Dublin Doors

The brightly painted front doors around Merrion Square and the surrounding Georgian streets are among Dublin's most photographed details, a distinctive feature of the terraced townhouses built during the 18th-century Georgian building boom. Popular explanations for the tradition, from rival neighbors distinguishing their homes to residents avoiding a uniform look imposed after a monarch's death, are more folklore than documented fact, but the result is a run of red, blue, green, yellow, and black doors each topped with an ornate fanlight window that lets light into the hallway behind. A walk around Merrion Square and nearby Fitzwilliam Square takes in dozens of these doors within a compact area, easily combined with a visit to the National Gallery or a stroll through Merrion Square Park itself. A dedicated photo walk of the doors takes 30 minutes to an hour depending on how many streets are covered. Since these are private residences, photography should stay respectful and from the public footpath rather than approaching doorsteps closely. Bright, overcast days give the most even light across the colors, avoiding the harsh shadows and blown highlights that direct sun can create on glossy paintwork.