Henry Street

Unpretentious and plentiful shopping in the north
Noteworthy for: In summary, the south's Grafton Street is for gawping, while Henry Street is for heavy-duty shopping.

Word to the wise: You would expect neighbouring O'Connell Street - Dublin's main thoroughfare - to have some good shops, but it's sadly lacking. The old school department store Clerys is worth a peek, though.
The traditional differences between the south and north sides of Dublin are exemplified by their main shopping streets. In the south, you have the chi-chi Grafton; in the north, the down-to-earth Henry.

The north certainly wins in terms of scale, if not glamour: Henry Street, which starts halfway up O'Connell Street and turns into Mary Street, has over 200 shops and around 33 million shoppers each year. Its centrepiece, Arnotts, is the largest department store in the country, and rubs shoulders with the Jervis Shopping Centre. Adding to the legions of shops are pavement stalls selling everything from tinsel to disposable lighters.