The gorgeous seaside town with summer festival, beautiful harbour, seals and loved by A-listers
IRISH music fans are in for an idyllic summer as one major festival has announced a stellar lineup.
Located in the picturesque coastal town of Dun Laoghaire, Co Dublin, Live On The Harbour will have fans singing their hearts out with plenty of sun and sea.
Coupled with dance tunes and feel-good music, concertgoers can enjoy everything Dun Laoghaire Harbour has to offer.
The East Pier is perfect for strolls in the sunshine and locally caught fish and chips, while the harbour is a busy hub for fishing and water sports.
Boat tours are on offer, where passengers can learn sailing terminology and basic sailing skills as well as receive a guide through local history along the south Dublin coastline from Dun Laoghaire to Killiney Bay.
Dublin Bay Cruises sail between Dun Laoghaire and Howth six times a day between March and October.
The family business is run by the Garrihy family consisting of sisters Doireann, Aoibhin and Ailbhe and their parents Eugene and Clare.
The 90-minute trip brings passengers around the beautiful vista of Dublin Bay.
The National Maritime Museum of Ireland has nautical art and artefacts inside a stunning 19th-century sailors’ church and there’s the option to visit the James Joyce Tower and Museum.
There is also a sheltered beach and bathing spot at Forty Foot, that’s popular with locals and stars alike with Sam Smith and Eve Hewson enjoying a dip.
And after a tiring swim, there is an array of incredible restaurants to be enjoyed across the town.
The Purty Kitchen, Cavistons and Lobstar are just some of the amazing seafood restaurants with many more cuisines on offer.
Those wishing to visit Dun Laoghaire on a Sunday can enjoy a local vendors market from 11am until 4pm.
Just a 10-minute walk from Dun Laoghaire harbour and a 15-minute walk to Sandycove Beach, the market takes place in the People’s Park.
Vendors with a range of food and crafts products include Denis Healy’s organic fruit and vegetables, Sheridan’s Cheeses, Petite France: Food, Wine and Pottery, California Market Bakery and more.
The People’s Park is free to visit, opening at 8am and boasts a stunning landscape and a variety of cafes and restaurants.
There is also a children’s playground, an incredible Victorian gatehouse and tea rooms.
Plenty of public transport links allow for visitors to make their way to the city centre, which is just a 30 minute drive away.
The DART directly connects Howth and Dun Laoghaire harbours calling at coastal and city centre stations along the way.
Visitors from abroad can stay at one of three hotels: Royal Marine Hotel; Fitzpatrick Castle Hotel; or The Haddington Hotel.
BIG ACTS
The three-day summer festival will feature a different vibe each day, with top names providing the tunes.
Kicking off on Thursday July 27 at 4pm, The Ibiza Orchestra Experience, Mark McCabe, Todd Terry and Fergie (Vinyl Classics Set) will hit the stage.
The Ibiza Orchestra Experience features a 26-piece orchestra and concertgoers can expect to hear tracks from artists such as Massive Attack, Daft Punk, Robert Miles, Tiesto, Fatboy Slim, Prodigy, Candi Staton, Faithless and more.
On Friday July 28, Dizzee Rascal will begin his headline set in the afternoon with artists such as JME, Nealo, JAfaris, Sello, Sweetlemondae and Yesunia also playing for fans.
On Saturday July 29, gigs will begin at 2pm with major acts such as Jax Jones and Tinie Tempah.
Live On The Harbour fans can also enjoy Bingo Loco and Dustin The Turkey Boiler Room.
Tickets for Live On The Harbour start from €50 and are on sale now.
Any adult bringing children to the event on Thursday and Friday needs to accompany ages 14 and over, while Saturday is strictly over 18s.
Elsewhere, music fans are in a frenzy as new acts have been announced for this year’s Electric Picnic including Niall Horan.
Event organisers have revealed another 40 epic artists that are set to take the stage at this year’s Electric Picnic.
Final tickets for the major event went on sale in December and festival fans have been eagerly waiting to hear the rest of the set list.
Nell Mescal, Mimi Webb, King Kong Company and Cian Ducrot are among the names joining headline acts including Niall Horan at this years festival.
Other headline acts for this year’s festival include Billie Elish, The Killers, Fred Again and Lewis Capaldi.
Last year the festival returned to Stradbally and welcomed 70,000 music fans hungry to experience Ireland’s biggest music and arts festival.