Facilities

This parkrun is located to the east of Dublin city centre and is very close to the centre, so needless to say, there is not much parking available here, but public transport options to the event are plentiful. The park is within a residential area so is a short walk for locals. There are no toilets or changing facilities at the park though.

Course

The course is made up of a loop followed by an out and back section, combined in a figure of eight mode. The distance is covered with one and a half laps of this course. The course is mostly paved and flat, with a short but fairly significant climb on gravel at the end of the out and back section. The route is fairly exposed, with the loop going around an open area of grass, and the out and back section facing out to the Irish Sea. This means there are great views out to the sea, but can also lead to some punishing conditions if the weather is bad.

Coffee

Parkrunnners at this event go to a cafe in Sandymount which is a five minute walk from the finish line. Sandymount is a bustling little village on a Saturday morning and it is nice to sit back and soak this up with a good coffee.

X Factor

The most remarkable feature of this parkrun is its proximity to one of Dublin’s most famous landmarks, the Poolbeg towers. Now disused, these towers are much loved by the Dublin people. So much so, that a plan to knock them down was blocked from going ahead. The run also goes through a nature reserve, which is an interesting contrast to the industrial chimney stacks and warehouses of Dublin Port in the background.