First pick
Donahies Field
Park or garden
9.3 ha1.1 km of path
15 minto walk all 1.1 km of path
0.8 km north-westfrom the centre
Directionsto a point inside
Photo: William Murphy from Dublin, Ireland · CC BY-SA 2.0100%near a park
Outdoors in Donaghmede · parks, paths & countryside
Donaghmede is on the coast
The sea makes up 31% of the area within 5 km. Wicklow Mountains National Park begins 18 km away. Parks and playing fields in Donaghmede add up to 7.1 ha for every 1,000 residents; the typical Irish town has 4.1.
Near a park
100%
of residents within 400 m
Typical Irish town: 92%
Green space
7.1 ha
per 1,000 residents
Typical Irish town: 4.1 ha
Footpaths
38 km
3.5 km per km², town + 1 km
Typical Irish town: 2.1 km per km²
Protected for nature
6.2%
of the land within 5 km
Nearest: North Bull Island SPA
Woodland
2.7%
of the town and 1 km around it
Typical Irish town: 2.7%
The sea
31%
of the area within 5 km
A coastal town
Character
What kind of outdoors neighbourhood is Donaghmede?
Read from the data: what stands out first, good and bad.
On the coast31% of the area within 5 km is sea.A park on every doorstep100% of residents live within 400 m of a park or playing field.Countryside close byWicklow Mountains National Park starts 18 km south-west.
Donaghmede’s strongest suit is the sea, followed by parks close to every home.
Against other towns
How Donaghmede compares with Irish towns
Each figure against Ireland’s 321 towns and city neighbourhoods of 2,500+ (city hubs left out): the marked bar is the town’s, the line the median. Ireland has no Outdoors Grade yet: the figures are described, each against other Irish towns, and none of them counts towards the overall grade.
A park within a walk100%of residents within 400 m (a 5-minute walk)
83out of 100
Public green space7.1 haper 1,000 residents: parks, gardens, playing fields, play spaces
69out of 100
Footpaths3.5 kmper km², the town and 1 km around it
62out of 100
Protected for nature6.2%of the land within 5 km
81out of 100
Woodland2.7%of the town and 1 km around it, as mapped
51out of 100
The sea31%of the area within 5 km
89out of 100
Parks, paths and woods: OpenStreetMap; residents: CSO Census 2022 Small Areas; protected sites: NPWS; sea: CSO and ONS land outlines. A 0 means nothing is mapped.
Towns its size
Donaghmede has the 15th most footpaths per km² of 40 towns its size
The 40 Irish towns nearest in population (8,320 to 11,035 residents), by km of footpath per km². Hover for each one’s protected land and woods; click for its page.
From Cabra West (7.8 km per km²) to Tuam (0.4 km per km²).
Footpath, km per km²
Donaghmede3.5
Towns its size2.0
Co. Dublin towns5.4
Typical Irish town2.1
Green space, ha per 1,000 residents
Donaghmede7.1
Towns its size4.2
Co. Dublin towns7.6
Typical Irish town4.1
Residents within 400 m of a park
Donaghmede100%
Towns its size95%
Co. Dublin towns100%
Typical Irish town92%
Against towns its size, Donaghmede stands out most for path per km²: only 14 of the other 39 have more.
Every town in the comparison
| Town | Paths (km/km²) | Woodland | Protected | The sea | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cabra West Dublin | 7.8 | 4.5% | 0% | – |
| 2 | Kilmainham Dublin | 7.7 | 7.3% | 0% | – |
| 3 | Sandyford Dublin | 7.5 | 4.8% | 0.3% | 6.2% |
| 4 | Palmerston Dublin | 6.9 | 8.6% | 0% | – |
| 5 | Grand Canal Dock Dublin | 6.6 | 0.9% | 1.4% | 16% |
| 6 | Parnell Square Dublin | 6.6 | 0.2% | 0.1% | 5.6% |
| 7 | Glasnevin Dublin | 6.6 | 1.2% | 0% | – |
| 8 | Killiney Dublin | 6 | 7.7% | 0.5% | 45% |
| 9 | Churchtown Dublin | 5.6 | 3.3% | 0.1% | – |
| 10 | Booterstown Dublin | 5.4 | 2.2% | 0.2% | 29% |
| 11 | Terenure Dublin | 4.9 | 2.1% | 0% | – |
| 12 | Monkstown Dublin | 4.2 | 0.8% | 0.3% | 38% |
| 13 | Finglas North Dublin | 4.2 | 1.2% | 0% | – |
| 14 | Shankill Dublin | 3.6 | 12% | 3.8% | 28% |
| 15 | Donaghmede Dublin | 3.5 | 2.7% | 6.2% | 31% |
| 16 | Kilmore Dublin | 3.1 | 2.2% | 3.5% | 9.5% |
| 17 | Raheny Dublin | 3.1 | 2.8% | 11% | 46% |
| 18 | Donabate Dublin | 2.8 | 6.8% | 2.8% | 32% |
| 19 | Portmarnock Dublin | 2.7 | 0.8% | 7.9% | 44% |
| 20 | Hollyhill and Ballincolly Cork | 2.1 | 7.2% | 0.5% | – |
| 21 | Skerries Dublin | 2 | 1.7% | 0% | 53% |
| 22 | Shannon Clare | 1.8 | 3.9% | 35% | – |
| 23 | Kilcock Kildare | 1.7 | 2.8% | 0% | – |
| 24 | Ballyvolane Cork | 1.6 | 6.7% | 2.8% | – |
| 25 | Trim Meath | 1.3 | 0.9% | 1.5% | – |
| 26 | Waterford City Centre Waterford | 1.3 | 1.5% | 6% | – |
| 27 | Ratoath Meath | 1.3 | 0.4% | 0% | – |
| 28 | Lusk Dublin | 1.1 | 0.6% | 1.3% | 6.4% |
| 29 | Kildare Kildare | 1.1 | 0.4% | 1.8% | – |
| 30 | Rush Dublin | 1.1 | 0.4% | 3.7% | 51% |
| 31 | Youghal Cork | 0.9 | 0.6% | 13% | 29% |
| 32 | Athy Kildare | 0.9 | 0.3% | 1.6% | – |
| 33 | New Ross Wexford | 0.9 | 7.3% | 5.4% | – |
| 34 | Ballina Mayo | 0.8 | 3.3% | 3.5% | – |
| 35 | Portarlington Laois | 0.8 | 2.5% | 1.6% | – |
| 36 | Dungarvan Waterford | 0.7 | 0.7% | 1.8% | 19% |
| 37 | Grantstown and Ballinakill Waterford | 0.6 | 4.5% | 10% | – |
| 38 | Longford Longford | 0.6 | 2.7% | 5.6% | – |
| 39 | Nenagh Tipperary | 0.4 | 1.8% | 0% | – |
| 40 | Tuam Galway | 0.4 | 1.4% | 2.7% | – |
The map
Parks, woods, footpaths & countryside
Tap a number to zoom to a park. Tap a layer to hide it. The dashed line is Donaghmede’s neighbourhood.
Green: parks, gardens, playing fields, play spaces and woods, named or not.© OpenStreetMap contributors · NPWS · Sport Ireland · CSO
Places to walk
Parks to walk in, in and around Donaghmede
The biggest is Donahies Field, 9.3 ha (23 acres).
Donaghmede Park
Park or garden
6.4 ha1.6 km of path
20 minto walk all 1.6 km of path
1.1 km north-eastfrom the centre
Directionsto a point inside
Grangemore Park
Park or garden
2.5 ha0.8 km of path
10 minto walk all 0.8 km of path
0.7 km northfrom the centre
Directionsto a point inside
Named parks, gardens, commons and woods in the town or within 400 m of it, from OpenStreetMap (© OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL); pieces of one name that touch are one place. Sizes are the whole site; directions go to a point inside.
Close to home
Everyone in Donaghmede lives within a 5-minute walk of a park
Each square is 1 in 100 residents: green lives within 400 m of a public park, garden or playing field (CSO Census 2022 Small Areas against OpenStreetMap).
Within 400 m (100%)Further (0%)
Donaghmede100%
Co. Dublin towns100%
Typical Irish town92%
Playing fields count, so a park within reach isn’t always one with paths or trees.
Protected areas
6.2% of the land around Donaghmede is protected for nature
Special Areas of Conservation, Special Protection Areas and Natural Heritage Areas designated by the National Parks and Wildlife Service, within 5 km of the town’s edge.
Inside Donaghmede0%
Within 5 km6.2%
Co. Dublin towns0.2%
Typical Irish town1.8%
9 protected sites lie within 5 km of Donaghmede. Proposed Natural Heritage Areas cover 6.3% of the land within 5 km as well; many have been proposed since 1995 and aren’t counted here. Ireland’s National Parks have a block of their own on this page; much of their land also lies inside these sites.
North Bull Island SPASpecial Protection Area (birds) · 19 km² · 0.9 km from the edge
NPWS pageNorth Dublin Bay SACSpecial Area of Conservation · 15 km² · 0.9 km from the edge
NPWS pageBaldoyle Bay SACSpecial Area of Conservation · 5.3 km² · 1.4 km from the edge
NPWS pageBaldoyle Bay SPASpecial Protection Area (birds) · 2.6 km² · 1.6 km from the edge
NPWS pageSouth Dublin Bay and River Tolka Estuary SPASpecial Protection Area (birds) · 22 km² · 2.3 km from the edge
NPWS pageNorth-West Irish Sea cSPASpecial Protection Area (birds) · 2,333 km² · 2.7 km from the edge
NPWS pageHowth Head SACSpecial Area of Conservation · 3.8 km² · 4.4 km from the edge
NPWS pageSouth Dublin Bay SACSpecial Area of Conservation · 7.3 km² · 4.5 km from the edge
NPWS pageMalahide Estuary SACSpecial Area of Conservation · 7.9 km² · 4.7 km from the edge
NPWS pageProtected sites: National Parks and Wildlife Service designated site boundaries (CC BY 4.0), 2026; land within 5 km from CSO Small Areas and, over the border, ONS. Overlapping sites are counted once.
National Parks
Wicklow Mountains National Park is 18 km away
Ireland’s National Parks within 100 km, and the nearest always, by direction and distance from the town’s edge; circle size shows each park’s area.
National ParkThe 5 km around the town
National Park
Wicklow Mountains National Park
18 km south-west223 km²
National Park boundaries: National Parks and Wildlife Service, generalised to 50 m (CC BY 4.0, © Government of Ireland), 2022. Distances from the town’s outline (CSO Small Areas).
Footpaths and woods
38 km of footpaths cross Donaghmede
Footways that aren’t pavements, paths, bridleways, steps and tracks open on foot, and mapped woods and forest, in the town and 1 km around it, each beside the county’s and Ireland’s typical town of 2,500+.
Footpaths
38 km
over 10.8 km² of town and the 1 km around it
Woodland
2.7%
about 0.3 km² of mapped woods
Registered trails
1
walking trails within 5 km
Km per km², town and 1 km around · mapped on OpenStreetMap
DonaghmedeCo. Dublin townsTypical Irish town
Footpaths3.5
03.57 km per km²
Share of the land · mapped woods and forest
DonaghmedeCo. Dublin townsTypical Irish town
Woodland2.7%
0%50%100%
Donaghmede has more footpath per km² than 62% of Irish towns and more woodland than 51% of Irish towns.
Footpaths and woods: © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL), Geofabrik extract, October 2026. Woods are mapped cover, private and Coillte forests included.
Footpaths & trails
One waymarked trail starts near Donaghmede
38 km of footpaths are mapped in Donaghmede and the kilometre around it, 3.5 km for every square kilometre (the typical Irish town has 2.1).
Walking trail
Howth - Bog of Frogs Loop12.1 km
For a shorter walk, the Howth - Bog of Frogs Loop is 12.1 km, graded strenuous.
Trails: Sport Ireland National Trails Register (CC BY 4.0), registered trails within 5 km; footpaths: OpenStreetMap (ODbL). Coillte’s own forest trails and recreation sites aren’t included: Coillte’s terms limit its data to research or private study. Its trails on the National Trails Register are listed.
When to get out
The best walking months in Donaghmede: May to September
Met Éireann’s 1991–2020 averages for the town’s 1 km square and the daylight at its latitude. Outlined months have long days, highs of 15 to 30 °C and little rain for the place.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Daylight (h) | 8.0 | 9.7 | 11.7 | 13.9 | 15.9 | 17.0 | 16.5 | 14.8 | 12.6 | 10.4 | 8.5 | 7.5 |
| High (°C) | 9 | 9 | 11 | 13 | 15 | 18 | 20 | 20 | 18 | 14 | 11 | 9 |
| Rain (mm) | 59 | 50 | 51 | 50 | 54 | 62 | 60 | 70 | 63 | 75 | 82 | 68 |
February is the driest month (50 mm) and July the warmest (highs of 20 °C). Winter days are short, about 7.5 hours of daylight in December, and 82 mm of rain falls in November, the wettest month. The climate in Donaghmede →
The coast
The coast and bathing waters near Donaghmede
31% of the area within 5 km of Donaghmede is sea. 4 bathing waters are within 5 km, each with its latest class.
Dollymount StrandGood (2025) · 2.3 km from town
beaches.ieSutton, Burrow BeachExcellent (2025) · 3.7 km from town
beaches.ieHalf MoonExcellent (2025) · 4.6 km from town
beaches.iePortmarnock, Velvet Strand BeachExcellent (2025) · 4.6 km from town
beaches.ie3 of the 4 are rated excellent, Sutton, Burrow Beach among them.
Bathing water classes: EPA, latest season (CC BY 4.0). Sea: the area outside CSO and ONS land outlines. Check today’s water quality on beaches.ie
Things to do
24 playgrounds
Mapped on OpenStreetMap in the town and 2 km around it; each count per resident beside Irish towns’ typical town of 2,500+. Beaches are on the coast’s list, from the EPA.
Per resident, playgrounds stand out most: Donaghmede has 1.9× as many as the typical Irish town.
Every named place, with directions
Nature reserves 1
Bull Island Wildlife Only Area87 ha · 2.0 km from town
DirectionsPlaygrounds 24
St. Annes Playground1.3 km from town
DirectionsPlus 23 playgrounds without a name on the map.
Dog parks 1
Plus 1 dog park without a name on the map.
Source: © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL), Geofabrik extract, October 2026. Unnamed places are counted, not listed.
Gardens & nature
3 gardens and nature sites to visit near Donaghmede
Gardens, national parks, nature sites and islands within 15 km of the town’s edge, each with its own page.
Saint Anne's ParkGarden · 1.0 km from town
Its pageSt Anne's Park and Rose GardensGarden · 1.3 km from town
Its pageSaint Stephen's GreenGarden · 7.2 km from town
Its pagePlaces to visit: Fáilte Ireland open data (CC BY 4.0), OpenStreetMap and Wikidata.
Next door
Next to Donaghmede
The nearest towns of 1,000+ within 20 km, coloured by the share of the land within 5 km protected for nature.
RahenyAyrfieldEdenmoreBelmayneClongriffinSuttonDonaghmede
Under 1%1–10%10–25%25–50%50%+
None of the neighbours has many more of its people near a park than Donaghmede. Raheny and Edenmore have at least twice Donaghmede’s green space per resident.
How to read these numbers
What this data can and can’t tell you
- Green space nearby. The share of residents (CSO Small Areas, by where people live) within 400 m of a park, garden, common or playing field mapped on OpenStreetMap. Mapping is uneven: a town whose parks nobody has mapped looks greyer than it is.
- Protected areas. Land in a Special Area of Conservation, Special Protection Area or Natural Heritage Area within 5 km, overlaps counted once. Protected for nature doesn’t always mean open to walkers.
- Footpaths and hiking routes. Footways that aren’t pavements, paths, bridleways, steps and tracks open on foot, in the town and 1 km around it, from OpenStreetMap. Trails are the registered ones within 5 km; a trail often follows mapped paths, so the two aren’t added.
- Woodland. Woods and forest as OpenStreetMap maps them, private and Coillte forests included: mapped cover, not access.
- No grade yet. Ireland’s grades don’t include the outdoors yet: these figures describe the town and stand beside the median Irish town.
Questions about the outdoors in Donaghmede
What is the biggest park in Donaghmede?
Donahies Field, 9.3 ha (23 acres). Donaghmede Park (6.4 ha) is second. 3 named parks, gardens and playing fields are in the neighbourhood or within 400 m of it.
Is there protected countryside near Donaghmede?
Yes: 6.2% of the land within 5 km is protected, across 9 sites. The nearest is North Bull Island SPA, 0.9 km from the edge of town.
What are the best walks near Donaghmede?
One waymarked trail starts within 5 km: the Howth - Bog of Frogs Loop.
Where can you swim near Donaghmede?
The nearest bathing water is Dollymount Strand, 2.3 km from town: Good (2025). Check beaches.ie before swimming: a notice can close a beach for the day.
How many people in Donaghmede live near a park?
100% of residents live within 400 m, about a 5-minute walk, of a park or playing field; in the typical Irish town it is 92%.
When is the best time of year for walking in Donaghmede?
On the town’s 1991–2020 averages and its daylight: May to September, when days are long, highs reach 15 °C and rain is light for the place.
Is Donaghmede near a National Park?
The nearest of Ireland’s six National Parks is Wicklow Mountains National Park, 18 km south-west of the town’s edge; it covers about 223 km².
What is there to do outdoors around Donaghmede?
Within 2 km, OpenStreetMap maps 1 nature reserve; the named ones are listed under Things to do, with directions.
Sources
Where Donaghmede’s outdoors figures come from
- Parks, woods and paths. OpenStreetMap (© OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL): parks, woods and footpaths, Geofabrik extract, October 2026
- Protected sites. National Parks and Wildlife Service: designated sites (SAC, SPA, NHA), 2026
- Trails. Sport Ireland: National Trails Register, 2026
- Residents. CSO: Census 2022 Small Areas (residents)
- National Parks. National Parks and Wildlife Service: National Park boundaries, generalised to 50 m (CC BY 4.0), 2022
- Things to do. OpenStreetMap (© OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL): viewpoints, hills, waterfalls, nature reserves, picnic sites, playgrounds, campsites and waymarked walks, Geofabrik extract, October 2026
- Bathing water. EPA: bathing water quality, 2025 season
- Weather. Met Éireann: 1991–2020 averages (Copyright Met Éireann)
Protected sites: National Parks and Wildlife Service (CC BY 4.0). Trails: Sport Ireland National Trails Register (CC BY 4.0). Bathing water: EPA (CC BY 4.0). Parks, woods and paths: © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL).
Not on this page yet: Coillte’s forest trails (its terms) and bike routes.
Contains Central Statistics Office (CSO) data, Census 2022, and Tailte Éireann boundaries (CSO Urban Areas, Small Areas, local electoral areas, constituencies), under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 (CC BY 4.0).