Dundrum

To most people in Ireland, Dundrum means the shopping centre, but this suburb was originally a town in its own right, well outside the city walls. Archaeological finds in the area go back to the 6th century, and there was a castle here by the 13th century—a defensive outpost against raiders from outside the Pale.

It was a quiet enough spot until the Harcourt line brought the railway in 1854 and gradually the old village was subsumed into greater Dublin. The arrival of the Luas in 2002 re-established links with the city and has made the area a popular place to live. Nearby is the wonderful urban farm at Airfield and the Dublin mountains are just a few minutes drive to the south.