irelandonabudget.comThe pretty seaside village of Dalkey in Co. Dublin, about 9 miles (15 km) from the city center, was the temporary home in 2020 for actor Matt Damon, who was filming his latest movie The Last Duel in Ireland just before the Covid-19 restrictions were put in place.
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In an interview with a local radio station in Dublin, Damon said that living temporarily in Ireland had been like a “fairytale.”
Dalkey village is a short train ride from the city center on the DART. It is considered an upscale village and is home to the likes of Bono of U2, Enya, Van Morrison, and others.
It is one of a few seaside villages along the Dublin coastline.
Like the other seaside towns and villages along Dublin’s coastline, Dalkey, at one time a thriving Viking port, is well worth a look.
The main attraction in the village is Dalkey Castle, which was built around 1390.
It was one of seven castles constructed in the area to house goods that were off-loaded at the port during the Middle Ages.
The castle is a popular tourist attraction and is known for its excellent Living History Experience, complete with costumed actors.
Be sure to stop in its Heritage Centre, where you’ll find details of the area and the castle, from Dalkey’s earliest settlers through early Christian, Viking, Medieval and Victorian times.
Dalkey has a strong connection to some of Ireland’s literary giants, all of which are detailed in the castle’s Writers’ Centre.
You can also take a literary walk of Dalkey beginning at the center, and enjoy excerpts from the works of Maeve Binchy, a Dalkey resident; James Joyce, and George Bernard Shaw, who grew up in Dublin and whose home, Torca Cottage, is now a remodeled private home.
Other attractions in the seaside village of Dalkey include the 10th-century St. Begnet’s Church and cemetery, named after St. Begnet, considered the patron saint of Dalkey.
The nearby Dalkey Island, a haven for seals, birds, and wild goats, is a popular destination for anyone who visits the village.
It is only 5 minutes from the village of Dalkey's Coliemore Harbor.
The original occupants are said to have lived there during the Middle Stone Age, with humans continuing to occupy the island through the Neolithic, Iron Age, and early Christian periods.
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Artifacts, including pottery and glassware, were found on the island and are now housed at the National Museum in Dublin.
Today, you’ll find the remains of two churches, one dating to the 7th century, the other to the late 9th/10th century.
There is also a Martello tower on the island, which was built by the British at the turn of the 19th century to protect Ireland from a French invasion.