A December Ireland · Cities, Towns & Villages · County Dublin · Fall-ing for Ireland · Ireland December 2014 · Ireland September 2013 · Travel Blog

The Serenity of Malahide Harbour

Malahide Harbour, County Dublin
Malahide Harbour, County Dublin

‘Landlocked’ is a good adjective for me.  I am from the Midwest; raised in Wisconsin and currently calling Indiana my home. The Great Lakes have always been a relatively short drive, but they don’t see to draw me.  Instead, I find that I am relaxed by rolling farmland and in awe of rugged mountains.

In my travels, I have been to the Cliffs of Moher which allows you to look over the Atlantic Ocean towards the States.  It was also a wonderful time slowly wandering the Copper Coast along the Celtic Sea. But it was Malahide Harbour at dusk that made me pause.

Malahide, located on the north side of Dublin, is a bit of an Irish anomaly.  After spending days among ruins, traipsing across fields, and hiking paths, Malahide makes you do a double take.  I find that it has a modern, urban ‘feel’ to it.  It has energy.  But like  many places in Ireland, I find that it also has a contradiction.  There is something very calming about its harbour area just a block or two from the town centre.

While I will spend a day or two in Malahide throughout a trip (e.g., Malahide Castle, Avoca, etc.), it has become my last stop before I head home.  I find that my mind moves from historic to present day.  I can recharge with its energy to tackle the airports, planes and congestion as I return home.  It also gives me a spot where I can also take a moment or two and become reflective; thinking about where I am on my journey and moving forward.  The photo opportunities are pretty good, too.

Christmas Day Harbour
Christmas Day Harbour
The Ammonite, Malahide, County Dublin
The Ammonite, Malahide, County Dublin
Along the Quay, Malahide Harbour, County Dublin
Along the Quay, Malahide Harbour, County Dublin
Love Lock, Malahide Harbour, County Dublin
Love Lock, Malahide Harbour, County Dublin