Lord Mayor Ray McAdam and Minister James Browne have unveiled two new Wonder Wander walking routes celebrating the Architectural Conservation Areas of Phibsborough, North Great George's Street and Mountjoy Square.

Launched in Dublin, the latest additions to the Wonder Wander series are self-guided trails designed to spotlight notable elements of central Dublin's built heritage and the stories behind them.

Developed by the National Built Heritage Service (NBHS) within the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage, in partnership with Dublin City Council's Architectural Conservation Officers, the routes were shaped with input from local residents through workshops that identified important buildings, sites and features.

Speaking at the event, the Lord Mayor of Dublin, Councillor Ray McAdam, said: "These Wonder Wander trails are bringing hugely important parts of our city to life. Don't just walk past the buildings that frame our daily lives. Look up. Consult the trail guides. Every window, every arch, every weathered brick and every doorway is a chapter of Dublin's built heritage story. It's thanks to Wonder Wanders that this story is reaching a wider audience."

Announcing the trails at St Peter's Church in Phibsborough, the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, James Browne TD, said: "The places and buildings that we pass every day may have greater heritage significance than people realise. Every street has a story to tell and the Wonder Wander trails really brings these to life and can help people to better understand the built heritage all around us.

"Working together, teams from the National Built Heritage Service and Architectural Conservation Officers from Dublin City Council, have created something very special. These trails are a fantastic example of a community-led project and I wholeheartedly encourage people to explore them and to look up the other sixteen trails available in Architectural Conservation Areas around the country." Minister of State for Nature, Heritage and Biodiversity, Christopher O'Sullivan TD, welcomed the initiative: "These two Wonder Wander trails remind us how Dublin's built heritage has shaped its personality and sense of place. Architectural Conservation Areas are hugely important to the fabric of our villages, towns and cities. These places or groups of buildings have a special historic character and these trails will ensure they can be enjoyed and cherished now and into the future.

"We look forward to the continued success of the trails around Ireland and look forward the development of new Wonder Wanders in Cork city and towns in Donegal and Mayo next year."

The Dublin routes are presented on colourful maps that pinpoint key stops and include scavenger hunts for families. Highlights span prominent landmarks such as churches and courthouses, as well as more modest structures including homes, shops, sculpture, street furniture, water pumps, vent pipes and coal chutes.

In Phibsborough, the Wonder Wander features Doyle's Corner, the former Baptist Chapel known locally as 'the Red Church', ornate shopfronts, historic terraces, the area's oldest house, stained glass by renowned Dublin designer Harry Clarke, and stories ranging from the Easter Rising to Bob Marley's Dublin concert.

A short walk via North Great George's Street to Mountjoy Square brings visitors to Dublin's only true Georgian square, once a private garden for 68 households. The houses, built from the late 18th to the early 19th century, present a rhythmic uniformity in their window and door openings. Along the way, the trail draws attention to fine buildings, archways, coal holes, historic fanlights, streetlights, street signs and the many narratives associated with the area.

Free Wonder Wander maps can be downloaded from the National Built Heritage Service website and are also available in print from local libraries, public buildings and council offices.

There are now Wonder Wander trails across sixteen Architectural Conservation Areas in seven counties and eight local authorities, part of a wider programme by the Department's National Built Heritage Service and the National Inventory of Architectural Heritage to celebrate Ireland's rich built heritage.