Fancy hitting the ice? Christmas 2008 is fast approaching, and so is the return of the remarkable Dublin On Ice spectacle at Smithfield! Whether you’re a novice on the ice, or if you want to show off your fancy figure skating moves, it’s a wonderful experience. Find out more about this popular festive Dublin event…
About Smithfield…
Smithfield is located in Dublin 7, close to the city centre, in an area on the Northside of Dublin. It’s one of the major historic areas of Dublin city and is bordered to the north by Brunswick Street, the River Liffey to the south, Queen Street to the east and Bow Street on the west.
Since the 17th century, there has been trading of horses and cattle in the market area. The main public square was actually the site of the market for many years, now it’s Smithfield Plaza. The best known tourist attractions in the area are the Old Jameson Whiskey Distillery and the Smithfield Chimney.
The Smithfield area was given a makeover under the Historic Area Rejuvenation Plan, and has been transformed into a vibrant residential and commerical area. The redevopepment plan incorporated the removing of nearly half a million cobblestones that were over 120 years old, cleaning and restoring them, and then relaying them.
Smithfield is still a popular market place, in particular the Horse Market which takes place on the first Sunday every month, and the famous Dublin City Fruit, Vegetable and Flower Market.
It’s a buzzing and fashionable place, and fast becoming a new cultural heart in Dublin city centre. There are plenty Dublin hotels nearby, as well as fine restaurants and popular bars such as the Voodoo Lounge and the Cobblestone Bar.
Fancy spending the night in Dublin? All our accommodation is Irish Tourist Board approved, so check out our Dublin accommodation page.
Smithfield on Ice…
Smithfield on Ice is running from November 2008 to January 2009. It’s located in Smithfield Square and attracted around 80,000 skaters last year. It’s a wonderful place for families, couples, and friends to enjoy the festive season in a clean, safe and fully covered skating rink.
The Smithfield on Ice Show will cover the entire festive season, and is scheduled to take place from November 21st to the 11th January, and is open every day for almost 12 hours, except for Christmas Day. Booking in advance is well advised, as there’s such a great demand for tickets.
The Ice rink covers an area of 1,000 square metres and you can skate the whole rink in 13 minutes if you’re an expert. Nearly half a million pints of water were used in making the ice for the rink, and the ice is usually 1.2 inches thick! You can also learn how to play ice hockey here.
The organisers do recommend that an adult accompany children under 12 years of age. Don’t be afraid or uneasy if you’re new to ice skating, as there are friendly, well trained staff to lend a hand and give you plenty of pointers!
How much does it cost?
The cost for an hour at the rink is 16.00 Euro for adults, with under 12′s 10.00 Euro; students 13.00 Euro during term time, and family tickets are also available at a discount.
Opening times…
Monday to Friday 10.30am to 10.15pm;
Saturday & Sunday 10am to 10pm.
24th & 31st December: 10.30am to 6.25pm; 26th December: 11.45am to10.15pm and the 1st January: 11.45pm to 10pm.
Find out more about Dublin on Ice.
How to get to Smithfield…
By LUAS - Take the tram or LUAS (Red Line) as far as the Smithfield stop.
By bus - Bus numbers 25, 25A, 67, 67A from Middle Abbey Street all go to the Smithfield area, as do bus numbers 68, 69, 79 from Aston Quay or the number 90 from Connolly, Tara and Heuston Stations. All buses stop at Merchants Quay except for the number 90 from Heuston Station, this stops Arran Quay.
By car - If you’re driving to the Smithfield area, drive onto Dorset Street. Take a left onto Bolton Street followed by a left at the junction onto Church Street. At the second set of lights turn right and veer left at the Jameson Distillery, and you’ll be at Smithfield Village.
If you have any queries, or anything you’d like to add, we’d be delighted to hear from you. Leave a message in the comment box below and we’ll get back to you.
