Poolbeg Lighthouse

It’s a place where you can enjoy blasts of fresh sea air, watch hardy swimmers plunge into granite-coloured waters and observe the workings of Dublin port. And it’s only a short distance from the city centre. Welcome to Poolbeg Lighthouse, one of Dublin’s most distinctive landmarks. This cherry-red structure can only be reached by walking the length of the Great South Wall, a remarkable feat of engineering – once the longest sea wall in the world, at nearly 5km in length.  

It takes about 90 minutes to two hours to walk from Dublin city centre to the lighthouse, but a nice way to approach the excursion is by hopping on a Dart train to Sandymount Strand and starting your walk from there. The route is just over 10km and weaves through Irishtown Nature Park. Along the way, you’ll be rewarded with expansive views of the Dublin landscape and swirling seabirds that plunge into the choppy waters below. And if that sea looks inviting, you can always join hardy locals at the Half Moon Swimming and Water Polo Club. Don’t fancy swimming? No problem, just grab a hot cup of coffee from one of the small vans at the start of the wall and watch from the sidelines.