First pick
Mountjoy Square Park
Park or garden · 310 m outside town
1.8 ha0.7 km of path
10 minto walk all 0.7 km of path
0.8 km eastfrom the centre
Directionsto a point inside
Photo: RustyTheDog · CC BY-SA 3.0100%near a park
Outdoors in Phibsborough · parks, paths & countryside
Phibsborough has more footpath per square kilometre than 9 in 10 Irish towns
71 km of footpaths run through the neighbourhood and the kilometre around it, 7.6 for every square kilometre. Wicklow Mountains National Park begins 12 km away. 100% of residents live within a 5-minute walk of a park or playing field.
Near a park
100%
of residents within 400 m
Typical Irish town: 92%
Green space
1.3 ha
per 1,000 residents
Typical Irish town: 4.1 ha
Footpaths
71 km
7.6 km per km², town + 1 km
Typical Irish town: 2.1 km per km²
Character
What kind of outdoors neighbourhood is Phibsborough?
Read from the data: what stands out first, good and bad.
A neighbourhood of footpaths7.6 km of path per km², more than 95% of Irish towns. The typical town has 2.1.A park on every doorstep100% of residents live within 400 m of a park or playing field.Hills with a view5 mapped viewpoints, about 12× as many per resident as the typical Irish town.Less park per person1.3 ha of parks and playing fields per 1,000 residents; the typical Irish town has 4.1.
Phibsborough’s strongest suit is dense footpaths, followed by parks close to every home. Where it falls short is park space per person.
Against other towns
How Phibsborough 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 space1.3 haper 1,000 residents: parks, gardens, playing fields, play spaces
10out of 100
Footpaths7.6 kmper km², the town and 1 km around it
96out of 100
Protected for nature0%of the land within 5 km
11out of 100
Woodland0.4%of the town and 1 km around it, as mapped
6out 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
Phibsborough has the 2nd most footpaths per km² of 40 towns its size
The 40 Irish towns nearest in population (10,044 to 13,675 residents), by km of footpath per km². Hover for each one’s protected land and woods; click for its page.
From Kilmainham (7.7 km per km²) to Enniscorthy (0.4 km per km²).
Footpath, km per km²
Phibsborough7.6
Towns its size3.9
Co. Dublin towns5.4
Typical Irish town2.1
Green space, ha per 1,000 residents
Phibsborough1.3
Towns its size3.1
Co. Dublin towns7.6
Typical Irish town4.1
Residents within 400 m of a park
Phibsborough100%
Towns its size94%
Co. Dublin towns100%
Typical Irish town92%
Against towns its size, Phibsborough stands out most for path per km²: only 1 of the other 39 has more. It falls furthest behind on park space per resident, where 36 of the others do better.
Every town in the comparison
| Town | Paths (km/km²) | Woodland | Protected | The sea | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kilmainham Dublin | 7.7 | 7.3% | 0% | – |
| 2 | Phibsborough Dublin | 7.6 | 0.4% | 0% | – |
| 3 | Kilnamanagh Dublin | 7.4 | 3.9% | 0.5% | – |
| 4 | Fettercairn Dublin | 7 | 3.5% | 0.4% | – |
| 5 | Palmerston Dublin | 6.9 | 8.6% | 0% | – |
| 6 | Firhouse Dublin | 6.8 | 4.4% | 4.2% | – |
| 7 | Ronanstown Dublin | 6.6 | 0.7% | 0% | – |
| 8 | Parnell Square Dublin | 6.6 | 0.2% | 0.1% | 5.6% |
| 9 | Ballsbridge Dublin | 6.3 | 1.3% | 1.2% | 18% |
| 10 | Ballygall Dublin | 6.3 | 1.4% | 0% | – |
| 11 | Summerhill Dublin | 6 | 0.4% | 0.2% | 8.5% |
| 12 | Foxrock Dublin | 5.8 | 5.3% | 0.2% | 25% |
| 13 | Churchtown Dublin | 5.6 | 3.3% | 0.1% | – |
| 14 | Drumcondra Dublin | 5.6 | 1.6% | 0.8% | 6.9% |
| 15 | Finglas South Dublin | 5.6 | 1.7% | 0% | – |
| 16 | Whitehall Dublin | 5.6 | 2.6% | 0.3% | – |
| 17 | Sallynoggin Dublin | 5 | 2% | 0.3% | 47% |
| 18 | Terenure Dublin | 4.9 | 2.1% | 0% | – |
| 19 | Blackrock Dublin | 4.7 | 1.4% | 0.2% | 30% |
| 20 | Ongar Dublin | 4.2 | 2.7% | 0.2% | – |
| 21 | Shankill Dublin | 3.6 | 12% | 3.8% | 28% |
| 22 | Hollystown Dublin | 3.3 | 2% | 0% | – |
| 23 | Portmarnock Dublin | 2.7 | 0.8% | 7.9% | 44% |
| 24 | Skerries Dublin | 2 | 1.7% | 0% | 53% |
| 25 | Shannon Clare | 1.8 | 3.9% | 35% | – |
| 26 | Ratoath Meath | 1.3 | 0.4% | 0% | – |
| 27 | Kildare Kildare | 1.1 | 0.4% | 1.8% | – |
| 28 | Wicklow Wicklow | 1.1 | 0.9% | 4.3% | 38% |
| 29 | Rush Dublin | 1.1 | 0.4% | 3.7% | 51% |
| 30 | Castlebar Mayo | 1 | 3.1% | 2.3% | – |
| 31 | Athy Kildare | 0.9 | 0.3% | 1.6% | – |
| 32 | Ballina Mayo | 0.8 | 3.3% | 3.5% | – |
| 33 | Tramore Waterford | 0.8 | 0.9% | 3.9% | 34% |
| 34 | Dungarvan Waterford | 0.7 | 0.7% | 1.8% | 19% |
| 35 | Arklow Wicklow | 0.7 | 5.7% | 0.3% | 34% |
| 36 | Gorey Wexford | 0.7 | 3.9% | 0.5% | – |
| 37 | Cavan Cavan | 0.6 | 6.7% | 5.1% | – |
| 38 | Longford Longford | 0.6 | 2.7% | 5.6% | – |
| 39 | Mallow Cork | 0.6 | 5.1% | 3.2% | – |
| 40 | Enniscorthy Wexford | 0.4 | 6.9% | 2.1% | – |
The map
Parks, woods, footpaths & countryside
Tap a number to zoom to a park. Tap a layer to hide it. The dashed line is Phibsborough’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 Phibsborough
The biggest is Mountjoy Square Park, 1.8 ha (4 acres).
All 14 named parks and woods by size: 11 ha (26 acres) and 5 km of path
Parks & gardens 11 ha
No single park or wood dominates: the biggest is 17% of the named green space. 14 of the 14 are under 2 ha.
Blessington Street Park
Park or garden
1.5 ha0.7 km of path
10 minto walk all 0.7 km of path
Centralin the middle of Phibsborough
Directionsto a point inside
King's Inns Park
Park or garden
1.8 ha0.4 km of path
Centralin the middle of Phibsborough
Directionsto a point inside
Bridgefoot Street Park
Park or garden · 360 m outside town
0.8 ha0.6 km of path
10 minto walk all 0.6 km of path
1.5 km south-westfrom the centre
Directionsto a point inside
Blessington Street Basin
Park or garden
1.0 ha0.4 km of path
Centralin the middle of Phibsborough
Directionsto a point inside
Cultural Garden
Park or garden · 360 m outside town
0.5 ha0.6 km of path
10 minto walk all 0.6 km of path
0.7 km westfrom the centre
Directionsto a point inside
Dubh Linn Garden
Park or garden · 350 m outside town
0.5 ha0.5 km of path
1.6 km southfrom the centre
Directionsto a point inside
Saint Audoen's Park
Park or garden · 140 m outside town
0.5 ha0.4 km of path
1.5 km southfrom the centre
Directionsto a point inside
All 14 named parks and green spaces
Mountjoy Square ParkPark or garden · 1.8 ha · 0.7 km of path · just outside town
DirectionsBlessington Street ParkPark or garden · 1.5 ha · 0.7 km of path
DirectionsKing's Inns ParkPark or garden · 1.8 ha · 0.4 km of path
DirectionsBridgefoot Street ParkPark or garden · 0.8 ha · 0.6 km of path · just outside town
DirectionsBlessington Street BasinPark or garden · 1.0 ha · 0.4 km of path
DirectionsCultural GardenPark or garden · 0.5 ha · 0.6 km of path · just outside town
DirectionsDubh Linn GardenPark or garden · 0.5 ha · 0.5 km of path · just outside town
DirectionsSaint Audoen's ParkPark or garden · 0.5 ha · 0.4 km of path · just outside town
DirectionsGreat Western Square ParkPark or garden · 0.4 ha · 0.3 km of path · just outside town
DirectionsFour Master's ParkPark or garden · 0.4 ha · 0.2 km of path
DirectionsGarden Of RemembrancePark or garden · 0.5 ha · just outside town
DirectionsRoyal Canal ParkPark or garden · 0.4 ha
DirectionsWolfe Tone SquarePark or garden · 0.3 ha · just outside town
DirectionsCivic GardensPark or garden · 0.2 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 Phibsborough 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%)
Phibsborough100%
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 is the nearest protected area, 2.0 km away
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 Phibsborough0%
Within 5 km0%
Co. Dublin towns0.2%
Typical Irish town1.8%
2 protected sites lie within 5 km of Phibsborough. Ireland’s National Parks have a block of their own on this page; much of their land also lies inside these sites.
Protected 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 12 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
12 km south223 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
Footpaths and woods in and around Phibsborough
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
71 km
over 9.4 km² of town and the 1 km around it
Woodland
0.4%
about 0 km² of mapped woods
Registered trails
5
walking trails within 5 km
Km per km², town and 1 km around · mapped on OpenStreetMap
PhibsboroughCo. Dublin townsTypical Irish town
Footpaths7.6
04.59 km per km²
Share of the land · mapped woods and forest
PhibsboroughCo. Dublin townsTypical Irish town
Woodland0.4%
0%50%100%
Phibsborough has more footpath per km² than 96% of Irish towns and less woodland than 94% of Irish towns.
Footpaths and woods: © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL), Geofabrik extract, October 2026. Woods are mapped cover, private and Coillte forests included.
Footpaths & trails
Phibsborough is on the National Famine Way
71 km of footpaths are mapped in Phibsborough and the kilometre around it, 7.6 km for every square kilometre (the typical Irish town has 2.1).
Long-distance wayGreenway
National Famine Way168.6 km
Royal Canal Way146.3 km
Royal Canal Greenway - Drumcondra - Ashtown - Castleknock8.9 km
Royal Canal Greenway Walking Trail121.4 km
Grand Canal Way117.1 km
The National Famine Way (169 km end to end) passes through Phibsborough. One cycling or paddling trail also starts within 5 km.
2 more waymarked walks on OpenStreetMap
NationalOther waymarked
The Royal Canal Way5.3 km
Icon Walk0.3 km
Trails: Sport Ireland National Trails Register (CC BY 4.0), registered trails within 5 km; footpaths: OpenStreetMap (ODbL). More waymarked walks: OpenStreetMap route relations (ODbL) within 2 km, those already on the register left out. 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.
History
2 historic parks, gardens and demesnes on the record in Phibsborough
Parks, gardens, walled gardens and demesne walls in the town on the National Inventory of Architectural Heritage, each with its record.
ParkSaint Michan's Parkfrom 1780Regional rating (NIAH)
ParkKing's Innsfrom 1845Regional rating (NIAH)
The oldest dated is Saint Michan's Park, from 1780.
National Inventory of Architectural Heritage, Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage (CC BY 4.0).
When to get out
The best walking months in Phibsborough: 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 | 16 | 18 | 20 | 20 | 18 | 14 | 11 | 9 |
| Rain (mm) | 61 | 52 | 52 | 51 | 55 | 63 | 59 | 68 | 62 | 76 | 84 | 72 |
April is the driest month (51 mm) and July the warmest (highs of 20 °C). Winter days are short, about 7.5 hours of daylight in December, and 84 mm of rain falls in November, the wettest month. The climate in Phibsborough →
The coast
Bathing waters near Phibsborough
3.4% of the area within 5 km of Phibsborough is sea. One bathing water is within 5 km.
Sandymount StrandSufficient (2025) · 4.8 km from town
beaches.ieIt isn’t rated excellent this season.
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
5 viewpoints and 1 waterfall
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.
5Viewpoints11.7× the typical Irish town, per resident1Waterfalls93Playgrounds6.1× the typical Irish town, per resident
Per resident, viewpoints stand out most: Phibsborough has 11.7× as many as the typical Irish town.
Every named place, with directions
Viewpoints 5
Former swimming area0.8 km from town
DirectionsPlus 4 viewpoints without a name on the map.
Waterfalls 1
Plus 1 waterfall without a name on the map.
Playgrounds 93
Hill Street Playground0.5 km from town
DirectionsWeaver's Park playground0.9 km from town
DirectionsHamilton Gardens Public Playground1.4 km from town
DirectionsThe Giant's Garden1.4 km from town
DirectionsPlus 89 playgrounds without a name on the map.
Source: © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL), Geofabrik extract, October 2026. Unnamed places are counted, not listed.
Gardens & nature
6 gardens and nature sites to visit near Phibsborough
Gardens, national parks, nature sites and islands within 15 km of the town’s edge, each with its own page.
National Botanic GardensGarden · 0.9 km from town
Its pageSaint Stephen's GreenGarden · 1.2 km from town
Its pageIveagh GardensGarden · 1.3 km from town
Its pageMerrion SquareGarden · 1.3 km from town
Its pageWar Memorial GardensGarden · 2.8 km from town
Its pageSaint Anne's ParkGarden · 5.4 km from town
Its pagePlaces to visit: Fáilte Ireland open data (CC BY 4.0), OpenStreetMap and Wikidata.
Next door
Next to Phibsborough
The nearest towns of 1,000+ within 20 km, coloured by the share of the land within 5 km protected for nature.
Parnell SquareStoneybatterSummerhillO'Connell StreetCabra EastBallyboughPhibsborough
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Phibsborough | 100% | 1.3 | 7.6 | 0% |
| Parnell Square 0.5 km | 100% | 1.0 | 6.6 | 0.1% |
| Stoneybatter 0.9 km | 100% | 38.8 | 7.5 | 0% |
| Summerhill 0.9 km | 100% | 0.7 | 6.0 | 0.2% |
| O'Connell Street 1.0 km | 100% | 1.6 | 8.1 | 0.1% |
| Cabra East 1.2 km | 91% | 56.9 | 8.0 | 0% |
| Ballybough 1.4 km | 100% | 3.3 | 5.5 | 1% |
None of the neighbours has many more of its people near a park than Phibsborough. Stoneybatter, Cabra East and Ballybough have at least twice Phibsborough’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 Phibsborough
What is the biggest park in Phibsborough?
King's Inns Park, 1.8 ha (4 acres). Mountjoy Square Park (1.8 ha) is second. 15 named parks, gardens and playing fields are in the neighbourhood or within 400 m of it.
Is there protected countryside near Phibsborough?
2 protected sites lie within 5 km, though together they cover under 1% of the land. The nearest is South Dublin Bay and River Tolka Estuary SPA, 2.0 km from the edge of town.
What are the best walks near Phibsborough?
5 waymarked trails start within 5 km, including the National Famine Way, Royal Canal Way and Royal Canal Greenway - Drumcondra - Ashtown - Castleknock.
Where can you swim near Phibsborough?
The nearest bathing water is Sandymount Strand, 4.8 km from town: Sufficient (2025). Check beaches.ie before swimming: a notice can close a beach for the day.
How many people in Phibsborough 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 Phibsborough?
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 Phibsborough near a National Park?
The nearest of Ireland’s six National Parks is Wicklow Mountains National Park, 12 km south of the town’s edge; it covers about 223 km².
What is there to do outdoors around Phibsborough?
Within 2 km, OpenStreetMap maps 5 viewpoints and 1 waterfall; the named ones are listed under Things to do, with directions.
Which parks in Phibsborough are historic?
The National Inventory of Architectural Heritage records 2 historic parks, gardens and demesnes in the town, among them King's Inns and Saint Michan's Park.
Sources
Where Phibsborough’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
- Historic parks and gardens. Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage: National Inventory of Architectural Heritage (CC BY 4.0)
- 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).