Dublin to the beach....
 

Hi everyone,

Just beginning to plan a trip to Ireland for November. I will only have one full day in Dublin but would love to make a visit to a nearby beach. What is the easiest way to do this?

Thanks
Lexi

Are you thinking of working on your tan?

Lots of possibilities, with easy access by bus or DART (suburban rail): Sandymout Strand; Dollymount; Portmarnock; Hole in the Wall (Sutton); Malahide; and more.

Sandymount Strand was the venue of the first chapters of James Joyce famous Portrait of a Young Man i believe

Being a Joyce fan i made a special trek out there from Dublin like Padraig says on a train and spent my 21st birthday on the strand drinking booze - it's a wide sandy beach if i remember and even in June it was breezy and rather chilly

Joyce and beaches:
- Ulysses opens at Sandycove, where there is a very small beach that is pretty well covered at high tide.
- Sandymount Strand also features in Ulysses (the Gertie McDowell scene).

One of Joyce's images, that might put one off: "snot-green sea".

I forgot to mention Dalkey strand.

Thanks for the replies.

No, I won't be working on my tan. :-) It's a little too chilly for me.

I don't know what it is but if I travel somewhere I always try to make a trip to a local beach. I guess I just want to see how they differ from the ones on the US East Coast.

Thanks again.

perhaps i mixed up Sandycove with Sandymount

are they near each other?

thanks

It's a long time since I read "Portrait", and I can't remember if there is a beach scene in it -- nor can I find the book, as it belongs to Herself, and I don't know where it is.

Offhand, I'd guess the two places are about 3 miles apart.

You described Sandymount.

Why don't you just do a few stops off the DART and get your fill of beaches in a few different quaint towns?

The following stops are all in a row: From Dublin take the DART first to the Sandymount stop. Grab a good cup of coffee at the Java place and walk the strand. Once you've gotten your fill, continue south to the Dun Laoghaire stop and enjoy the harbor walk south (there is even an old swimming hole if you walk far enough, by the James Joyce tower, technically the Sandycove stop, as mentioned). Then continue on the DART south to the Bray stop (enjoy that view!), and have an ice cream cone by the beach.

Now take the DART the way you came back in to Dublin.

Bookmarking - thanks!

Thanks so much jumper22! Do you happen to know how much the DART is for that route? I've tried looking up some locations on the DART website but it keeps giving me an error message.

lexi

No, I don't recall, sorry. I used the Lansdowne Road station all the time and the only thing I remember is that it was 2.70 euros from there to Blackrock & back. Keep checking the site or just look at the ticket machines by all the train stations when you arrive, shouldn't be terribly expensive or anything.

BTW, if you find yourself pressed for time, skip the Sandymount stop above the others. That strand is harder to get to from the station compared to Dun Laoghaire and Bray FYI. Just thought I'd mention that.

Killiney Beach is lovely and very accessible by DART. Take a walk along the beach, stoll back along to Dalkey for lunch in the Queen's Pub, and then take the DART from Dalkey back into the city centre.

DART prices and other details available here - www.irishrail.ie

Thanks so much jumper22 and ter2000.

I had another friend who has lived in Ireland recommend Killiney Beach. The pictures I've seen look amazing.

I just can't wait to get to Ireland.

lexi