First pick
Clonkeen Park
Park or garden · 110 m outside town
15 ha2.6 km of path
35 minto walk all 2.6 km of path
1.9 km southfrom the centre
Directionsto a point inside
Photo: Mrspaceman at English Wikipedia · Public domain100%near a park
Outdoors in Monkstown · parks, paths & countryside
Monkstown is on the coast
The sea makes up 38% of the area within 5 km. Wicklow Mountains National Park begins 9.1 km away. 51 km of footpaths run through the neighbourhood and the kilometre around it, 4.2 for every square kilometre.
Near a park
100%
of residents within 400 m
Typical Irish town: 92%
Green space
4.5 ha
per 1,000 residents
Typical Irish town: 4.1 ha
Footpaths
51 km
4.2 km per km², town + 1 km
Typical Irish town: 2.1 km per km²
Protected for nature
0.3%
of the land within 5 km
Nearest: South Dublin Bay and River Tolka Estuary SPA
The sea
38%
of the area within 5 km
A coastal town
Character
What kind of outdoors neighbourhood is Monkstown?
Read from the data: what stands out first, good and bad.
On the coast38% 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.Hills with a view3 mapped viewpoints, about 8× as many per resident as the typical Irish town.Countryside close byWicklow Mountains National Park starts 9.1 km south-west.
Monkstown’s strongest suit is the sea, followed by parks close to every home.
Against other towns
How Monkstown 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 space4.5 haper 1,000 residents: parks, gardens, playing fields, play spaces
57out of 100
Footpaths4.2 kmper km², the town and 1 km around it
67out of 100
Protected for nature0.3%of the land within 5 km
33out of 100
Woodland0.8%of the town and 1 km around it, as mapped
14out of 100
The sea38%of the area within 5 km
95out 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
Monkstown has the 12th most footpaths per km² of 40 towns its size
The 40 Irish towns nearest in population (8,606 to 11,277 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
Monkstown4.2
Towns its size2.0
Co. Dublin towns5.4
Typical Irish town2.1
Green space, ha per 1,000 residents
Monkstown4.5
Towns its size4.7
Co. Dublin towns7.6
Typical Irish town4.1
Residents within 400 m of a park
Monkstown100%
Towns its size93%
Co. Dublin towns100%
Typical Irish town92%
Against towns its size, Monkstown stands out most for path per km²: only 11 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 | Ronanstown Dublin | 6.6 | 0.7% | 0% | – |
| 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 | Drumcondra Dublin | 5.6 | 1.6% | 0.8% | 6.9% |
| 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 | Athy Kildare | 0.9 | 0.3% | 1.6% | – |
| 32 | New Ross Wexford | 0.9 | 7.3% | 5.4% | – |
| 33 | Ballina Mayo | 0.8 | 3.3% | 3.5% | – |
| 34 | Tramore Waterford | 0.8 | 0.9% | 3.9% | 34% |
| 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 Monkstown’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 Monkstown
The biggest is Clonkeen Park, 15 ha (37 acres).
All 9 named parks and woods by size: 34 ha (84 acres) and 9 km of path
Parks & gardens 34 ha
The two biggest, Clonkeen Park and Rockfield Park, are 69% of the named green space and carry 5 km of path between them. 6 of the 9 are under 2 ha.
Rockfield Park
Park or garden · 90 m outside town
8.6 ha2.4 km of path
30 minto walk all 2.4 km of path
0.9 km north-westfrom the centre
Directionsto a point inside
Newtown Park
Park or garden
3.7 ha1 km of path
15 minto walk all 1 km of path
0.7 km south-westfrom the centre
Directionsto a point inside
Dunedin Park
Park or garden
1.9 ha0.8 km of path
10 minto walk all 0.8 km of path
1.0 km eastfrom the centre
Directionsto a point inside
Vesey Gardens
Park or garden · 330 m outside town
1.2 ha0.8 km of path
10 minto walk all 0.8 km of path
1.5 km eastfrom the centre
Directionsto a point inside
Longford Park
Park or garden
1.6 ha0.6 km of path
10 minto walk all 0.6 km of path
1.0 km north-eastfrom the centre
Directionsto a point inside
Soldiers and Sailors
Park or garden
1.3 ha0.3 km of path
0.6 km south-eastfrom the centre
Directionsto a point inside
All 9 named parks and green spaces
Clonkeen ParkPark or garden · 15 ha · 2.6 km of path · just outside town
DirectionsRockfield ParkPark or garden · 8.6 ha · 2.4 km of path · just outside town
DirectionsNewtown ParkPark or garden · 3.7 ha · 1 km of path
DirectionsDunedin ParkPark or garden · 1.9 ha · 0.8 km of path
DirectionsVesey GardensPark or garden · 1.2 ha · 0.8 km of path · just outside town
DirectionsLongford ParkPark or garden · 1.6 ha · 0.6 km of path
DirectionsSoldiers and SailorsPark or garden · 1.3 ha · 0.3 km of path
DirectionsTemple ParkPark or garden · 0.5 ha · 0.3 km of path
DirectionsQuadrangle CourtyardPark or garden · 0.3 ha · just outside town
DirectionsNamed 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 Monkstown 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%)
Monkstown100%
Co. Dublin towns100%
Typical Irish town92%
Playing fields count, so a park within reach isn’t always one with paths or trees.
Protected areas
South Dublin Bay and River Tolka Estuary SPA reaches Monkstown
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 Monkstown0%
Within 5 km0.3%
Co. Dublin towns0.2%
Typical Irish town1.8%
4 protected sites lie within 5 km of Monkstown. Proposed Natural Heritage Areas cover 1.6% 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.
South Dublin Bay and River Tolka Estuary SPASpecial Protection Area (birds) · 22 km² · reaches Monkstown
NPWS pageSouth Dublin Bay SACSpecial Area of Conservation · 7.3 km² · reaches Monkstown
NPWS pageDalkey Islands SPASpecial Protection Area (birds) · 0.8 km² · 3.9 km from the edge
NPWS pageRockabill to Dalkey Island SACSpecial Area of Conservation · 273 km² · 4.1 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 9.1 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
9.1 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
51 km of footpaths cross Monkstown
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
51 km
over 12.2 km² of town and the 1 km around it
Woodland
0.8%
about 0.1 km² of mapped woods
Km per km², town and 1 km around · mapped on OpenStreetMap
MonkstownCo. Dublin townsTypical Irish town
Footpaths4.2
03.57 km per km²
Share of the land · mapped woods and forest
MonkstownCo. Dublin townsTypical Irish town
Woodland0.8%
0%50%100%
Monkstown has more footpath per km² than 67% of Irish towns and less woodland than 86% of Irish towns.
Footpaths and woods: © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL), Geofabrik extract, October 2026. Woods are mapped cover, private and Coillte forests included.
Footpaths & trails
Footpaths in and around Monkstown
51 km of footpaths are mapped in Monkstown and the kilometre around it, 4.2 km for every square kilometre (the typical Irish town has 2.1).
No waymarked trail starts within 5 km of Monkstown; its footpaths are counted above.
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 Monkstown: 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 | 15.8 | 17.0 | 16.5 | 14.8 | 12.6 | 10.4 | 8.5 | 7.5 |
| High (°C) | 9 | 9 | 11 | 13 | 15 | 18 | 20 | 20 | 17 | 14 | 11 | 9 |
| Rain (mm) | 69 | 58 | 56 | 53 | 56 | 62 | 55 | 62 | 62 | 80 | 94 | 76 |
April is the driest month (53 mm) and July the warmest (highs of 20 °C). Winter days are short, about 7.5 hours of daylight in December, and 94 mm of rain falls in November, the wettest month. The climate in Monkstown →
The coast
The coast and bathing waters near Monkstown
38% of the area within 5 km of Monkstown is sea. 7 bathing waters are within 5 km, each with its latest class.
SeapointExcellent (2025) · In town
beaches.ieSandycove BeachGood (2025) · 2.4 km from town
beaches.ieForty Foot Bathing PlaceExcellent (2025) · 2.5 km from town
beaches.ieWhite Rock BeachExcellent (2025) · 3.8 km from town
beaches.ieSandymount StrandSufficient (2025) · 3.8 km from town
beaches.ieKillineyExcellent (2025) · 4.1 km from town
beaches.ieHalf MoonExcellent (2025) · 4.6 km from town
beaches.ie5 of the 7 are rated excellent, Seapoint 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
3 viewpoints and 34 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.
3Viewpoints8.3× the typical Irish town, per resident1Nature reserves1Picnic sites34Playgrounds2.7× the typical Irish town, per resident
Per resident, viewpoints stand out most: Monkstown has 8.3× as many as the typical Irish town.
Every named place, with directions
Viewpoints 3
Geographic Pointer1.5 km from town
DirectionsPlus 2 viewpoints without a name on the map.
Nature reserves 1
Booterstown Marsh0.9 ha · 1.9 km from town
DirectionsPicnic sites 1
Plus 1 picnic site without a name on the map.
Playgrounds 34
Newtown Park Playgroundin town
DirectionsSoldiers & Sailors Park Playground0.0 km from town
DirectionsPirate playground1.3 km from town
DirectionsPlus 31 playgrounds without a name on the map.
Source: © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL), Geofabrik extract, October 2026. Unnamed places are counted, not listed.
Gardens & nature
4 gardens and nature sites to visit near Monkstown
Gardens, national parks, nature sites and islands within 15 km of the town’s edge, each with its own page.
Dublin Garden TrailGarden · 1.3 km from town
Its pageMornington GardenGarden · 3.2 km from town
Its pageAirfield EstateGarden · 4.0 km from town
Its pageSaint Stephen's GreenGarden · 7.3 km from town
Its pagePlaces to visit: Fáilte Ireland open data (CC BY 4.0), OpenStreetMap and Wikidata.
Next door
Next to Monkstown
The nearest towns of 1,000+ within 20 km, coloured by the share of the land within 5 km protected for nature.
BlackrockSallynogginDún LaoghaireFoxrockStillorganBooterstownMonkstown
Under 1%1–10%10–25%25–50%50%+
| Town | Near a park | Green space, ha per 1,000 | Paths (km/km²) | Protected within 5 km |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Monkstown | 100% | 4.5 | 4.2 | 0.3% |
| Blackrock 1.2 km | 96% | 3.7 | 4.7 | 0.2% |
| Sallynoggin 2.0 km | 97% | 4.1 | 5.0 | 0.3% |
| Dún Laoghaire 2.0 km | 96% | 2.0 | 3.0 | 0.3% |
| Foxrock 2.4 km | 100% | 9.4 | 5.8 | 0.2% |
| Stillorgan 2.6 km | 100% | 3.5 | 6.5 | 0.1% |
| Booterstown 3.0 km | 96% | 3.3 | 5.4 | 0.2% |
None of the neighbours has many more of its people near a park than Monkstown. Foxrock has at least twice Monkstown’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 Monkstown
What is the biggest park in Monkstown?
Clonkeen Park, 14 ha (34 acres), just outside the built-up area. Rockfield Park (8.6 ha) is second. 9 named parks, gardens and playing fields are in the neighbourhood or within 400 m of it.
Is there protected countryside near Monkstown?
4 protected sites lie within 5 km, though together they cover under 1% of the land.
Where can you swim near Monkstown?
The nearest bathing water is Seapoint, In town: Excellent (2025). Check beaches.ie before swimming: a notice can close a beach for the day.
How many people in Monkstown 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 Monkstown?
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 Monkstown near a National Park?
The nearest of Ireland’s six National Parks is Wicklow Mountains National Park, 9.1 km south-west of the town’s edge; it covers about 223 km².
What is there to do outdoors around Monkstown?
Within 2 km, OpenStreetMap maps 3 viewpoints, 1 nature reserve and 1 picnic site; the named ones are listed under Things to do, with directions.
Sources
Where Monkstown’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).