A series of trails including one retracing the events of the Easter Rising has been launched.

Dublin Discovery Trails comprises four different themes from the city’s history.

The Story of Dublin highlights the city’s lengthy history, from the Viking site Wood Quay to City Hall.

Echoes of War reflects on Dublin’s past association with the British army and features trips to the Royal Hospital Kilmainham, Kilmainham Gaol, the Irish National War Memorial Gardens and Collins Barracks.

Empire includes stops at Dublin Castle, Trinity College, St Patrick’s Cathedral and the Bank of Ireland - places prominent when Dublin was the second city of the British Empire.

Rebellion includes the GPO, the Royal College of Surgeons, Moore Street, O’Rahilly Parade and the Garden of Remembrance, and focuses on the six days of the Easter Rising.

The four new Dublin Discovery Trails launched on Monday are based along the spine of the existing Dubline trail.

The Dubline was developed by Fáilte Ireland to be an easy way for visitors to explore the city from Trinity College Dublin to the Royal Hospital Kilmainham.

Easter 1916 tour

Fáilte Ireland chief executive Shaun Quinn said the trails will go some way towards strengthening the capital’s calling card as a “must-visit” destination.

Speaking at the launch, Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport Paschal Donohoe said he believed the trails would encourage visitors to “slow down and spend a longer while here. That’s good news for tourism activity, revenue and jobs in the local economy.”

Rich in history

Lord Mayor Christy Burke said Dublin is rich in history but locals take it for granted and expect visitors to fend for themselves.

“These trails, complementing the Dubline, will open up the story of Dublin and make it more accessible to our visitors. We have a great story to tell and this initiative will allow us to tell it well,” he said.

The new walking trails are accessible for visitors through Fáilte Ireland’s newly developed Dublin Discovery Trails app, which is available free to download for iOS and Android devices.

Also announced on Monday was Glorious Madness, an outdoor performance from ANU Productions, which recently produced the Pals at Gallipoli.

Glorious Madness comes to Dublin city centre from Tuesday, June 23rd and runs to Saturday, July 4th.

It takes the form of a dramatised walking trail and starts from the Dublin Discover Ireland Centre in O’Connell Street, Dublin.

Meanwhile, a stage show based on the Easter Rising will begin at the Tivoli Theatre on Thursday June 25th.

Ireland Rises is set in a public house on Sackville Street Dublin during the Rising. The audience witnesses patrons and staff caught in the crossfire, condensing the six days of The Rising into one night.

Scared and trapped, each character finds refuge by telling their individual stories through music, song and dance.

The show is written, produced and directed by Billy Kilkenny of Plimsoll Line Entertainment.

He said: “Our aim is to show those from home and abroad what an important part of our history the Easter Rising was and will always be to our nation.

“Ireland’s traditional music and dance is adored the world over, so what better way to tell this story. We are excited to welcome audiences and share this tribute to our heritage.”