Dún Laoghaire: why Dubliners have been walking these Victorian piers for generations

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On Sunday mornings across Dublin, something quiet and reliable happens. Families make their way to the DART. Couples carry takeaway coffee. Elderly men check the weather with an expression that suggests they’ll go regardless. They’re all heading to the same place: Dún Laoghaire — and the plan, almost without exception, is the pier walk.

It’s been this way for well over a century. And if you’ve never walked these piers yourself, you’re missing one of Dublin’s most enduring pleasures.

Two piers, one unbroken ritual

Dún Laoghaire (pronounced “Dun Leery”) sits 14 kilometres south of Dublin city centre on the shores of Dublin Bay. It has two massive granite piers — the East Pier and the West Pier — built in the early nineteenth century and completed around 1842. They were constructed to protect the harbour, but for most Dubliners, they serve a different purpose entirely.

The piers are the ritual. Walking them, whatever the weather, is what you do on a Sunday in south Dublin.

The East Pier: Dublin’s Sunday living room

The East Pier is the favourite. It stretches roughly 1.3 kilometres from the town out to the East Pier Lighthouse — wide, well-maintained, and almost always busy with walkers. Dogs sprint ahead of their owners. Toddlers wobble against the sea breeze. Teenagers cycle past pretending they’re not enjoying themselves.

About halfway along, a restored Victorian bandstand faces the water. In summer it hosts occasional concerts — brass bands, folk groups, the kind of thing that feels impossibly pleasant against the backdrop of the bay. Benches line both sides of the pier and fill quickly on clear days.

At the very tip, the lighthouse looks out across Dublin Bay toward Howth Head to the north and the Wicklow Mountains rising to the south. On an exceptionally clear day, the coast of Wales is visible on the horizon.

Turn back toward the town and you walk directly into the wind. Which is, somehow, exactly what everyone came for.

The West Pier: quieter, wilder, worth it

The West Pier is narrower, less restored, and considerably more weathered. Fewer families come here. More solitary walkers do. It has a roughness the East Pier lacks — uneven underfoot in places, the sea closer and louder.

Walk it on a grey November morning and you’ll understand something about the Irish relationship with the sea. It’s not romanticised or sunny. It’s close and necessary — the kind of thing that doesn’t require explanation.

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Where to eat and drink in Dún Laoghaire

After the walk, the town delivers well. Dún Laoghaire has quietly become one of south Dublin’s most pleasant spots for food — a mix of old institutions and newer spots that feel entirely of their place.

Teddy’s Ice Cream

Teddy’s has been serving ice cream on the Dún Laoghaire seafront since 1950. The queue on sunny Sundays stretches well down the street. It’s not fashionable; it doesn’t need to be. Order a 99 and stand facing the bay.

Cavistons

In nearby Glasthule — five minutes on foot — Cavistons has been a Dublin institution for seafood since 1946. The restaurant is tiny, booking is essential, and the fish is as good as anywhere in the city.

Rasam

One of Dublin’s most celebrated Indian restaurants sits above a pharmacy in Glasthule. It’s been winning awards for years, and it earns them. If you’re making a day of the pier walk, book Rasam for dinner.

Getting there: the DART makes it effortless

The DART runs directly from Dublin city centre to Dún Laoghaire in about 25 minutes. Board at Tara Street, Pearse, or Grand Canal Dock stations and settle in for the coastal stretch south — the line hugs the shoreline past Sandymount and Booterstown, the bay opening gradually to your left.

The station drops you five minutes from the pier entrance. No car required. No parking stress. Just the wind and the granite and the sea.

If you’re exploring more of Dublin’s coastal south side, the Sandymount Strand tidal walk is a gentler, flatter alternative. For something more dramatic, Killiney Hill rewards with sweeping panoramic views across the bay — often compared to the Bay of Naples. And for an unusual adventure into Dublin Bay itself, the Great South Wall offers a 3km walk along a narrow sea wall that most visitors never find.

Frequently asked questions

Is Dún Laoghaire worth visiting from Dublin city centre?

Absolutely. The DART journey takes around 25 minutes and costs a few euros. You get sea air, a proper pier walk, excellent food options, and a completely different pace from the city. Many Dubliners consider it the best easy escape from the capital.

How long does the Dún Laoghaire pier walk take?

The East Pier is about 1.3 kilometres each way. A leisurely return walk takes around 40 to 50 minutes, including time to stop at the benches and admire the view. Most people take longer — there’s rarely a rush.

Can you swim near Dún Laoghaire?

Yes — the Forty Foot at nearby Sandycove is one of Dublin’s most beloved outdoor swimming spots, used year-round by hardy locals. It’s a ten-minute walk south of the pier. Wild swimming in Dublin is a whole culture of its own, and the Forty Foot is its spiritual home.

The piers at Dún Laoghaire have been here for nearly two centuries. Dubliners have been walking them just as long. Come on a Sunday, face the wind, and you’ll understand why they keep coming back.

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