The Iveagh Gardens are Dublin’s not-so-secret secret. Tucked away behind buildings just off Harcourt Street, this 9-hectare park feels like it shouldn’t exist in the middle of the city.
Located a stone’s throw (literally!) from one of the most famous parks in Dublin City, St. Stephen’s Green, they’re set amidst the hustle and bustle but, when you step inside, you’ll feel a million miles away.
Although well known for the ‘Live at the Iveagh Gardens concerts’, this beautiful park is home to a fine bit of history, too.
Below, you’ll find how to get into the Iveagh Gardens and what to see to where to visit nearby.
The Iveagh Gardens
Although a visit to the Iveagh Gardens in Dublin is fairly straightforward, there are a few need-to-knows that’ll make your visit that bit more enjoyable.
1. Location
You’ll find Iveagh Gardens on Clonmel Street, just off Harcourt Street. They are behind the National Concert Hall and one block south of St. Stephens Green. The park is almost hidden by the surrounding buildings and the entrance is tucked away between government buildings.
2. Opening hours
The Iveagh Gardens are open daily all year round and admission is free. Monday to Saturday, it opens at 8am, and at 10am on Sundays and Bank Holidays. Closing time is generally before dusk and varies throughout the year. More info here.
3. Parking
Parking is limited in the city centre and if you find a space you will have to pay for it. The nearest public car park is Mobypark car park next to the National Concert Hall on Earlsfort Terrace. There’s also Q-Park on St Stephens Green, just 5 minutes walk away.
4. Concerts
Live at the Iveagh Gardens returns from July 3–20, 2025, transforming Dublin’s hidden city oasis into an open-air music haven. This year’s lineup includes Lucy Dacus, En Vogue, Train, Damien Dempsey, Supergrass, Alex Warren, Natasha Bedingfield, and Leon Bridges.
About the Iveagh Gardens
Maps from 1756 show the land as Leeson’s Fields, owned by Joseph Leeson, 1st Earl of Milltown. The land was leased to the 1st Earl of Clonmell who owned Clonmell House on Harcourt Street. They became his private gardens, accessed by a subterranean tunnel beneath Harcourt Street.
The early days
In 1817 they became a public park known as Coburg Gardens and a new entrance was created from St Stephen’s Green. They were the site of a major riot in 1835. After that, the site was left derelict.
In 1865, the land found new purpose as the site for the Dublin Exhibition Palace and Winter Garden. It was officially opened by H.R.H. Albert Edward, Prince of Wales, on 9 May 1865. The land was later acquired by the Guinness family and sold to Lord Iveagh. In 1939, he donated the land to the nation as a public park.
Iveagh Garden Design
Designed by Ninian Niven in 1865, the gardens were a blend of French Formal and English Landscape gardens. The layout and many original features remain today.
Major restoration of the gardens took place in 1992 by the Office of Pubic Works. In 2019-2020 they were awarded a Green Flag, an international benchmark for the best public parks and green spaces.
Things to see and do at the Iveagh Gardens
Photos via Shutterstock
There’s a bit to see and do around the Iveagh Gardens, from a short walking trail and a ‘waterfall’ to statues and more.
Later, you’ll find lots of places to visit a short walk from the Iveagh Gardens, like Museum of Literature Ireland.
1. Grab a coffee nearby
Photo by Jaromir Chalabala/shutterstock
There are plenty of attractive places to find a coffee or bite to eat on Grafton Street. My personal favourite is Caffé Nero on Camden Street Lower, about 4 minutes walk away.
The Harcourt Bar and Garden Lounge is perfect for cocktails, drinks and meals just steps from the entrance to Iveagh Gardens.
If you walk to St Stephen’s Green, you’ll be spoilt for choice. See our guide to the best coffee in Dublin for more.
2. Then head for a ramble
Photo via Shutterstock
Coffee in hand, you’re all set for a ramble. And you’ll find one of the best short walks in Dublin right here. You can easily spend half an hour exploring Iveagh Gardens as there are plenty of nice features to discover and admire.
The gardens include sunken lawns surrounding pretty fountains, an American Garden, rose garden, yew maze, rockeries, rooteries and rustic grottoes.
There’s also a very interesting water feature. Don’t worry, there are plenty of benches for sipping your coffee and people-watching!
3. And make sure to stop at the ‘waterfall’
Photo by Nataliia Pushkareva (Shutterstock)
The highlight of Iveagh Gardens has to be the cascade water feature. Part of the original designs for the 1865 Dublin Exhibition and Winter Garden, it has 32 rock samples – one from each county in Ireland. The curving whitewater cascade adds to the sound and pleasure of the gardens.
Things to do nearby
One of the beauties of the Iveagh Gardens is that they’re a short walk away from many of the best things to do in Dublin.
The handiest thing to do is to follow my walking tour of Dublin outlined in the map above. You’ll see:
- St Stephen’s Green (5-minute walk): Another Victorian park laid out in 1880. Covering 22 acres, it has many meandering paths, a bandstand and a children’s playground
- Museum of Literature Ireland (7-minute walk): Home to many exhibits and artefacts about writer James Joyce who was a student at nearby University College Dublin
- Trinity College (15-minute walk): Dublin’s leading university home to The Book of Kells and the Long Room, too
- Food, pubs and city attractions: Tour the Guinness Storehouse, grab a bite in one of the restaurants in Dublin and kick back in the man pubs in Dublin
Keith O’Hara has lived in Ireland for 35 years and has spent much of the last 13 creating what is now The Irish Road Trip guide. Over the years, the website has published thousands of meticulously researched Ireland travel guides, welcoming 40 million+ visitors along the way. In 2022, the Irish Road Trip team published the world’s largest collection of Irish Road Trip itineraries. Keith lives in Dublin with his dog Toby and finds writing in the 3rd person minus craic altogether.