Beaches In Dublin and Just Outside

portmarnock beach

Portmarnock beach, known as The Velvet Strand is five miles long and stretches all the way to Baldoyle and adjoins Malahide Beach. It has a gorgeous view of the Dublin Mountains and Howth Harbour.  Along the beach there is a path which leads to Malahide and it is used by many people each day.

dollymount beach

Dollymount Strand is the closest large beach to Dublin city centre. It is situated on Bull Island which was created in the 19th century in Dublin Bay. The sandy beach here runs along the full 5 kilometre length of the island. Today, it is an important nature reserve, being a breeding site for many bird species and one of the most protected areas in Ireland.

claremont beach

Claremont Beach is a small cove-like beach situated close to the harbour in Howth. It is a popular beach all year round and there are a number of pubs and restaurants located along the Harbour Road and in the village of Howth.

rush beach

Rush Beach is a lengthy sandy beach backed by an extensive sand dune system. The south end of the beach is very popular with kite surfers and has great conditions.

skerries beach

Skerries beach is a long sandy beach approximately 2.5km in length with low dunes behind the strandline in the centre of and to the south of the designated bathing water.

seapoint beach

Seapoint beach is on the southern shores of Dublin Bay between Blackrock and Monkstown. The beach consists of areas of rocks interspersed with sand. Behind the beach is a section of promenade with a few slipways and steps with hand rails that lead into the water at high tide. This makes Seapoint a good spot for swimming although the water can be quite shallow when the rocks are submerged.

bray beach

Bray South Promenade Beach is located in the North of County Wicklow. The beach is on the sea front of Bray Town and is a 10 minute walk from Bray Main Street and 2 minutes from Bray Dart Train Station. The first 20 metres of beach seaward is shingle and steep sloping. Closer to the water’s edge, the beach is gently sloping with sand and pebbles. There is something for everyone along brays Promenade. From the Sea Life Centre. Dine in Brays Finest Restaurants. You can get an ice cream and relax on the Bray Sea front.

sandycove beach

This seaside suburb is located around a pleasant harbour and has a famous Martello Tower where the writer James Joyce once stayed for a week as a guest of poet Oliver St John Gogarty. The opening scene of Joyce’s Ulysses is set in this tower. It now hosts a small Joycean museum, open in summer time.  Sandycove beach itself is very popular with young families, as it offers shallow water to paddle and gorgeous views to admire. At the back, you can find the famous Forty Foot, the traditional Irish bathing place.

Greystones Beach

The long fine, sand and pebble Greystones beach is stiuated just to the south of the town of Greystones. Being located just 10 kilometres south of Dublin, the beach is a popular spot for day trippers with Greystones station, located behind the northern end of the beach, providing regular trains to the city. The beach itself is about a kilometre long and fairly wide. It is backed by the railway embankment, behind which are some playing fields, and to the south, Charlesland Golf Club. Swimming is popular at this beach, with lifeguards on duty every day between 11 am and 7 pm from June until September. However, only competent swimmers should enter the water here, as it becomes deep very quickly.