Forget the usual tourist photographs of Temple Bar, the Ha’penny Bridge and Dublin’s famous Georgian doors. Some of the city’s most interesting sights are painted across the sides of buildings, tucked into narrow laneways and hiding in neighbourhoods that many visitors never get around to exploring.
Dublin’s street art scene gives the capital a very different personality from the one found on postcards. From enormous portraits and striking wildlife paintings to literary tributes and colourful abstract designs, its walls have become an ever-changing outdoor gallery.
There is no admission fee, no closing time and no need to keep quiet. You simply have to look up.
A city that has turned its walls into an outdoor gallery
Street art in Dublin is not confined to one neighbourhood or a handful of designated spaces. It appears on the sides of pubs, old industrial buildings, shopfronts, residential streets, railway tunnels and even the boxes that control traffic lights.
Artists such as Maser (@MaserArt on X), Aches (@achesdub on X), Holly Pereira, Insane51, Emmalene Blake and Shane Sutton have all contributed to the city’s visual identity. Their styles range from bold geometric patterns and photorealistic portraits to surreal characters and enormous pieces inspired by Irish culture.
Murals are not always permanent. Buildings get redeveloped, walls are repainted and some pieces disappear, making Dublin’s street art scene an ever-changing attraction.
Some of Dublin’s most interesting murals
1. ‘U Are Alive’ on Camden Street
Image: Visit Dublin / credited photographer. See the Visit Dublin street art guide for details.
One of Dublin’s best-known street art landmarks is Maser’s ‘U Are Alive’ mural, at the corner of Grantham Street and Camden Street in Dublin 8. Its bold lettering and bright geometric colours have made it a favourite with locals and visitors.
The artwork has gone through several versions, with the current piece described by Visit Dublin as its fourth iteration. The earlier version was a collaboration with fellow Dublin street artist Aches. Follow Maser on X and Aches on X.
2. Urban wildlife beside the Aviva Stadium
Image: Visit Dublin / credited photographer. See the Visit Dublin street art guide for details.
The area around Aviva Stadium in Ballsbridge is home to an impressive 160-metre street art project running along the stadium’s western side and through the Lansdowne Road railway tunnel. The collaborative work by The Walls Project and artists Holly Pereira, Omin and Decoy features a black cat moving through colourful shapes and graphics.
The project is bookended by an urban fox created by artist and illustrator Dan Leo and an urban hawk by Artists for All City Records. You can find more of Holly Pereira’s mural work on her official website. We could not verify public X handles for every artist involved, so their names are linked to official or project pages where available.
3. A James Joyce quote in Dublin 8
Image: Visit Dublin / credited photographer. See the Visit Dublin street art guide for details.
On Harman Street, off Donore Avenue, a large gable-wall mural features the words “they lived and laughed and loved and left”. The quotation comes from James Joyce’s Finnegans Wake and was commissioned as part of the St Teresa’s Gardens regeneration project.
The work was created by local artists Garreth Joyce and Vanessa Power of Signs of Power. It is a striking example of how Dublin’s literary history can become part of the everyday streetscape.
4. ‘Writers’ Block’ in Summerhill
In Summerhill, artist and designer Shane Sutton created portraits of James Joyce and Brendan Behan on the walls of Richmond Cottages. The murals draw on the writers’ connections with the area and turn an ordinary residential street into an open-air literary tribute.
Sutton also created the black-and-white ‘City Fox’ mural at 59 Dorset Street Lower. The giant fox celebrates an animal that many Dubliners have spotted roaming the quieter streets after dark.
5. Rhasidat Adeleke’s ‘Mise Éire’ mural
On Chatham Row in Dublin 2, Canvaz Street Art’s ‘Mise Éire’ mural celebrates Dublin-born sprinter Rhasidat Adeleke. It depicts the athlete in her Irish kit, wearing a floral crown, and is a colourful tribute to one of Ireland’s best-known sporting talents.
The mural is at 2 Chatham Row. You can find the project through Canvaz Street Art. We could not confirm a public X account for the collective.
6. ‘Sunny Dog’ at Merchants Quay
Greek muralist Insane51 is known for his unusual 3D street art, and his ‘Sunny Dog’ mural at Merchants Quay is a good example. The artwork layers two photorealistic images, a young man’s portrait and a puppy, in red and blue so that the images appear differently when viewed through 3D glasses.
Find the artist’s work on the official Insane51 website. We could not verify an X handle for the artist, so this links to his own site instead.
7. Literary characters take over Blooms Hotel
The exterior of Blooms Hotel on Anglesea Street in Temple Bar is covered with a riot of colour inspired by James Joyce’s Ulysses. The mural features characters including Molly and Leopold Bloom, Stephen Dedalus and Buck Mulligan, surrounded by decorative patterns with an Art Nouveau feel.
You do not need to have read Ulysses to appreciate it, although the mural might give you another reason to finally pick up a copy.
8. Portraits at The George
The exterior wall of The George on South Great George’s Street has become an evolving tribute to LGBTQ+ figures. Dublin-based artist Emmalene Blake has created a changing series of portraits, with past and present subjects including Wallis Bird, Chappell Roan, Karen Reddy and Sinéad O’Connor.
The artwork changes over time, so the portraits you see on your visit may not be the same ones featured in older photographs. The George is at 89 South Great George’s Street.
The Brazilian connection to Dublin’s street art
Dublin’s street art scene also has a Brazilian connection. João “Brutto” Adnet, an artist born in Brazil and now living in Dublin, created the Cling Film Project, using stretched cling film as a temporary canvas and spray paint to make artwork in public spaces.
The project has appeared on Grafton Street, where passers-by can see the creative process unfold in the middle of one of the city’s busiest shopping areas. It is a reminder that Dublin’s public art scene is shaped by artists from many different backgrounds.
Even the traffic-light boxes have had a makeover
The Dublin Canvas project has transformed ordinary traffic-light control boxes into miniature works of public art. Overseen by the city’s four local authorities, the initiative has seen more than 750 boxes painted by Irish and international artists.
The designs range from portraits and local references to abstract patterns and playful illustrations. It is one of those projects that makes the everyday experience of walking around Dublin a little more interesting.
Where to go looking for Dublin’s street art
Camden Street, the Liberties, Smithfield, Summerhill, Temple Bar and the streets around South Great George’s Street are all good places to start. The Aviva Stadium and Lansdowne Road railway tunnel are worth visiting if you want to see the large-scale wildlife project.
You can explore independently or look into a guided walk. Visit Dublin lists options around Smithfield and the southside, including tours that focus on the stories behind the artists and the city’s street art history. Check the tour operators’ current schedules before setting out.
More than just graffiti
Dublin’s murals are not simply colourful decorations. They reflect the city’s history, sporting achievements, literature, communities and changing identity, while giving artists a chance to bring public spaces to life.
Some are funny, some are political, some are beautiful and others are downright unusual. Next time you are walking around the capital, take a different route and look up. You might discover a side of Dublin you never knew was there.
