The original St James’s Gate was a medieval structure, where merchants paid a toll for their products before entering the city and was situated perpendicular to the current gate. St James’s Gate is the traditional starting point for pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela in Spain.

The Veggie Cafe of 1916: At 21 Henry Street, a plaque marks what was once the Irish Farm Produce Company, a popular restaurant and food shop owned by the veteran nationalist Jennie Wyse Power. It specialised in healthy options, Irish produce and vegetarian fare. A popular meeting spot with Indian students in the city, it’s also the site where the 1916 Proclamation was signed.

Rosc 84: Rosc was an international art exhibition which ran in Dublin between 1967 and 1988, bringing the best of modern art to Dublin. On Rainsford Street, you can still see two pieces from the 1984 show. Lawrence Weiner’s stencilled message reads Cloch ós cionn cloiche ós cionn cloiche leatha.

The Poolbeg Chimney: Before there were two, a single red and white chimney at the ESB’s Poolbeg generating station took to the skyline in 1971. At one point several were planned, something strongly opposed by local politician Seán ‘Dublin Bay’ Loftus. In the end, there were two. They have become an unlikely symbol of the city.

The street with two names: Nassau Street is familiar to all Dubliners, taking its name from the House of Orange-Nassau and King William of Orange. While some of its street signs translate this to Sráid Nassau, other signs call it Sráid Thobar Phádraig, from a well said to be connected to Saint Patrick.

The Lion, the Unicorn, and Erin: On College Green, the Royal Coat of Arms takes pride of place in the old Parliament building, the symbol of an Empire. Directly opposite it, on what is now Abercrombie and Fitch, is Érin herself, along with the defiant words “Éire Go Bragh”. The work of James Pearse – father of William and Patrick – she once stood over the National Bank, complete with her harp and Irish wolfhound.

The Guinness family are responsible for creating some of Dublin’s most iconic green spaces – St Patrick’s Park, the Iveagh Gardens and St Stephen’s Green. St Stephen’s Green was a private park until the 1880s, when Arthur Edward Guinness bought the ground rights and donated it to the city of Dublin.

Aer Finglas: Before Aer Lingus, there was Iona National Airways, our first attempt at an airline. Founded by Hugh Cahill in the early 1930s, Iona operated from the Kildonan Aerodrome in Finglas. Iona’s headquarters was located on Cross Guns Bridge, Phibsboro, now home to The Bernard Shaw pub. The famed Lady Heath operated a flying school from Kildonan for a period.

The Iveagh Market on Francis Street was the first indoor market on Dublin’s southside. It had a clothes market at the front and a fish market at the back. There were also disinfection baths that people could use to combat prevalent diseases of the time such as tuberculosis, scarlatina, cholera and fever.

By the 1880s, the Guinness Brewery was the largest brewery in the world and was the largest private employer in Dublin. By 1930, one in 30 people in Dublin were dependent on the Brewery for their livelihood. The Guinness Brewery had its own internal railway system, all designed by the in-house Guinness engineers. Over eight miles of track was laid throughout the brewery site, passing under James’s Street and extending down to the river Liffey.

Dublin’s Great In 88: Next time you’re passing St Stephen’s Green shopping centre, stop and admire the brickwork on South King Street, showing the red, blue, and yellow modernist castles that became the city millennium logo in 1988. Dublin was considerably older than a thousand years, but a celebration was needed. Other relics of 88 include Molly Malone, Mr Screen, and the Anna Livia fountain.

Horatio Nelson’s wandering head: On March 8, 1966, a bomb brought Horatio Nelson crashing down into O’Connell Street, marking the end of the Nelson Pillar. Today, Thomas Kirk’s statue of Nelson – which stood over the pillar – is in various places. Nelson’s head appeared on stage with folk band The Dubliners, but it is today on display in Pearse Street library. He’s had quite the journey.

The father of Bloomsday: Outside the Bailey pub on Duke Street, a plaque honours John Ryan. Publisher of Envoy magazine – which provided a home to Brendan Behan and others – he was also proprietor of The Bailey pub and one of those who launched Bloomsday into the world in 1954. JP Donleavy said, “If the city of Dublin were ever thought to have had a king, he is and was John Ryan.”

An Independent Rathmines: From 1847 until the Local Government (Dublin) Act of 1930, Rathmines was one of several townships, governed by their own commissioners and Urban District Council. Rathmines had its own fire service (the MART now uses the station as an art gallery), town hall and more besides. You can still see the markings of the Rathmines Urban District Council on streetlamps, post-boxes and more.

Dublin’s Little Jerusalem: In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, the area around Portobello, Clanbrassil Street and the South Circular Road became Little Jerusalem, as migrants fleeing persecution in Tsarist Russia settled there. Mason Technology, at 228 South Circular Road, occupies the former synagogue. The Star of David can be seen in the windows.

No Ball Games: Plaques to living people are rare – at Ormond Square, near Dublin’s historic markets, a plaque honours Johnny Giles, “Irish international footballer.” Beside it, a Dublin City Council side declares “no ball games.” Giles was found by legendary Dublin football scout Billy Behan, who also spotted Liam Whelan, Jackie Carey, Kevin Moran and Paul McGrath.

Need to know: Join Donal Fallon and Eibhlin Colgan at 4pm on St Patrick’s Day as they take participants on a journey through Dublin’s Liberties. The virtual Walking Tour can be viewed at www.stpatricksfestival.ie.