Overview
At 276 metres (906 ft) above sea level, Glencullen is one of the highest villages in Ireland, strung along the R116 on the southern slopes of Two Rock Mountain. The name is Irish, Gleann Cuilinn, ‘valley of the holly’. It’s small – 376 people at the 2022 census, up from 238 in 2016 – but it packs a Bronze-Age standing stone, the highest pub in the country and one of Ireland’s best mountain-bike parks into a couple of square kilometres. If you have only half a day, ride The GAP in the morning and finish at Johnnie Fox’s; the two are a few minutes apart. On a clear afternoon the valley opens south toward the Great Sugar Loaf, with the Irish Sea to the east.
Ancient monuments and history
The wedge tomb known locally as the Giant’s Grave sits at Ballyedmonduff, along the walkway at Glencullen Adventure Park. Dating to the Bronze Age, it was excavated in the 1940s by Seán P. Ó Ríordáin and Ruaidhrí de Valera, who recovered cremated bone, flint tools, pottery, and a polished stone hammer. The central chamber is divided into three compartments inside a horseshoe of kerbstones.
On Barrack Road, near Johnnie Fox’s, stands the Queen Mab standing stone: a 1.83-metre quartz pillar on a 92-centimetre square base, also called the ‘Stone of the Hounds’. Beaker-style pottery found nearby dates it to the same period. It’s a protected national monument, but access is unguided and the stone now stands on a golf course; there’s said to be a gate to the west, and the OPW takes no responsibility for anyone crossing to reach it. See it from the road if you’d rather not go looking for permission.
Glencullen House, on Barrack Road, is a villa-like country house whose design is attributed to Francis Johnston. It refronts a 17th-century farmhouse bought by Thomas FitzSimon in 1676, and was later home to the barrister Christopher Fitzsimon and his wife Ellen O’Connell, daughter of Daniel O’Connell. The village has a longer memory than its size suggests: during the Fenian rising of 1867, the nine policemen manning Glencullen barracks surrendered to the rebels.
Mountain biking at The GAP
The Glencullen Adventure Park – The GAP – is a purpose-built downhill centre with more than 35 trails cut into the pine forest above the village. It runs year-round, though conditions shift with the weather.
Trails are graded by colour: three blue runs for easy to moderate riding, six red for intermediates, and seven black for advanced riders, plus a pro line and a technical track with steep drops and rock gardens. There’s also a skills area and a pedal-up track. Bring your own bike or hire a full-suspension rig with helmet and pads on-site. Every visit needs a Pedal Pass booked in advance; riders aged 8 to 16 need adult supervision on a first visit, and under-12s must be accompanied by an adult on a bike at all times. The on-site café is now Grizzlys Glencullen, handy for coffee and food between runs. One thing to know before you arrive: parking is €2 in the CCTV-monitored car park, not free.
Walking and the Wicklow Way
Free scenic walking trails run from Glencullen toward Ticknock and onto the Dublin Mountain Way, passing the Giant’s Grave along the route. Glencullen is also a waypoint on the Wicklow Way, Ireland’s oldest long-distance walking route; from the village the path continues past Johnnie Fox’s toward Knockree. A shorter network of footpaths links to the Knocksink Wood Nature Reserve, a stretch of mixed sessile oak woodland whose car park and education centre open dawn to dusk, closing on bank-holiday weekends unless arranged in advance. Mountain weather turns fast up here, so carry waterproofs and proper footwear; the ground gets muddy after rain.
Johnnie Fox’s Pub and community life
Established in 1798, Johnnie Fox’s claims the title of highest pub in Ireland and is the social hub of the village. Alongside the pints and the Irish fare, it runs the ‘Hooley’, the longest-running year-round Irish dancing show in the country. For visitors without a car, the pub operates its own coach service from Dublin city centre in the evenings, dropping guests straight into the mountains.
The village keeps a strong civic life for its size. The part-time library occupies a Carnegie building from 1907, the community hall hosts local events, and St Patrick’s National School serves local families. The Stars of Erin GAA club, founded in 1903, holds two All-Ireland Club titles and the Paddy Mulligan Cup.
Practical information
- Getting there: Dublin Bus route 44B runs from the Dundrum Luas stop to Glencullen. In the evenings, Johnnie Fox’s private coach runs from Dublin city centre.
- Parking: The GAP car park charges €2 and is CCTV-monitored. Free spaces sit adjacent to Johnnie Fox’s, with limited parking near the community hall; arrive early on peak weekends.
- Standing stone access: The Queen Mab monument is visible from Barrack Road but the site is unguided and now on a golf course. Stay on established ground and respect the surrounding land.
- Facilities: Toilets are at The GAP and near the pub. Grizzlys Glencullen serves food during trail hours.
- Accommodation: The area has self-catering rentals, from converted stone barns to modern cottages, most within walking distance of the pub, The GAP, and the Wicklow Way.
- Trail and booking updates: For trail conditions, bike hire and café hours, check thegap.ie.
Book your Pedal Pass before you travel, bring waterproofs whatever the forecast, and time it so you’re at Johnnie Fox’s when a Hooley session is on.