Dublin city would normally be thronged with tourists and visitors at this time of year but the pandemic has put paid to that. 

However, shops, museums and tourist attractions are reporting that this summer in the city is still being enjoyed by many people, despite the lack of international visitors.

They peruse the Irish gift shops, not because they’re tourists – but because they’re the new Irish, stranded, and sending Emerald-coloured mementoes to family far away. Dublin is virtually bereft of international tourists but Carrolls gift shop on Nassau Street – which previously enjoyed 90pc of its revenue from international tourism in 2019 – has found new customers, with heartfelt stories.

Haseeb Eli (23) from Pakistan is studying a business degree at NUI Galway.

On his short staycation to Dublin yesterday, he was looking for the perfect Irish gifts to send home.

“I haven’t seen my family in Pakistan for two years – it’s hard but I want to send them a piece of Ireland, so they can feel closer to where I am,” Haseeb, who looks emotional behind his mask, said.

“I want jewellery for my mum. Something which is really Irish.”

Carla Elaman (25) from Harold’s Cross, south Dublin, was perusing the aisles to send her family in the Canary Islands an Irish gift, too.

“I’m sending my cousins an Irish present,” the customer service worker said.

“I’m going to finally get home for the first time since the pandemic next month and I wanted to take a bit of Ireland home to them.”

Managing director of Carrolls, Peter Hyland, said the company has seen an increase in this type of customer. They all have emotional stories to tell.

And the company has also diversified, targeting the domestic market, with Father’s Day gifts, birthday and wedding presents and LGBTQ Pride goods have a brightly coloured blue corner in the Nassau Street store. “We’re looking forward to when international tourists start to come back in July,” Mr Hyland said.

“In 2019, you couldn’t have walked down this street without seeing a Carrolls’ bag, but of course, most of our customers aren’t here now, due to the pandemic.

“This could be a sad story or one where we reinvented ourselves and that’s what we chose to do.

“We have a new partnership with Newbridge and we’re selling Irish products, showcasing new companies, to encourage buying Irish.”

Meanwhile, National Museum of Ireland Director Lynn Scarff is delighted domestic tourists are back, and she is also looking forward to the buzz of international tourists returning.

“A lot of Dubliners and domestic tourists are rediscovering the museum and there’s a younger cohort visiting the museum, including people in their early 20s and those on dates. There was a couple having a sneaky kiss from behind their masks.

“It’s extraordinary, we’ve become a place for dates.”

Kurt Moore (58) from Denver but living in Dingle and on holiday in Dublin, examined the artefacts in the pre-historic section.

“It’s my first stop and it’s amazing going back in time here,” he said.

“I’ve only ever passed through Dublin, so I’m delighted to be here. It’s a beautiful city. The museum is gorgeous.”

Elsewhere, a Chinese couple were in the gift shop outside the Book of Kells at Trinity College.

“Is it a man’s?” she asked her partner, trying on a patchwork cap, laughing.

Two teenage friends took selfies in the Long Room, an even more majestic place when empty.

“Visitors from across Ireland are taking this opportunity when the city is quiet to see the Book of Kells,” Ann-Marie Diffley, visitor services manager, said.

“This is the best chance people will get to see the book and the hall up close and exclusively.

“We’re seeing Dubliners and visitors from across Ireland and while numbers have dropped, as our visitors were mostly international, we’re delighted to see domestic visitors who want to learn more about Irish culture and history – we have so much of it.”

Meanwhile, Katherine McSharry, deputy director of the National Library of Ireland, said: “it’s just great to be back and see people visiting.”

“We have a Living with Pride exhibition currently on at The National Photograph Archive in Temple Bar.”

Meanwhile, David McConn, managing director from Big Bus Dublin, explained that in 2019, the company operated 22 busy tour buses in the city but “today we run two.”

“We have a handful of visitors from Northern Ireland,” Mr McConn said.

“Eighty five per cent of our travellers are now domestic, but in 2019, 70pc came from North America and the UK.”