Rolling Around Dublin, Ireland: A Wheelchair User’s Travel Guide

Dublin, Ireland is one of the most intriguing places on Earth to me and I’ve been wanting to visit for years. I traced my family heritage and it turns out that I am actually part Irish. The Irish are known for their mystique and their heritage is absolutely saturated with folklore. There are even bits of truth in there concerning Kings, conquests, and ghosts of long ago. All of these combine to make for a fantastic travel experience.

Yet, the thing we want to explore, as we always do with this series, is just exactly how accessible Dublin is to wheelchair travelers. So take a few moments and give this one a read. I am going to explore Dublin as it relates to all things related to wheelchair accessibility. I think you will be pleasantly surprised at how accessible the city is.

Transportation

As always, wheelchair travel on any of the major airlines into Dublin is not a problem. They will simply stow your wheelchair for you upon take off and it will be retrieved when you land. The airline staff and crew are more than attentive to your needs (or they should be at least) and this is always one of the most enjoyable portions of my trips around the world. I love getting to know the staff.

Before you head out to explore the city of Dublin, you will want to make sure that you know which bus lines and tramlines are accessible. These will be the ones that you will primarily be using during your trip, and they make travel that much easier. Should you need to find attractions or tourist sites that are somewhat outside of the city then knowing which bus and tram lines to take is absolutely key. For more information about accessible buses, click here.

Hotels and Lodging

There are several hotels in the city of Dublin that offer accessible rooms, and by accessible, I mean rooms that are complete with a roll in shower! These hotels are conveniently located within a short distance of main tourist attractions that include the Chester Beatty Library, Trinity College, and of course Dublin Castle.

If you want to go medieval and live like a king or queen, some of the castles also offer accessible rooms as well. Just make sure you reserve well in advance as these get scooped up rather quickly due to their charm and tourist appeal. Abbeyglen Castle and Cabra Castle are two of the best options.

Cabra Castle

Attractions

Many of the attractions located in Dublin are very accessible. For instance, Christchurch Cathedral is not only a national landmark, but also very accessible for wheelchair users. Ramps make navigation quite easy. The same is true of Wood Quay, and Dublin Castle. Accessibility is not an issue since the walkways are wide and the paths are not too steep. Be sure to visit Old Parliament House, which is also quite easy to navigate due to the accessible ramps and wide walkways. The best part about touring these attractions is that they are step free, meaning no obstacles in your way.

Christchurch Cathedral

Food

Dining in Dublin is a treat. Nothing satisfies your stomach and sates your pallet more than the taste of authentic Irish food topped off with a Guinness, or perhaps finished with an elegant dessert and some Irish coffee (yum!!).

The great part about dining in Dublin is that restaurants are easy to find for wheelchair users. You should have no problem at all finding a table that will suit you.

One word though. There might not be any accessible tables right at the bar, as they are mostly high top tables, so plan accordingly. You might want to make the bartender aware of your presence if you are an Irish whiskey aficionado and don’t plan on staying thirsty during your visit to the restaurant!

Other than that, I can offer that streets are fairly easy to navigate. Curbs are low which is a bonus and people tend to obey traffic laws, which is also a plus in my book. If you have ever spent time in a large city rolling through the streets on a wheelchair, you’ll appreciate law-abiding citizens who pay attention to things like traffic lights and those pesky stop signs.

Depending on the time of year you visit temperatures can vary drastically so plan accordingly. You might need to bundle up if you’re going during the cold season and obviously you can shed a few articles of clothing if the weather is a bit warmer. It has been known to rain frequently in Ireland as well, so I would pack an umbrella or a shower cap to cover your joystick with just in case. I promise you it will come in handy on more than one occasion!

*I have not visited Dublin. All information was found online from various sources.