Its easy to forget that Dublin is a town on the sea. Our relationship to the wide expanse that is Dublin Bay extends slightly farther than Dublin Port on the Northside and the Pigeon House on the Southside; but for the last few years, I’ve lived between the canals and because of that, my world has consisted of Dublin’s streetscapes, neglecting what lies outside of those.
With the summer that was in it, you couldn’t exactly go exploring, but thankfully, this last week has looked something like a normal September might… This week so far though, I’ve been to Dun Laoghaire on Monday and out to Howth with the bauld JScully on Tuesday. Later this week, its the Hellfire Club for us, and hopefully a few pictures of that will come too. Above is Ireland’s Eye from the end of Howth Pier. For some reason, I always thought it was bigger…
Some… odd grafitti adorning the lighthouse at the end of the pier. Tags from all over the world, from Brazil to Korea and beyond, go right around the small structure, an interesting one to see. This village lies not ten miles away from O’Connell Bridge yet I haven’t been here since I was a toddler.
Up to the summit, off the bikes (thankfully,) and a walk down to the cliffs. Have to admit, we felt more than a bit jealous looking at the people sitting outside The Summit pub drinking pint bottles of cider, but that’s for another time. Stunning views from the cliffs.
Lambay Island in the distance. Rumoured to be home to a family of Wallabies since they were released there by Dublin Zoo in the eighties, I can find little substantial evidence pointing to the truth in this, hopefully someone can enlighten me!
Sea to the front, hills and gorse to the back. And blackberry bushes. Only fair that after the briers rip the legs of you when you walk through that they give you something back in return… This really doesn’t look or feel like Dublin.
On the way back into town, Bull Island and the Pigeon House towers. A great spot for picking cockles apparently if you can defend yourself from the armies of seagulls presumably doing the same. Anyways, that’s me for this week!
Click on the book for more.
Click on the book for more.
Donal
Ciarán
Sam
Come Here To Me! 
Re: The Wallabies
http://www.broadsheet.ie/2012/06/01/the-wallabies-of-north-dublin/
http://www.malahideheritage.com/Lambay%20Island.htm
I had heard about them, but never heard of Dublin Zoo’s involvement before. I heard they were kept there by the owner (Lord Revelstoke).
the wallabies are for real http://www.broadsheet.ie/2012/06/01/the-wallabies-of-north-dublin/
you’d want to be mad to eat cockles from Dublin Bay, what with sewage and radioactive pollution.
Some lines from The Emigrant’s Farewell in support of the other Dublin you speak of:
“Farewell to Dublin’s hills and braes,
Killiney’s Hill and silvery seas,
Where many a long summer’s day
we loitered hours of joy away.”
It might be a bit late in the season now for it, but next summer, particularly on a clear day, take a boat from the South Pier to Ireland’s Eye, and pending the successful avoidance of the zealous seagulls, try climb to the summit. Not only do you see an outstanding view of Dublin from a rather unique position (I convinced myself I could see Dalymount’s floodlights from there!), but also the view of the Island is spectacular too – from the 8th-century church that once served as Howth’s Parish Church, to the Martello tower, to jutted rocks that host what seems like several thousand shrieking birds.
Immense.
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