Scheduling
Registration will begin at 8:20 am and the conference itself will start at 9:00 am. There will be a break for lunch (food is not provided) and then the conference will wrap up at 5:00 pm.
Full speaker schedule to come. Sign up for the SpecCon newsletter to be the first to know when the official schedule is announced.
travel
Dublin is a very easy city to get to via train/rail from within the island or via plane.
Dublin Airport (DUB) is a major international airport with plenty of public transport to anywhere in the city.
The Enterprise Train running from Belfast to Dublin is typically the quickest option between these two cities. Most cities and towns on the island are accessible to Dublin via one of the two main rail networks, Irish Rail and Translink.
Once you know how you’re getting to Dublin, see the Venue section for how to get to the SpecCon venue, and the Accommodations section for where to stay!
Venue
SpecCon will be held at Trinity College Dublin in the David Theatre located in the Arts Building, conveniently accessed via Nassau Street or Front Square. More details to come.
You can find accessibility information for the building here.
PUBLIC TRANSPORT
Trinity College Dublin is very easy to access via public transportation. Your map app on your phone should be able to easily navigate you there (look for the TCD Arts Building).
From Dublin Airport (10km away) you could take the Dublin Buses, No. 16 to the City Centre OR an Airlink Bus 747 or 757 to the City Centre, or you can take the more expensive but quicker Dublin Express to the city center.
From Connolly Station (1km away) it is a 21 minute walk or you can get there in about 16-20 minutes via a southbound DART train (heading to Pearse, Dun Laoghaire, Bray or Greystones) for two stops getting off at PEerse Station.
From Heuston Station (2km away) you could take a number of buses to the city center, including the 67, 67a, and 67X.
You can find more information about public transport around Trinity on their website or here.
Driving
Parking on campus is limited to permit holders, so using public transportation is recommended. There are some commercial car parks nearby where you can pay to park. The Car Park Trinity Street (a 6-minute walk), the Q-Park Setanta (a 3-minute walk), and the Grafton Car Park (a 4-minute walk) are some options to consider.
There are tons of accommodation options in Dublin, but do remember that June is the start of high season so expect places to fill up closer than usual.
You can stay at Trinity College during the summer, they even have an option bed and breakfast package. This is probably the cheapest option available.
There are also plenty of rentals near Trinity on VRBO or AirBNB and you can look at the closest hotels that are available on TripAdvisor.
RestAUrants
Trinity has a number of places to eat on campus, you can find out more here, but they have options for breakfast, coffee, lunch, quick eats, dinner, and fine dining.
Restaurant options on OpenTable.
Restaurants on TripAdvisor.
accomodations
things to do in dublin, ireland
There is a ton to do in Ireland before or after Spec Con. This includes free museums like the National Museum of Ireland, the National Gallery of Ireland, the National Museum of Decorative Arts and History, and the Hugh Lane Gallery. There are also city parks for our nature lovers, such as Iveagh Gardens, St Stephen’s Green, Pheonix Park, Marrion Square, or Dubh Linn Gardens. You could also visit Kilmainham Gaol, the largest unoccupied prison in Europe or go to Grafton Street, Henry Street, the Dundrum Town Centre of more for some shopping. There are also these major attractions:
Dublin Castle
Dublin Castle in central Dublin is a thirteenth century castle build on the site of a Viking settlement. The castle is open for self-guided or guided tours year round, any day of the week from 09:45 to 17:45.
You can see Viking excavations, the State Apartments, the Chapel Royal, the gardens, and more!
The Guinness Storehouse
You can visit The Guinness Storehouse to learn all about the history of Guinness, see a multimedia exhibition with everything from retro advertisements, brewing craft, and end with a pint on the 360-degree Gravity Bar.
Book of KElls
You can see one of the most famous illuminated manuscripts in history called the Book of Kells and see the magnificent Long Room Library which includes Gaia, a sculpture of earth.