Dún Laoghaire
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Destination Dún Laoghaire
Dún Laoghaire is a coastal town situated 11 km (7 miles) from Dublin City centre and easily accessible by train, bus or car.
The Harbour, bounded by two granite piers, is one of the largest working harbours in Western Europe. Most visitors will take a stroll along the West Pier, which is home to a Victorian bandstand. At the start of the East Pier, there are coffee huts and food stalls, so you can stock up before you embark on the 1 km walk to the end of the pier. There’s a Victorian lighthouse at the end of the pier and, should you need to bribe children to complete the walk, there is also Teddy’s Ice Cream (more on that later).
National Maritime Museum
You'll explore are ship models, instruments, engines and all the paraphernalia necessary to cross the seas. See the 10-tonne revolving Baily Lighthouse Optic (mentioned by James Joyce). How did they put the ships into all the bottles? View the Titanic exhibit, the re-created Radio Room, the Royal Navy Prisoners' Docks and the War Memorial.
Dublin Bay Cruises
Also situated at the start of the West Pier is Dublin Bay Cruises. They provide a variety of destinations from Dun Laoghaire including back to the city centre, over to Howth or down to tour around Dalkey Island. They run from March to September and full details and prices can be found on their website.
The People’s Park
The People’s Park, situated towards the end of the town, hosts a market every Sunday with a wide variety of food available. There’s a second market, also on Sunday, with stalls scattered around the Lexicon Library. Throughout the town, there are numerous restaurants, cafés and bars, so you won’t go hungry or thirsty.
Dún Laoghaire Baths
If you want to brave the elements, and many do, there are a few places where people gather to swim. North of Dún Laoghaire is Sandycove which is shallower and has a slipway into the sea. Recently opened in the centre of the town are the Dún Laoghaire Baths. Further east from there is the famous 40 Foot, but it should be noted that it would be for the stronger swimmers as currents and wave heights can be strong at times. However, situated beside the 40th Foot is Sandycove beach which is ideal for children
James Joyce Museum
Overlooking the beach is a Martello Tower which is home to the James Joyce Museum The writer stayed in the tower and his renowned book, Ulysses, opens on the roof of this Martello Tower.
Should you want to explore further, the next village down the coast is Dalkey which is 4 km along the coast. In Dalkey there is a DART station co you can hop on there to bring you back to the City Centre.
Teddys Ice Cream
No visit to Dún Laoghaire would be complete without a visit to the legendary Teddys Ice Cream. It’s been serving 99’s since 1950 and there are outlets scattered throughout the town. If you are looking for a modern take on ice cream, you can always drop into Scrumdiddly’s which is toward the West Pier.
