Dublin

 Dublin is the capital of Ireland, it consists of the city centre, the suburbs just outside the city, and some rural areas. Its population is 1 million inhabitants. Car licence plates from Dublin have the letter D in them.

Hitching In and Out
Hitch-hiking out of Dublin is easy enough, however, you have to be outside the city and outside suburban areas. In some areas you can walk to the outskirts/countryside, but mainly you'll have to take a bus (especially if you're heading west).

If you arrived in Dublin or Dún Laoghaire ports by ferry, you should try to hitch a ride at the exit of the ferry port, as there are a lot of cars going to any part of the country.

Ferry Timetables for boats between Ireland and Britain http://www.aferry.co.uk/dublin-holyhead-ferry.htm

Be sure to have a large card with the town name you want to go to spelt correctly and shown to oncoming drivers, when at a port or a national road. If you need to stay in Dublin there's a free accommodation finder called Almara Accommodations Dublin.

Hitch-hiking into Dublin is harder, from experience, it seems the closer you get to it, the harder it is.

North towards Dundalk, Belfast
Since there is a new road to Belfast, there is no point in going to the Dublin Airport Roundabout. Besides that it's very dangerous to stand along the motorway. Rather take a bus to the roundabout just outside Swords and ask the driver if he could drop you off before the traffic lights. There is enough space for a car to stop and you can thumb quite savely.

You can find buses that go outside of Dublin here: http://www.dublinbus.ie

Please be warned that the motorway toll booth on the Dublin-Belfast road is NOT a good place to stop at. Some of the management warn hitchhikers not use this facility.

Northwest towards Navan, Cavan
Go to Blanchardstown Roundabout or Castleknock Roundabout. Take the following buses: 38, 38A, 38B, 38C, 39, 39A, 70, 76A, 236, 237, 238, 239, 270. This is linked to the N2.

West towards Mullingar, Athlone, Galway
 Option 1

Last traffic lights before M50 bypass (Junction 7). You can get here by buses 25, 66, 67 from Pearse Str. In the same road, 500m direction Dublin, you'll find a gaz station. Perfect for this direction, you can ask people directly. It's maybe the best option for hitchhiking in this direction. You can stop at the bus stop No. 2201 (Lucan Road, Palmerstown Drive), to get there.

Option 2

Get a train from Connolly station to Maynooth. Ticket costs around 3 Euro. From here it is a 2 KM walk towards a M4 motorway exit to the West of Ireland. This should all take 60 minutes.

Option 3

Hitchhiker Mairead has successfully hitched from Heuston Station: Go out the side door of the station (to your left if you're standing facing the platforms) and across the road. This is the N4, which leads directly onto the M4 going west. It looks like an awkward place for a car to stop, but the hitchhiker waited only 3 or 4 minutes for a lift to Athlone (April 2013). 

Southwest towards Naas, Portlaoise, Limerick, Cork
Go to the Rathcoole petrol station on the West side of Dublin city. This can be reached by the number 69 bus from Dublin City Centre i.e. Aston Quay for around 2 Euro. It takes about one hour to reach this excellent spot. From the An Poitin Stil Bar bus stop, you walk up the motorway (the path can be found via the bar car park) for 5 minutes until you reach a petrol station on the left hand side. Many drivers going towards Cork and Limerick here. There is a toll booth after Portlaoise (Irish town 100 km away). The road divides in two in the direction of Cork and Limerick just after this facility. You can always ask somebody to drop you at the booth if they are not going the whole way (Cork bound car, but you want to go to Limerick, etc.).

South towards Wicklow, Enniscorthy, Wexford, Rosslare
Go to the Bray Roundabout near the petrol station. Take the Dart train to Bray station or the following buses: 145, 184, 185, 45, 45A, 84. This is linked to the M11. Otherwise, take the R761 and hitch-hike at the bus stops near Southern Cross Road in Bray, ask to go to Greystones, Wicklow or Arklow, and hitch-hike again from those locations.

North northwest towards Ashbourne, Ardee
Go to Finglas village and walk down the motorway exit (sign post Derry). Stand on the side of the road with sign and/or thumb. Take the following buses: 17A, 40, 40A, 40 C, 40D, 83, 104. This is linked to the N2.

South southwest towards Blessington, Tullow
Get the Luas red line tram to the last stop Tallaght. The best place to hitch is at the traffic lights just before the Square Shopping Centre exit at Tallaght Pass. This leads on to the N81.

South-West from Dublin airport
If you want to travel quickly from Dublin airport towards Cork or Limerick, you should do the following. Take the 'Dublin Coach' service from the bus depot towards Portlaoise (ticket costs 5 euro and trip takes 30 minutes). Ask the driver nicely to drop you off at the bus stop on the motorway near the An Poitin Stil Bar. The bus driver should help you, especially if you keep your bags on you and not in the side compartment of the coach. When you get off the bus, you walk up the motorway (the path can be found via the bar car park) for 5 minutes until you reach a petrol station on the left hand side. There is a toll booth after Port Laoise (Irish town 100 km away). The road divides in two in the direction of Cork and Limerick just after this facility. You can always ask somebody to drop you at the booth if they are not going the whole way (Cork bound car, but you want to go to Limerick, etc.).

trash:Dublin