Killiney bay

I had the opportunity to sketch on Killiney beach a few weeks ago, before the recent cold snap and before my flu. I had great fun applying some of the things I've learned through Liz Steel's Sketching Now Watercolour online course!

Killiney beach is one of my favourite parts of Dublin. I used to live nearby and would often walk the beach early on a Sunday morning, all by myself. Nowadays, we have to drive to it, but I have my husband and my dog with me, so it's a lot more fun. And always beautiful. Killiney bay has been compared to the bay of Naples. I've never been there, so I can't confirm. What I can say though, is that some of the roads have Italian names, the Vico road, Sorrento road, etc.

The beach is pebbly and difficult to walk at high tide. But the sandy stretch appears at low tide, so we time our Sunday walk to the tides. Sometimes, after a storm, or if we haven't been for a while, we find that the configuration of the beach has changed completely, full of pebbles, no pebbles at all, pebbles and sand alternating in loops that match the waves.

There is a Dart station just at the beach, which is very handy, but nothing else nearby, except for a little coffee shop in the station itself. I still remember the first time I got there, many many years ago. It was a strange feeling. All this beauty. But no village as such near the beach (the village is on top of the hill, well at least that's where the pub is). There used to be a beautiful old hotel there. Sometimes you'd see Bono and The Edge having a quiet drink in the bar. Bono still lives nearby. Developers tore the hotel down and built apartments instead. It's a shame really. Many happy memories there. Work parties. Second date with BB.

Anyways, it's a place I never tire of. It will always be in my heart. And my sketchbook.