Side Trips from Dublin - Dublin - page 154

Iona House A sitting room with a glowing open fireplace, chim-
ing clocks, brass fixtures, and dark-wood furnishings sets a welcom-
ing tone for guests at this two-story redbrick Victorian home. Built
around the turn of the 20th century, it has been operated as a guest-
house by Jack Shouldice since 1963. Iona House is in a residential
neighborhood 15 minutes from the city center, within walking dis-
tance of the Botanic Gardens. Guest rooms offer modern hotel-style
appointments, orthopedic beds, and contemporary Irish-made
furnishings.
5 Iona Park, Glasnevin, Dublin 9. & 01/830-6217. Fax [phone] units. € 96
($116) double. Rates include full breakfast. MC, V. Parking available on street.
Closed Dec-Jan. Bus: 19 or 19A. Amenities: Lounge; nonsmoking rooms; patio.
In room:TV, hair dryer.

Red Bank House This comfortable nook in the heart
of Skerries town is only 20 to 30 minutes by car from Dublin Air-
port, so it can provide a convenient first or last night's lodging for
your Ireland holiday. Better yet, it virtually abuts the award-winning
Red Bank restaurant (see “Where to Dine,” below), so you are guar-
anteed a memorable introductory or farewell meal in the country.
There's an invitingly simply country style to the guest rooms—
cream walls, dark woods, crisp white bedspreads, and floral drapes.
The power showers are just the ticket after or before a long journey.
7 Church St. and Convent Lane, Skerries, County Dublin. & 01/849-1005 or 01/849-
0439. Fax [phone]. www.redbank.ie. 18 units (several with shower only).

Value

140
($168) double. Rates include service charge and full Irish breakfast. Half-board (B&B
and dinner) for 2

€

180 ($216). AE, DC, MC, V. Parking on street and lane. Suburban
rail. Bus: 33. Amenities: Restaurant (seafood). In room: TV, dataport, tea/cof-
feemaker, hair dryer.
WHERE TO DINE
EXPENSIVE
Abbey Tavern SEAFOOD/INTERNATIONAL Well known
for its nightly traditional-music ballad sessions, this 16th-century
tavern also has a full-service restaurant upstairs. Although the menu
changes by season, entrees often include scallops Ty A r M o r (with
mushrooms, prawns, and cream sauce), crepes fruits de mer (seafood
crepes), poached salmon, duck with orange and Curaçao sauce, and
veal a la crème. After a meal, you might want to join the audience
downstairs for some lively Irish traditional music.
Abbey St., Howth, County Dublin. & 01/839-0307. www.abbeytavern.ie. Reserva-
tions required. Fixed-price dinner

€

€ 35 ($42). MC, V. Mon-Sat 7-11pm. DART:

Howth. Bus: 31.