Herbert Park (Ballsbridge, Dublin 4)

Herbert Park (Ballsbridge, Dublin 4)

Beautiful big park with multiple playgrounds, a duck pond, football pitch, a cafe, outdoor work out machines and on Sundays there’s a farmers market.

The park is thirty-two acres in size and is in two halves, divided by a road, also called Herbert Park. The park has has football pitches, tennis, boules and croquet courts, a duck pond and a playground. Herbert park is also home to ‘The Hive’ where you can rent space for meetings, yoga, pilates, dance, drama and other activities.

Herbert Park (Ballsbridge, Dublin 4)
Herbert Park (Ballsbridge, Dublin 4)

Park’s perimeter is almost exactly one mile

A full circuit of the park’s perimeter is almost exactly one mile (1.57 km), a fact used by runners and walkers to measure their progress.

The larger half, on the south side of the road, is bounded by the River Dodder, houses, and includes a number of soccer pitches, formal gardens, and a large duck pond and an older public children’s playground.

A gazebo is also present in the North-Eastern corner of the park at the entrance to the Herbert Park Hotel.

Herbert Park is named after Sidney Herbert

For centuries the park was part of the vast Fitzwilliam Estate until it was inherited by the 11th Earl of Pembroke in 1816. In 1903, the earl gave the site to Pembroke Urban District Council for development as a public park. The park is named after his father, Sidney Herbert (1810-1861).

The famous Dublin International Trades’ Exhibition was held on the site in 1907, housing exhibits from across the British Empire (including a complete Somalian village). The existing duck pond was constructed for the exhibition to house the ‘Canadian Waterchute’, but little else remains of the original buildings. The park was taken over by Dublin Corporation in 1932.

Opening Hours

Monday10:00 – 20:30
Tuesday10:00 – 20:30
Wednesday10:00 – 20:30
Thursday10:00 – 20:30
Friday10:00 – 20:30
Saturday10:00 – 20:30
Sunday10:00 – 20:30
January10:00 – 17:00
February10:00 – 17:30
March10:00 – 18:30 before clocks go forward
10:00 – 19:30 after clocks go forward
April10:00 – 20:30
May10:00 – 21:30
June and July10:00 – 22:00
August10:00 – 21:30
September10:00 – 20:30
October10:00 – 19:30 before clocks go back
10:00 – 18:30 after clocks go back
November10:00 – 17:30
December10:00 – 17:00

Find more info about this Dublin City Park

Reviews

Lovely Park, large kiddies play areas, and machine, pull up bars, shoulder press, 2 huge playing fields, many little private sitting areas, a few large garden areas, food court, tennis court, gazebos, a central pond! Pretty and clean….close to city centre 15 min bike ride. The Cherry blossom is just coming out and is well worth seeing. It has also designated wild flower areas.
Jamaica Keon Simms
Lovely park, well serviced by public transport and easily accessible on foot due to multiple entrances, and usually ample parking except at busy times. Three children’s playgrounds, geared to different ages, a duck pond, tennis courts and croquet pitches, and football pitches too. And lots of well cared for trees!!!
Rob Mountford

Herbert park parking

Question: Is there any free parking near Herbert Park? We would like to go there for a picnic and to feed the ducks, but would rather not be worrying about a parking meter!

Answer: You can park your car on the road that splits Park. Depending on what time you want to go at. It is free after two pm from Monday to Friday, and free full days Saturday and Sunday according to the parking signs. Another alternative is park in the RDS – the Merrion Road carpark is open all year and is €6 per day. Short walk to Herbert Park.

Question: In which parking zone is Herbert Park?

If you want to pay for your parking Herbert Park is zone red which costs €2.40 per hour. Check the local signs for the hours and days that require pay & display.

A lot of the streets in Sandymount are in the orange zone which costs €1 per hour. If you want to park in the orange zone close to Herbert Park, that would mean either Tritonville Road or Sandymount Ave.

Where can I park for free in Dublin?

You can park for free on the road that splits Herbert Park (Ballsbridge, Dublin 4).

What time is parking free in Dublin?

You can park your car on the road that splits Herbert Park. It is free after two pm from Monday to Friday, and free full days Saturday and Sunday according to the parking signs.

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