St. Audoen's Park, Dublin, Visitor Guide & Things to Do Nearby

St. Audoen's Park is a small green space on High Street in Dublin, set against a surviving stretch of the medieval city wall. It sits beside St Audoen's Church and St Audoen's Arch, which makes it one of the best places in the city to see what is left of walled Dublin.

The story behind it

Dublin's medieval stone walls followed older defences. Before the stone went up, the Vikings had raised earthen banks around their settlement, and the later walls were built along that line. The wall in this park is a rare piece of that defensive ring still standing in the open.

Next to the park, St Audoen's on High Street is the only surviving medieval parish church in Dublin, founded in the late twelfth century on the site of an earlier church. St Audoen's Arch is the last surviving gate of the medieval walls. A steep flight of steps known as the Forty Steps drops down to Cook Street nearby. Local tradition places a ghostly Green Lady on those steps, and in recent decades she has often been identified as Darkey Kelly, the brothel keeper. The popular tale says she was burned as a witch in 1746, but the records do not support that. They show a conviction for murder and an execution in 1761. The ghost story is worth knowing as folklore, and the documented history is plainer and grimmer. The church also holds a 9th-century grave slab called the lucky stone, which people once queued to kiss for good fortune.

What to look for

• The thick stone face of the medieval city wall, which gives a real sense of the scale of Dublin's old defences.
• St Audoen's Arch, the last surviving gate of the city walls, close by the park.
• The Forty Steps, the steep stairway down to Cook Street that is tied to the Green Lady legend.
• The medieval bulk of St Audoen's Church beside the park, and the lucky stone, a 9th-century grave slab linked to the church.

Tips for your visit

• Allow 15 to 30 minutes for the park, the wall, the arch and the steps. Add more time if you want to go into the church.
• Check current opening hours before you go, both for the park and for access to the church.
• Daylight is best for seeing the stonework. Early evening light on the wall is lovely, but the steps are better seen when it is bright.
• The Brazen Head and Darkey Kelly's pub are within a short walk, so this stop fits easily into a wider wander through the old city.

See it on a quest

Ghosts of Dublin: Haunting Stories Walking Tour & Escape Game suits this spot well, as the area is full of legends. You reach the place on foot as one stop of a longer route, the app tells you about each place as you arrive, and you solve a puzzle on the spot. One ticket covers the whole group.

The Dublin Incident: Alien, Whiskey & Clues is a lighter way to explore the same part of the city. You walk between stops, hear about each place as you get there and work out a puzzle in front of you. One ticket covers the whole group.

The Haunting File: Dublin - What the Old City Burned takes a darker look at the old city. You walk the route at your own pace, the app gives you the story of each place on arrival, and a puzzle waits at the spot. One ticket covers the whole group.