A heritage town since 1994, the seaside settlement of Dalkey (pronounced ‘Dawky’) is a town with plenty of individuality and stories to tell.
Located 13km southeast of Dublin City Centre, Dalkey became an important port in the Middle Ages after it was founded by the Vikings and is still a thriving seaside suburb to this day. The Dalkey coast includes several small harbours with the biggest being Bulloch Harbour. The much smaller Coliemore Harbour was previously the principal harbour of the city of Dublin. It is there that one can hire a boat to do some fishing or discover Dalkey Island.
Some of the notable features in Dalkey include a 15th Century medieval town house, a 10th Century church and graveyard, and a Writers’ Gallery with information on the acclaimed local writers. Among these are the novelist Maeve Binchy and the playwright Hugh Leonard who both originally hailed from Dalkey. In fact, it was Hugh Leonard who declared that “those who are patient and will sit, wait and listen or linger along the tree-shaded roads running down to the sea can hear the centuries pass” when referring to Dalkey.
Dubbed as Dublin’s Beverly Hills, many Irish and international celebrities have been charmed into buying homes in Dalkey. These include U2 musicians Bono and The Edge, Enya, Chris de Burgh, film director Neil Jordan as well as Formula One drivers Damon Hill and Eddie Irvine.
Although now uninhabited the nearby Dalkey Island had been a home to communities since the 4th millennium BCE and its 9 hectare surface is strewn with diverse ruins ranging from churches to Viking bases. One of the eight Martello Towers still stands on Dalkey Island as a testimony to the Napoleonic era when there was a constant threat of invasion.
Apart from sightseeing, more active visitors to Dalkey can go sailing, angling, or diving while the disused Dalkey Quarry, situated in Killiney Hill Park, is a common attraction for rock climbing enthusiasts.
Another curious fact about Dalkey is that it is effectively a kingdom with a King of Dalkey having been elected since 1787. The locals are typically very proud of their home. Just be sure not to call it a “village” in front of the locals, as Dalkey always has been and always will be a town.
