January usually spells sale time for bargain hunting shoppers, and Dublin is a great place to begin your quest for a discount deal. We check out the top reasons why a visit to Ireland’s capital city is just right for those seeking cut-price deals as major retailers start slashing their prices!

You’d think we’d all be sick to the back teeth of shops by the time Christmas Eve comes! These days though the sales don’t wait for January – the turkey is barely digested when the sale signs go up, and some start as early as St Stephen’s Day!

The leading stores offer quite good discounts, so you’re bound to pick up a bargain or two. Last year for instance Clery’s “get you in the door enticement” was offering a €1699 bed for €1 – oh to be the lucky shopper who was first in the queue to bag that bargain!

Dedicated shoppers have been known to queue for hours, some even all night to be first in the store to stock up on good deals. Some stores open really early – I know it sounds crazy to be heading to the shops at 5am! So if you really want this seasons “must have” our advice is to set that alarm clock.

For all you shopaholics out there, Dublin is your personal mecca! Grafton Street and Henry Street are the main shopping streets, both of which are pedestrianised.

On Grafton Street you have Brown Thomas, Weirs the jewellers and St. Stephen’s Green Shopping Centre.

Henry Street is home to Arnotts and the Ilac Shopping Centre.

A trip down Nassau Street will bring you to some lovely designer shops. You’ll also find Eason’s here as well as some gift and souvenir shops.

George’s Street may turn out to be your find of the day. George’s Street Arcade is an indoor market of stalls and stores with everything but the kitchen sink.

And for sheer entertainment, why not swing by one of Dublin’s oldest markets, Moore Street, if for nothing else but to listen to the unique banter between market stall holders and customers!

Keen bargain hunters should also make it their business to have a wander into Powerscourt Townhouse Centre, Westbury Mall and The CHQ Building in search of that fantastic bargain.

The hustle and bustle of the city centre may not be to everyone’s liking. So it’s probably a good idea to consider shopping centres just a little bit outside the main thoroughfare as well.

Liffey Valley Shopping Centre

Located:  Fonthill Road, Clondalkin, Dublin 22.

Now there’s no need for excuses, with 3,500 car parking spaces on site you could easily bring and fill 10 cars! At Liffey Valley Shopping Centre you have no less than 99 shops to browse through in your quest for that exclusive bargain!

With himself in tow – there’s only so much browsing that he will put up with – the cinema might just be the answer to your prayers. The cinema at Liffey Valley is a 14 screen cinema so there’s plenty there to choose from. And now that you’ve gotten rid of him you’ll have a couple of stress free hours to dilly dally about the shops at your leisure. Of course if you have the kids with you as well, the cinema is always a welcome solution.

If you’re going bargain hunting any time up to the 4th of January there’s also the added attraction of 7up On Ice – another distraction/attraction for the gang whilst you happily bounce that credit card.

All that shopping is hungry work and Liffey Valley Shopping Centre has an abundance of eateries to put a stop to those hunger pangs!

Friday may or may not be a good day to take a trip to Liffey Valley Shopping Centre. The reason I say this is because every Friday there’s a Farmers Market from 10am to 4pm, offering a wide array of organic produce, homebaking, jams, gourmet foods, plants and crafts.

Going back to my earlier statement about car parking, you might want to just leave the car at home or at your hotel. In this case Dublin Bus offer quite a good service to and from the Centre. Check out the Dublin Bus timetable.

Dundrum Town Centre

Located:  Sandyford Road, Dundrum, Dublin 16.

This shopping centre is most definitely a case of shop till you drop. Inside there are 5 different shopping levels, so grab those comfy shoes and head off in search of glorious bargains.

Got the kids with you? No need to worry! You can leave them in safe hands at the centre’s crèche (maximum stay is 2 hours).  When their time is up in the crèche why not bring them along to Hamleys? I know you’re probably sick to the back teeth of toys  by this stage, but Hamleys really is a different type of toy shop. Who knows you may even enjoy it yourself.

There’s also the option of packing Dad and the kids off to the cinema or there may be a suitable production at The Mill Theatre to keep them all amused for a while.

As regards the shops, you’ll find all the major players here. Retail outlets include Harvey Nichols, House of Fraser, Marks and Spencer, Ernest Jones, Penney’s and Tesco.

Come to think of it, you can also book that break for 2009, have your eyes tested, expectant parents can shop for the new baby and sort yourself out with the latest gadgets in mobile phones and computers. 

RTE Radio has a studio on site, so you may be lucky to be shopping on a day they are here. They usually give away some really decent “freebies” when doing outside broadcasts.

There’s 24 hour parking at the centre but you also have the option of public transport. The centre is served by the Luas Green Line (St. Stephens Green to Sandyford) and by 7 Dublin Bus routes.

Other shopping centres outside the city centre include:  The Blanchardstown Centre, Nutgrove Shopping Centre, Blackrock Shopping Centre, Dun Laoighre Shopping Centre and The Square (Tallaght)

Happy bargain hunting!

Maybe you’d like to make a weekend of it or just suss out the nightlife. We have an excellent selection of Dublin hotels to choose from.

We’d love to hear from you if you have any January sales shopping tips.