The Airfield Estate is Dublin’s only urban working farm and gardens, and it makes a great day out for all the family.
Located at at Overend Way in Dundrum, it’s a short spin from the city and easily accessible by public transport.
Visit the farm, go to the market, take in the Heritage Experience, have a picnic in the gardens or treat yourself to a delicious lunch in the café.
Below, you’ll find what to expect from a visit to Airfield Farm and Estate, from food and activities to Santa and more.
Some quick need-to-knows about Airfield Estate
Although a visit to Airfield Farm is fairly straightforward, there are a few need-to-knows that’ll make your visit that bit more enjoyable.
1. Location
The Airfield Estate can be found at Overend Way, Dundrum, Dublin 14. It is about a half-hour drive from Dublin city centre.
2. Opening hours
The Airfield Farm and Estate is open 7 days a week during July and August from 9.30am to 6.00pm. For the rest of the year it is open Wednesdays to Sundays (and bank holidays), 9.30am to 4.30pm. Make sure to check their website for the most up-to-date opening times.
3. Admission
- Adult: €15
- Senior/ Student/ Youth (18-25): €10
- Children (Under 18): €8
- Carers & 3 or under: FREE
- 2 adults & 1 child: €29
4. Parking
Should you choose to cycle to the park, there are plenty of spaces to park your bike. Car parking is more limited and on a first-come, first-served basis. If the car park is full, the Balally Lucas car park is only a few minutes walk away (paid parking).
5. Visit Santa
What little one doesn’t enjoy a visit to Santa? Father Christmas always makes room in his busy schedule to drop by the Airfield Estate, and the children receive a sustainably sourced gift in a reusable bag to take away with them. After the visit, your children can take a ride on the vintage carousel.
About Airfield Estate
The Airfield Estate covers 38 acres and was left in trust to the Irish people by the Overends in 1974. The sisters Letitia and Naomi well understood the importance of self-sufficiency and sustainability, an ethos that is there at the estate today.
They had a strong sense of community and charitable endeavours and opened their home to injured soldiers during the First and Second World Wars, used their dairy herd and pasteurisation to donate to the safe milk depot, reducing infant mortality in Dublin, and funding The Sunshine Home (now called the Laura Lynn Foundation) for children with rickets.
These days, the estate concentrates on finding innovative, sustainable ways to use the land, and there is a year-round events programme where food is used to help build children’s life skills and where adults can learn and socialise in a friendly environment.
Things to do at Airfield Estate
One of the reasons that a visit to Airfield Farm and Estate is one of the more popular things to do in Dublin with kids is due to the volume of things there are to see and do.
Below, you’ll find everything from the farm and the farmers market to the various other attractions on-site.
1. The farm
If you’re looking for things to do in Dublin with kids, the farm here is a terrific working example of environmentally sustainable Irish agriculture, and visitors are encouraged to explore, experience farm work up close and get hands-on with what goes on.
There’s a Jersey dairy herd, Jacob sheep, Oxford Sandy black pigs, hens and donkeys too. When you visit, you can watch the cows being milked and see how pasteurisation works to make milk safe to drink, as well as taste the fresh, creamy end product.
2. The market
Airfield Estate’s Farmers Market is one of our favourite markets in Dublin, and it takes place every Friday and Saturday in the lower car park at the estate.
Here, you will find a range of stalls stocking locally grown fruit and vegetables, meat, fish, jams and chutneys, and bread and pastries.
The focus is on organic produce and foods produced by artisan bakers, cheese makers and more. You’ll be able to sample some of the produce on sale but bring plenty of bags because everything is so deliciously tempting.
3. The Heritage Experience
Airfield House is the original home of the Overends, and today, visitors can explore the house through an interactive tour and exhibition all about the family.
It includes family photographs, letters, original clothing and display cases that give the visitor information about the Jersey herds the family kept, as well as Victorian toys and books and details of their vintage cars.
Letitia and Naomi took part in rallies across Ireland well into their old age. Letitia’s 1927 Rolls Royce is displayed in the vintage car garage. One famous story is about how both sisters attended a course in London so they could learn how to maintain and service their own cars.
The heritage experience also looks at the family’s charity work for the St John Ambulance and the Laura Lynn Foundation.
4. The gardens
A walled garden and an organic food garden are part of the magnificent gardens at Airfield Estate, and they’re a fine place for a stroll on a bright day.
There is also a sunken garden, the entrance point to the Airfield Estate, where you will find ornamental and edible plants, ornamental carrots, onions and edible flowers that grow to form a pretty picture that is best viewed in the mid-spring and early summer months.
5. Lunch
Overends Kitchen connects land and table, and it’s a good option if you fancy a pre or post-walk bite-to-eat.
It has an à la carte table service menu, which focuses on seasonal, organic produce, Irish drinks and biodynamic wines. The restaurant also makes a point of using local produce and minimising food waste as much as possible.
Places to visit near Airfield Estate
One of the reasons we love Airfield is that it’s a short spin away from some of our favourite walks in Dublin.
You’ve places like Ticknock and Cruagh Woods less than 20 minutes away along with one of the best parks in Dublin.
1. Marlay Park (10-minute drive)
Just ten minutes from the Airfield Estate is Marlay Park—86 hectares of park, ponds and pathways. There is also a golf course, football pitches, a cricket pitch, a dog park and a children’s playground. The venue is well known for music concerts and festivals, the best known one being Longitude, where Sam Smith, Stromzy and Travis Scott have performed.
2. Ticknock Forest (10-minute drive)
You will find Ticknock in the Dublin Mountains. It offers 10 kilometres of mountain and forest walks and amazing views of Dublin Bay, Dublin City and the Wicklow Mountains. It features three large rock formations and there is also Two Rock Mountain, where you will find the ruins of the Fairy Castle.
3. Cruagh Wood (20-minute drive)
Cruagh Wood is south of Dublin City and in the Dublin Mountains. At its highest point, it is about 522 metres above sea level and thus popular with walkers who want to experience the views over the city. There are waymarked trails throughout.
4. Tibradden (15-minute drive)
Tibradden Woods is are another fine place for a ramble. A prehistoric cairn marks the mountain’s summit. When excavated in the 19th century, antiquarians found cremated human remains within along with a Bronze Age pottery vessel.
FAQs about visiting Airfield Farm and Estate
We’ve had a lot of questions over the years asking about everything from ‘When is the Airfield Farmers Market on?’ to ‘Does the Airfield afternoon tea still run?’.
In the section below, we’ve popped in the most FAQs that we’ve received. If you have a question that we haven’t tackled, ask away in the comments section below.
Is Airfield Estate worth visiting?
Yes. There are plenty of things to see and do at Airfield Farm and Estate, with something that’ll appeal to young an old.
How much is it info Airfield Estate?
Adult day tickets cost €12, and children aged 4-17 are €6.50. Seniors and students are €9, and carers supporting someone are also free of charge.
When is the Airfield Farmers Market on?
The Airfield Farmers Market takes place every Friday and Saturday in the lower car park at the estate.