A picturesque town just south of Dublin boasts iconic piers and dramatic coastline – but visitors often struggle to pronounce its name.
Dun Laoghaire is located on the coast some 12km from the Irish capital and has long been a popular destination for holidaymakers pining for some sea air.
Back in Victorian times the town was a major seaside resort, and is still home to handsome terraces fronting the harbour, a bandstand as well as its east and west piers, which offer dramatic views.
Meanwhile, the nineteenth century People’s Park just south of Dún Laoghaire town is a great place to unwind, complete with handsome fountains, a raised roofless bandstand as well as a cafe/restaurant with toilet facilities nearby.
There’s also a well-known market near the harbour on the weekends, so you can pick up some local treats and enjoy them in the park’s grounds.
Dun Laoghaire is also a hub for sailing and outdoor activities, but not just for seasoned seafarers. The Irish National Sailing School in Dun Laoghaire offers courses aimed at total novices.
Forty Foot, a promontory on the southern tip of Dublin Bay at Sandycove is another popular spot, where people have been enjoying the refreshing waters of the the Irish Sea from the spot for more than two centuries.
The town also has a rich literary history, and is home to the James Joyce Tower and Museum in a Martello Tower in Sandycove which is free to visit.
The celebrated author of the modernist masterwork Ulysses spent six nights in the tower in 1904 and its thought to have inspired the opening of the novel.
Dun Laoghaire has some great places to eat and drink with standouts including Toscana, Hartley’s, and Irish steakhouse Casper & Giumbini’s.
You can also take a walk down well-regarded pubs like Buck Mulligan’s, The Lighthouse, The Two Foxes, among others.
If you’re looking to take to take in the scenery, Dublin Bay cruises are available from Dun Laoghaire to Howth offering a unique view of Dublin city en route.
Tourists are sometimes said to struggle with the of the town’s name (pronunced dun LEER-ee), which can irk some locals.
A Redditor addressing the mangling of the town’s name wrote: “As someone living in Dun Laoghaire I take mild offense to both misspelling and mispronouncing Laoghaire’s name.”