Dublin 5 April 2006

R our '‘tour guide' has spent years convincing American tourists that his job is to talk to visitors in pubs and promote Ireland. I was fascinated by his anti car theft device. No steering wheel Stop Lock for R but a length of heavy duty chain connected to his car seat and padlock to the steering wheel.

Deciding not to spend all day in the city R took us on a mini tour of County Wicklow also known as The Garden of Ireland. Both of us being fond of Kent The Garden of England it was an appropriate destination.

First stop was IMMA: Irish Museum of Modern Art Royal Hospital, Military Road, Kilmainham. Unfortunately the Magnum Ireland show had not started but it is on now until 18 June. There is a great shop at the museum and R had to drag us out of there before we bought any more books.

Next stop was Mount Usher Gardens Ashford Co. Wicklow (take the N11 south from Dublin). The garden runs along the bank of the River Vartry. Mount Usher has been designed in the Robinsonian style - after William Robinson (fl. c 1890) the influential Irish garden designer. Robinson believed in natural gardens, as opposed to the formal approach of those who preceded him.

Spring sunshine followed by hailstones found us diving for the car and we headed up into the mountains to the Sally Gap and the source of the River Liffey. Fantastic views on all sides and there was even snow along the edge of the road. As we headed towards Blessington we came across this amusing house. It had no name so I'’ve called it the Good Luck House despite all those horseshoes and clovers not having much effect.

We headed back to Dublin and had a quick look at Helen Dillon'’s front garden 45 Sandford Road, Ranelagh, Dublin www.dillongarden.com

A good place to have something to eat/drink and watch a decent film is the Irish Film Institute or IFI! The 17th Century Quaker Meeting House was converted through by architects OÂ'Donnell and Tuomey. Arranged around a glass-roofed courtyard, the complex includes two cinemas, a popular bar and restaurant. The IFI has some special screenings as part of this year's Beckett Centenary Festival.

Pick up a free copy of Totally Dublin for some good photography features and listings of what'’s on and where. Below is a piece of Dublin tagging and anti religious wall art.