Dalkey

Dalkey (Irish: Deilginis, meaning "thorn island") is a heritage town in County Dublin.

Understand
Castle Street, Dalkey

Dalkey is pronounced daw-kee without pronouncing the "l".

Dalkey has a 10th-century church and two 14th-century Norman castles, one of which houses the Heritage Centre. Castle Street is lined with colourful, picturesque shops. The town's buildings have various architectural styles spanning many centuries.

If you walk to Coliemore Harbour or to Sorrento Park, you will get views of the uninhabited Dalkey Island with its well-preserved ruins of a 10th-century church dedicated to Saint Begnet and early 19th-century Martello (defensive) tower. (There is a second Saint Begnet Church also in ruins near Dalkey Castle.)

Get in

By train

Most DART trains from Dublin city centre stop at Dalkey on their way to Bray/Greystones. The trip takes about 30 minutes.

Dalkey railway station was opened in 1854.

by bus
  • Aircoach buses go from Dublin Airport to Dalkey. Journey time from airport: 1hr - 90 min, depending on traffic

Get around

The town is very small and you can walk to Coliemore harbour in about 20 minutes from the town centre.

See
  • 🌍 Dalkey Castle & Heritage Centre, Castle Street. Mon, Wed-Fri 10AM-5PM; Sat Sun 11AM-5PM. Explore a 14th-century fortified town house/castle. Climb to the battlements. Enjoy spectacular views of surrounding sea and mountains from the battlements. Experience the tranquillity of the 10th-century St Begnet's Church and Graveyard. Examine the models of Dalkey Quarry, the funicular & atmospheric railways in the exhibition space. Living history tours with medieval characters from May 1st –October 31st. Guided historical/literary walks: Mon 11:00; Wed 14:00 & Fri 11:00 (May 1st-August 31st). Bloomsday events on 16th June annually. Admission: Adults €6; concessions €5; child €4 & family €16. Admission includes a short introductory tour. 
  • 🌍 Coliemore Road (Starts at the east end of the town centre.). This is a picturesque residential road along Dublin Bay. It sometimes has a Mediterranian look with some white villas with palm trees. You can also see small cottages, an apartment building shaped like a castle and a manor house. This appears to be the high rent district. 
  • 🌍 Coliemore Harbour (20-minute walk from Dalkey centre along Coliemore Road). This picturesque small harbour has a view of Dalkey Island with its stone tower. 
  • 🌍 Sorrento Road (Starts at the east end of the town centre.). This residential road goes through a pleasnt residential area and ends scenically at Dublin Bay. Coliemore Road is more attractive than Sorrento Road but you might want to walk along one road and back on the other. 
  • 🌍 Sorrento Park (Coliemore Road near the intersection of Sorrento Road and Vico Road.). You can get a view of Dalkey Island in Dublin Bay from the top of the hill in Sorrento Park. Near the summit, you need to climb a dirt path. 

Do

If you are willing to walk for over an hour (2½ km), you could walk along the pictoresque Dublin Bay via Coliemore Road and Vica Road to Killiney DART Station. The DART train follows Vico Road and will also offer bay-side views between Dalkey and Killiney.

  • Dalkey Book Festival. Annual festival over three days in June with readings and other book-related events in locations in and around Dalkey. Previous guests include Bob Geldof, Michael Gambon and Malcolm Gladwell. (updated Oct 2016)

Buy

There are a number of shops along Castle Street.

  • 🌍 Craft and Farmers' Market, The Tramyard, Castle Street. Sat 10AM-4PM. There are also a few permanent shops as well at the end of the Tramyard, the site of an old tram depot closed in 1958 with.many of its tracks still in place today. (updated Oct 2015)
  • Thyme Out, 33/34 Castle Street. Delicatessen: sandwiches, breads, cakes and other tasty things. (updated Oct 2016)
  • Select Stores, 1 Railway Rd. Deli, café, fruit, vegetables, wholefoods. (updated Oct 2016)
  • Gutter Book Shop, 20 Railway Road. Small bookshop selling new books. (updated Oct 2016)

Eat
  • 🌍 Idlewilde Cafe, 20 St Patrick Rd, Dalkey, County Dublin, ☎ +353 1 235 4501. 8AM-6PM. A charming café in this pretty heritage town on Dublin's southside coastline. The Cafe is set in a leafy courtyard and offers great breakfast and lunch as well as excellent coffee and smoothies. Great place to spot the local celebrities. €8-12. 
  • The Magpie Inn, 115/116 Coliemore Road, ☎ +353 1 202 3909, e-mail: . Pub with food and beers (updated Oct 2016)
  • Mugs Café, 61A Castle St. (updated Oct 2016)

Drink

Sleep
  • Fitzpatrick Castle hotel. In neighbouring Killiney and within walking distance of Dalkey. Hotel has a small pool. (updated Oct 2016)

Connect

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