Six children and a woman escaped serious injury after their car plunged 20ft down an embankment.
The people-carrier landed on rocks on the shoreline when it went over a ledge on a bend on the Coast Road at Portmarnock, north Dublin.
The Irish Coast Guard helicopter flew paramedics direct to the causalities, as three appliances from Dublin Fire Brigade and up to eight ambulances rushed to the scene, near Portmarnock beach.
Firefighters lowered themselves down the grass bank to the car using ropes before freeing the occupants.
The children were rushed to Temple Street Children’s Hospital and the woman was taken to Beaumont Hospital for assessment.
None of the seven is believed to have suffered serious injuries.
Dublin Fire Brigade said five of the youngsters had facial injuries and were placed on spinal boards as a precaution and lifted back up the bank with the ropes.
“One child, a 10-year-old girl, was the most seriously injured with head injuries, spinal injuries and facial injuries,” said one firefighter.
“She couldn’t be lifted up because of her injures and was brought back up to an ambulance the long way around on a stretcher.”
The vehicle, believed to be a Hyundai people-carrier, left the road at about 1.20pm on a bend close to where a Martello Tower had been converted into a house.
The front of the car ended up facing the road and grass verge while the rear of the vehicle faced out to sea.
The stretch of road was closed during the rescue operation, but has since reopened.