County Dublin - Environment

1. Parks

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Phoenix Park Visitor Centre

Just three kilometres from the city centre is the biggest, and most attractive, enclosed city park in Europe. It was established as a deer-park in 1662 by the Duke of Ormond, and a herd of over 300 fallow deer still roam through the park and its woodlands.

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2. Gardens

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National Botanic Gardens

There are some lovely trees, many outstanding displays of shrubs and perennials and, of course, the famous glasshouses, including Turner's magnificent curvilinear range.
Over the past two centuries the gardens have played a central role in botanical and horticultural advancement in Ireland.
The soil of the Glasnevin Botanic Gardens is heavy alkaline boulder clay, which confines the growing of calcifuge plants such as rhododendrons and ericas to specially prepared peat beds.
On the east side of the garden lies the Victoria or Aquatic House which was built in 1854 to protect the gigantic Amazon water lily - at the time only recently introduced and one of the wonders of the age.
One of the older plants is the Chusan palm, planted outside the curvilinear range in 1870.

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3. Tourist Attractions

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Dublin Zoo

Facilities
Discovery Centre: See the world's biggest EGG!
Zoo Train: Operates daily during the Summer months, weekends only during the Winter (Weather permitting)
Gift shop: A wide variety of Dublin Zoo and animal souvenirs are available in the gift shop located behind the Monkey House.
Restaurants: Our new fast food restaurant "Stripes" is located in the main restaurant building for good quality and good family meals. Our café bar offers a wider selection of food and confectionery. The Lakeside Café opens during the Summer months for snacks.
Sweet and Icecream Kiosks are located around the grounds of Dublin Zoo.
Childrens Play Areas: Try out our new Treehouses, the Hippo Hop or Giraffe Slide.
Picnic Facilities: Picnic Tables are located around the grounds of Dublin Zoo.
During the summer months we operate a daily meet the keeper and feeding programme. Please check the information panel at the Zoo entrance for further details. During the Winter months our feeding programmes operate weekend only.

One of the primary aims of Dublin Zoo is to heighten public awareness about the needs for conservation. The Zoo's Education Department is one of the country's most impressive and rapidly expanding educational services, catering for the general public and the educational sector.
The general public can avail of educational activities, volunteer programmes, Summer Camps, Young Zoologist Days and information services at the "Discovery Centre"
Our school's portfolio, carries specialist programmes for pre school, primary school, transition year, junior Cert Art and Foreign Students. While a further element of the programme provides career development for teachers with Summer Courses and Teacher's Days.

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4. Sightseeing Tours

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Mary Gibbon's Tours - Dublin City Tour

DUBLIN CITY TOUR
Our special tour explores the rich heritage of one of Europe's most exciting cities, founded by the Vikings over 1,000 years ago.

• Explore the Great Georgian Squares and Doorways.
• Visit the famous Phoenix Park, Home of our President Mary McAllesse.
• See the delights of the city of Roddy Doyle, James Joyce, Brendan Behan, Sean O' Casey, Oscar Wilde and Nobel Prize winners W.B Yeats, George B. Shaw and Samuel Beckett.
• See Christ Church, Dublin Castle, Guinness Brewery, O' Connell Street: The G.P.O. - Birthplace of the Irish Nation - The National Museum and Library.
• Visit St. Patrick's Cathedral, Burial Place of Jonathan Swift, in the heart of the Liberties.
• Our last stop is the world famous Trinity College.

Tour duration 2hrs. 30mins. Approximately

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5. Nature Reserves

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Wild Fowl Reserves - Broadmeadow

Broadmeadow at Malahide, where the sea's incursions have created a lake and wetlands with a rich habitat.

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6. Memorial Parks

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Garden of Remembrance

The Garden of Remembrance is dedicated to those who gave their lives for Irish freedom. The garden is intended as a place of reflection and Remembrance. Open during daylight hours each day.

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7. Zoos

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Dublin Zoo

Facilities:
Discovery Centre: See the world's biggest EGG!
Zoo Train: Operates daily during the Summer months, weekends only during the Winter (Weather permitting)
Gift shop: A wide variety of Dublin Zoo and animal souvenirs are available in the gift shop located behind the Monkey House.
Restaurants: Our new fast food restaurant "Stripes" is located in the main restaurant building for good quality and good family meals. Our café bar offers a wider selection of food and confectionery. The Lakeside Café opens during the Summer months for snacks.
Sweet and Icecream Kiosks are located around the grounds of Dublin Zoo.
Childrens Play Areas: Try out our new Treehouses, the Hippo Hop or Giraffe Slide.
Picnic Facilities: Picnic Tables are located around the grounds of Dublin Zoo.
During the summer months we operate a daily meet the keeper and feeding programme. Please check the information panel at the Zoo entrance for further details. During the Winter months our feeding programmes operate weekend only.

One of the primary aims of Dublin Zoo is to heighten public awareness about the needs for conservation. The Zoo's Education Department is one of the country's most impressive and rapidly expanding educational services, catering for the general public and the educational sector.
The general public can avail of educational activities, volunteer programmes, Summer Camps, Young Zoologist Days and information services at the "Discovery Centre" Our school's portfolio, carries specialist programmes for pre school, primary school, transition year, junior Cert Art and Foreign Students. While a further element of the programme provides career development for teachers with Summer Courses and Teacher's Days.

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9. Beaches

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Balbriggan Beach

Natural Amenities: Safe, sandy beaches with full life-guard service during the summer months and only two minutes from the town centre and train station. Coastal walks with panoramic views. A unique large colony of seals inhabit the coastline at Hampton and can regularly be seen around the harbour.

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10. Islands

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Dalkey Island

The island is uninhabited and its main interest is the early church dedicated to Saint Begnet near the landing place on the west shore. It has prominent antae and a massively lintelled doorway with slightly inclined jambs. The original roof was probably thatch or shingles, but medieval slates discovered in the course of excavation show that the church remained in use for some considerable time. The bell cote on the west gable is also a late addition.

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11. Harbours

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Bullock Harbour

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16. Mountains

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Killakee

One of the best places to get a panoramic view of Dublin city and Dubln Bay is Killakee, on the Rathfarnham-Glencree road. A popular picnic spot nearby is the imposing shell of the Hell Fire Club on the top of Montpelier Hill, where in the eighteenth century the first Earl of Rosse and his colleagues, it is said, worshipped the devil in black Masses. On one occasion (so the story goes) they set the building on fire and continued drinking inside - to give themselves a foretaste of Hell.

Close to Killakee are the pine forests and nature trails of Massey's Wood, Cruagh Wood and Tibradden, which spread across the Dublin side of the Killakee, Cruagh, Glendoo and Tibradden Mountains.

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17. Woods and Forests

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Killakee

A popular picnic spot nearby is the imposing shell of the Hell Fire Club on the top of Montpelier Hill, where in the eighteenth century the first Earl of Rosse and his colleagues, it is said, worshipped the devil in black Masses. On one occasion (so the story goes) they set the building on fire and continued drinking inside - to give themselves a foretaste of Hell.

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18. Walks

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Historical Walking Tours of Dublin

Conducted by history graduates. Assemble Front Gate, Trinity College, Saturday & Sunday at 12 noon, during the winter. 2 hours duration.

Cost:
IR5.00 per person, IR4.00 concession. (Student, Senior, Unemployed)

Walk Includes.
Trinity College, Old Parliament House, Dublin Castle, City Hall, Fishamble Street, Wood Quay, Old City Walls, St. Audoen's Church, Christchurch Cathedral.

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19. Bird Watching

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Birds of Ireland Bird Watching Tours

Catering for the complete beginner to the more experienced birdwatcher, Eric and the other guides will help you to expand your lists and knowledge of the various species in their natural habitat.

Birds of Ireland provides tours which vary all over the countryside. If you have a particular species you'd love to see or just simply enjoy birdwatching they are sure to have a tour to suit you.

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20. Scenic Drives

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Dublin - Clonmacnoise - Galway

Leave Dublin via the N4, the main road to the west of Ireland. Cross the river Liffey at Leixlip at which point we enter the county of Kildare. This county is perhaps best noted for its many stud farms, some of which we will see en route. continue on the man road towards Maynooth, with its wide main street, an indication that this was once a manorial village serving Carton House (behind walled estate on our right before entering Maynooth) an 18th century former residence of the Earls of Kildare. Continuing to the end of main street we see the entrance to St. Patrick's College, an important catholic ecclesiastic centre, a seminary for training priests and also a university.

Leaving Maynooth we travel towards Kilcock with the Royal Canal on our left (one of the two canals that flow into Dublin). we follow the main roads to Kinnegad where we join the M6 for Galway. This route takes us past a series of small attractive villages and rolling green countryside. The first village is Rochfortbridge named after Robert Rochford, a 17th century member of Parliament and a friend of Jonathan Swift. Further on we come to Tyrrellspass, one of the prettiest villages in Westmeath which was once a national tidy town winner. It received its name from the Anglo-Norman Tyrell family who ruled here up to Cromwellian times. A 15th century castle still stands at the end of the village and is now a private residence. This very attractive village was laid out in its crescent form by Lady Belvedere in the 18th century.

Travelling on we arrive at Kilbeggan on the river Brosna noted mainly for the presence of an old whiskey distillery which is now an industrial museum and craft centre.

Further en route we stop at Horseleap which got its unusual name following the leap by the Norman baron de lacy over the castle drawbridge while being pursued by some native chieftains. Soon after we arrive at Moate a village which was founded by Quakers in the 17th century.

Beside the still inhabited castle lies a Quaker cemetery. Moate lies in the centre of a very rich cattle raising area and has a large cattle mart and milk pasteurising plant. About 9km beyond Moate we leave the main route to Athlone to travel to Clonmacnois on the N62. Clonmacnois, which translates as the meadow of the son of Nois, is one of the Country's most impressive monastic sites. Although mainly in ruin, the site boasts interesting round towers, many small churches, a cathedral and three high crosses. Leaving the splendours of Clonmacnois, we follow the river Shannon to Shannonbridge. Here we have a choice to travel to Birr on the R439 and see its famous castle or continue along the R357 to Ballinasloe in Co.Galway. Ballinasloe on the river Suck is renowned for its October horse fair, the largest in Ireland. This busy commercial centre is also one of the most important in the bloodstock industry. Leaving the town we travel along the main road to Galway (N6) about 8 km out of Ballinasloe we notice the signs indicating the Battle of Aughrim (the village lies near the main road). This battle took place in 1691 and led to the defeat of the catholic Irish and French forces by William of Orange's soldiers and was a major battle in Irish history.

We continue on and pass through the busy little town of Loughrea. The cathedral here contains some of the finest stained glass windows in the whole of the island. The 20th century artists involved were Michael Healy, A.E. Childe and Evie Hone. From Loughrea we travel onto the city of Galway, the gateway to Connemara.

Total distance: 243 km
Public transport: 7 day week service between Dublin and Galway.

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21. Visitors Centre

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Waterways Visitor Centre

Our visitor centre is situated in a modern building on the Grand Canal Basin in Ringsend in the southeast of Dublin City. The Centre houses an exhibition which explores Ireland's inland waterways, their historical background and their modern amenity uses.

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