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The smartest department store in town. A couple of floors of designer labels give the fashionistas plenty of scope, and there’s also a great glass and china department featuring top Irish designs.

The best of Irish contemporary design for both men and women. Their own-label clothes are every bit as good as the designers they stock, and the prices are reasonable. Pottery, lights and glass objects are also on sale.

Ireland’s answer to Waterstone’s, a branch of which is opposite. Floors full of books covering all subjects and very good bargain offers available. Excellent children’s section too.

Somewhat geared towards the tourist but nonetheless with an interesting range of Irish-made items, predominantly clothes, gifts and Waterford Crystal (see Waterford Crystal Factory).

Excellent gallery shop with highly original pieces of applied arts and crafts by over 350 Irish designers: from furniture and wall hangings to ceramics and jewellery.

This small shop specializes in Irish music records and CDs; it is difficult to pass by without being lured in by the Celtic tunes wafting into the street.

For those who don’t have a chance to visit Avoca in Powerscourt, this shop is a satisfactory alternative, with its range of goods and clothes. Excellent food section, and a restaurant on the top floor.

A Dublin institution, JJ Fox’s cigarette and cigar emporium is definitely a place for connoisseurs. Specializes in Cuban and other fine cigars, and a wide range of smoking accessories.

A traditional shop selling everything tweedy for men and women with conservative tastes, including the famous Donegal tweed. Wonderful old-fashioned service too.

This cosy shop offers a dazzling array of local Irish whiskeys in addition, of course, to the more famous brands. The service is as warm as a nip of the uisce beatha (water of life).