Dun Laoghaire: The Fort of Laoghaire
Originally chosen by a 5th century Irish King to be a sea base, today Dun Laoghaire, Ireland is well known for being one of the largest harbors in Ireland. Visitors can visit Dun Laoghaire via a train ride from Dublin Airport (DUB). Bus routes are also in abundance from Dublin to the town. Dun Laoghaire hotels like Rochestown Lodge Hotel & Spa provide easy access between the two places for travelers who like to maximize their travel time.
Best Time to Visit
Being a harbor, visitors flock Dun Laoghaire for its water activities from boating to its 830-berth marina, the largest in Ireland. Others that look for curious knick knacks to bring home will certainly appreciate the regular bi-monthly antique fair held on Sundays over at The Royal Marine Hotel. The city also plays host for several festivals including the International Puppet Festival and the annual Dublin Theatre Festival, which is Europe’s oldest specialized theater festival, every September to October.
What to Do & Area Attractions
A visit to People’s Park will make anyone feel like they’re stepped back through time and into the Victorian era due to the park’s overall Victorian them. This popular Dun Laoghaire attraction is well known for its functional tearooms and its weekly farmers market every Sunday. The National Maritime Museum of Ireland is found in the town’s seafront, situated in former Mariners Church, and known for a variety of displays such as artifacts from shipwrecks, war ships from World War II and more.
Lovers of literature will certainly be familiar of the name James Joyce in which the town houses a museum in a Martello tower with his name, the James Joyce Tower. It is said that the author spent six nights in the tower in 1904 and has been a pilgrimage for those who enjoy Joyce’s works.