Foxrock: Beckett, Golf and Horse Racing

Foxrock is a leafy suburb in the south of County Dublin, between the sea at Dún Laoghaire and the foothills of the Dublin Mountains. The area combines distinctive traces of its history with golf and horse racing. When planning your holiday, you can decide whether to focus mainly on discovering historic sites or on sporting experiences.

History in the heart of Foxrock

Beckett Green, in the centre of the area, is home to the Heritage Map of Foxrock. It shows local landmarks and provides a practical starting point for finding your way around. Also in Foxrock Village, a photo exhibition about the Harcourt Street Railway Line is on display in the car park at the site of the former railway station. It explores the history of the line at the very place where Foxrock station once stood.

A K1-Mk-234 telephone kiosk is a distinctive landmark in the centre of Foxrock Village. Built in 1926, it is considered the oldest in the country and is a protected structure forming part of South County Dublin’s built heritage from the early 20th century. Alongside the area’s other historical connections, the kiosk represents another very tangible aspect of its history.

Samuel Barclay Beckett is also associated with Foxrock: he was born on Good Friday, 13 April 1906, the second child of Bill and May Beckett, née Roe. The family home was on the corner of Kerrymount Avenue and Brighton Road. For literature enthusiasts, this biographical connection adds to the area’s historical appeal.

Golf and horse racing as other highlights

Leopardstown Golf Centre is in the heart of Foxrock Village. Tee times are generally available to visitors from 2 pm Sunday to Friday and from 3 pm on Saturdays. If golf is part of your travel plans, you can take these time slots into account when planning; availability varies by day of the week.

Leopardstown Racecourse hosts flat racing as well as hurdle and steeplechase races throughout the year. Events at the racecourse include the opening day of Irish Champions Weekend, the Leopardstown Christmas Festival, the BHP Insurance Irish Champion Hurdle and the Unibet Irish Gold Cup. As well as year-round racing, horse-racing enthusiasts will find several well-known events that could provide a reason to visit.

Choosing where to stay

When choosing a holiday apartment in Foxrock, your planned activities may be the deciding factor: the area’s history, the Golf Centre and the races each offer a different focus. Leopardstown Racecourse is a short walk from the Sandyford Luas stop; Dublin Bus also serves the racecourse.

If you’d like to include other places in your search: Rathmines, Loughlinstown, Tallaght, Rathgar, Donnybrook, Ranelagh, Kilternan and Glasnevin.

For the broader travel overview: Dublin.