Parks
Dublin City is home to a wide number of parks and open spaces that contribute to a high quality of life for people living in and visiting the area. Our parks offer sports facilities in addition to providing recreational spaces for walks and play an important role in the biodiversity of the city.
Phoenix Park
Phoenix Park, Dublin 8
It was established in 1662 and it is one of the largest parks in Europe. The 30% of the park is covered by trees and there are mainly broadleaf parkland species such as beech, oak, lime, ash, sycamore and horsechestnut. Since 1660 a herd of fallow deer has lived in the park. The Phoenix Park is a sanctuary for many mammals, birds and a wide range of wildlife habitats.
St. Stephen’s Green Park
St. Stephen’s Green, Dublin 2
St Stephen’s Green,Faiche Stiabhnan Irish, is a city centre public park in Dublin and it is the best known Victorian public park in Ireland.
The waterfall and Pulham rock work on the western side of the park are worth of a visit likewise the ornamental lake which provides a home for water birds such as swans, ducks and herons. A number of sculptures are located throughout the green and a children’s playground is a popular attraction of the park. There is also a 1887 bandstand which hosts free lunchtime concerts during the summer months
Belgrave Square
Rathmines, Dublin 6, Ireland
Originally a wasteland known as ‘Church Fields ’ this residential square was constructed in 1851. The 1 hectare park, situated off Castlewood Avenue between Rathmines and Ranelagh, was privately owned until the mid 1970’s when it was acquired by the Corporation for development as a local park.
Blessington Street Basin
Blessington Street Bassin, Dublin 7, Ireland
Measuring 0.75 hectares and located in the heart of Dublin’s north inner city, and within easy walking distance of O’Connell Street, the Basin has a long and varied history. This quiet haven in a bustling metropolis provides a secret garden for local residents and visitors alike.
Bushy Park
Terenure, Dublin 6, Ireland
Part of an extensive open space network along the Dodder, Bushy Park extends to 20.5 hectares. The park is noted for its woodland walks, ornamental ponds and beautiful Dodder Walk as well as catering for football, tennis boules, and children’s play. It consists of a concrete bowl surrounded with typical street elements. The park is open to skateboarders, in-line skaters and B.M.X. bikes.
Cabbage Garden
Kevin Street, Dublin 8, Ireland
Located at the top of Cathedral Lane off Kevin Street on 0.56 hectare, this small park is a redeveloped former cemetery dating from 1663. During the Cromwellian occupation it is reputed that the occupying soldiers cultivated cabbages on the site, hence its name. Part of the old cemetery was designated for Huguenot burials from 1681 to 1858. Many of the Liberties’ merchants and tradesmen were buried in the cemetery which closed to burials in 1878. The Corporation developed the existing park in 1979/1980 with some redevelopment in 1998.
Clontarf Promenade
Clontarf, Dublin 3, Ireland
Stretching for about 3 kilometres from Fairview Park to the Bull Wall at Dollymount, the Promenade is 40 metres wide and is about 26.5 hectares in extent. This much admired amenity is a popular location for a bracing seaside walk with every possibiltiy in the winter or spring of encountering flocks of grazing Brent geese.
Croppies Park
Wolfe Tone Quay, Dublin 8, Ireland
Located opposite Frank Sherwin Bridge at Wolfe Tone Quay, this 0.25 hectare park was named in 1983 after the Croppies of the 1798 Rebellion who were executed in the vicinity. An ornamental pond and water feature/fountain consisting of sections of Wicklow granite mounted on columns from the former Guinness Mansion at St. Anne’s Park were installed at this time.
Dartmouth Square
Ranelagh, Dublin 6, Ireland
This 0.8 hectare park in Ranelagh was developed as a public park by the Dublin City Council. Houses around the Square date from the 1880’s and the design of the park reflects a formal Victorian layout with a central pergola and loggia.
Formal pathways flanked by clipped laurel plantings and flower beds also provide an ideal setting for surrounding houses.
Diamond Park
Gardiner Street, Dublin, Ireland
Getting its name from the nearby Gloucester Diamond, this small 0.7 hectare park was developed in 1985/1986 as part of the Corporation Urban Renewal Programme. The site was formerly occupied by tall palladian-style terraced houses constructed by Luke Gardiner in the late 18th century. The park was redesigned in 2003 to include a childrens playground and all weather pitch.
Eamonn Ceannt Park
Sundrive Road, Dublin 12, Ireland
The park is named after one of the executed leaders of the 1916 Rising. The park is located between Sundrive Road and Clogher Road. Extending to 17 hectares (42 acres), the park was developed in the 1960’s and includes an athletic track, veledrome, playing fields, tennis courts and children’s playground.
Fitzwilliam Square
Fitzwilliam Square, Dublin 2, Ireland
A small privately-owned Square with access only for adjoining householders, Fitzwilliam Square was developed in the early 19th century when the surrounding Georgian houses were completed.
Of simple design, the park has changed little over the generations but now has many fine mature trees.
Griffith Park
Glasnevin/Drumcondra, Dublin 9, Ireland
Griffith Park is situated on the Tolka River between Glasnevin and Drumcondra and just downstream from the National Botanic Gardens, the park extends to 7.5 hectares. The site was originally a landfill until the 1930’s when the eastern end of the park was first developed.
Herbert Park
Ballsbridge, Dublin 4, Ireland
Herbert Park is named after Sidney Herbert (1810 – 1861), the father of Earl of Pembroke who, in 1903, offered the site to the Pembroke Urban District Council for development as a public park.
Liberty Park
Foley Street, Dublin, Ireland
Located at the junction of Corporation Street and Foley Street near Busaras. This small 1 hectare (2.47 acres) park was constructed as a part of Urban Renewal in 1979. Sited on what was the notorious “Monto” area, the park has all-weather football and playground facilities. The local community played a full part in its development and today the park is a model for what can be achieved through the joint efforts of the City Council and local residents.
North Bull Island
North Bull Wall, Dublin 3, Ireland
The specific areas of ornithological and botanical interest include the sand dune system, the spit head and hook, the aldermash, the mudflats and saltmarsh. The Island is home at various times to 8,000 wild fowl and 26,000 waders with up to 180 different bird species being recorded. Over 300 species of plants also have been recorded including some rare and officially protected species. In addition to its ecological uniqueness the Island with its much loved Dollymount Beach is a marvellous recreational resource valued by generations of Dubliners.
Oisin Kelly
Basin Street, Off James’ Street, Dublin, Ireland
Located at Basin Street, Off Jame’s Street, this small 0.4 hectare park was developed in the late 1980’s to provide an amenity for local residents with all-weather football and ornamental/passive areas.
Named after Oisin Kelly, who was born near by, a sculptor who provided the city with some of its finest bronze sculptures.
Ormond Square
Off Ormond Quay, Dublin 1, Ireland
Located in the Markets area just off Ormond Quay is Ormond Square, reported to be the oldest dedicated open space in the city. Essentially a space for surrounding householders due to its quiet location and small size of 0.15 hectares, the landscape treatment has always reflected its intensive image.
In the most recent upgrading in 1998, the design was of mainly hard landscape but with small playlots and perimeter tree planting.
Peace Park
Christchurch Place, Dublin, Ireland
Located in Nicholas Street across from Christchurch Cathedral, this small park was dedicated to the yearning for Peace in Ireland and was officially opened in 1988. Designed as a sunken garden to reduce traffic noise at this busy junction, the main features include a bronze “Tree of Life”, a pool/fountain and fine natural stonework of Calp and Liscannor.
Heathers provide ground cover to a backing of formal planting of hornbeams.
Pearse Square
Pearse Square, Dublin 2, Ireland
Situated in the heartland of Dublin’s south inner city, Pearse Square is a rectangular open space of just over 0.5 hectare, overlooked by houses on three sides and with the fourth side opening onto Pearse Street. The square was formerly known as Queen Square and dates from 1839. In 1996, the Parks Division commenced a 2-year refurbishment programme, the design concept taking as its basis a formal layout which was noted on the 1838 Ordnance Survey map for the area.
Ranelagh Gardens
Ranelagh, Dublin 6, Ireland
Located in Ranelagh and extending to 1 hectare (2.47 acres), the gardens were originally part of 5 hectares of pleasure gardens developed in 1775 by a businessman who called them after Lord Ranelagh from Co. Wicklow. Lord Ranelagh had similar pleasure gardens beside the Thames in London.
The current small park was designed to include an ornamental pool thereby restoring the two-hundred years historical connection with the original Ranelagh Gardens.
Sandymount Green
Sandymount, Dublin 4, Ireland
This small, triangular space of about 0.3 hectares is located in the heart of Sandymount and dates from the early 1800’s when it was first railed-in and laid out as a local green.
Sandymount Strand
Strand Road, Sandymount, Dublin 4, Ireland
Stretching for approximately 1 kilometre along the Strand Road, the Promenade is a popular walking place and provides outstanding views over Sandymount Strand to Poolbeg, Irishtown Nature Park and Dun Laoghaire.
In November 2002 the City Council erected a sculpture entitled “An Cailin Ban” by the Mexican artist Sebastian. The sculpture was donated to the City by the Mexican Government and now stands as a significant focal point at the northern end of Sandymount Promenade.
St Audeons Park
High Street/Cook Street, Dublin 8, Ireland
St. Audoen’s Park, although less than 0.5 hectares in size, is quite significant in historical terms. Located adjacent to St. Audoen’s Church (1300 A.D.), it incorporates the first stone city wall dating from about 1100 A.D.; St. Audoen’s Arch, the last surviving entrance to the old city; and Fagan’s Gate.
St Catherine's Park
Thomas Street, Dublin 8, Ireland
Formerly a cemetery dating from 1552. Associated with historic St. Catherine’s Church off Thomas Street, the 0.16 hectare site was developed as a public parking 1985. Burials ceased in 1894 and the Representative Church Body handed over the Church and graveyard to the Corporation in 1969.
St Kevin's Park
Camden Row, Dublin 8, Ireland
Located at Camden Row this small 0.3 hectare former burial ground associated with St. Kevin’s Church has long historical associations. The first reference to the church in historical annals is in 1226. It was re-roofed in 1582 and in 1584 was the burial place of the martyred Archbishop Dermot O’Hurley but was later abandoned as a community church in 1820.
The Corporation developed the existing park in the late 1960’s. It is considered to be a most successful conversion of a former cemetery to public park use and preserves the ambience and atmosphere of an old church graveyard.
Stardust Memorial Park
Ringcastle Road, Coolock, Dublin 5, Ireland
Located between Greencastle Road and Adare Road along the Santry River, the focus of the 8 hectares (20 acres) park is the Stardust Memorial, the centre-piece of which is a lifesize bronze sculpture of a dancing couple set in a pool with forty eight fountain jets. Formerly a monastic site, the park has an ornamental pond, seating area, children’s playground and an all-weather floodlit pitch in addition to an extensive pedestrian system and tree plantations.
St Annes Park
Clontarf/Raheny, Dublin, Ireland
The park is intensively used by the public through its 35 playing pitches, 18 hard-surfaced tennis courts, and a par-3 golf course. Woodland paths add to the charm of the park as does a sunken garden constructed in the early 1970s. In 1975, St. Anne’s Rose Garden was opened to the public. In 1980 it was given a Civic Award by Bord Failte and the Irish Town Planning Institute and since 1981 it has been a centre for International Rose Trials.
To celebrate Dublin’s Millennium year in 1988, the Parks Department in co-operation with the tree council of Ireland, initiated the Millennium Arboretum.