Wicklow Harbour and the East Pier
About
Wicklow Harbour is not a marina with a coffee kiosk. It is a small commercial port at the mouth of the River Vartry that still handles timber and aggregate alongside a fishing fleet, the sailing club and the lifeboat, and walking the quays means walking past working cranes and stacked pine logs rather than a preserved heritage quay. The harbour was substantially rebuilt through the 1880s and 1900s and its shape has not changed much since. The East Pier is the walk: out past Wicklow RNLI's station, which has been here since 1857 and now runs the Shannon-class all-weather lifeboat Bridie O'Shea and the D-class inshore boat Dennis-Audrey, to the pier light with the Black Castle across the water. Wicklow County Council lists the Wicklow Harbour bathing area among the beaches it lifeguards through the bathing season, which is the only lifeguarded swimming in the town.
Photos
Highlights
- ✓A working port that still lands timber, aggregate and fish
- ✓Wicklow RNLI at the East Pier, on station since 1857
- ✓Wicklow Sailing Club on South Quay, host club of the Round Ireland Yacht Race
- ✓The town's only lifeguarded bathing area, in the harbour, through the bathing season
Tips
- →Keep clear of the working quay and the cranes; this is an operating port, not a promenade.
- →The quays are flat and hard-surfaced, the most accessible walking in the town.
- →Lifeguard cover at the harbour bathing area runs 1 June to 15 September only.
Best Season
More Attraction Activities
The Black Castle
The free, unfenced Norman ruin on the promontory above the harbour mouth, with the best short view in the town.
Wicklow's Historic Gaol
The 18th-century county gaol on Kilmantin Hill, closed for refurbishment since September 2025 with a new operator approved and reopening expected in 2026. Check before travelling.
Wicklow Head and its Lighthouses
The easternmost point of the Republic of Ireland, with three lighthouse towers on one headland, one of them let as self-catering accommodation.