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Telegraph
31-05-2025
- General
- Telegraph
The 10 best day trips in and near Dublin
While Dublin has plenty to keep you occupied, there is also loads to see and do just outside the city. Within 30 minutes, you can be out exploring the coastline, from tiny fishing villages with seafood restaurants around the harbour to hiking trails that lead to epic views. A little farther afield, there are historic towns, mountain ranges and Neolithic sites to explore, and if you have a car you can check out the gorgeous countryside that starts right on the city's doorstep. Here are some of the best day trips you can take from Dublin. All our recommendations below have been hand-selected and tested by our resident destination expert to help you discover the best things to do in Dublin. Find out more below, or for further inspiration, see our expert guides to Dublin's best hotels, restaurants, nightlife and things to do. Find a day trip by type: History Coast Culture Nature History Brú na Bóinne Older than the Pyramids and Stonehenge, this collection of Neolithic passage tombs is the shining star of Ireland's heritage sites. Entry is by guided tour only, and includes the grassy domed Knowth, with remarkably preserved megalithic art around its edge, and the star attraction Newgrange, the tomb of which you can enter. On the winter solstice, this chamber aligns perfectly with the sunrise and is illuminated with a stream of light, which is re-enacted on the tour. Contact: Area: County Meath How to get there: 1 hour drive from Dublin Powerscourt Estate With 47 acres of elaborate gardens, a Palladian mansion to explore and Ireland's highest waterfall, there's plenty at Powerscourt to keep you entertained for the day. Start off with a stroll around the grounds, checking out the view of the house from the Italian garden and visiting the pet cemetery, before lunch in the Avoca café and a drive round to the waterfall (bear in mind this costs extra). There's a great playground there, too. Kilkenny History buffs will be kept happy in the medieval city of Kilkenny, where fossils are embedded into the marble pavements and tiny tunnels and arches are dotted throughout the city centre. Start at Kilkenny Castle, an imposing 13th-century structure with beautiful state rooms – take a guided tour and you get to walk behind the velvet ropes. Afterwards, head out on the Medieval Mile Trail to learn about the city's historical links to witchcraft. Coast Howth It's scenic, charming and easy to reach by train – the fishing village of Howth ticks all the boxes for a quick and easy day trip from Dublin. From the Dart (train) station, walk along the harbourfront until you reach the Howth Cliff Path, a hiking trail that takes you up and over the heather-covered cliffs, high above the waves crashing below. Afterwards, head to one of the restaurants by the harbour for local lobster and crab, drenched in garlic butter. Killiney and Dalkey This chi-chi borough is where you'll find some of the wealthiest Dubliners, who live in the grand mansions overlooking the sea. You could spend a day pottering around the pretty village of Dalkey, but if you're up for a hike, the walk down the coast to Killiney is stunning, passing a popular sea (and nude) swimming spot, then up to Killiney Hill, where you can stand on top of the pyramid for exceptional views over the bay. Culture Athlone This pretty city on the water makes for a nice and easy day trip – kick things off at the 12th-century Athlone Castle, walking through the interactive exhibits (and picking up a cannonball), and then head up to the turrets for a great view of the town. Afterwards, pop into the nearby Luan Gallery before grabbing a bite at one of the riverside restaurants, or go for a drink in Sean's Bar, the oldest pub in Ireland, which dates back to AD 900. Belfast At just over two hours from Dublin by train, Belfast is a great shout for a quick hop over the border. Most sights are within easy reach of Grand Central Station, so stroll around the buzzy Cathedral Quarter, splashed with street art, or browse St George's Market at the weekend. The excellent Titanic Belfast is a little farther out, but you can catch the bus if you don't fancy the stroll along the riverside. Nature Wicklow Mountains National Park You often catch a glimpse of them as you fly into Dublin, but the Wicklow Mountains look even better up close. Drive to the national park and use that as your base for a hike – Djouce is challenging but beautiful, and the trail overlooks the inky black Lough Tay, otherwise known as Guinness Lake. Afterwards, head into Roundwood for a bite to eat. Mourne Mountains You will need a car to get there, but once you arrive, the Mournes are well worth the trek. Supposedly the inspiration for CS Lewis when he was writing The Chronicles of Narnia, these sweeping mountains are dappled with heather and gorse, and dotted with still, calm lakes. Walk one of the trails in Castlewellan Forest Park, or drive the six-mile Slieve Gullion loop, one of the most scenic in Northern Ireland. Contact: Area: Newry How to get there: 1 hour 45 minutes drive from Dublin Cavan Lakes This corner of Ireland is often bypassed for the more popular spots, but to miss it would be a shame – there are dense forests, peaceful lakes and tiny islands scattered throughout the water. Aim for Killykeen Forest Park and walk around the woodland trails, or book into one of the activities with Cavan Adventure Centre, where you can kayak to the crumbling remains of Clough Oughter Castle on a tiny island, or try your hand at stand-up paddleboarding. How we choose Every attraction and activity in this curated list has been tried and tested by our destination expert, to provide you with their insider's perspective. We cover a range of budgets and styles, from world-class museums to family-friendly theme parks – to best suit every type of traveller. We update this list regularly to keep up with the latest openings and provide up-to-date recommendations. About our expert Originally from Sussex, Nicola Brady went on holiday to Ireland 16 years ago and never came back. She's now based in Dublin, where she spends her time either eating or planning her next meal.
Irish Independent
25-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Irish Independent
Master watchmakers and remarkable timepieces on show at Waterford's International Festival of Time
Now in its third year, the event runs from May 23 to 24, bringing together master watchmakers, horology enthusiasts, collectors, and artisans for a celebration of timekeeping excellence. A watch worn by Star Trek captain William Shatner was previously displayed, and many of the timepieces available to see are one of a kind, crafted over many months by masters in their craft. Festivalgoers will have the rare opportunity to examine these extraordinary timepieces, as well as attend masterclasses, expert talks, and exclusive showcases from some of the world's finest independent watchmakers. Included among these are those associated with renown international brands like Zeitwinkel, GoS, Khemea, Bastien Vuillomenet, Arcanaut, Garrick and Singer, as well as four from Ireland. From Athlone come brothers John and Stephen McGonigle, who trained at the Irish Swiss Institute of Horology in Dublin, before working for household names like Audemars Piguet, Bréguet and Christophe Claret, then setting up their own brand McGonigle Watches. Stephen now runs this company, focussing on high-end pieces than can cost more than €100,000, with John returning to Ireland to create Oileán Watches and later, in 2021, Magon Watches, favoured by rugby star Robbie Henshaw. Carlow-based Bryan Leech, co-founder and designer of Sidereus Watches, is a product designer, who teaches product design at SETU in Carlow. He began making watches after feeding his love of horology by setting his students the task of designing a watch. He has a showroom at Kilgraney House near Bagenalstown in County Carlow, where visitors can view and buy his showpiece timepiece inspired by Newgrange. It retails at €2,600 plus VAT. In Clare, Swiss-trained horologist Alison Moriarty specialises in crafting bespoke watches with enamel dials from her rural workshop. She recently released her first offering, the 'Moriarty' watch, which will be shown for the first time in Waterford. 'I'm really looking forward to this year's International Festival of Time in the beautiful Waterford city,' she said. 'And even more excited as I'll be showing, for the very first time, my watches with my handmade opaque enamel dials. The festival is excellent and the museum is a must see.' The festival events will take place at the Medieval Museum, Irish Museum of Time and Christ Church Cathedral, including a guided tour of Waterford's public clocks, past and present, from 3pm on Friday, May 23, a keynote speech on Saturday, May 24, from 1pm, followed by a panel discussion on horology and timekeeping from 3pm. ADVERTISEMENT Learn more On both days, the Watchmaker's Exhibit will be in the Garden Room at the Medieval Museum, and tickets to the festival offer entry to this location an the Irish Museum of Time for €15. Having this festival in Waterford highlights an unusual moment in history. Not only is the city home to Ireland's only dedicated museum of watches and clocks, but it is just a short distance from New Geneva, where Genevan watchmakers had decided to relocate their entire industry in 1784. Had this venture succeeded, it could have profoundly changed the industrial history of Ireland. One of the event organisers Johnny McElherron said: 'As a celebration of independent and artisanal watchmaking, the Festival of Time is a unique opportunity for anyone with an interest in watches and contemporary horology to experience and appreciate some of the finest and most important hand crafted timepieces of our time, and to meet the people behind them. 'It is for me a great honour to welcome these extraordinary creators to Ireland, and to have the rare chance to showcase their internationally acclaimed and award-winning watches on Irish soil.' 'Whether a visitor is a seasoned collector, an aspiring watchmaker, or simply fascinated by the artistry and science of timepieces, this festival offers something for everyone.' Other headlining watchmakers confirmed for the festival are Vianney Halter (France/Switzerland), Albert Edelmann (Zeitwinkel, Switzerland), Patrik Sjögren (GoS, Sweden), Rune Bakkendorff (Denmark), Shona Taine (Khemea, Switzerland), Lundis Bleus (Bastien Vuillomenet, Switzerland), Cyril Brivet-Naudot (France), Robb Nudds, James Thompson and Anders Brandt (Arcanaut, Denmark/Switzerland), David Brailsford (Garrick, UK), Marco Borraccino (Singer, Italy), Christiaan van der Klaauw and Pim Koeslag (Netherlands), and Ludovic Ballouard (France).
