Here's a photo of the Grand Canal in Dublin. It's another area which features a lot in my books because I used to work close by and I always enjoyed sitting on the banks of the canal at lunch time. In Dreaming of a Stranger, Jane also works near the canal so you'll find her wandering around here. Alix, from Suddenly Single, lived in apartment close by and so she would have spent some of her leisure time here too.

A safer place for Claire (How Will I Know?) to take Phydough for a walk. These are the sandunes at Dollymount, a bit further north of Clontarf, and when we were kids our parents would take us here. Across the water you can see Howth Hill which features in lots of my books.

Malahide village, west of Howth. Malahide is more built up than Howth but it's another seaside village on the northside of Dublin. Although the village itself is pretty and very lively because it's packed with bars and restaurants, I prefer the park and the estuary. Maddie (The Curtain Fitter, Destinations) brings her daughters here and it's also where both Nessa (He's Got to Go) and Jin (Anyone But Him) live.

A view across Howth towards the pier. When I come here I usually walk along the pier. It's great for blowing the cobwebs away - the breeze can be very brisk and very cool! But it's well worth doing. Ash (My Favourite Goodbye) comes here for a bit of deep thinking too, and it's also where Isobel (Isobel's Wedding) comes on the day of her wedding to Tim.

 The original IFSC building - Ash (My Favourite Goodbye) and Alix   (Suddenly Single) would both have worked here, Alix as a trader and  Ash as a chef. I worked in a nearby building myself and some lunch times would sit and eat my horrible cheese sandwich lover looking the water! I think I made Ash a chef because I was always hoping that the food in the area would improve. In the last few years it has - tremendously - and there are loads of bars and cafes to choose from now.