity college looking out onto the cricket grounds, eww cricket… The Pav is a pretty decent student bar, but it really comes into it’s own during the summer. On a lovely day people flock there to flake out on the steps, drink in the atmosphere and have a beer. Drinking in public is illegal, so usually sitting in a park with a couple of beers is a big no no. Due to the fact that Trinity is privately owned it’ s perfectly fine to grab some cans from the Pav, sit outside and soak up the sunshine

The Cobblestone Trad Session

You often see the words “Trad session tonight” written on chalk boards strewn all over Temple Bar. The sad truth is that these are not really sessions, these are bands hired to play between certain hours and they don’t take to kindly to other musicians getting involved. That’s a shame because that’s what the “session” is, improvising, coming together and creating a more informal and infectious atmosphere. The Cobblestone is the home of the “session. When you walk inside you are greeted by a gaggle of musicians in the far corner practically sitting on top of each other. If you have any interest in Irish Trad you owe it to yourself to make it to the Cobblestone

The Science Gallery

The Science museum is one of my favorite little secrets. These guys have some wonderfully thought provoking exhibits and lectures. They are far from boring a lot of the exhibits are interactive(last time I smelled Cheese made from human skin). The cafe is also fantastic not to mention their gift shop full of interesting gift ideas, most of which are educational but still nonetheless a lot of fun

Comedy Crunch

The Comedy Crunch is hardly a secret anymore as it is one of Dublin’s most loved comedy events. I feel I need to mention it because a free comedy night in Dublin is a rare thing, never mind the free ice cream they hand out at the interval. The comedy crunch is by far one of the Best showcases of Irish comedy in the city and takes place regularly in the Stags Head off Dame Street

The Docklands

The docklands was meant to become a hive of activity when the whole area was renovated. Due to the financial crash in 2008 it never became the busy lively area it was imagined to be. This makes it quite nice to walk about during the afternoon and there are some lovely views and this is a great place for taking some more artsy snaps for those amateur photographers out there. There are some great bars and cafes around the docklands and it’s a bit off the beaten track so none of them tend to be too crowded

The thing about hidden gems is that they are hidden and I can’t possibly find or reveal them all, but come stay at Isaacs Hostel and you can have a good go at discovering the Hidden Dublin

Daniel Maguire ( Fluffy )