How North Carolina Tar Heels Discovered Dublin’s Hidden Gem Before the Big Game
Before the North Carolina Tar Heels take the field at the Aviva Stadium for the 2026 Aer Lingus College Football Classic against TCU, some of the squad traded their helmets for hiking boots — and took on something just as wild: The ultimate Howth Adventure led by local guides.
First Stop: Howth Coastal Hike
The Howth Coastal Hike with Howth Adventures, a local award winning sustainable tour company.
The players kicked off their Irish adventure with a Coastal Hike along the Howth Cliff Walk, one of Ireland’s most dramatic and rewarding walking trails, guided by the team at Howth Adventures. With sweeping views across Dublin Bay, the Irish Sea, and out to Ireland’s Eye island, it was unlike anything the squad had seen before. Narrow cliff paths, ancient heather, and the kind of fresh sea breeze that makes you feel completely alive — no stadium required.
Shane’s guides brought the landscape to life, pointing out hidden viewpoints, local wildlife, and the centuries of history baked into every rocky outcrop. For players used to training on manicured fields, the wild Irish coastline hit different. Here’s what went down when the Tar Heels came to town.
Next Up: Howth Coastal Boat Tour
After the hike, the players weren’t done with the great outdoors. Next stop: a boat trip around Ireland’s Eye — an uninhabited island just off the coast of Howth Harbour — with Ireland’s Eye Ferries. The trip across the bay opened up spectacular views back towards Howth village, the peninsula, and the surrounding UNESCO Biosphere waters. The team watched as 550 million year old rock formed cliffs unfolded, with nesting sea birds and common seals residing upon the island.
Book Boat Trip
Fuelling Up
Fresh Seafood at Beshoff’s Sea Grill, Howth
No visit to Howth is complete without eating at the harbour — and the Tar Heels found out why. After the hike and the boat trip, the group settled in at the iconic Beshoff’s Sea Grill for a legendary feed of fresh seafood.
Beshoff’s Sea Grill
Think battered cod and haddock straight off the boats, thick-cut chips, and Dublin Bay prawns that taste like the sea itself. Howth has been one of Ireland’s premier fishing harbours for centuries and there’s nowhere better to experience that than at Beshoff’s Sea Grill, right on the waterfront. For players fuelling up before one of the biggest games of their careers, there are worse options than a seafood feast with an Irish harbour view.
Plan Your Own Howth Day Trip
The Full UNC Experience
Heading to Dublin for the UNC vs TCU Aer Lingus College Football Classic on August 29th? Build a day around Howth — it’s only 30 minutes from Dublin city centre by DART train and makes for the perfect pre-game or post-game adventure.
Here’s your Howth game plan: It’s a full day that combines Ireland’s best: wild nature, maritime heritage, and world-class food.
- Morning: Coastal Hike with Shane’s Howth Adventures (3 hrs)
- Midday: Boat trip around Ireland’s Eye (50 minutes)
- Afternoon: Fresh seafood lunch at Beshoff’s Sea Grill, Howth
- Evening: DART back into Dublin city for pre-match buzz
Book Ahead — August Fills Fast
With thousands of UNC and TCU fans descending on Dublin for Week Zero on August 29th, Howth is going to be one of the most popular day trips of the summer. Tours and ferry spots fill quickly in peak season.
