‘It’s easy to forget that Dublin is a coastal city. But Ireland’s capital is just a couple of miles from the waters of Dublin Bay, with the scent of the sea clinging to the River Liffey on days when the wind blows in the right direction’
With white sand beaches, dramatic cliffs and epic seafood, Ireland’s coastline is mesmerising. And between the picturesque bays and tiny coves, you’ll find charming villages and bustling towns where you can make a home for yourself.
Here’s my guide to eight cracking coastal communities on the island of Ireland worth exploring when it comes to making the move:
SLIGO
Up on the north-eastern coast of Ireland, Sligo is one of those counties that ticks all the boxes when it comes to knockout scenery. There are striking mountain ranges, lakeside forests and cute thatched pubs clinging to the edge of the shore. But there’s also a thriving artistic community, with theatre groups, art galleries and more traditional music than you can shake a fiddle at.
If you like to keep active then you’re in for a treat – Sligo is the surfing capital of Ireland, with the opening of the brand new National Surf Caentre in Strandhill and a solid reputation for big wave surfing in the winter months.
Cyclists can make the most of quiet country roads and epic (thigh-burning) climbs and there are sea swimmers in the water every day in Rosses Point. It’s also a great county for food – you can eat plump, sweet lobsters at waterside restaurants, pluck wild oysters from the shore and go foraging for seaweed.
WHERE TO BUY
The biggest coastal village is Strandhill, with most of the properties found in the sprawling (but still attractive) housing estates around the strand. Pick wisely, and you can probably get a sea view without busting the budget, even if you have to squint a
