I recently completed my level 1 keel boat certification here. I researched a bit online before and…read morefound this to be the best looking sailing school in the Dublin area. They have a well setup website which is very informative as to the different course offerings (dinghy, keel boat, powerboat). Checkout their website at insc.ie. The instructors are very good and patient and all of the necessary weatherproof gear and life jackets are provided. If you have an interest in sailing, they can teach you. The level 1 keel boat training is held in these really nice boats called 1720s. Definitely easy to learn on and exciting boats. I did my make up session in a squib boat which is smaller than the 1720s and what is used in the level 2 course. Boat are very easy to learn on and I look forward to future sailings. Due to bad weather one day, one of the days of sailing had to be rescheduled. They were very prompt at notification to everyone through phone and email. They also promptly rescheduled everyone, most within the next week. Very well run operation as far as this goes.

Not nice staff. A very expensive alternative and they do not teach the courses as well as the very…read morenearby Dun Laoghaire Powerboat School. I seriously would not recommend this club but in fact, I would avoid if I could. The staff are not very nice and seem to care more about themselves than others. They also don't offer as good a youth service as the nearby Irish Youth Sailing Club. The leaders turned the hot water off in the showers for me on purpose. This is no way to run a sailing club. Stay clear. Please. They are also rude to people in other clubs and have little to no respect for any property other than their own. They told kids from the Irish Youth Sailing Club that they were not allowed on the public steps. Please go somewhere else and you will thank me! It really is not the best place to and I can assure you that there are way better places than this and that this may seem an easy all rounder but do a bit more digging and find somewhere else for youth sailing I would certainly recommend the Irish Youth Sailing Clun iysc.net and for Powerboating the Dun Laoghaire Powerboat School. Adult sailing I would recommend the DMYC. Again please avoid this club!

Beautiful little fishing village located just a 30 minute train ride from Dublin!…read more We heard great things about Howth and honestly this made a great side trip on our first day in Dublin. Away from the city we were transported to a small village town with gorgeous scenery and people. We went for a ferry ride to see Irelands eye and the Howth cliffs and unfortunately it got too foggy during the tour. For an hour long it was mostly fog but we did see a seal just chilling in the water. It was sunny on the mainland so it was very unexpected that there would be not much visibility on the water. We wanted to see puffins but they are rare to see I think. The ferry ride was pricey so not sure I would recommend it especially since you're not guaranteed to see everything. I would suggest going up the Howth cliffs walk as it is a beautiful view from up top! The locals in the village are also super friendly and love a good chat. Such a great place to visit if you are travelling around Dublin!

Without a doubt one of the most beautiful places I've ever visited…read more Howth is a quaint and beautiful fishing village only about 30 minutes away from Dublin if you take the Dart train from Connelly station. It was 6,50 euro round trip per person and trains pass by about every 20 minutes or so. I would definitely recommend visiting the Howth Market if you come on the weekend. It's like a little farmers market that sells loads of coffee, tea, baked good, prepared foods, souvenirs, etc. This market is located right across the street when you exit the Dart station, you can't miss it. Once you're done there if you continue walking towards the ocean there is a trail that leads you to Howth's head and while you're making your way over there you'll pass by many shops and restaurants. The trail is a steep climb, and if you're not in relatively good shape or have proper shoes on, I'd recommend just staying in town and maybe having a drink at one of the many pubs, but if you're able to make the climb, it's completely worth it. The views are absolutely breath taking, and along the way there are endless vines of wild black berries which you'll see various people (myself included) eating as a snack. I ended up climbing the top by myself while the rest of my party waited for me back down. Please be careful and don't be stupid and take selfies in dangerous areas, make sure to stay on the trail all the time. Enjoy the beauty and charm that Howth offers, I loved it more than Dublin itself.

If money was no object I would move here in a heartbeat. I love to fantasize about the what ifs as…read moreI amble down the road that opens into the bay with a beautiful view of Dalkey island. I like to go there to sit on the benches that they have set up on carefully laid cobbles. There is also a telescope to look out at the passing boats. To the left is a small pier where you can go fishing (license permitting). You can stroll down to the pier and look at the colourful boats and buy fresh lobster. I spent a good half hour last week just sitting there. Park your car in Dun Laoghaire and take the walk out there and fantasy like me about living there someday... To wake up everyday with a view like that must be a glorious thing... Oh well, mean while in the real world I have a gas bill which daydreaming won't pay!

I am so fortunate to live right beside coliemore harbour! It's a beautiful harbour throughout all…read morethe 4 seasons round. Especially in the summer it's just something else indeed! It's a popular place for fishermen who fish off the side wall of the harbour, it's also got a nice little bench area with a telescope that looks out on the sea and Dalkey island. Speaking of Dalkey island..there's a little ferry that drops you from the harbour out too the island for about 35€ and can hold about 8 ppl.. It leaves you out there for about 6 hours and you can go for a walk and have a picnic! Whatever you want really! Also a great spot for photographers, I myself am a huge fan of taking photos and love it! Such a scenic area to do so and if you are lucky, on a clear day you might see some dolphins! They've been regularly spotted from coliemore harbour!

Love this park, but also dislike its one biggest flaw - motocross bike presence…read more You can be chilling and enjoying beautiful surroundings when youngsters go full throttle on a motocross bike or some scooter doing a wheelly. The rest is great. Little pond with a fountain. Little isle there with the swan nest. Some ducks. Small river beside at the back there. I like the fact that this park is not as flat as others. Has a nice kids playground.

An elderly Finglas gentleman once told me that this park was once a dump. Looking at how it looks…read moretoday I find that hard to believe with it's clean flowing river in which I've seen people fishing and well kept grassy areas. When I walk through this park I find it peaceful and the ducks and swans on the wee lake seem to like it too. There is also a golf course in the other side of the river. If anything bad has to be said it's the boy racers that occasionally ride through this park but I haven't seen any for a few months.

Get yourself to Malahide Marina Centre on Dublin's next sunny weekend. It is such a peaceful,…read morebeautiful area just 30 minutes north of Dublin and it is well worth the visit. For those into boating there are 350 berths at this marina, but I definitely recommend it even if you're not planning to set foot on a yacht. There is an amazing park right next to the marina which is great for family fish and chip expeditions and for relaxing with friends. The walk around to Malahide Beach is wonderfully picturesque and well worth the effort (and it's not far - only about 15 minutes). Malahide itself is a very relaxing village, with loads of cafes, bars and clothes shops to admire. A day at Malahide will make you feel like you've stepped right out of Ireland and into some Mediterranean seaside village. And anywhere in Ireland that can trick the mind in this way is definitely worth seeing!

This is a lovely place to visit and look at the boats and walk along the sea and take in the…read morerelaxed atmosphere or just having a coffee or ice cream and just enjoying the lovely view from the benches at the green! Easy to reach by bus or Dart! Malahide Castle just 5 min away, great for walks and big adventure playground for the kids.

Whether you're going for a; stroll/walk, jog, run, power walk, this is a gorgeous park to go to,…read moreeven a play day for the kids. The grounds are majestic and wonderful you have so much to explore each time you go into the grounds.

Wow, the park has now got Zorbing, archery and other great outdoor activities for the summer…read moremonths. Contact :Phone: 01 9010495 dublin@outdoordiscovery..ie http://www.outdoordiscovery.ie/index.php/dublin Activities offered at this location are: Archery, Zorbing, Aqua-Sphereing, Orienteering, Corporate events, Team Building, Kayaking

If you are in Dublin, do the side trip to Howth. It is about 30 minute bus or train ride from the…read morecenter of Dublin. Check to see if a festival is happening as it affects travel times. A Seafood Festival was happening when we were there so it was crowded. If you take the city bus m, it drops you at the top of the cliff walk and you can walk back down. We ended up walking up and catching the bus back to Dublin at the top. The trail we did was the easy one. It went through residential areas for the first half. As we got further up, we could see some of the views. When you get to the top, the view are amazing. You can see a lighthouse and the Eye of Ireland island. The trail was moderately strenuous. A restaurant/bar is about 5 minutes from the top. A parking lot is at the top. You can walk down on different trails. Some trails are along the sea. A small convenience store is across from The bus stop. We waited about 10 minutes for the bis.

The seaside cliff hike was absolutely breathtaking and one of the highlights of our trip. The trail…read moreis about 5K (around 3 miles) and offers stunning ocean views the entire way. The scenery was gorgeous, with lush green foliage surrounding the path and beautiful purple and yellow flowers blooming throughout the hike. The trail was well maintained and easy to enjoy at a relaxed pace while taking in the incredible coastal views. There were so many perfect spots to stop for photos and simply appreciate the peaceful atmosphere and fresh ocean air. If you enjoy nature, scenic walks, and beautiful seaside landscapes, I would definitely recommend this hike. It was such a memorable experience and a perfect way to spend a day outdoors.

An enormous reservoir serving much of Dublin city's water, the Blessington Lakes (aka Poulaphouca…read morereservoir) seem natural enough - but were, in fact, made by damming the Liffey in the '30s. The dam at Poulaphouca is still used to generate electricity. Why the lakes don't show up on Google Maps is uncertain. Since then the lakes have proved popular with day trippers from Dublin - fishing, hiking and nature-watching are all typical pasttimes. There's a leisure centre in the area, focal point for many of these activities. Don't trip over the fishing poles on the bus on the way down. Motor boating is banned on the lakes, but canoeing and sailing are popular. Pity about the swimming though - it's strictly prohibited due to dangerous underwater currents and obstructions, the legacy of the flooded valley. Get there via the 65 bus from Eden Quay, Dublin. A drink in one of Blessington's numerous pubs is often an adventure before setting home.

This cool little shop is about a block down from the Leprechaun Museum, of which I wandered in…read morewhile waiting for that story telling tour to start. I came out with a nice little pocket knife, and a fun experience with a heavily accented fellow old guy running the place and maybe the grandson helping out? The "old guy" struck me as super knowledgeable and insightful in terms of his merchandise, his craft, and reading people. I should take up fishing just to learn more here.

Great little shop on the north side of the Quay near Capel Street. The interior is a little…read morecramped, but they have a lot of good equipment there. Pretty much everything you need to have a good time on a boat, coarse fishing, or sea fishing at the shore. They stock a full selection of multiplier reels, including the well known Japanese brands. They also stock spinning reels, rods and rod bags. They have fresh bait in the refrigerator and all kinds of lures for whatever your game. The proprietor is Mr. Prosser and you would be hard pressed to find a nicer gentleman.