Outdoor gyms   have become more popular in public places across the island in recent years. Photograph: iStock

32 great outdoor gyms around Ireland – one in every county

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Fiona Alston’s guide to Ireland’s top outdoor gyms, where you can work out in the open air

From Donegal to Wexford and Antrim to Kerry, we have picked some of the best.

Antrim

Name: The People's Park, Ballymena
Equipment: Cross trainer, dip bars, leg raise, fitness bike, step up, hand cycle, leg press, bench, pull-up, assisted pull-up, recumbent cycle, shoulder press, lat pull-down.
Location: Google Maps
Information:
Walking trails, children's play park and, soon to be opened, a coffee spot called the Hub at People's Park. Plenty of parking.

The People’s Park, Ballymena.
The People’s Park, Ballymena.

Armagh

Name: Palace Demesne, Armagh
Equipment: Dips, leg raise, pull-up, assisted pull-up, obliques, leg press, shoulder press, lateral pull-down, cross trainer, fitness bike.
Location: Google Maps
Information: Play area for kids and plenty of walking and running trails. Hosts a park run on Saturday, and the park has two car parks.

Carlow

Name: Oak Park Forest Park, Carlow Town
Equipment: Lat pull-down, dip bars, leg press, cross trainer, rower, shoulder extension, waist extension, walker.
Location: Google Maps
Information: This recreational park has looped walking trails, a lake, playground, and toilets, and it's open from dawn until dusk.

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Oak Park Forest Park.
Oak Park Forest Park.

Cavan

Name: Con Smith Park Recreational Facility Outdoor Gym
Equipment: Walkers, cross trainers, shoulder flexors, shoulder extensions, standing and seated body twists.
Location: Google Maps
Information: This park is a great place to exercise and has a kids play park, and a skate park.

Con Smith Park.
Con Smith Park.

Clare

Name: Tim Smythe Park, Ennis
Equipment: Chin-up and dip bars, chest press, squat, shoulder press, steps ups, pull-ups, core bench.
Location: Google Maps
Information: Includes a 400m running track and multi-use games area.

Cork

Name: Schull Harbour, west Cork
Equipment: Walker, cross trainer, fitness rider, shoulder flexor, leg press, waist extension, standing rotator.
Location: Google Maps
Information: Workout with sea views. Have it on good authority there is a great tennis court facility nearby.

Derry

Name: Leafair Park Outdoor Gym, Derry.
Equipment: Cross trainer, fitness rider, treadmill, chest press, shoulder press, leg press and waist extension.
Location: Google Maps
Information: Playpark and wellbeing centre nearby.

Donegal

Name: Letterkenny Town Park
Equipment: Assisted pull-up, leg press, bench general, chest press, cross trainer, lat pull-down, shoulder press, plyometric boxes, recumbent bike, spinning bike.
Location: Google Maps
Information: The park is a great space for exercise and also has a great kids' play park, a herb garden and a church.

Down

Name: Moneyreagh Community Outdoor Gym
Equipment: Leg press, bench general, chest press, seated row, hand bike, lat pull-down, shoulder press, recumbent bike.
Location: Google Maps

Dublin

NORTHSIDE
Name: Clontarf Promenade, Dublin 3
Equipment: Rower, walker, fitness rider, bicycle, back stretch, leg press, shoulder flexor, body twist, lat pull-down, chest press, stepper, dip bars, shoulder flexor (wheelchair), body twist (wheelchair), chin-up bars (wheelchair), hand cycle (wheelchair).
Location: Google Maps
Information: Lots of equipment at this outdoor gym area, with two spots for gym equipment flanking a calisthenics gym.

The outdoor gym on the Clontarf Promenade, Dublin 3, features a leg press, dip bars and lat pull-down among other types of equipment
The outdoor gym on the Clontarf Promenade, Dublin 3, features a leg press, dip bars and lat pull-down among other types of equipment

SOUTHSIDE
Name:
Landsdowne Valley Park, Dublin 12
Equipment: Ab curl, shoulder flexor, body twist, stepper, fitness rider, bicycle, cross trainer, chest press, lat-pull down, leg press.
Location: Google Maps
Information: Plenty of room in this park for a warm-up or cool-down run/walk. There is also a pitch-and-putt course.

Landsdowne Valley Park.
Landsdowne Valley Park.

Fermanagh

Name: The Round O, Enniskillen
Equipment: Pull-up bars, chest press, cross trainer and other cardio and strength-training machines.
Location: Google Maps
Information: The machines are by the slipway on the River Erne, giving you beautiful views as you train. There are also nice walking routes and a play park nearby.

Galway

Name: Corribdale Park, Oughterard
Equipment: Fitness rider, walker, shoulder extension, leg press, body twist, dip bars, chest press, lat pull-down, hand cycle (wheelchair), arm stretch (wheelchair).
Location: Google Maps
Information: Beside the GAA club. Plenty of walking and running trails for a warm-up or cool-down.

Corribdale Park.
Corribdale Park.

Kerry

Name: The Barracks, Beaufort
Equipment: Walker, rower, cross trainer, bike, stepper, fitness rider.
Location: Google Maps
Information: This is a small gym area at the back of the Barracks building in the village. There is also outdoor gym equipment along the path by Knockreer playing fields in Killarney National Park.

The Barracks, Beaufort.
The Barracks, Beaufort.

Kildare

Name: Newbridge Adult Gym, Liffey Park
Equipment: Dip bars, chest press, ab-curl, stepper, body twist, chin-up, shoulder extension, stationary bike.
Location: Google Maps
Information: Located in Liffey linear park, which has lovely walks by the river.

Liffey Park.
Liffey Park.

Kilkenny

Name: Nore Linear Park, Kilkenny
Equipment: Steps/box jumps, suspension training, calisthenics gym and weighted dumbbells.
Location: Google Maps
Information: 4km looped walk by the river through meadow and woodland. Swimming when lifeguards on duty.

Laois

Name: Fr Breen Park, Abbeyleix
Equipment: Cross trainer, shoulder flexor, leg press, lat pull-down, chest press, stepper, ab curl, dip bars, bicycle, walker, fitness rider.
Location: Google Maps
Information: The outdoor gym is located at the GAA building car park.

Fr Breen Park.
Fr Breen Park.

Letrim

Name: Drumshanbo Outdoor Gym
Equipment: Cross trainer, walker, ab curl, leg press, lat pull-down, chest press, standing rotator, chin-up bars, bicycle, rower, shoulder flexor.
Location: Google Maps
Information: Just a five-minute walk from the outdoor gym is a floating board walk at Acres Lake. There is also an outdoor pool in the area.

Drumshanbo.
Drumshanbo.

Limerick

Name: Shannon Fields Outdoor Gym, Limerick
Exercises: Lat pull-down, chest press, cross trainer, rotator, shoulder flexor, leg press.
Location: Google Maps
Information:
On the banks of the River Shannon, this is a great spot, with walking trails and a workout on the exercise machines. Ask locals about a good spot to have a dip in the river to cool down (strong swimmers only).

Longford

Name: Albert Reynolds Peace Park (the Mall), Longford Town
Equipment: Fitness rider, walker, chest press, lat pull-down, dip bars, chin-up, stepper, leg press, ab curl, cross trainer, rotator, shoulder flexor, hand cycle, body twist, bicycle, rower,
Location: Google Maps
Information: This park also hosts a ParkRun on Saturdays at 9.30am.

Louth

Name: Omeath Outdoor Gym
Equipment: Fitness rider, walker, chest press, lat pull-down, dip bars, chin-up, stepper, leg press, ab curl, cross trainer, rotator, shoulder flexor, hand cyle, body twist, bicycle, rower.
Location: Google Maps
Information:
This outdoor gym is on the greenway from Carlingford, so there is plenty of opportunity to get a walk or a run in nearby with great views of the Lough.

Omeath Outdoor Gym.
Omeath Outdoor Gym.

Mayo

Name: Kilmaine Outdoor Gym
Equipment: Cross trainer, rower, ab-curl, lat pull-down, chest press, stepper, dip bars, chin-up bars.
Location: Google Maps
Information: This outdoor facility is a new addition to the walkway around the Kilmaine Community Grounds.

Meath

Name: Blackwater Park, Navan
Equipment: Cross trainer, hand cycle, chest press, walker, lat pull-down, stepper, fitness rider.
Location: Google Maps
Information: Walking track, off-road cycle track, kids' adventure play area. Also available on orienteering apps like MapRunF.

Blackwater Park, Navan.
Blackwater Park, Navan.

Monaghan

Name: Town Park, Ballybay
Equipment: Rower, bicycle, chest press, let pull-down, walker, cross trainer, chin-up bars, dip bars.
Location: Google Maps
Information: The park, which sits on the shores of Lough Major, has parking facilities, picnic areas, toilets, walking trails, football/basketball court, outdoor gym, fishing stands and an inclusive playground.

Town Park, Ballybay.
Town Park, Ballybay.

Offaly

Name: Fitness Zone in Lloyd Town Park, Tullamore
Equipment: Dip bars, ab station, walker, cross trainer, chest press (standing and seated), hand cycle, body twist, shoulder flexor, pull-up bars, cycle.
Location: Google Maps
Information: Plenty of other activities available in this park with walking routes, adventure play area and wheelchair swing and roundabout.

Lloyd Town Park.
Lloyd Town Park.

Roscommon

Name: Loughnane Park, Roscommon Town
Equipment: Walker, cross trainer, fitness rider, shoulder flexor, leg press, waist extension, standing rotator.
Location: Google Maps
Information: As a cool-down from your workout, you should take a walk along the sculpture trail in the park and check out the castle ruins too.

Sligo

Name: Mitchel Curley Park, Sligo Town
Equipment: Mix of cardio stations, including walker, cross trainer, pedal cycles and rower.
Location: Google Maps
Information: The views from this park are spectacular, including of Benbulbin.

Tipperary

Name: Loughtagalla Park, Thurles, Co Tipperary
Equipment: Fitness rider, walker, bicycle, ab curl, back massager, chin-up bars, dip bars, body twist (wheelchair), arm strength (wheelchair).
Location: Google Maps
Information: There are plans for a biodiversity park and sensory garden to be added to this space.

Loughtagalla Park.
Loughtagalla Park.

Tyrone

Name: Mid Ulster Sport Arena, Cookstown
Equipment: Leg press, chest press, sit-up bench, pull-down, dips, leg raise.
Location: Google Maps
Information: The 10 outdoor gym stations are located around the 1.4km cross-country running track.

Waterford

Name: The People's Park, Waterford City
Equipment: Calisthenics area with pull-up bars, ab benches and various steps and dip bars.
Location: Google Maps
Information: Town centre park with play park and skate park.

Westmeath

Name: Athlone Fitness Park
Equipment: A selection of wooden bodyweight exercise stations around the park, including pull-up bars, abs station, balance beams and triceps dips.
Location: Google Maps
Information: The fitness park also has a 2.5km trail loop, a 1.5km tarmac loop, kids' outdoor equipment, pedal karting and a sensory garden.

Athlone Fitness Park.
Athlone Fitness Park.

Wexford

Name: Gorey Town Park
Equipment: Hip twister, shoulder flexor and a multistation.
Location: Google Maps
Information: There are also a walking trail and a skate park at this location.

Outdoor gym in Wicklow
Outdoor gym in Wicklow

Wicklow

Name: Wicklow outdoor gym, Wicklow town
Equipment: Cross trainer, lat pull-down, ab curl, waist extension, stepper, rower, walker, chest press, push-up bars and monkey bars.
Location: Google Maps
Information: Located on a nice path by the shore with a skate park and playground nearby.