I will be visiting Dublin the first week of December and would like to try a couple of summits. The weather isn’t looking great so shorter hikes would be my preference. I would like to primarily use VHF as long as RF interference is low and there are enough chasers. I will bring HF equipment as a back up.
Jeff WX7OR
Have a word with @EI4JY 
There’s no summits in Dublin ‘as such’, you need to head out of the city. Probably the quickest and easiest is to get the Dart up to Howth.
Walk up from the DART station past the marina and up the hill to the Summit, then on to Ben of Howth. Wonderful cliff walks and trails there too, I run them all the time. Take a band pass filter just in case and don’t forget it is a licence-revokable offence to not call CQ on 2m and 70cm!
Head south from the city out towards Phoenix Park and Ticknock and Kilmashogue. Fantastic trails, summits and forests there. I done a lot of training runs around Three Rock summit this year. Again, take a band pass filter. Great views and also Three Rock repeater is located there too.
Lastly, head out towards Bray DART station (or hire a car to drive to Wicklow). From Bray promenade you can climb up to the cross on Bray head (amazing views) and trek along towards Little Sugar Loaf for a bit of SOTA.
Of course, if not driving directly, you cannot be in the vicinity and not pay your respects to the old girl next door, the Great Sugar Loaf. She’s a national treasure, and on a clear day you get some fantastic views across Dublin bay even as far up to Drogheda and Dundalk with Mourne in the backdrop just about.
There are other summits pottering about the place, but those would be the favourites, particularly Great Sugar Loaf which is verging on a pilgrimage in some respects, everyone has been there at least once! 
Welcome to EI! Hope you do some 2m CW too!
73
Thanks. I will have a car so an hour or so drive is not a problem. If there is an audience, I will put out a CQ call with CW. What are the best frequencies for FM and CW? My band pass filter is rather large, so maybe I will bring the IC-705.
Jeff WX7OR
145.500 is for calling, and 2m CW centre is 144.050. 433.050 on 70cm CW. Check www.irts.ie for the latest band plans.
If you are feeling up for the challenge we have access to the 8m and 5m bands in EI! 
Good news if you are driving, you can drive to Great Sugar Loaf car park and it’s a handy walk straight up. Little Sugar Loaf lives next door across the way.
Three Rock and Ben of Howth will be easier to get to as well. Park at Phoenix Park and walk up for Three Rock (arrive early at weekends) and Ben of Howth you can almost drive up to. Personally I’d Park at The Summit car park and walk up.
You may find at Ben of Howth you get more contacts across in to Wales and parts of the UK, particularly on 2m and sometimes on 70cm.
So long as you put the spots out, you should get more than enough QSO’s in EI alone on 2m (and possibly 70cm) to get your activations done. The HF being a nice backup plan. Check IRTS band plans for the HF bands you want to work.
Hi Jeff,
if you rely on vhf only you are likely to be disappointed. With luck you might activate summits on the East coast on 2m FM with the help of a couple of reliable GW chasers. In general the topography means that much further South than the Sugar Loafs you are pretty much shielded from the city of Dublin. 2m CW is I’m afraid a waste of time unless you arrange skeds in advance, the same is the case for 70cm.
If you want to activate successfully then most definitely depend on HF. Two Rock (Ticknock area), Little Sugar Loaf and Great Sugar Loaf are all easy walks . It’s worth noting that you will be mobbed by walkers on both Two Rock and Great Sugar Loaf, less so on Little Sugar Loaf.
With access to a car an hour or so’s drive in to Wicklow will give you plenty of fun. Near Roundwood you can access Scarr and Djouce while a little further on basing yourself in Laragh will allow access to nearby Trooperstown Hill, also Scarr and Tonlagee.
Please do not underestimate the Wicklow Hills , particularly in winter. They may be relatively small in stature but the vagaries of our maritime climate can change a nice day on the hills to a battle with the elements in a couple of hours.
If you would like any specific local advice when you arrive in EI on the Wicklow summits please feel free to drop me an email (qrz.com) for my phone number.
Enjoy your stay and activations
73
Declan EI6FR
Welcome to the forum and Ireland, Jeff !
I have nothing to add after such comprehensive input by Ian and Declan. I can only confirm VHF could be really challenging, even with 50W and a beam. The best time to get people listening on VHF simplex would be Sat/Sun 10am-3pm, you likely get more GW calls than EI, we indeed have a handful of trusty chasers across the water.
If venture down to Wicklow hills, check forecast and be mindful of roads condx. Couple of 10 pointers’ could be unreacheable in case of snow or ice on approach roads.
Surely, if stuck you can give me a shout, I am in Greystones, Co. Wicklow so fairly local in the area.
73 de EI4JY, Alex