Malahide

By plane: Dublin Airport is five miles west, and can be reached without going into the city. Dublin Bus 102 runs every 30 mins from the airport to Swords and Malahide (40 mins), then winds south to Portmarnock and Sutton.
By train: is in the centre of town. DART and commuter trains from Dublin Connolly run to Malahide every 15 mins or so, taking 25 mins, fare €3.30. Some continue north to Drogheda, and south of Connolly they run to Dublin Pearse, Greystones or Bray. Connolly has direct trains from Rosslare Europort, Sligo and Belfast: the latter also stop at Drogheda so you might change there rather than at Connolly. Trains from elsewhere in Ireland run to Heuston Station west of city centre: take the tram to Connolly.
By bus: Bus 42 runs from Dublin Talbot St and Connolly Station every 30 mins to Malahide (45 min) then Portmarnock. Bus 32, hourly, travels along the coast via Sutton and Portmarnock, 50 mins.

It's easy enough to walk to the castle. There's a longer coastal walk to Portmarnock, you might prefer to return on bus 102 or 32, see "Get in".
Bike hire is available from Irish Centre for Cycling on Dublin Rd 100 yards west of the railway station.
Toots, the Malahide road train runs every 40 mins between the railway station, village shops, Grand Hotel, sandy beach and Malahide Castle and gardens. Hop on hop off with a round trip of 40 minutes, adult fare €6, child €4. It's frankly a kiddy-treat but you could always ride it ironically.

• Malahide Castle

  phone: +353 1 8169538
  address: Malahide Demesne
  The oldest parts of the castle are 12th century, though most of what you see is 18th & 19th C, richly furnished. Set in a great parkland, the Malahide Demesne. Visit by guided tour only. Behind the castle are Talbot Botanic Gardens.

• Fry Model Railway

  address: Casino Cottage
  This elaborate O-gauge system depicts Ireland in the 1920s / 30s but has been closed for almost a decade. It's now expected to re-open in this new home in autumn 2019. The Casino itself was a 2-story thatched shooting lodge, built circa 1750 but becoming derelict, hence the cost and delay in re-opening.
• For sea views head north up New Street onto .
• In Portmarnock, St Marnock's is the scrappy remains of a 12th C church. Those in its graveyard include members of the Jamesons whiskey family, Larry O’Neill a former Lord Mayor of Dublin, and the Plunkett family.

• Walk to Portmarnock along the coast, about 40 minutes. It's exposed and windy, with no shelter if the rain comes on.
• Paddling and swimming at where there's a beach between rocky outcrops.
• Watch cricket at

  Malahide Cricket Club

  address: Dublin Rd
  This ground, capacity 11,500, is the home of Leinster Cricket and the usual venue for Ireland's international matches.

• Portmarnock Golf Club

  phone: +353-1-8462968
  address: Golf Links Rd, Stapolin
  This is a links course on a sandy peninsula. The championship course is 7463 yards (6824 m), par 72. Both sexes may play but only men may be members: the courts have to date upheld this. There's also a hotel here, B&B double from €150.

Usual High Street retailers.

Malahide's many eateries are concentrated in town centre just east of the railway station, with a couple more further along the coast.

• Gibneys of Malahide

  address: 6 New St
  Serves food M-F to 21:30, Sa Su to 20:00. Live music four days a week.

• Cape Greko

  address: New St
  Greek & Cypriot restaurant.

• Sale e Pepe

  address: Main St
  Posh dining on seafood and steaks.
• Asian choices include Kajjal on Gas Yard Lane, Siam on The Green, Roseland Chinese at 3 New St, Orchid Chinese at 12 New St, and Jaipur at 5 St James Terrace.

Pubs in Malahide are open daily to 23:30, later at weekend. They include Gilbert and Wright on Ross Lane, Duffy's on Main St, Gibney's on New St (listed above), and Fowler's on New St.

• Grand Hotel

  phone: +353 1 845 0000
  address: Grove Rd, Malahide
  Splendid old 4-star on the coast, often hosts weddings and other events.

• White Sands Hotel

  phone: +353 1 866 6000
  address: Coast Rd, Carrickhill
  Simple but good value hotel with 58 rooms in Portmarnock. Decent food, live music in the bar.

• The City of Dublin has attractions and amenities aplenty.
• Drogheda to the north has the prehistoric stones and tombs of Brú na Bóinne, and the site of the Battle of the Boyne.