Dublin’s street art scene has exploded in recent years, and this three-hour walking tour takes you straight to its creative heart. Starting near Smithfield Square on the city’s Northside, the route winds through some of Dublin’s most visually striking neighbourhoods before finishing among the galleries and laneways of Temple Bar.
Smithfield sets the tone immediately. The square’s walls are covered in large-scale murals that tell stories of the neighbourhood’s past - from the old Jameson distillery workers to contemporary Irish identity. Your guide explains the artists, the commissions, and the local controversies behind the work. From there, the walk takes a darker turn at St Michan’s Church, one of the oldest churches on the Northside, where legends of the Strangler of Smithfield and other captivating stories add genuine intrigue to the visual feast.
The route passes the Four Courts, the imposing legal landmark that played a pivotal role in the events of 1916 and the Civil War. Your guide explains the architecture and the history before the walk crosses the Liffey into Temple Bar. Here, the narrow streets are alive with murals, paste-ups, stencil work, and installations that reflect Dublin’s artistic soul. By the time the tour ends, you will see the city’s walls, doorways, and alleyways as the open-air gallery they have become.
