5 islands in Dublin

Tiny Dalkey Island is a mere 9 hectares and can be reached by boat if you book ahead. It’s rather flat and beside a Martello Tower, there’s not a lot here to explore but on a sunny day it is an incredible spot to picnic and have a drink. It’s only a 5-minute journey from Coliemore Harbour.

Further north from Lambay Island and about 1,5 kilometres east of Skerries lie the three Skerries Islands: Shenick’s, St Patrick’s and Colt. The latter two can only be reached by boat, but Shenick’s is easy to access via the sand flats at low tide. All three are home to many species of birds.

Bull Island may not look like much due to its extremely flat terrain, but it’s a beautiful spot for a walk. It’s a bird spotters’ paradise, and it’s also very common to see Irish hares, harbour seals and grey seals on a good day. The island is accessible by way of the wooden bridge connected to the North Bull Wall.

Four kilometres from the mainland of Portrane, this 250-hectare island is a natural breeding ground for all sorts of wildlife including grey seals, fallow deer, puffins, gulls and geese. Quite incredibly, you’ll also find a small number of exotic red-necked wallabies here.

From the East Pier in Howth a boat will take you on a 15-minute journey to Ireland’s Eye. This rugged looking 22-hectare uninhabited island is a bird sanctuary. It’s also a safe spot to swim and it has a sandy beach for those wishing to relax. There’s also the ruins of a church dating back to 700 AD and a Martello tower from the 19th century.