Ireland's eastern counties: Joyful journeys on roads less travelled
Beautiful Carlingford on the Cooley Peninsula, just one of the highlights along Ireland's eastern counties.
The charms of Ireland’s eastern counties are often overlooked in favour of the raw beauty of the west, the majestic scenery of Cork and Kerry or the awesome wildness of Donegal. But take the road less travelled along the east coast and you won’t be disappointed.
The Cooley Peninsula in Co Louth is the perfect starting point — rich in history and also home to the scenic Carlingford Lough, where there is no shortage of outdoor pursuits from water sports such as sailing or kayaking to pony trekking or hiking. The beaches of Louth also tend to go under the radar.
The fishing village of Clogherhead has two beaches, including the blue flag Port Beach, a popular spot for windsurfing. There is also a scenic walking trail from the village along the steep cliffs to Port Oriel harbour which offers breathtaking views from the Mourne and Cooley Mountains in the north to Lambay Island and the Rockabill Lighthouse in the south.
The area is also steeped in intriguing maritime lore — the area’s caves were used by smugglers and also as a hiding spot by Catholic priests during Oliver Cromwell’s
siege of Drogheda in 1649, where they were discovered by soldiers and killed. Heading down the coast, there are plenty of seaside gems to be discovered along Dublin’s northern shores, from Balbriggan to Rush and on to Malahide. Howth is a particularly buzzy spot, whether you fancy a leisurely saunter along the harbour or a longer stroll on the coastal trail.
South of Dublin, the village of Dalkey tends to grab the attention because of its significant quota of celebrity residents but the town of Dún Laoghaire has a wide range of activities and things to see, from the Martello tower that inspired the first chapter of James Joyce’s Ulysses to the National Maritime Museum.
A hop, skip and jump away, Wicklow is known as the Garden of Ireland but it also has more than its fair share of seaside action, taking in the vibrant towns of Bray, Arklow and Greystones. Bray even has its own camino, the Bray Celtic Camino Coastal Route, a scenic 30km journey that starts on the town’s seafront and winds its way along the coastline, finishing at St James’ Church, James Street, Dublin.
To embrace the true pilgrim spirit, avail of a camino passport from the Camino Society Ireland, collect stamps at designated stops and on completing the route, you will be awarded a Celtic camino compostela at St James’ Church to mark your achievement. The town of Arklow has a rich maritime heritage, and is also home to the longest handmade stone bridge in Ireland, the Nineteen Arches bridge, which spans the estuary at the mouth of the River Avoca and was built in the 1750s.
A short walk from the town centre is the harbour area, location of the RNLI lifeboat station, which has been in operation since 1826 making it the oldest lifeboat station in Ireland. In the past few decades, Greystones has grown from a small fishing village to one of the most desirable places to live in Ireland, and there’s also plenty to see and do for visitors — from the independent shops and cafés lining the main street to the pebbly North Beach and the sandy South Beach, popular with swimmers.
When it comes to the nicest weather in Ireland, that particular honour is claimed by the sunny South East. Wexford has an enviable selection of beautiful beaches for visitors to enjoy.
The blue flag beach at Curracloe is one of the longest in the country, famous for its fine, soft sand and also its starring role in the Steven Spielberg film Saving Private Ryan. The sand dunes are also home to the Raven nature reserve, where Greenland Whitefronted Geese roost throughout the year and rare plant species bloom.
For the freshest fish (and chips), straight from the boat, head for the village of Kilmore Quay. Anglers, amateur and otherwise, can try hook their own with one of the many boat hire operators. Trips are also available to the nearby Saltee Islands, where if you're lucky, you will get to see that most photogenic of birds, the puffin.
You can’t leave Wexford without seeing one of its most famous landmarks, the distinctive lighthouse at Hook Head, one of the oldest in operation in the world. You’ll easily while away a couple of hours here, watching the waves, wandering around the visitor centre, having a picnic or sampling some homemade treats in the cosy café.
For youngsters looking to unleash their inner Long John Silver, there is a pirate-themed playground. Also on the Hook Peninsula is the legendary Loftus Hall, where, according to a story that has passed down through the generations, Satan himself once called in to play cards. When one of the other guests reached below the table to pick up a dropped card, they spotted his cloven hoof; on being sprinkled with holy water, the devil caught fire and ascended through the roof.
From the lighthouse, it’s only a short trip to Ballyhack where you can hop on the ferry across the River Suir to the village of Passage East in Co Waterford. In this area, you will also find the village of Crooke, and the story goes that the phrase ‘by hook or by crook’ derives from a vow by Oliver Cromwell to take Waterford by Hook (on the Wexford side of the estuary) or by Crooke, on the Waterford side.
A short drive from Passage East is the picturesque harbour village of Dunmore East, an especially popular spot with visitors in the summer but a lovely spot for a stroll all year round. There are two beaches, a small one in the village itself and a bigger one, Councillors Strand, a short distance away.
Dunmore is also a working harbour, where many fishing trawlers still drop anchor. Climb up the steps to the high harbour wall for a panoramic view of the sea and a stroll down to the distinctive lighthouse, which was designed by the aptly named Scottish engineer Alexander Nimmo around 1814 and has a fascinating architectural history. A windswept walk from the harbour in the other direction, along the cliffs to Portally Cove, is guaranteed to blow off any cobwebs.
The road onwards to the resort of Tramore is sprinkled with lesser-known coves and beaches including Ballymacaw and Saleens, a popular spot for shore angling which gives a view across to Tramore’s ‘back strand’ and its famous sandhills.
Once a relatively quiet spot outside of the summer, Tramore now draws crowds throughout the off-season. While now populated with plenty of hipster coffee spots, it thankfully retains some of that rough-around-the-edges vibe which makes it so special. And of course, Tramore wouldn’t be Tramore without the ‘amusements’ and arcades, a source of joyful memories for generations of Irish families.
There are various
surf schools offering group and individual lessons for all ages or join the hardy swimmers who take their vitamin sea all year round at the Ladies Slip (once reserved for the fairer sex, all are now welcome).
A short but steep hike up Gallwey’s Hill will take you to the Doneraile walk, from where you will get a spectacular vista of Tramore Bay. The park has a monument dedicated to one of the worst shipwrecks experienced in the area, Hundreds of lives were lost when the British transport ship The Sea Horse, ran aground during a storm in January 1816.
The tragedy also led to the erection of the maritime beacons where the iconic Metalman, clad in his bright blue jacket, stands, pointing ships away from the rocks. The land where the Metalman stands is private and now off-limits for safety reasons, but it was once said that if a single woman hopped around the pillar on which he stands three times, she would be married within the year.
The tradition of times long gone can also be seen in the Guillamene, a swimming spot where women were once banned, located in nearby Newtown Cove. The ‘men only’ sign is still preserved as a relic of the past. While the Guillamene is for experienced swimmers only, you can always try the slightly warmer forest bathing in the compact woods adjoining the stony beach at Newtown Cove.
Stretching between Tramore and Dungarvan is the Copper Coast, a designated UNESCO Global Geopark named after the mining industry that was located in the area in the 19th century.
There are an abundance of delightful beaches along the coast, including Annestown, Boatstrand, Kilfarrassy, Kilmurrin Cove and Bunmahon. Towards the end of the route, nearing Dungarvan, is the hidden gem of Stradbally, a pretty and unspoiled village which also has a sheltered sandy beach.
Dungarvan is the perfect place to end your eastern odyssey. The town has become a bustling hive of activity since the advent of the Waterford Greenway. Indulge in a warming bowl of seafood chowder or a creamy pint in one of the many hostelries which line the town’s quay and ponder all the wonderful treasures right on our doorstep on all points of the compass, south, west, north, and east.
