← All Ireland tours via Viator · From €25 · 1 hour 
Sundown Cruise Around the Island of Ireland's Eye from Howth
Free cancellation 6 traveller reviews Booked securely via Viator
Check availability & prices →
From €25 per person
Howth is lovely on foot, but the best view of it is from the water. This hour-long evening cruise takes you out from the harbour, around the small island of Ireland’s Eye, and back with the cliffs up close and the Dublin coastline stretching out in the distance as the sun goes down.
You’re on a purpose-built boat with soothing music in the background and a local skipper who knows the waters well and can tell you what you’re looking at. It’s a genuinely relaxed evening out. Groups are small, the pace is unhurried, and the light at that time of day does most of the work.
There aren’t many ways to spend an hour on the water around Dublin for €25. This is one of the nicest.
Meeting point: By the pontoon at the end of the West Pier, Howth Harbour.
Howth is an easy DART ride from Dublin city centre. The train from Connolly or Pearse takes around thirty minutes and drops you right in the village. If you’re combining the cruise with an evening meal in Howth, the DART makes the whole thing very manageable without a car.
Arrive at the pier a bit early and walk the harbour first. The West Pier itself is worth a stroll before you board. There are fishing boats coming in, seagulls doing their thing, and a good view back toward the village. It sets the mood nicely before you get out on the water.
Ireland’s Eye is a protected bird sanctuary. The island is uninhabited and home to nesting gannets, guillemots, and razorbills. Your skipper will point them out. If birds are your thing, it’s worth mentioning beforehand so they know to keep an eye out for good sightings.
The light changes quickly near sunset, so check the actual sunset time for your date. Midsummer sunsets in Howth can run past 10pm, which is spectacular but means a very late cruise if you book too far ahead. In April or October, sunset comes earlier and the colours over the water tend to be richer and more dramatic.
After the cruise, the seafood restaurants on the West Pier are the obvious choice. Beshoff Bros and King Sitric are both well-regarded locally and neither needs a reservation days in advance if you’re happy to eat at the bar or arrive at an off-peak time.