[5] The port does accommodate passenger cruise ships although larger vessels are required to moor outside of the harbour and be serviced by tender.

[8][2] William Bligh mapped and charted Dublin Bay at the start of the nineteenth century and proposed a refuge harbour be built at Dún Laoghaire.

[9] The problem of frequent shipwrecks from easterly gales with nowhere for shelter around Dublin Bay came to a head in 1807 with the loss of Rochdale and Prince of Wales.

The efforts of Richard Toutcher in advocating the harbour and securing the stone quarrying facilities at Dalkey were particularly noted.

Construction of the East Pier to a design by John Rennie began in 1817 with Earl Whitworth Lord Lieutenant of Ireland laying the first stone.

[8] When King George IV left Ireland from the harbour in 1820, Dunleary was renamed Kingstown, a name that was to remain in use for nearly 100 years.

[8] 1824 saw over 3,000 boats shelter in the partially completed harbour, but it also saw the beginning of operations off the North Wall which alleviated many of the issues ships were having accessing Dublin Port.

[8] In 1826 Kingstown harbour gained the important mail packet service which at the time was under the stewardship of the Admiralty with a wharf completed on the East Pier in the following year.

[13][16] The building infrastructure is now removed and pier is currently used as a car park, boat storage, unloading of unusual cargoes and special events such as funfairs.

Originally trains could only go to Westland Row (Pearse station, but with the opening of the loop line in 1891 enabled services to Broadstone and Kingsbridge Heuston).

[citation needed] Closure came on 11 October 1980 due to the curvature of the platform being an issue for modern stock and the expense that would have been incurred resolving a connection with the main line that had been lowered to accommodate overhead electrification for the DART.

The 175 metres (574 ft) purpose-built with a capacity of 650 cars per day twin berth St. Michael's Pier opened on 9 March 1969 by Holyhead Ferry I.

There is a commercial small boat cruise service across Dublin Bay and private charter fishing trips.