Howth is a small fishing village and most north eastern Dublin’s suburb. Accidentally, it’s the best place in town to buy fresh fish. Just a couple of days after our move to Ireland (so, some 2.5 years ago) I was on the mission to find fish and prepare a nice dinner.
Since it was less than a week in town, I asked one lady on the local Moore Street, and she told me – “No Love, you have to go to Howth or Dun Laoghaire for fresh fish.”
Now, years later that sounds so natural and normal, but trust me, finding “Dun Laoghaire” which, as pronounced sounds like it’s “Dan Leery”, back then was mission impossible. 🙂
So, because of that on Friday I took the afternoon train to Howth, knowing absolutely nothing about it, except maybe that I’ll get some fresh fish there. 🙂
On the way there I’ve noticed most likely the weirdest house on the Island.
Thirty minutes later the train stopped at it’s last stop and I was there. I took the pocket map of the peninsula and decided that I can spend 3 hours here.
Gorgeous sunny day, lovely port, lots of yachts and sail boats – almost like back home in Umag. It was love at first sight.
I walked around the marina and then went to “just check” the hill above the town; time quickly flew away. I was so excited that I bugged my wife with messages and photos every 5 minutes. Then I figured out I went too far and I have to run back and get some fish.
I’ve checked all (of I think 8) fishmongers and what they offer and headed home.
However, I was so impressed that I couldn’t stop talking about Howth, and I insisted that we go there the very next day. Main reason for that was the information that there’s a Market every weekend, and I wanted to check it out.
In the meantime we’ve been there dozens of times and it’s my favourite weekend escape place, not just because of the fish and great fish restaurants, but some cool pubs as well. But that’s not all.
In Howth you can see two gorgeous lighthouses, one on the town centre side, and the other overlooking Dublin on the other side. Between them there’s a 2 hours walk across the hills and near the cliffs.
Yes, Dublin has it’s own cliffs, so if you are on a short break here and have no time to see Cliffs of Moher or Giant’s Causeway, Howth can be a perfect substitute.
Along the way you can see the Olympic house.
And the replica of the eternal Olympic flame… well, sort of. 🙂
Above the town there’s the Martello fort, one of many that Brits built in line along Irish eastern coast as they were afraid of Napoleon’s potential visit.
Good news, Napoleon never managed to get around and Forts that are left standing are in various usages. One in Howth is home to a gorgeous Radio museum.
You can find all sort of radios, telephones, emitters, lamps and other electronic relics which are still functional!
If that’s not enough, you can play with some of them too. 🙂
And that’s not all. There are several hiking trails across or all around the peninsula, where you can walk from two to ten hours. Couple of interesting ruins, like this old church on the photo below, Castle, golf courses and beaches.
I like this area so much, that I think I’ve brought majority of our guests here, and as far as I know everyone liked it. Well, except my parents maybe. 😀 They were “lucky” to visit Howth when the weather was extremely Irish – Wet, cold and so windy that you could literary be inclined 45 degrees and you would not fall. In case that you are flying in on such weather, you will recognize Howth from the plane, as it’s on the landing route towards Dublin Airport. So when the plane starts to tremble and the Earth looks too close, there’s a good change that you are right above it. 🙂
Howth is as well one of the “posh” parts of the city, where buying the property is kinda expensive, but I would not mind living there one day. Who knows what bright future brings. 🙂
Well, if that’s not all, almost all year round you can see and feed seals in the harbour. 🙂
Trust me, put Howth on your “X things to do when in Dublin” list, and you will not regret it.
Till the next one,
Kisses,
Balky