As with any self-respecting metropolis, Dublin has a strong theatre scene – and then some, thanks to Ireland’s esteemed literary heritage: playwrights Samuel Beckett, Oscar Wilde, George Bernard Shaw, John Millington Synge, Sean O’Casey and Brendan Brehan. And that is just the tip of the cultural iceberg, what with contemporary movers and shakers such as Mark O’Rowe, Jimmy Murphy and Peter Sheridan shaking up the limelight.

From period plays in old theatres to period plays in new theatres via contemporary dance in arts centres and stage schools, there’s something for everyone and at varying prices. City centre restaurants too have cashed in on the scene, offering many a Pre-Theatre Menu to drama-oriented diners.

Annual drama events include the Gay & Lesbian Theatre Festival (May), Dublin Fringe (September) and the Dublin Theatre Festival (September/October).