CURRENT POPULATION: 1,180,000
% POP GROWTH: 2%
CITY AREA: 115 KM2

CITY DENSITY: 4,304 INH/KM2
GDP PER CAPITA: €43,928
DIALLING CODE: +353

ENTERTAINING A CLIENT
TOWN BAR & GRILL
21 KILDARE STREET
TEL. 01 662 4724
U2 are big fans of this trattoria-style eatery, which includes the Irish parliament and The Shelbourne hotel among its neighbours. There’s real flair to chef Phil Yeung’s modern Italian cooking, and the apricot and sage stuffed rabbit and hearty clam, fish, chorizo and red pepper zuppa keep Bono and co. coming back. Town is also renowned for its Mediterranean take on Sunday brunch – the poached pear bruschetta with Cashel Blue cheese is good – and the wine list isn’t afraid to stray from the beaten track.

WITH FRIENDS
SALAMANCA
1 ST ANDREW’S STREET
TEL. 01 677 4799
Tapas-loving locals flock here for albondigas, patatas bravas and pimientos rellenos that are a match for anything you’ll find in Spain. Live flamenco music on Sunday and Monday night adds to the Iberian charm.  

CLOSING THE DEAL
L’ECRIVAIN
109A LOWER BAGGOT STREET
TEL. 01 661 1919
French classics get a contemporary makeover in this Michelin-starred restaurant, which is big on seasonal and local ingredients. Chef-owner Derry Clarke has become something of a celebrity in recent years, with regular TV

STYLE
THE HORSESHOE BAR
SHELBOURNE HOTEL, 27 ST SEPHEN’S GREEN
TEL. 01 676 6471
The Horseshoe is opulent without being stuffy, and welcomes VIPs, business people and tourists alike. Its royal champagne cocktail, made with Louis XIII Cognac, brown sugar and Cristal, is as deliciously decadent as it sounds.

RELAX
THE LONG HALL
51 GEORGE’S STREET
TEL. 01 475 1590
This elegant old bar made national headlines during the summer when Bruce Springsteen popped in for a pint. There’s no music or TV, just lively chatter and décor straight out of a James Joyce novel.

VALUE
RUSSELL COURT
21-25 HARCOURT STREET
TEL. 01 478 4066
There’s an air of Georgian splendour about this converted townhouse, which is a few minutes’ walk from leafy St Stephen’s Green. It has several meeting rooms and a spectacular new balcony bar that can be booked for corporate events.

BUSINESS
BROOKS HOTEL
59-62 DRURY STREET
TEL. 01 670 4000
Tucked away down a quiet city centre side street a few minutes from Grafton Street and Temple Bar, this four-star boutique hotel has free Wi-Fi access throughout and a hi-tech screening room, which can accommodate up to 60 people. The bar, restaurant and lounge areas are also designed with the corporate guest in mind, and there’s multi-storey car parking available across the road.

BESPOKE
THE DYLAN
EASTMORELAND PLACE
TEL. 01 660 3000
The exterior may be Victorian, but inside The Dylan is as 21st century as Dublin hotels come, with neat little touches like loaded iPods in its 46 bedrooms. The cocktail bar and restaurant are destinations in their own right, and if you need a helicopter chartering service the concierge has one on speed-dial.

Michael McIntyre, Stephen Lynch, Jimmy Carr, Rich Hall and Maz Jobrani are just a handful of the top comedians coming to Dublin from 6-23 September for the Bulmers International Comedy Festival (www.bulmerscomedy.ie).

Dublin’s answer to Selfridges and Bloomingdales is Brown Thomas (www.brownthomas.com), a temple to all things luxury and designer, which opened its Grafton Street doors in 1849. Along with international brands, such as Hermès, Chanel and Cartier, it’s also the place to check out stars of the Irish fashion industry – Louise Kennedy, Paul Costello and EDUN.

Arthur J. Guinness celebrates his 250th birthday on 27 September with a Dublin-wide series of celebrations (www.guinness.com). Connoisseurs should also visit the Guinness Storehouse and its Gravity Bar, where they can enjoy stunning 360° views of the city while sipping a pint of the black stuff.

If you need a dinner suit in a hurry, you can hire a full range of formal wear from Black Tie’s city centre stores on Baggot Street and Westmoreland Street.