Rotarian Paul Martin grins as he hands each of us a gigantic, bright-green hat. “We’re here to have fun!” he proclaims.

Although it looks like something out of “The Cat in the Hat,” I put mine on obediently, and one of my travel companions follows my lead. But the other hesitates. “Ah, she’ll warm up by the end of the day,” Martin laughs. With a look of resignation, she joins us. “We’re the four musketeers!” he says with a hearty laugh as we head out.

Fortunately, it’s 16 March, the eve of St. Patrick’s Day, and we’re not the only ones donning festive gear. Not so long ago, just about every major city in the world but Dublin celebrated raucously on this day, the feast day of the Catholic saint who brought Christianity to Ireland – and drove out the snakes, as legend would have it. Traditionally, it’s been marked quietly at home and in church. But in 1995, the Irish government decided to join the global holiday, launching what’s now a four-day St. Patrick’s Day Festival in Dublin.

Martin, a member of the Rotary Club of Dublin, is determined to make the most of our half day with him on a fast-paced walking tour. He leads the way from our hotel off of the beautiful St. Stephen’s Green. The green, which covers 27 acres in the middle of the city, is considered Ireland’s most famous Victorian park. In 1877, Martin explains, Sir A.E. Guinness (of the brewery family) guided through Parliament an act to open it to the public.

A native of Dublin, Martin, 58, keeps up a continuous stream of commentary about his beloved hometown until we reach Grafton Street. There we’re surrounded by street musicians, flower vendors, mothers with strollers, people walking their dogs, stylish couples and, of course, shoppers. The street is lined with shops, boutiques, and cafes.

Dublin is still reaping the benefits of an economic boom that ended a few years back. In less than a generation, Ireland, dubbed the Celtic Tiger, was transformed from one of the poorest countries in Europe to one of the wealthier. We duck into the famous Irish jeweler Weir & Sons, established in 1869. Inside, Martin spots a friend, Allan Kilpatrick, a fellow club member and Weir manager.

One of my friends tells Kilpatrick he’s looking for a Claddagh ring for his girlfriend. This famed design, which originated in County Galway, features a heart for love, hands for friendship, and a crown for loyalty. “When a young woman wears the ring on her right hand with the heart pointing out, it means she’s looking. If the heart is turned inward, it means that she’s spoken for. Better make sure she knows that!” he warns with a grin.

A wee bit o’ history 

With a bit of Irish tradition tidily tucked into a ring box, we head to our next destination. A short walk takes us to Trinity College, where the Book of Kells is on permanent display. This lavishly illustrated edition of the four Gospels, completed around the year 800, is the best-known example of Irish illuminated manuscripts. Well-versed in Dublin’s history, Martin tells us the college, whose graduates include Irish intellectuals like Jonathan Swift, was established in 1592 outside the city walls. The picturesque campus is home to the largest research library in Ireland.

After taking pictures in the main squares, we cross the street and Martin breaks into song. We stop and quickly see why. Across from the Trinity College gates on Grafton Street is a statue of Molly Malone. The tune he’s singing, “Cockles and Mussels,” about the beautiful fishmonger who died tragically young, is an unofficial national anthem, popular at sporting events, he explains.

Next he points to a nearby building, currently housing the Bank of Ireland, which is also the original Irish Parliament house, built in 1729. Not one to waste time, he takes us west to Dublin Castle. “The likes of you and me were not allowed into here 150 years ago,” he says as we enter the gates. The castle, originally built in the early 1200s, was the seat of British power in Ireland until 1922, when it was handed over to the Irish government. “Can you just imagine soldiers marching in ordered lines in here?” Martin asks us, waving his arm over the vast cobblestone courtyard.

By now, we’ve worked up quite an appetite, so Martin treats us to fish and chips. But not just any fish and chips, he says: “Leo Burdock’s, the most famous. I even remember coming here as a child when school let out.”

The small storefront on Werburgh Street, across from Christ Church Cathedral, doesn’t hint that Burdock’s, established in 1913, has been frequented by the famous, everyone from the beloved French singer Edith Piaf to U2 frontman and activist Bono, as well as dozens of other celebrities who are listed on a plaque by the door.

As it’s the eve of St. Patrick’s Day, there’s one more place we can’t miss: the Guinness Storehouse on the River Liffey. Inside the century-old building, supported with massive steel beams and modeled after an upside-down pint glass, an interactive museum explains the history of Guinness and how it is brewed. On the third floor, an exhibit called “Choices” explores the line between enjoyment and excess. And, because of the holiday, bands and groups from around the globe are performing in the foyer and on the different levels.

We make our way up to the Gravity Bar on the top floor. With a 360-degree view of the city and a free pint, we sit back and relax.

On the move, again

Next, we follow the Liffey, heading back to our hotel. On the way, we stop for a brief tour at the upscale Clarence Hotel, owned by Bono, a native Dubliner. We head out the back door onto Temple Bar. This area of cobblestone streets, nestled between the Bank of Ireland and Christ Church Cathedral, is famous for its nightlife. It’s only mid-afternoon, but the neighborhood is already buzzing. The verve of the preparty lingers with us even after we leave.

We’ve even managed to forget that we’re still wearing silly green hats when a group of friendly Irish folk stop us and say, “Welcome to Ireland!” To their great surprise, Martin answers with a thick, Dublin accent. “Thanks, I’ve lived here quite awhile myself.”