Walks
A short but scenic walk though Dalkey Hill Park (2km)
A long walk venturing into Killiney (3km)
A walk through Dalkey village and down to Sorrento (4km)
A walk down Ulverton road to Bullock Harbour (2km)
An enjoyable walk starting on Killiney beach (2.5km)
A walk from Dalkey village up into the park for a spectacular view of Dublin (3.5km)
Photos
- Photo Gallery: A collection of scenic photographs of Dalkey and the surrounding areas
Links
- Links: External websites related to Dalkey
Info
- Dalkey: General Information about Dalkey and some interesting local history
- Site: Information about this website and its creator
Map
Sitemap
- Sitemap: A list of all the pages on this website to aid navigation
The name ‘Dalkey’ comes from the Irish ‘Deilginis’ meaning ‘Thorn Island’. The name originally applied to Dalkey Island when it was inhabited.
St. Begnet, the patron saint of Dalkey, founded two churches in the area, one on Dalkey Island and the other beside the Heritage Centre. The churches date from the 9th century.
Dalkey became an important town due to Coliemore harbour. The River Liffey was too shallow for boats, and Coliemore was the nearest alternative. This however ended when the River Liffey was dredged. Dalkey fell into decline until the early 19th century when the mining of the quarry for the construction of Dun Laoghaire harbour brought more than six hundred miners and their families to the area.
Dalkey once had 7 castles, built when King Henry VI offered ₤10 for anyone who built a fortified house in the area. Only two of these castles remain; Goat Castle (now the Heritage Centre), and Archibold’s Castle, both on Castle Street.
There is also another castle still standing in Dalkey; Bullock Castle, but this is not considered as one of the seven as at the time Bullock was separate from Dalkey. It was built by the Cistercian monks to protect the harbour. In return for their protection, fishermen had to donate part of their catch to the monks.
In 1834 Dalkey became the site for the world’s first commercial passenger atmospheric railway. It ran between Dalkey and Kingstown (Dun Laoghaire) until 1855 when it closed because rats were eating the leather couplings.
Dalkey is associated with some of Ireland’s finest writers, such as James Joyce, Hugh Leonard, Maeve Binchy, Jennifer Johnston, George Bernard Shaw, Sean O’Faolain, and Samuel Beckett.
Today, Dalkey is the home of many of the world’s rich and famous. It is famous for its stunning sea views, calm atmosphere and magnificent houses.
For more information about the history of Dalkey, and the rest of Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown County, I recommend the book 'Between the Mountains and the Sea' by Peter Pearson (published by O'Brien). The Dalkey Heritage Centre located in Goat Castle on Castle Street is very interesting and well worth a visit