Spontaneously decided to spend a weekend in Dublin Dec7th - 9th...and would really like any opinions on cheap places to stay (travelling solo) and also pubs that should not be missed!

Thanks

No opinions on the best Irish Pubs???

My preference is for the more authentic pubs and am simply on a quest for the best pint of Guiness in Dublin

peyton18,
Having not been to Ireland yet, I've been checking out this website:

http://www.dublinpubscene.com/index2.html

Sandy

Most of the Dubliners I've met on recent travels have been in Riga.

Best pint of Guinness in Dublin is Mulligan's on Poolbeg Street (very close to Trinity College).

I also write a Dublin guide including pubs:

http://www.hidden-dublin.com/pubs/pubs05.html

I agree with Cailin when she suggests Mulligans. A close second would be Peter's Pub, hidden away in the south city and not found too often by tourists.

You will find more unusual suggestions on my pages - I invite everyone to click around!

Foggy Dew and Dice Bar

Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! Fabulous link...more than I ever could have hoped for!!!

Thank you everyone for your suggestions

We heard good music in the Pale Pub and the Brazen Head. They are both quite touristy but not in Temple Bar.

You should check out bootsnall.com for their Irish website on cheap places to stay. We stayed at O'Neills Townhouse is listed as a hostel, but for 2 people was 130 Euros (so may be pricier than you want). The location is outstanding, though, and it is a townhouse located above a bar. The bar is very nice and traditional.

Our favorite pub was O'Neills on Grafton Street (not the O'Neills described above). They have very good live music, it isn't touristy, and they have nice plasma screens showing soccer/other applicable sport in the downstairs area. I really did not like the Brazen Head. The music was good but the pub was so packed with tourists, that you couldn't even see the musicians.

Here's the link to O'Neills Townhouse: http://www.oneillsdublin.com/

After a night of drinking, head to Zaytoon (sp) for some authentic Persian food. The best!!!

We stayed at the Ashfield House and it was great. The continental breakfast was more than we expected and the room was comfortable and had its own bathroom. It's very centrally located.
The Hairy Lemon was a cool pub.