What I love about Malahide
Ifeel beyond blessed to be living in Malahide – a gorgeous coastal village, with a castle that anchors the Fingal heritage trail and attracts visitors from all over the world..
There is a real community spirit here and there is so much to offer in terms of what to see, do and eat!
I love walking the coast to Portmarnock, shouting from the sidelines when my boys play football with an infinity sea view on Paddy’s Hill, bringing my dog for a walk and letting him run around the dog offleash area in Malahide Castle grounds and picking up a coffee at Avoca on the way back through the walking trails snaking through the acres of beautiful parkland.
The coastal walk from Malahide to Portmarnock sets you up for the day, a delightful 4km trail set on an elevated path with parkland on one side and the sea on the other, taking you past Velvet Strand and the Martello towers at Portmarnock and Robswall. Where else would you want to be? Look behind and you can see the boats ebbing and flowing on the marina, the yachts mooring and the boatyard in plain sight – blink and you could be in the South of France or Bondi Beach!
I love that you can take your pick on any given day of any cuisine; be it street food on the marina to Michelin recommended restaurants in the heart of the village. There’s always a vibe and for a spring in your step, you can take your pick of coffee aficionados, gelato, and chai tea purveyors. Fantastic independent boutiques and pubs with cosy rooms with craic and music on tap! Devilment guaranteed!
It would be remiss of me not to mention the 800-year-old castle that was home to the Talbot family from 1185 until 1973. Get a glimpse at how the other half lived in the Great Hall filled with antiques and paintings on loan from the National Gallery. The Walled Gardens are also home to the only exotic butterfly house in Ireland, where rare species flutter all around you in a glasshouse filled with tropical plants.
The Casino Model Railway Museum, a 5 min leisurely stroll away from the castle is set inside a thatched cottage, so quaint it could be on the cover of a children’s book. Cottage orné, translated as decorated cottage, dates back to a movement of ‘rustic’ stylised cottages of the late 18th and early 19th century
Inside, there are around 350 model trains, some of which run on tracks overhead. They’ve recently opened a Children’s Education Centre where your kids can try their luck at driving a train and complete a series of fun challenges along the way!
Everything is in close proximity to each other and if you ever do feel like escaping, Dublin airport is a 15 min drive away and Dublin city is a mere half hour away on the dart. I love Malahide with its grand old castle and beautiful coastline, bracing walks in beautiful nature and soaked in heritage. I feel blessed and inspired every day. I love where I live and treat it like a travel destination! The more layers of history I uncover about it, the more interesting it becomes.