...And world famous ice-cream!
Dún Laoghaire Harbour is one of the largest in the country and is notable for its two granite piers. The East pier is 1.6 kilometre and the quieter West Pier is slightly longer.
The East Pier is particularly popular with walkers and was featured in the 1996 movie Michael Collins. The Dún Laoghaire Harbour Company restored the picturesque bandstand here to its original condition in 2010.
On your stroll, enjoy an ice cream cone from the famous Teddy's Ice Cream or with hot, salty chips in hand you may even see people fishing from the end of either pier. People fish here yearround but the most popular time is May to September.
People’s Park has been open to the public since 1890 and features great examples of Victorian architecture including the Gate Lodge, Tea Rooms and a bandstand featuring the original gaslight standards.
It is well maintained and has beautiful flower displays for most of the year. The park has a cafe and a playground and hosts a bustling market every Sunday.
Find it on the Park Road between Glasthule and the seafront, about 10 minutes walk from the DART station. dlrcoco.ie/Parks
See the sculptures on the Sculpture Trail, a significant collection of public sculpture and monuments in the Dún Laoghaire Rathdown area. The trail map details 39 pieces altogether with several around Dún Laoghaire.
There’s Richard Enda King’s ‘Vigil’ at the fire station and ‘Journey through the Centre of the Earth,’ ‘George IV Testimonial’ and ‘Christ the King’ pieces near the piers.
Dún Laoghaire has World War I memorials for its for its fallen soldiers, including the above mentioned statue of Christ the King by Andrew O’Connor and the Oratory of the Sacred Heart in the old grounds of the Dominican convent.
It was built in 1919 to house a statue of the sacred heart sent from Flanders. The walls and ceilings are beautifully decorated in Celtic revival style by Sister Concepta Lynch and windows are by Harry Clarke, a renowned Irish artist of the time. Telephone in advance for visits (01-2054700).
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