98FM Tour Guide Bootcamp: Can Luke Thomas Do Dublin?

What happens when a 98FM social lead swaps the studio for the streets of Dublin? Luke Thomas took on the DoDublin Tour Guide Bootcamp, spending a week learning the city's history, stories and hidden gems from the experienced guides before facing the ultimate challenge, becoming a tour guide himself. From St. Stephen's Green to St. Patrick's Cathedral, Luke discovered just how much knowledge goes into bringing Dublin to life.

What happens when a 98FM social lead swaps the studio for the streets of Dublin? 98FM and DoDublin are teaming up for a “Tour Guide Bootcamp”, putting Luke Thomas to the ultimate test: can he learn enough about Dublin to become a DoDublin tour guide?

 

Over the past few days, Luke has been getting a crash course in Dublin history, local stories, hidden gems and insider knowledge, learning from the people who know the capital city best - the experienced DoDublin tour guides.

 

From famous Dublin landmarks like St. Stephen’s Green and St. Patrick’s Catedral and historic streets to the stories, shortcuts and little-known facts that bring the city to life, Luke is discovering that there is a big difference between living in Dublin and actually knowing Dublin.

Now, it’s time for the final test.

 

From 98FM Studio to Dublin Tour Guide

After a week of intensive training, Luke's classroom was officially over. There was only one thing left to do: put his new Dublin knowledge to the test and take on the role of a DoDublin tour guide for the day.

With a DoDublin bus full of passengers, Luke had to step up, take the microphone and put everything he'd learned into practice.

 

And while knowing Dublin is one thing, guiding a bus full of people around the city is another challenge altogether.

The experienced DoDublin guides spend their working lives learning the history, stories, characters and quirks of the capital. Luke had just one week to try to learn the ropes.

 

So, how did he find it?

“You can see the amount of knowledge these tour guides have.”

That was one of Luke's biggest takeaways after completing his tour.

And after taking on the challenge himself, it's easy to understand why.

 

There Is a Lot More to Being a Dublin Tour Guide Than You Think

Anyone who has lived in Dublin for a while probably thinks they know the city. You know the streets. You know the landmarks. You know how to get from A to B.

But could you stand in front of a busload of visitors and explain the history behind them while keeping everyone entertained?

That's the challenge Luke faced.

 

During his DoDublin Tour Guide Bootcamp, he had to absorb years of knowledge in just a matter of days, from Dublin's famous landmarks and historic characters to the lesser-known stories that visitors wouldn't necessarily discover for themselves.The experience showed just how much goes into the live commentary that passengers hear on a DoDublin Hop-On Hop-Off tour.

 

The bus might look like an easy way to see the sights, but behind every stop is a huge amount of local knowledge.

And that is what makes having a live Dublin guide so special.

 

What Makes the DoDublin Guides Different?

The answer is simple: local knowledge. DoDublin's guides aren't simply pointing out a building as the bus drives past.

They're connecting the places you see with the stories behind them. They know the history. They know the characters. They know the funny stories.

And, importantly, they know Dublin.

 

Luke's week of training gave him a glimpse into just how much information the guides have to absorb and remember, and how difficult it is to replicate that knowledge in such a short space of time.

 

It's also what makes the DoDublin experience particularly useful for visitors who want more than a sightseeing bus that simply takes them from one attraction to another.

You get Dublin explained by people who know Dublin.

 

See Dublin From the Top Deck

The DoDublin Hop-On Hop-Off Tour is one of the easiest ways to explore the capital, particularly if you're visiting for the first time.

The route takes in many of Dublin's best-known landmarks and attractions, while the live commentary gives you the stories behind what you're seeing.

And because it's hop-on hop-off, you aren't tied to the bus for the entire journey.

 

See something you want to explore?

Hop off.

Spend some time at the attraction.

 

Then hop back on and continue your Dublin adventure.

It means you can combine sightseeing with exploring the city at your own pace, without constantly having to work out public transport routes.

 

Discover Dublin Your Way

Whether you're visiting for a short break, starting university, working in Dublin on a short-term contract or welcoming family and friends, DoDublin's 24, 48 and 72-hour tickets make exploring the city simple.

 

Hop on, hop off and enjoy live local commentary, or discover Dublin on foot with the same expert guides with our DoDublin Walking Tours.

 

Luke's Dublin Lesson

After a week of training and one very public final test, Luke Thomas has discovered something that Dubliners often take for granted.

Knowing Dublin and knowing how to guide people around Dublin are two very different things.

 

Standing behind the microphone and trying to deliver the stories, facts and history that experienced DoDublin guides have built up over years is no easy task.

And perhaps that is the biggest lesson from the 98FM x DoDublin Tour Guide Bootcamp.

 

The next time you're sitting on the top deck listening to a DoDublin guide tell you about a Dublin landmark, remember that there is a huge amount of knowledge behind that microphone.

Luke had a week to learn it.

 

The DoDublin guides have spent years perfecting it.

But with the limited time he had we thought he done quite well and kept it entertaining!