400 Best Sights in Ireland

One of the most photographed beaches in Ireland, this expanse of soft flaxen-colored dunes that curls around the sapphire and turquoise shades of the Atlantic’s water is a West Cork Instagrammable highlight. A river cuts through the sand and spills into the ocean, giving a fresh flow of cool water on either side of the green, tufty headlands. There are public facilities and car parking. A nearby inn opens seasonally, where visitors can stop by for a beachfront beverage.

The peaceful setting along this country road was shattered by the sound of gunfire on the 22nd of August, 1922. The ambush resulted in the death of one of Ireland's most famous statesmen---Michael Collins---and the assassination is still shrouded in uncertainty. A large limestone cross and other monuments mark the spot where this happened, which is frequently visited by a steady stream of people to this date.  Expect to discover the unique game of road bowling—an Irish sport where competitors throw a metal ball along a predetermined course—along this stretch of country lanes.

Relive your childhood at this fun stop for all ages where you can view the largest collection of teddy bears in Ireland. Each bear is handcrafted in the workshop from the finest mohair. The Silver Bear Centre and gift shop is next door. There's a "Teddy Bear Hospital" on-site, where you can bring your damaged teddy for repair or redesign, and the shop also sells "My First Teddy," a baby bear for infants. Free 30-minute tours of the visitor center must be prebooked.

This bell tower of a Franciscan monastery dates back to the 13th century. Keep an eye out for the lovely Gothic windows.

In keeping with the historic townscape character, it's worth calling in here to see what ranks as one of Ireland's most spectacular locations for a library. Based in the ground floor of the Birr municipal offices (and a former convent), the building was designed by A. W. N. Pugin and completed by his son Edward in the mid-19th century. The former chapel—which is now the library—has retained the exquisite Gothic-style stone and mullioned, stained-glass windows. Upstairs you will find a facsimile of an early Christian illuminated manuscript, the Gospel Book of MacRegol, also known as the Book of Birr and the Rushworth Gospels, on permanent display. MacRegol was a scribe, bishop, and abbot in Birr. The original manuscript, which is now in Oxford's Bodleian Library, was produced around AD 800 and consists of 169 vellum folios or leaves. The library also offers Internet service and you can pick up some local tourist information leaflets and brochures here, too.

Among the most imposing of the city's remaining Georgian town houses, the Bishop's Palace is the home to the Georgian part of the Waterford Treasures exhibition, mapping the history of what was Ireland's second city from 1700 to 1790. The most impressive part of the collection is the elegant silverware and, of course, fine glassmaking, including the oldest piece of Waterford crystal on the planet—a decanter from the 1780s. Try to catch one of the regular tours, where local actors play some well-known scenes from Waterford history.

With a stained-glass, carved-stone interior that seems right out of the musical Camelot, the 13th-century Black Abbey is one of the most evocative and beautiful Irish medieval structures. Note the famous 1340 five-gabled Rosary Window, an entire wall agleam with ruby and sapphire glass, depicting the life of Christ. Home to a Dominican order of monks since 1225, the abbey was restored as a church by the order, whose black capes gave the abbey its name. Interestingly, it's also one of the few medieval churches still owned by the Roman Catholic Church, as most of the oldest churches in Ireland were built by the Normans and reverted to the Church of Ireland (Anglican) when the English turned to Protestantism. Nearby is the Black Freren Gate (14th century), the last remaining gateway to the medieval city.

Immediately south of the harbor, perched on a promontory that has good views of the coastline, are the ruins of the Black Castle. This structure was built in 1169 by Maurice Fitzgerald, an Anglo-Norman lord who arrived with the English invasion of Ireland. The freely accessible ruins extend over a large area; with some difficulty, you can climb down to the water's edge.

While you can't go inside, you can get close to the remains of this genuinely medieval abbey and get a sense of how impressive it once was. This ruined tower belonged to a Dominican abbey that was founded in 1226 and returned to the Crown in 1541 after the dissolution of the monasteries. It was used as a courthouse until Cromwellian forces destroyed most of it in the 17th century.

To the east of the city center, the past and present are fused together in this ornate riverfront castle that was constructed in 1829, when the original buildings were destroyed by a series of fires---the last happened when a boozy banquet hosted by the local council in 1827 got out of control. Today, the castle sits perched on a rock (hence its name), and visitors can explore its dungeons and murky past with smugglers and pirates---or take in one of the interplanetary shows hosted throughout the day. If all else fails, skip to the top of the tower and battlements for a rewarding view of the city. There is a café on-site.

Few would believe that the modest, sandstone lighthouse on the southeast tip of the Mullet Peninsula could have had a pivotal role in history, but a weather report issued by the lighthouse keeper on June 3, 1944, convinced General Dwight D. Eisenhower to delay the D-Day invasion of Normandy by 24 hours. This delay saved the Allies from a catastrophic fate. Blacksod Lighthouse dates from 1864 and embraces the full brunt of the Atlantic Ocean's extreme weather.

Founded in 1161, this fine Romanesque and Gothic-style abbey is located on the edge of town on the banks of the River Boyle, directly across from the five-arch Abbeytown Bridge, which was constructed in the same era. A glass wall supports the roof, creating an atmospheric glow later in the day. The nave is unusual in that it has a mix of architectural styles, which marks the years of construction and expansion. Animals and figures are intricately carved---and another surprise is the presence of a pagan sheila-na-gig fertility symbol. After the dissolution of the monasteries by invading forces, the abbey was transformed into a military base before becoming a cornerstone of Boyle Castle.

Along with a café and a crafts shop with good maps and locally published guides, the tiny Burren Centre has a modest audiovisual display and other exhibits that explain the Burren's geology, flora, and archaeology.

One of the city's original 11 entrances, Butler's Gate predates St. Laurence's Gate by 50 years or more, making it one of the country's oldest surviving Norman urban structures. It's near the Drogheda Museum Millmount.

Once the bread and butter of Cork City's economy, the creamy product from the Rebel County's lush countryside and beyond---butter---dominated the world market with distribution in every corner of the former British Empire. Today, in a quirky Shandon neighborhood near St. Anne's Church on a square that once housed the Butter Market and follows the contours of the large circular Firkin Crane building (where casks were once weighed), visitors can trace that history and discover the merchant's artifacts and tools in this pint-sized museum.

This large, elaborate, neo-Gothic structure dominates the main street. It was built in 1888 of Newry granite and black limestone to honor local hero Daniel O'Connell—the only church in Ireland named after a layman.

There are several stone forts in the Burren thought to have been in use between AD 400 and 1200, but Caherconnell—1 km (½ mile) south of Poulnabrone—is the best preserved, and the only one excavated and easily accessible to visitors. The interpretive center has an audiovisual display on the chief archaeological features of the area, including burial places marked by dolmens or cairns. Ongoing excavations continue to fill in the blanks of this impressive structure's history. Be sure to check out the sheepdog demonstrations and café.

The unavoidable focal point of the town, Cahir Castle is dramatically perched on a rocky island on the River Suir. Once the stronghold of the mighty Butler family and one of Ireland's largest and best-preserved castles, it retains its dramatic keep, tower, and much of its original defensive structure. An audiovisual show and guided tour are available upon request.

A signpost to the right outside Glenbeigh points to Caragh Lake, a tempting excursion south to a beautiful expanse of water set among gorse- and heather-covered hills and majestic mountains. The road hugs the shoreline much of the way.

In the same building as the tourism office, the Cashel Heritage Centre explains the historic relationship between the town and the Rock, and includes a scale model of Cashel as it looked during the 1600s.

The town's largest structure is the Renaissance-style Catholic Cathedral of Christ the King, completed in 1939. Note the facade's finely carved stonework, and the mosaics of St. Patrick and St. Anne by the Russian artist Boris Anrep in the spacious interior. There's a museum in the cathedral, and you can wander through the building anytime the doors are open, knowing you will be restricted when mass is in session.

There's a story behind every ruin you pass in Ireland; behind many, there's a truly ancient story. Inside the ruined 12th-century Cathedral of St. Declan are some pillar stones decorated with ogham script (an ancient Irish alphabet) as well as weathered but stunningly abstract biblical scenes carved on its west gable. St. Declan is reputed to have disembarked here in the 5th century—30 years before St. Patrick arrived in Ireland—and founded a monastery. The saint is said to be buried in St. Declan's Oratory, a small early Christian church that has been partially reconstructed.

On the grounds of the ruined cathedral is the 97-foot-high Round Tower, which is in exceptionally good condition. Round Towers were built by the early Christian monks as watchtowers and belfries, but came to be used as places of refuge for the monks and their valuables during Viking raids. This is the reason the doorway is 15 feet above ground level—once inside, the monks could pull the ladder into the tower with them.

Buried below North Mayo’s wild boglands is the most extensive Stone Age monument on Earth. The Céide Fields’ megalithic tombs, dwelling sites, field system, and vast, stone-walled meadows stretch back 6,000 years and were unearthed in the 1930s when a local teacher noticed the stone formation when cutting turf. The visitor center is housed under a glass-and-steel pyramid and has a magnificent 4,300-year-old Scotch pine that looms alongside the staircase, which alone makes the visit worthwhile. Meander along the ancient pathways at leisure, and stop by the viewing platform to see the ocean over a 110-meter-high cliff. Guided tours are also worthwhile; check ahead for times. Admission includes an optional guided walk through an excavated section of the stones; wet-weather gear is provided when necessary. The Céide Fields are on the R314, 5 km (3 miles) west of Ballycastle.

One relic of Tullamore's pre-famine era is found on the southwestern edge of town, where you'll find a storybook neo-Gothic 19th-century castle. Its Flag Tower and turrets rise above its domain of 30 acres of woodland walks and gardens. The Georgian–Gothic Revival house was built as a symbol of English oppression over French and Irish (the French revolutionary forces had become a little too cozy with the Irish locals). In fact, the floor plan is even modeled on the Union Jack. Commissioned by Baron Tullamore and dating from 1812, the castle is a rural example of the work of architect Francis Johnston, who was responsible for many of Dublin's stately Georgian buildings. The interiors are somewhat the worse for wear and parts of the castle, such as the Stairwell Restoration Project (also known as Harriet's Staircase), are works in progress, but the William Morris–designed dining room ceiling has its original stenciled wallpaper with gold leaf. And the building still holds wide appeal: paranormal groups hold investigations in it, filmmakers are attracted to it (castle scenes were used in 2019 for the Netflix comedy The Knight Before Christmas, and for the biographical romantic drama Becoming Jane about the life of Jane Austen), and tourists love to hear the stories of previous owners and its secret passage.

Descended through the Bury family, who eventually lost their fortune and left no heirs, the castle became an orphan in the 1960s and is being slowly restored. The surrounding forest is said to be haunted by the spirits of the ancient Druids. The castle is open all year. In the summer, guided tours leave every 40 minutes between 11 am and 5 pm, and in the winter at noon, 2, and 4 pm, when it is best to call ahead to book.

To reach the castle by car it is a 2-km (1-mile) drive on a rough narrow lane off the main road, so be aware of ramps and potholes along part of it. Look out also for the King Oak in the grounds—estimated to be between 400 and 800 years old—which stands just inside the main entrance.

Lovers of Georgian decorative arts will want to visit this late-18th-century Church of Ireland cathedral, the only Neoclassical Georgian cathedral in Ireland, designed by local architect John Roberts. Inside, all is elegance—yellow walls, white-stucco florets and laurels, grand Corinthian columns—and you can see why architectural historian Mark Girouard called this "the finest 18th-century ecclesiastical building in Ireland." It stands on the site of a great Norman Gothic cathedral, which a bishop authorized knocking down after rubble fell in his path a few times (with a little help from potential builders). Medievalists will be sad, but those who prize Age of Enlightenment high style will rejoice. Try to catch one of the regular choral concerts to get the full atmospheric reward.

Signposted to the southeast of the quay, the Church of Kevin is a small, early Christian church that gets buried in sand by storms every winter. Each year the islanders dig it out of the sand for the celebration of St. Kevin's Day on June 14.

West of Waterville and 1 km (½ mile) before the Irish-speaking village of Ballinskelligs is the Cill Rialaig Arts Centre. This is the best place in Kerry to see Irish and international art, along with fine crafts and gifts. Its attractive, thatched, beehive-shape roof is hard to miss. There's also a café with wholesome homemade food and a wood-burning pizza oven.

Facing the Liffey from Cork Hill at the top of Parliament Street, this grand Georgian municipal building (1769–79), once the Royal Exchange, marks the southwest corner of Temple Bar. Today it's the seat of Dublin Corporation, the elected body that governs the city. Thomas Cooley designed the building with 12 columns that encircle the domed central rotunda, which has a fine mosaic floor and 12 frescoes depicting Dublin legends and ancient Irish historical scenes. The 20-foot-high sculpture to the right is of Daniel O'Connell, "The Liberator." He looks like he's about to begin the famous speech he gave here in 1800. The building houses a multimedia exhibition—with artifacts, kiosks, graphics, and audiovisual presentations—tracing the evolution of Ireland's 1,000-year-old capital.

On the west bank of the Corrib Estuary, this district was once an Irish-speaking fishing village outside the walls of the old town. The name is an Anglicization of the Irish cladach, which means "marshy ground." It retained a strong, separate identity until the 1930s, when its traditional thatched cottages were replaced by a conventional housing plan and its unique character and traditions were largely lost. One thing has survived: the claddagh ring, composed of two hands clasped around a heart with a crown above it (symbolizing love, friendship, and loyalty), was designed some 400 years ago by a goldsmith in this village, and is still used by many Irish, and Irish diaspora, as a wedding ring. Reproductions in gold or silver are favorite Galway souvenirs. Across the Corrib is the "Long Walk"---Galway's famous waterfront streetscape, for some Insta magic---or continue walking west for a magnificent coastal walk or run to Salthill. In the center of The Claddagh, in a residential area, is Katie's Cottage, a replica of a typical Claddagh home, which is open as a café and exhibition center.

As one of the best remaining examples of an intact raised bog in western Europe, Clara Bog is home to protected wildlife species, including the rare dark tussock moth, the keeled skimmer, a powder-blue dragonfly, as well as two rare midges and a click beetle. Unique bog plants, such as sphagnum mosses and the pink rosemary (Offaly's county flower), can be seen. Clara Bog's visitor center---based in Clara library---provides unique insights into bog ecology and 10,000 years of natural and social history through touch-screen, text, and audiovisuals. The center is staffed seasonally by education guides (call in advance to check on opening hours). A five-minute walk from Clara railway station, Clara Bog is a wet environment (deep pools and quaking surfaces), so dress appropriately and stay on the boardwalk.