The Stags Head, Dublin

Dublin is where pubs are born. Some do not survive, many leave the Irish shore, but few age as gracefully as the stable pubs that bestow so much character on Dublin. Avoid the tourist traps and fake 'Irish' pubs, and escape with the locals to learn how to savor a pint of Guinness on this pub crawl. Find out how to ensure you always get a great pint and why it's important. Follow in the footsteps of the Irish literary giants like Patrick Kavanagh, Flann O'Brien, and Brendan Behan. If Dublin has hidden gems, they're the pubs that don't advertise to tourists. The locals. The authentic Irish pub where the conversation is flowing faster than the beer, where the character of the pub is as fascinating as the characters in it, where literature, society, and history eternally live. The best time to start is 7 PM, assuming you've eaten dinner prior to the tour. Bring a pen — you never know what these aged walls will murmur to your thoughts.

Following Irish Independence, a few men sat down and thought about what they would do with Dublin. Following much intense discussion and with the preservation of the British and Irish cultures in mind, it was born into the city it is today. Since then, Dublin has become a symbol of reconciling Ireland's British past with its Irish future. The British Trinity College (with its Protestant legacy) has produced Oscar Wilde and Jonathan Swift, and Dublin's pubs have produced writers from the Irish tradition, such as Patrick Kavanagh and Brendan Behan. This tour is, therefore, a tribute to Dublin's dual personality, and the pub door will be the boundary between the two worlds. Get comfortable in a few warm pubs throughout the tour where you will discuss important aspects of history, including Irish origins, the Irish language, and the Celtic Tiger. With this in mind, you will pop into a great pub every 20-40 minutes. Besides the history lessons, you'll learn about beer and the Irish pub, and will also partake in/witness an activity that the Irish are renowned for, conversation.