St. Anne's Park

Oak Tree

Courtesy of Coillte Teoranta

Oak Tree
Courtesy of Coillte Teoranta

Oak Tree

Courtesy of Coillte Teoranta

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St. Anne’s Park lies between the areas of Raheny and Clontarf in north Dublin. It forms part of the former estate of the Guinness Family who first began developing the park in 1835. It was eventually bought by Dublin City Council in 1939. The area of the park is approximately 270 acres and contains numerous playing fields, parkland, follies and an award-winning rose garden. The Red Stables, located within St. Anne’s Park, hosts a farmers’ market every weekend.

A variety of tree species are present in the park. Holm Oak and Pine trees provide much needed shelter from the coastal winds. Ash, Beech, Oak, Elm, Lime and Chestnut are among the other species that add to the rich collection of flora in the park.

Rose Garden

The Rose Garden was opened in 1975 and is now a centre for International Rose Trials. Numerous species of roses are grown here, including a selection of Hybrid Tea and Floribunda Roses. Pergolas and pillars were placed in the garden when it was under construction in order to provide space and display of Rambling Roses and Climbing Roses.

Can you see some of the red rhubarb stalks under all the thick leaves?

Walled Garden

The Walled Garden, near the Clontarf end of the park, is used as a plant nursery for the development of the park. There is public access to an herbaceous garden that is marked by high stone walls and a clock tower. In 2009, allotments were made available within the walled garden in response to an increasing public interest in growing fruit and vegetables. A huge variety of fruit and vegetables can be grown in such allotments such as carrots, potatoes, tomatoes, strawberries and rhubarb.

Badger

The European badger lives in an underground home called a sett. Badgers dig their setts in many different habitats, woodlands and hedgerows are good places to find badger setts.

Badger

Badger

The European badger lives in an underground home called a sett. Badgers dig their setts in many different habitats, woodlands and hedgerows are good places to find badger setts.

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Wildlife

St. Anne’s Park is an ideal habitat for all wildlife. The trees and bushes provide good shelter, as well as food. Pipistrelle bats, mice, squirrels, foxes, badgers, hedgehogs and rabbits are mammals that are all common to the park. The red squirrel was once widespread in the park, but since the arrival of the grey squirrel in the late 1990s, there has been a big decline in the population of the red squirrel.

A small river flows through the park, leading to a duck pond near the northern end of the park. A number of ducks have inhabited the pond with its small central island.