Dublin Phoenix Park Running Route

Click here for route map
Length 14.2 km (8.8 miles), terrain: a few short hills, gain 90 meters

Dublin Running Routes:
Georgian Heritage  
River Liffey 
Phoenix Park
Dun Laoghaire coastal run 
City Centre loop   
Howth Cliff Walk trail
See the other running routes here!

Phoenix Park is one of those places that every city needs: a big, green oasis full of gardens, sporting facilities and endless trails that wind their way through hill and glen. With playgrounds, flower gardens, a zoo, a fort, a castle tower, palaces, sports fields, ponds and monuments, it provides endless highlights and lookouts and spots to have fun. This is the place where Dublin goes to relax and play in nice weather. 

Trail in Phoenix Park

NOTE: This run is a bit long, so if you want to reduce it to 10 kilometers, just take a bus or tram to Heuston Station, right near the park entrance and begin there. The bus lines 25, 37, 39 and 69 all head west along the south shore of the River Liffey, and then cross the river to get to the park. Or take the Red Line LUAS tram to Heuston.

Phoenix park is diagonally bisected by a road, Chesterfield Avenue. The smaller, northern half of the park is filled with a lot of big things that are in the way of a good, free run: the Dublin Zoo, the Irish President's mansion, the visitor centre and its parking lots, and the polo grounds.

So it's better to head to the southern part of the park, where you can choose from a wide variety of dirt- and grassy trails and paved walkways.

Ha'penny Bridge, looking towards the run

So, if you find yourself visiting memorable Dublin, get yourself to the pedestrian Ha'penny Bridge, which crosses the River Liffey right in the heart of town at Temple Bar.

We'll follow the south shore on the way out, and the north on the way back. So turn west and head out along Wellington Quay along the south shore of the river. To avoid most pedestrians, stay on the sidewalk directly next to the water.

Along the Liffey

This is a busy street, and a main bus route, so it won't exactly be quiet. After you pass Winetavern Street, you'll see the domed Four Courts courthouse across the river.

A few blocks further west, you'll pass the James Joyce House, at 15 Usher's Island. Ireland honors its writers and poets like few other lands.

And two blocks further, you'll see Croppies Acre park and the National Museum of Ireland behind it, across the river (we'll run there later). The huge Guiness brewery is just to your left side.

At the brewery, we're almost at Heuston Station, so keep to the right and cross the river at the bridge, at the 2 kilometer mark.

Park entrance

Now continue westwards along Parkgate Street, heading uphill right to the park entrance. After passing the round Criminal Courts of Justice building, you'll see the stone park  gates to the right, so head up through them into Phoenix Park along Chesterfield Avenue.

I said we'd stay along the south side of Chesterfield, but let's make a great exception right at the start: there is a little gate into the Peoples' Garden on the right side, let's head in there. It takes us away from the street and puts us right into one of the prettiest spots in the park.

Just run straight along the sidewalk into the garden, passing flower beds and fountains.

Peoples Garden

In half a kilometer, you run past a pond on your right side and then cross a little side-street. Continue straight into the next section, which has a little valley. Head up towards the left, to the café, actually the Tea Rooms.

After passing the tea rooms, at the 3-km mark, you'll come to the next cross-street, with the red ticket office for the Dublin Zoo on the far side.

The zoo will block our progress, so let's turn left and cross Chesterfield Avenue and continue southwest on the little street past the cricket fields. The street winds past a pond and then ends at an army sports club.

Where the sports fields begin: keep left and run towards the woods!

When the pavement ends, run straight out into the sports fields. Stay to the left edge of the hurling fields, avoiding trampling them. Head towards the woods on the left side, and you'll connect into a trail heading northwest. You'll probably begin to run past herds of grazing deer. They are all over this part of the park.

Stay on the trail, which is parallel to and above a bigger, paved bike/running trail in the little valley to the left.

Eventually, your trail will merge into the paved one, after you get views of the Irish President's mansion way off to the right, Áras an Uachtaráin.

The Papal Cross

You'll soon cross a car road, Acres Road, where you'll see a gigantic white cross towards the southwest. Follow the path towards the cross, at the 5-km mark. The Papal Cross was erected to commemorate a sermon on that spot held by Pope John Paul II.

We are now running through vast open fields called the "Fifteen Acres", with vistas in every direction. Off to the south you can see the faraway Wicklow Mountains.

The Fifteen Acres, with view of the mountains

Continue running westwards through the lawns. You'll pass the US Ambassador's mansion on the right side.

Follow the trails westwards and you'll come to a crossing of two small roads, Furze Road and Upper Glen Road. Cross the road on the left side and then head down into the valley to the left, along a dirt path.

Glen Pond

You'll come down to Glen Pond, and probably some fishermen, at the 7-km mark. The trail then curves to the left, heading uphill to the south, and connecting into Upper Glen Road.

Cross the road and continue southwards along the dirt trail that runs parallel with the street. Eventually, though, St. Mary's Hospital will block your way, at the 8-km mark, and you'll have to turn right to get back to Upper Glen Road again.

As the road heads downhill, take the first little road to the left, just below the hospital, and that connects into Military Road. This road has very little traffic, so follow it eastwards as it continues downhill, then winding around a few small valleys. We're running along the south edge of the big lawn where we were running westwards earlier.

The Magazine Fort

Eventually, the road will lead you to an old fort, at the 10-kilometer mark. The Magazine Fort was used to store gunpowder, and the older walls and towers were extended with 20th century additions.

Just past the fort, you must go down a steep hill, where you continue eastwards along Wellington Road, heading uphill again. When you reach the top of the hill you'll see a huge obelisk to the right. Cross the road and run past the monument, erected to memorialize the Duke of Wellington.

Wellington Monument

Run past the monument and then keep left and you'll return to Chesterfield Avenue again, across from the Peoples' Garden, where you then exit the park.

Head back towards Heuston Bridge, but instead of following the way we came before, keep to the left and follow Benburb Street to the left of the little triangular park, at the 12-km mark. Follow the tracks of the LUAS tram line, which runs here, parallel to the Liffey a block away on the right side.

A block later, you'll come to a bigger park, Croppies Acre, where Irish rebels ("croppies") from the 1798 Rebellion are buried. The park has been upgraded in the last years and you can now go into it and run parallel to the street.

The Irish National Museum is to the left, with art and design objects.

Along Benburb Street

Continue along Benburb all the way back into town. This northern part of Dublin has a gritty reputation, but there have been some recent upgrades to make life there more attractive. A couple of squares have been fitted out with playgrounds and places to sit.

At Smithfields, you'll see one of those squares, at the Jameson Whiskey distillery, at the 13-km mark.

Later, when you cross Jervis Street with Wolftone Square, you'll run past the new Jervis shopping mall. Right at the mall entrance, you'll see a little pedestrian street turning south to your right, Millennium Walkway.

Along the Liffey boardwalk and the Ha'penny Bridge

Run down the walkway, lined with little restaurants and cafés, until you reach the Liffey. Cross the riverside street, Ormond Quay, and turn left to follow the boardwalk over the river the one block back to Ha'penny Bridge.

Now that was one long and scenic run!

Dublin Howth Cliff Trail Running Route

Click here for route map
Length 7.6 km (4.7 miles), terrain: some rocks, rise 128 meters

Dublin Running Routes:
Georgian Heritage  
River Liffey 
Phoenix Park
Dun Laoghaire coastal run 
City Centre loop   
Howth Cliff Walk trail
See the other running routes here!

If you're in Dublin and you want to discover an authentic corner of wild Ireland, just hop on the DART train north to Howth and run/hike this amazing cliff trail.

The cliff trail with a bit of rainbow under that cloud

The trail winds along impressive, wind-swept cliff-faces full of nesting seabirds, with expansive views to islands and mountains off to the northern horizon. It's definitely a side of Dublin that you shouldn't miss.

NOTE: see the Destinations Tips page for tips about spending your free time!
 
To get there, just take the green DART line, the Dublin commuter train line, with stops in the town center like Pearce-, Tara-, and Connolly stations. Howth is at the northern terminus of the green line, on a round peninsula which is barely connected to the mainland.

So, if you are ready for one memorable trail run, take the DART to Howth Station, then get out and turn left to start the run at the big harbor right next door. There is a promenade in a strip of park along the harbor.

The fishing boats

First, comes a line of seafood restaurants, then the fishing harbor, with its scenic collection of boats bobbing at the quays. Off in the distance, to the north, you can see Ireland's Eye island, with huge, slender rocks balancing just off its shore.

Howth marina and lighthouse in the evening

Keep running eastwards along the quays, and you'll pass the yacht marina and the Howth Lighthouse. When you reach the eastern pier the land ends, so turn right to start heading up Balscadden Road, with the water to your left side.

Balscadden Bay, as seen from the road

You'll soon pass Martello Tower, an old British-built defensive fort on your right, at the 1-kilometer mark. Continue uphill as the road continues eastwards, above the cliff-faces along Balscadden Bay.

View north towards Ireland's Eye

This whole way is paved until you reach the Kilrock Car Park, where the real Cliff Walk trail begins. There are several variations of the Cliff Walk: they all begin here, at the 2-kilometer mark of our run, but they vary on how they get back to the train station. We are following a modified version of the green trail, marked by green arrows.

Gorse and rocks at the Nose of Heath

Now you'll now head uphill, needing to climb a few rocks. The hill is covered with heather and gorse, a thorny bush that has wonderful golden flowers in the springtime that smell like coconut-butter.

You can see your first cliffs below you, with sea-birds nesting in the niches. To the right is a small peak, Kilrock, with great views of the sunsets.

Hikers on Kilrock viewing the sunset

Sometimes seals are sighted down below the cliffs. This section of cliffs forms the Nose of Howth, and from here, the trail turns south.

After the rocky start, most of the trail is more runable: a narrow gravel path next to the cliffs. The path is not well-marked, but it doesn't matter: just stay along the water and you'll be fine.

Trail/stream leading through the gorse

A couple of times you'll pass through stone gates. If the weather is fairly normal, you'll probably be hit by a shower or two during the run. That can even turn the trail into a running stream! But you'll be rewarded by a rainbow or two, so no problem.

The white spots on the cliff are nesting seabirds

After about 3.5 kilometers, you'll see the Baily Lighthouse on a promontory far in the distance to the south. It marks the northern approach to Dublin Bay, and you can normally see a few ships and ferries gliding by.

Baily Lighthouse on the promontory

At 4 kilometers, you'll pass a yellow warning sign, then a post pointing uphill to the Summit. Follow the steep steps to the top, and you'll see a jeep track turning off to the right, Upper Cliff Road, just before the car park. This is our way back.

Steps to the Summit

This gravel road heads back north, going by a few scattered farms along the hilltop. Meadows and gorse scrubland curve downwards towards the cliffs below.

Upper Cliff Road

The road will curve towards the left. At a gravel crossroads, after about the 5-kilometer mark, keep going straight, following the green arrow. From now on, it's all downhill.

Upper Cliff Road leads you back into town by entering a neighborhood. It ends at Thormanby Road, the main road through town.

Along Thormanby Road

Turn right and head downhill along Thormanby Road. This isn't very busy, so it's not as bad as it sounds. You're right in the center of town when you get to the church and the few little shops and pubs.

Keep running downhill, passing the Abbey Tavern on the left, a comfortable old pub with great salmon chowder and good Irish beer.

In the Abbey Tavern: I heartily recommend it!

Right after the tavern, you'll pass the ruins of the 800-year-old St. Mary's abbey church. It was built by Sitric, the Viking King of Dublin.

The abbey ruins in twilight

Right after the abbey, you'll find yourself back at the harbor. Cross Harbour Road and turn left to return to the train station in just a few hundred meters.

And aren't you glad you discovered this amazing corner of Dublin!

Top Dublin Routes

Dublin always excites the party-goers in just about everybody: Guinness brewery tours, lively pubs with live music, somehow the town inspires lots of visitors to don stupid hats and wander in happy groups, expecting a party around every corner. But to keep up that pace, it's good to do something healthy beforehand, like taking a good run. There's nothing better to really get to know this place than to run off the normal tourist tracks and explore a lot of the interesting neighborhoods away from Temple Bar.

So here is a short list of some of the best running escapes in this very lively town.

Before diving into the Temple Bar scene, see the town for real with a great run!

Best Dublin Running Routes
Town Center Loop: This run circles the town center, letting you experience a bit of everything: Temple Bar, the River Liffey, Merrion Square, St. Stephen's Green, and past the castle. A good way to get a good impression of Dublin!
Howth Cliff Walk Trail: For a taste of the natural beauty of Ireland, try this cliff run just north of Dublin city, easily reachable with the DART train.
River Liffey Run: This route starts at the Ha'penny Bridge in Temple Bar and heads down the river through the newly redeveloped docklands areas on both sides of the river, with their interesting mix of historic and modern waterfront living.
Phoenix Park: This big area of greenspace, filled with sports fields, gardens, monuments and ponds, is within running distance of the town center. Try it out!
Georgian Heritage Run: This route concentrates on the beautiful Georgian-era architecture scattered through central Dublin. Trinity College, Merrion Square, the Grand Canal and its locks, St. Stephen's Green, then home again along famous Grafton Street. 
Dún Laoghaire (Dunleary): Dublin's seaside jewel, with a huge marina and picturesque cottages, a rocky coastline and Bullock Castle. 

Dublin Central Loop Running Route

Click here for route map  
Length: 4.9 km (3 miles)

Dublin Running Routes:
Georgian Heritage  
River Liffey 
Phoenix Park
Dun Laoghaire coastal run 
City Centre loop   
Howth Cliff Walk trail
See the other running routes here!

Article and photos by John Griffith
John is co-founder of the great UK RunningBug site, an entertaining writer, and now he's busy producing videos. Thanks John!

For more running routes, see Routes List.

For many years now, I’ve opened my house to friends and family for New Years Eve. It's always a good party; a roaring fire, a big slow meal followed by fireworks on the telly and lots of hugging amid promises and good intentions for the year ahead.

Statue on the Irish Parliament building

This year we handed the house keys with blind trust to our children and headed off to Dublin for a short break. It rained of course, but we packed the right gear and set our expectations accordingly. Cocooned in the delightful Merrion Hotel, you want for nothing. It feels “boutique” but with a 2-star Michelin restaurant it’s very definitely Dublin’s No 1 sleepery.

NOTE: see the Destinations Tips page for tips about spending your free time in this great town!
 
Running in Dublin takes little in the way of planning. It's flat, the pavements are wide and wherever you go there are buildings of interest and beauty. In better times, wealthy shipping merchants vied with each other for architectural grandeur. The result is a density of historic civic buildings and fine Georgian terraces seldom seen in any other town.

From Upper Merrion Street, I turned east down Baggot Street past Doheny and Nesbitt’s Pub turning north up Fitzwilliam Street past Merrion Square towards the river.

The Liffey (from the Gaelic Liphe or "life") bisects the town and is spanned by an assortment of bridges whose styles reflect the many years it has flowed there. Once the home of Viking settlers, it now provides (and receives!) almost 60% of Dublin's drinking and industrial water and is thought by many to be the source of Guinness who in fact pipe their supply from the nearby Wicklow Mountains.

Sally Gap in Wicklow, not only providing the water for Guiness, but a great running side trip

Ducking under the old railway bridge you reach the river, hook a left and start to enjoy the views from the long, manicured riverside Quays.  These include the new National Convention Centre and the old Customs House on the north bank.  The Quays are studded with massive iron rings which once secured the ships that brought so much wealth to Dublin in the 17th and 18th century. 

Turn south when you reach Temple Bar, you can choose any of the rat-runs through where the smells of last night's partying still hang in the air.  Catch the parliament buildings if you can on Dame Street, zig east a bit and choose south on pedestrian Grafton Street to run past the shops you may visit later. 

Finally east again past the shopping centre and then home through the serenity of St. Stephen's Green where the "Famine" sculpture is worth a view.

Dubliners are unfeasibly friendly and the town, although a little tired in places, is the jewel of the emerald isle.  Everything is very expensive but with over 1,000 pubs it's a haven for career drinkers and -- with The Wicklow Mountains only half an hour's drive away -- it’s also a fell-runner’s delight.

Many are poor and some are homeless; I watched as a Police car swooped up to a blanket-clad beggar on the street.  As the policeman got out of the car and donned his cap I feared the poor man’s day was going to get worse.  But instead of handcuffs he presented the man with a steaming coffee.  That’s the Irish for you.

Dublin, River Liffey Running Route

Click here for route map
Length: 5.2 km (3.2 miles), terrain flat

Dublin Running Routes:
Georgian Heritage  
River Liffey 
Phoenix Park
Dun Laoghaire coastal run 
City Centre loop   
Howth Cliff Walk trail
See the other running routes here!

NOTE: I took these pictures on a drizzly evening, so it all looks a bit soggy. Hope you have better luck!

Dublin's River Liffey has been getting a lot nicer lately. A series of big projects have redeveloped the old harbor area into a pleasant mix of waterfront offices, flats and entertainment venues. Gone are the long line of fenced-off, run-down warehouses, plodding trucks and dusty lots that used to blot the landscape.

NOTE: see the Destinations Tips page for tips about spending your free time in this great town!
 
The new works have transformed the whole area out to the Eastlink Bridge. The modern, deep-draft freighters can't go so far upriver any more, so the whole area was in search of a new, useful identity, which has now succeeded quite well. All the harbor activity has moved further out to the mouth of the Liffey, where the modern container terminals now lie.

And the area is scenic enough to warrant a run along the river. Let's try it!

The start of the run from the Ha'penny Bridge

We'll start in the spiritual heart of Dublin, at the old Ha'penny footbridge at Temple Bar. Standing on the bridge, turn to face eastwards, with Temple Bar to your right. You're now looking over the whole route: we'll run along the left (north) shore, past the green-copper-domed Custom House, through-and-past the new developments at Custom House Quay, then cross that modernistic white bridge out there around the bend to see the other main redevelopment neighborhood at Grand Canal Quay on the south side of the river. We'll then run back along the south bank to our starting point.

And after running past all the new buildings, the 2 new bridges, the modern new tram line, the huge new theater and the nearby new glass-and-steel stadium, you'll understand why Ireland suddenly needed a big financial bailout. You Europeans will now get to visit those billions of rescue Euros that you recently paid out.

The new boardwalk along the Liffey

So, off we go... Cross the bridge and turn right to run along the new wooden boardwalk over the river. This was a great idea: giving the river back to pedestrians in central Dublin. The boardwalk goes all the way to the Custom House.

The Custom House

At the imposing, classical Custom House, the boardwalk ends, so cross the street to continue along the sidewalk. In just a block past the Custom House, you'll run over an old iron draw-bridge. Immediately after the bridge, turn left to run north into the big open square surrounding the Custom House Quay.

Custom House Quay

You'll run right through a stone archway. On the other side of the quay, cross Mayor Street with its modern tram line (Luas Red Line). You'll see the Harbour House restaurant on the left, with the glass-room on the waterside. Continue running north past the restaurant along the other side of the canal leading to the next basin in just a hundred meters.

In Custom House Harbour

Turn right here, between new Custom House Harbour apartment buildings, and run along the basins until the path ends. You take the steps going down to the right, on Commons street. Run right back to the riverside, where you turn left to continue running along the water.

The Jeannie Johnston

A tall ship, the Jeannie Johnston, is anchored here, serving as a museum for the great emigration wave that resulted from the potato famine in 1845. Just behind you is the sleek new pedestrian bridge, the Sean O'Casey Bridge.

And just in front is the sleek new car bridge, the Samuel Beckett Bridge. Cross it to get to the south side of the Liffey, and continue running eastwards from there.

Samuel Beckett Bridge to Grand Canal Quay

NOTE: You could also stay on the north shore and run out along North Wall Quay to the Eastlink Bridge, and see some more interesting sights, like the O2 venue, the Convention Center, a lighthouse ship and a ferris wheel, but you have to make a loop around the Grand Canal Quays to get back to the river again.

Pass the Ferryman pub and hotel and run along Sir John Rogerson's Quay till the road ends, where you turn right on Benson Street.

Rowers along Sir John Rogerson's Quay

In 2 blocks you'll hit the Grand Canal Quay basin, where you turn right. Don't forget to heed the warning sign!

Don't forget to turn right at the water!

Now you run towards that huge new glass building with the red sticks growing out front: the Grand Canal Theatre. There are boats to rent in this basin on nice days.

The new Grand Canal Theatre

Continue past the theater, along its right side, till the street ends at Cardiff Lane, where you turn right and run the two blocks to the river. Here, near the Ferryman again, turn left on Sir John Rogerson's Quay and run the whole way back along the riverside to the Ha'penny Bridge again.

The way back

Dublin Dún Laoghaire Running Route

Click here for route map 
Length:  6.9 km (4.3 miles), terrain flat

Dublin Running Routes:
Georgian Heritage  
River Liffey 
Phoenix Park
Dun Laoghaire coastal run 
City Centre loop   
Howth Cliff Walk trail
See the other running routes here!

NOTE: I took these pictures on a cloudy evening, so try to imagine everything in more picturesque sunlight!

A lot of visitors to Dublin stay close to the town center, bouncing around between the Guinness brewery and Grafton Street, without even noticing that the city has a long, scenic seacoast. The shore is lined with coastal vistas, parks and harbors.

Dún Laoghaire coastline

NOTE: see the Destinations Tips page for tips about spending your free time in this great town!

One of the most interesting spots to visit is Dún Laoghaire (also known as Dunleary), the old Royal Navy port for Dublin. Built in the 1820s to avoid the dangerous sail up the mouth of the River Liffey, the town around the port was called Kingstown by the British. Built in the Georgian style of the time, with long rows of terrace cottages, the town feels like an Irish Greenwich.

Dún Laoghaire cottages

Today, it comes across like a quiet seaside resort. The old navy harbor is now used as Ireland's biggest marina, home to almost a dozen yacht clubs. And it's easy to reach from the Dublin town center: just jump on the DART train from any of the downtown stations, like Connolly, Tara or Pearse Street. It just costs a few euros, and in 20 or 30 minutes you'll be running along the waterside, smelling the Irish Sea salt-air and feeling as if you've landed in a completely different city.

I first experienced the train ride there when I had to get to Enniscorthy in the south. The train ride was absolutely beautiful, traveling directly along the Irish coast for a long time, before cutting up over the hills to Enniscorthy.

On my latest visit to Dublin last week, I decided to take a closer look, charting a running route through Dún Laoghaire to Bullock Harbour and back. This route is the result.

The Dún Laoghaire Route
It starts at the west end of town, at the Salthill & Monkstown DART station. The train ride there already provides you with great views of the coast.

When you get out of the train at Salthill, you have to go up a stairway to cross over the tracks and leave the station. But in the station parking lot, immediately go up the other stairs that cross back over the whole railway to land on the coastal path. The beach here is often used by windsurfers.

Turn to the right, with the water on your left side, and run parallel to the tracks, towards the harbor. The harbor begins in just a few hundred meters, when you pass the west pier. Just stay along the road going by the harbor, unless you'd like a little detour out to the end of either pier, with their 150-year-old lighthouses.

Dún Laoghaire marina

You'll pass some modern harbor buildings that say "Irish lights". No, they aren't lamp stores, they are the government agency for keeping up the country's lighthouses and buoys. You'll pass some of the yacht clubs in the old harbor buildings, as well as the ferry landing for the ferries to Anglesey in Wales.

From now on, just stay along the water. After the east pier, there are some salt-water baths out on the rocks, only usable at high tide. Then, along Windsor Terrace, the shore is lined by a little park, where you can run right at the water's edge. You can see the stone tower and fort at Sandycove straight ahead. We'll run right to that spot.

When you get to Sandycove, the land sticks out in a little peninsula to the left. Follow the little street to the left and you'll come to Forty Foot Bathing Place, where you can take a fun break and jump off the rocks into the water. The rock formations remind me of the coast in Sydney, Australia. In warm weather, this is the place to cool off from a hot run.

Swimmers having fun at Forty Foot

Now continue running eastwards, past the stone tower (now it's the James Joyce Museum). Running further along the shore for a few blocks, you are forced to take the street leading away from the water, on Sandycove Avenue E. Run till it ends in the main road, and turn left to run the 200 meters to the half-way point at Bullock Harbour.

Kayakers at Bullock Harbour

There is a little 700-year-old castle here (built by monks) and an equally little protected harbor full of fishermen's rowboats. This is the turn-around point. Now we'll run back down the main road into town again. You just stay on the road, going straight west. The street name changes about five times, but no bother. It begins with the name Breffni Road and ends as George Street, Dún Laoghaire's main shopping street.

Bullock Castle

When you get back into town, the road goes uphill a bit. You'll pass People's Park on the right side, at Park Street, with its blue iron fence. If it's open, it's worth a little loop through it. When I was there, it was closed for the evening, though.

People's Park

At the spot where George Street narrows to one lane, turn right and run the two blocks down Marine Road to end the run at the Dún Laoghaire DART Station, right in front of the ferry landing in the harbor.

Or you might want to do as I did, and stop in at the Ritz Café at the corner of George Street and Patrick Street and get a fish and chips dinner (I had the smoked cod) and run with it down Marine Road to the yacht harbor and watch the boats while you eat, before heading back into the city (hey, I'm a sailor, what do you expect?).

Now you've earned your pints of Guinness back in Temple Bar this evening!

Meanwhile, back in Temple Bar...