Dublin may be best known as the city of poets and scholars, but it’s also the capital of craic and celebrities.
A growing number of Hollywood films and series are being filmed in Ireland, which means only one thing: Dublin is now a celebrity hotspot.
So where do the A-listers go when they’re in town?
Beyonce headed to Dublin's beautiful Phoenix Park with husband Jay-Z and adorable daughter Blue Ivy
Beyonce relaxes in the park before going out for dinner
Beyonce knew how to enjoy her day off in the middle of her four performances at The O2 in Dublin this March. First, a family trip to the beautiful Phoenix Park where she and her husband Jay-Z let daughter Blue Ivy, 2, play in the playground.
They kept such a low profile that the other parents enjoying the picturesque park barely noticed them.
Then the couple took their blacked-out people carrier back into town to enjoy a spot of food at trendy eatery, Coppinger Row, which is nestled on a side street just off South William Street, close to Grafton St - Dublin's most famous shopping thoroughfare.
The Single Ladies superstar leaves Coppinger Row, a fine-dining favourite of A-listers when they're in Dublin
Dublin at night: The city is a magnet for celebrities, who flock to its buzzing bars and gourmet restaurants
The laid-back urban hotspot features Mediterranean dishes such as spatchcock poussin and pan-fried calves liver.
The night before, the pair had shunned the capital’s nightlife in favour of another romantic meal at Fade Street Social, just around the corner from Coppinger Row.
Another hip hangout for locals in the know, Beyonce enjoyed pumpkin flatbreads (€17) while husband Jay-Z went for a classic strip steak and chips.
The pair arrived at the restaurant, which is owned by Masterchef star Dylan McGrath, around 11pm. After the meal, the couple returned to The Fitzwilliam Hotel where the family were staying in the penthouse suite.
Phoenix Park, where Beyonce says she made 'one of the best memories of her life'
The last time Beyonce performed in Dublin, in 2011 she raved about cycling through the Phoenix Park.
'It was one of the best memories of my life being able to ride around Ireland. It was so beautiful and I did it every day I was there,’ she said.
The superstar also found time for a spot of shopping at high-end Irish boutique, Chica in Westbury Mall. She reportedly splashed out €2,000 on designer dresses, Goddess Lux bracelets, Mawi necklaces and Bijuteri earrings.
Rihanna’s favourite pub
When Rihanna found herself in Dublin on Thanksgiving, she decided to throw a private bash and rented out O'Donoghue's pub on Merrion Row.
O'Donoghue's is famous for its impromptu traditional music sessions, with famous Irish bands such as The Dubliners, Christy Moore and The Fureys having played there.
It’s an old pub that pulls in tourists and locals alike - of all ages. Although it’s not thought that Rihanna had a go at belting out a ballad, she did order food from the French bistro across the road Hugo's, and had it transferred to the local pub for her 100-guest entourage, including band and dancers, to feast on.
And it’s not the first time the Rude Boy songstress has visited Dublin. The 25-year-old singer had previously recorded the vocals for her hit single Love The Way You Lie in Temple Bar's Sun Studios in 2010 and is known to love staying at the luxurious five star Merrion Hotel.
Rihanna rented out O'Donoghue's pub so that she could treat her entire crew to a proper Irish knees-up
Victoria Beckham gets her fashion fix at Brown Thomas
It should have come as no surprise when Victoria Beckham chose to launch her clothing collection at Dublin's answer to Selfridges, the department store Brown Thomas.
The city has a booming fashion scene with a host of independent boutiques and vintage shops for fashion fans to explore and Ireland has bred many internationally-renowned designers, including Philip Treacy, Orla Keily and Paul Costelloe.
Mrs Beckham poses in-store at Brown Thomas, where she heads to get her fashion fix when in Dublin
Dublin’s most exclusive and famous department store has always been top choice for Irish fashionistas
Vintage and boutique stores also pepper the streets of Dublin, making it a top destination for fashion lovers
Emile Sande’s late-night bar
When Emile Sande flew into Dublin, she chose to play an intimate, low-key gig at local favourite Dakota, one of Dublin’s coolest bars on William Street South.
With its dimmed lighting, half-moon leather booths and great DJs, it’s one of the capital's hottest late-night bars, but it’s also a great place to pop in for a coffee, if you like a cool warehouse-feel.
Emeli Sande played one of her more intimate, low-key gigs when she took to the stage at Dakota
Its dimmed lighting, half-moon leather booths and great DJs make Dakota one of the capital's hottest venues
Eva Longoria indulges in some shopping and a classic Irish snack
The 39-year-old Desperate Housewives star claimed to have ‘no idea’ what she was going to talk about at the influential Web Summit she’d been invited to attend in Dublin, but she certainly had a good idea how to make her way around Dublin for the day.
Longoria asked her seven million Twitter followers to recommend the best places to visit while in the city - and she then followed their advice.
Following advice from her fans, Eva headed to the Elephant and Castle in Temple Bar for an Irish fish supper
The Desperate Housewives star also indulged in a packet of Tayto's, classic crisps beloved by the Irish
After ditching her bags at Dublin's Four Seasons Hotel, the Texan indulged in a spot of window-shopping on the famous Grafton Street, before swinging by high street store River Island to pick up a few bits.
The actress then made her way to Trinity College Dublin to check out the Book of Kells, the famous illuminated manuscripts. She posed for several photos outside the Old Library, describing the ancient manuscript as a 'national treasure’.
Eva then continued on her culture vulture tour of Dublin by taking in Saint Patrick's Cathedral, where she checked out the stained glass windows and Jonathan Swift's grave.
Eva jumps for joy outside Trinity College's Old Library, describing the Book of Kells as a 'national treasure’
Eva had turned to her social media followers to find out where she should go in Dublin - and she made sure to keep them updated
After all that trekking about, Eva headed to Elephant and Castle in Temple Bar for a fish supper, where she ordered the steamed Connemara mussels (€9) to start and the langoustine tagliarini (€15) as her main.
Afterwards, she picked up a pack of smokey bacon Tayto crisps up as dessert.
Well, Tayto’s are a national treasure in Ireland, too.
Ed Sheeran hopped on top of a table at Doyle's Bar, delighting the crowd at one of the venue's famous Ruby Sessions
Ed Sheeran keeps his fans happy
Recently Ed Sheeran popped over to Dublin to surprise a young fan by singing with her on The Late Late Show.
But it wasn't the first time he had surprised his fans in the city - earlier this year, he took to a table top in Doyle's Bar in Temple Bar, delighting the crowd. The pub hosts regular 'Ruby Sessions', designed to showcase up and coming artists with occasional performances by big names like Ed.
Woody Harrelson’s go-to juice bar
When Hunger Games star Woody Harrelson jetted into Ireland for a secret holiday his year, his first stop was, er, Select Stores juice bar in Dalkey, Co Dublin.
The 53-year-old True Detective and Cheers actor is a vegan health-food lover and he had a long chat with shopkeeper Mairead McCabe, who made him a ‘Morning Woody Smoothie’ from fresh strawberries, raspberries, bananas, organic almond milk and organic almond butter and honey.
Woody Harrelson with Select Stores shopkeeper Mairead McCabe, who made him a Morning Woody Smoothie
Dalkey is a picturesque village on the coast, fewer than 30 minutes on the DART train from Dublin city centre. It has a rich heritage dating from Viking times - two of its seven medieval castles still remain - but it’s the pretty harbour, where locals buy fresh fish that draws tourists.
Around the headland, the views have been compared to the Amalfi Coast, which might be why it’s such a favourite with the A-list.
Right now it’s home to the 'who’s who' of rock stars, authors and film directors, luring in Bono, Enya, Van Morrison, Lisa Stansfield and Neil Jordan. Perhaps Woody was visiting one of this celebrity friends?
Josh Hartnett’s favourite coffee shop
Not many people would ever compare the over-the-top, kitsch and crazy spectacle that is Las Vegas, Nevada to the modest city of Dublin, but Hollywood actor Josh Harnett did just that.
The actor spent several weeks in the Irish capital to film the Gothic horror series Penny Dreadful and whilst there, he frequented the landmark Bewley’s Cafe, on Grafton Street, for coffee with his actress girlfriend Tamsin Egerton.
Josh Hartnett steps out with girlfriend Tamsin Egerton in Dublin
Hollywood star Hartnett swapped a pint of the black stuff for a more sedate coffee at Bewley's Cafe in Dublin
The bustling and beautiful Art Deco cafe was restored to full twenties splendour in 2006, complete with stained-glass windows and statuary. Writers and artists went here for coffee the morning after the pub before
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