Marlay Park

Marlay Park is a park in south Dublin that spreads across wooded hillsides, several ponds and open lawns. The grounds include a courtyard lined with craft workshops, formal gardens surrounding a period manor house, and sports facilities that occupy the western half of the park.

The estate changed hands several times before Dublin County Council purchased it in 1972 and opened it to the public two years later. The late 18th-century manor house was renovated following severe damage from a 2016 fire and now hosts community events.

The name derives from the Marlay family who once owned the estate before it passed to the La Touche family through marriage. The courtyard workshops now occupy what were once stable buildings, and visitors often watch craftspeople shaping ceramics, forging jewelry and weaving textiles.

The park is accessible through several entrances, including the main gate on Grange Road and smaller entry points from surrounding residential streets. Most paths are suitable for pushchairs and wheelchairs, although some woodland trails can become muddy after rain.

Several ancient trees in the park, including a Lebanon cedar over 200 years old, offer shaded resting spots during warmer months. The miniature railway operates on Sunday afternoons from spring through autumn, carrying visitors along a short loop through the grounds.