Sing Street Filming Locations in Dublin: FULL List + Map!

I was lucky enough to actually be in Dublin during Sing Street‘s release in the spring of 2016. Watching this wonderfully lighthearted, funny, Irish indie movie at the Irish Film Institute is without a doubt one of my best cinema experiences. Most of the Sing Street filming locations were within walking distance and I was curious to learn exactly where the film was shot in Ireland’s capital city.

Unfortunately, since the film had just been released, I didn’t know how to find them. But I do now! If you need a refresher, Sing Street follows the Lawlor family living in Dublin in the 1980s. Conor is a 15-year-old who needs to move schools when his family falls on hard times. Thanks to his older brother’s influence, a cute girl who lives across the road from his new school (named ‘Synge’ Street) and the need to find an escape from his home life, Conor forms a band. The band’s name? Sing Street.

It’s a cross between director John Carney’s previous film Once (2007) and School of Rock (2003). It’s an incredibly warm, relatable teen movie (I especially love how the boys’ musical and fashion choices change the more they learn about 1980s music) that I think the vast majority of people will love. And there are some beautiful places around Dublin and County Dublin featured in the film. Let’s have a look at all the top Sing Street filming locations in the Irish capital…

Sing Street Filming Locations in Dublin

1. Harcourt Terrace, Ardán Fhearchair, Saint Peter’s

This one isn’t technically a filming location so I’m failing before I even begin. Sing Street starts in the Lawlor household which, later in the film, Conor says is on Harcourt Terrace. I’m not certain it’s a proper Sing Street filming location as none of the houses on this road look similar enough to Conor’s house.

But… It is a very nice row of houses very similar to Conor’s house, so you never know. It’s possible I’m just not able to find the exact one. Harcourt Terrace is also very near to the Synge Street school so it does make logical sense.

2. Synge Street Christian Brothers School, Saint Peter’s, Dublin 8, D08 FN26

Yup, Synge Street Christian Brothers Secondary School is an actual school that exists in Dublin! I don’t know if the interiors were also utilised for the film, but the exterior definitely was. Talk about authentic.

And even though Sing Street is set in the 1980s… C’mon, schools don’t change their decor that often. I’m sure all they needed to do was hide a few computers and change the desks, maybe.

The school is featured multiple times throughout the film and is one of the main Sing Street filming locations situated in south Dublin.

Since Conor has told Raphina that he’s in a band (he’s not) and wants her to be in his video (for a song that doesn’t exist), he forms a band and starts writing songs! Anything to get the girl…

Luckily, his new wee ginger pal Darren has some musical pals and guarantees that Eamon can play every instrument known to mankind. Probably. So their first port of call is to see double-denim wearing Eamon and his house becomes the band’s rehearsal space. 143 Greenlea Road in Dublin is the exterior for Eamon’s house, though I can’t be sure that interiors were shot there too. Maybe. I don’t see why they wouldn’t just use the same house for both.

5. Fuscos Restaurant & Takeaway, 27 Meath Street, The Liberties, Dublin 8, D08 X960

Unfortunately, I don’t know the location of the back alley where the band shoot the music video for their debut song ‘The Riddle of the Model.’ I think it’s somewhere near Hanbury Lane but I cannot confirm. If you know where it was shot, let me know! This is the Sing Street filming locations I’m dying to know the whereabouts of the most!

Just after the youngsters wrap filming, they briefly head to Fuscos Restaurant & Takeaway for fish and chips. But we only really see the exterior of the cafe.

6. Frederick Street North, Northside

Conor offers to ‘spin’ Raphina home, and she agrees, mistakingly assuming that he has a car. Why would he have a car? He’s 15-years-old.

Anyway… We see the two ride down Frederick Street North from the Dublin Spurs Lodge pub towards the hospital. Most of the other Sing Street filming locations are in residential areas of the city so this is about as ‘central Dublin’ as the locations get. Which makes sense for the film and I’m sure for the budget, too! Sing Street is set in the 1980s after all, so filming in central Dublin would probably involve a lot of CGI/set dressing.

8. Dún Laoghaire Harbour East, Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown, Glasthule, County Dublin

This revelation that love is feeling ‘happy-sad’ leads him to discover the musical Kings of happy-sad in the 1980s, The Cure. Say goodbye to the Duran Duran and the ‘futurist’ phase and hello to the New Romantics.

Sing Street’s next song to accompany this new phase is the much more mature ‘A Beautiful Sea.’ The music video for this song is filmed… next to the sea. Specifically, Dún Laoghaire Harbour East just outside of Dublin by the coast, but not too far away. It looks quite a nice area to visit with loads of sailboats, lighthouses and a massive harbour. And a fantastic location for a no-budget music video as long as your model doesn’t accidentally drown herself in the process.

9. Coliemore Harbour, Coliemore Road, Dalkey, County Dublin

Yet another harbour, Conor plays one more trump card to try and win Raphina’s heart by borrowing his Grandad’s boat without permission and sailing Raphina to a small, secluded island. This scene happens just before the school disco scenes and the shooting of my favourite song and music video of Sing Street, ‘Drive it Like you Stole it.’

The harbour where the family boat named ‘Jim’ is docked is Coliemore Harbour, not far down the coast from the much larger Dún Laoghaire Harbour. So, it’s also not quite a Sing Street filming location in Dublin but near enough.

This harbour is also where Conor’s brother drives him and Raphina to at the very end of the film when they attempt to sail to Wales. Again, looks like a really lovely coastal community here!

10. Dalkey Island, County Dublin

This is the island just off the coast of Coliemore Harbour where Conor succeeds in wooing Raphina over a picnic of tea and crackers. Dalkey Island looks like a perfectly lovely island and I think it’s only accessible if you hire your own private boat. Unless you can ‘borrow’ a family member’s boat that’s docked there, in which case you’re sorted! And there isn’t too much to do once your there, just a few ruins to explore and some local wildlife like wild goats, goldfinches and seals if you’re lucky.

11. Phoenix Park, Northside, Dublin 8

The final Sing Street location on this list is one I’m not even sure about. Towards the end of the film, Conor and Eamon sit on a park bench to write their final song, ‘To Find You’ and they have to chase down a bike thief.

The bench is on a hill overlooking parts of the city of Dublin, so it needs to be a local park with a hill. I’m completely guessing they’re in Phoenix Park since it’s so huge and there is probably a hill. Or it could be Tymon Park, either one makes sense to me, I just can’t quite find a matching location. If you know the correct park, please let me know! But it’s a sprawling, beautiful park either way. And a beautiful song to mark the end of Sing Street.

Those are the major Sing Street filming locations in Dublin, Ireland! Have you visited Dublin or watched Sing Street? Let me know in the comments below!

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Once Filming Locations in Dublin, Ireland