Rush: Beach, Kitesurfing and Medieval Traces

Rush combines coastal scenery with medieval traces: at South Beach, wind and tides shape the kitesurfing, while a tower house and a church add historical touches. When planning your holiday, the question is therefore not just how to spend your days at the beach, but also which other interests you would like to consider when choosing a location.

Rush South Beach and Kitesurfing

Rush South Beach is 2.4 km long and bordered by a well-developed dune system. Prevailing winds and tides make it an extremely popular spot for kitesurfing. If you are including this activity in your travel plans, it offers a specific focus for your time at the beach. Rush South Beach is a 45-minute walk from Rush railway station. This walking time is a useful planning detail if you would like to include both the station and the beach in a day’s itinerary.

Medieval Traces in Rush

Rush Tower House is a 15th-century tower house; St Catherine’s Church in Rush is a medieval church. The two sites therefore represent different architectural forms: a tower house and a church. The Portico of Kenure House is also nearby, two miles north of the centre of Rush. It is the only surviving part of the former mansion. Together, these buildings add a historical dimension to a stay by the coast, without limiting Rush to a single type of holiday.

A Broader Coastal Perspective: County Fingal

In the wider destination of County Fingal, the coastline stretches for 88 kilometres from Sutton to Balbriggan. The precise length may vary depending on the method of measurement. The coast includes three protected estuaries, salt marshes and 13 larger beaches. Individual beaches also have different characteristics: Velvet Strand in Portmarnock is a five-kilometre-long sandy beach. Balcarrick Beach in Donabate is 3.4 kilometres long and combines sand with dunes and rock pools. Skerries South Strand is two kilometres long and has a promenade and a coastal path. These examples offer different coastal settings to consider: long sandy stretches, dunes and rock pools, or a beach with a promenade and a path beside the water.

Walking and Cycling in County Fingal

County Fingal offers several walking routes with clearly stated distances. The Howth Cliff Path comprises four routes ranging from six to ten kilometres. The Howth Cliff Path Loop starts at Howth DART station, follows the cliffs to The Summit and returns along a path that runs parallel to the outward route. The cliff paths offer views of Ireland’s Eye and Lambay Island. The cliffs are important habitats for birds; grey seals can also be spotted there. Waymarking and trail conditions can change, so it is advisable to check for updates before setting out.

A different way to get around is a completed, two-kilometre section of cycle path between Portmarnock and Baldoyle. It runs through the racecourse park along the varied coastline. Compared with the six-to-ten-kilometre Howth loops, this section is shorter and designated as a cycle path. If you plan to use it, check the current condition of the infrastructure before setting off.

Mills and Model Railways

County Fingal’s cultural attractions also offer a range of experiences. Skerries Mills is a restored complex with two windmills, a watermill and a 19th-century bakery. On guided tours, you can grind flour traditionally with a millstone and see the water wheel in operation. As tour arrangements can change, check the current offerings before your visit. In Malahide, the Casino Model Railway Museum is located in the restored Casino Cottage, right next to Malahide station. It is considered Ireland’s first model railway museum. County Fingal thus offers contrasting cultural themes: an insight into historic milling technology and a museum dedicated to model railways.

More Destinations

Discover more destinations: Swords, Tyrrelstown, Ward, Gormanston, Castleknock, Cloghran, Blanchardstown, Garristown.

Return to the broader travel guide: County Fingal.