Things to do in Ireland

The 17 best things to do in Ireland

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1. 1DublinBook ahead

   See the Book of Kells and Trinity's Long Room

   The Book of Kells, a 1,200-year-old illuminated Gospel manuscript, is Ireland's best-known treasure, and it lives in the Old Library of Trinity College in the center of Dublin. The pages on show are turned several times a year to protect the book. In the same building, the Long Room is one of the world's most admired library halls, now with the Gaia installation hanging inside. Most of its books have been moved out for the Old Library redevelopment, apart from the first four bays. The visit continues in the Red Pavilion next door, with three immersive digital exhibitions. Allow about an hour and a half.

   Tip: Book a timed ticket online before you travel, and use the free audio guide, which comes in 13 languages including Japanese, Mandarin and Spanish.

   Book of Kells Experience, from: €25 (about $28) · Book a time slotFee changed?

   Last verified Nov 4, 2026

   Search tickets and tours on TiqetsSources: Trinity College Dublin (official)
2. 2Galway

   Stand above the Atlantic at the Cliffs of Moher

   The Cliffs of Moher rise 214 m above the Atlantic on the west coast of County Clare, built from layers of sandstone, siltstone and shale laid down more than 300 million years ago. From the paved paths you look down on the 67 m sea stack of Branaunmore, where fulmars, kittiwakes, guillemots and razorbills nest in layers; more than 30,000 pairs of seabirds breed here. O'Brien's Tower, built in 1835 by the local landlord Cornelius O'Brien for visitors, marks the high point, and on a clear day you can see the Aran Islands and the Twelve Bens of Connemara. The visitor center sits underground in a cave-like building. Plan on about two hours.

   Tip: Arrive before 11 AM or after 4 PM to miss the busiest hours, and bring a rain jacket rather than an umbrella, since it is usually too windy to use one.

   Adult, gate rate (online is cheaper): €15 (about $17) · Book online for the best priceFee changed?

   Last verified Nov 4, 2026

   Search tickets and tours on TiqetsSources: Cliffs of Moher Experience (official); Cliffs of Moher Experience (official); Cliffs of Moher Experience (official); Discover Ireland (Fáilte Ireland); Cliffs of Moher Experience (official)
3. 3DublinBook ahead

   Take the guided tour of Kilmainham Gaol

   Kilmainham Gaol opened in 1796 as Dublin's county jail and closed in 1924. Most of its prisoners were ordinary criminals, but its cells also held people at the center of Ireland's fight for independence: Robert Emmet, Charles Stewart Parnell, Countess Markievicz and the leaders of the 1916 Easter Rising, 14 of whom were executed by firing squad in the Stonebreakers' Yard. It was preserved as a national monument in the 1960s and restored by the Kilmainham Gaol Restoration Committee, and the Office of Public Works runs it today. Entry is by a one-hour guided tour only, followed by time in the museum, so allow about 90 minutes. It is one of the most moving visits in Ireland.

   Tip: Tickets go on sale 28 days ahead at midnight Irish time on the official site only, and if your day is sold out, check again from 9:15 AM on the day for released tickets.

   Adult: €8 (about $9) · Book a tour timeFee changed?

   Last verified Nov 4, 2026

   Search tickets and tours on TiqetsSources: Kilmainham Gaol Museum, Office of Public Works (official)
4. 4Killarney

   Drive or ride the Ring of Kerry loop

   The Ring of Kerry is a 179 km loop around the Iveragh Peninsula, starting and ending in Killarney. Along the way you pass Ladies View, about 16 km from town on the Kenmare road, named after Queen Victoria's ladies-in-waiting who admired it in 1861; Kenmare, with its colorful streets; Derrynane, a Blue Flag beach near Daniel O'Connell's family home; and Waterville, where a bronze statue remembers Charlie Chaplin's holidays. About half an hour in, the Kerry Bog Village Museum shows rural life in the late 19th century. Coach tours from Killarney spend four to six hours on the circuit and leave before noon.

   Tip: If you drive, set off early and give yourself the whole day, and carry some cash, because a few stops on the loop don't take cards.

   Search tickets and tours on TiqetsSources: Fáilte Ireland (Discover Ireland); Fáilte Ireland (Discover Ireland); Discover Ireland (Fáilte Ireland)
5. 5Killarney

   Tour Muckross House and walk to Torc Waterfall

   Muckross House stands on the shore of Muckross Lake inside Killarney National Park, just over 6 km south of Killarney town. The Scottish architect William Burn designed it for Henry Arthur Herbert and his wife, the watercolorist Mary Balfour Herbert, and it was built from 1839 to 1843. The family readied the gardens for Queen Victoria's visit in 1861, and in 1932 the estate was presented to the State as Ireland's first national park. Inside, the main rooms are furnished in period style, with the servants' basement below. Afterward, walk the easy Dundag to Torc path along the lake, often past red deer, to Torc Waterfall.

   Tip: Rent a bike or take a jaunting car from town to avoid parking, and leave the small Torc Waterfall car park for visitors with limited mobility.

   House, adult: €9 (about $10) · Pay at the doorFee changed?

   Last verified Nov 4, 2026

   Search tickets and tours on TiqetsSources: Muckross House, Gardens and Traditional Farms (official); National Parks and Wildlife Service; Killarney National Park, National Parks and Wildlife Service (official)
6. 6Killarney

   Cruise the Lakes of Killarney from Ross Castle

   Ross Castle stands in an inlet of Lough Leane, probably built in the 15th century by the chieftain O'Donoghue Mór. It was the last place in Munster to hold out against Cromwell: a prophecy said only a ship could take it, so the Cromwellian commander launched a large boat on the lake, and the defenders surrendered. Boats leave from the castle on Lough Leane, passing the monastic ruins of Innisfallen Island, with routes as far as Lord Brandon's Cottage on the Upper Lake. Full-day trips pair the boat with a walk, bike ride or jaunting car through the Gap of Dunloe, an 11 km glacial pass.

   Tip: The castle interior is seen only on a first-come guided tour and is closed for the winter, so check the reopening date for the 2027 season before you plan around it.

   Castle tour, adult (5 Mar to 3 Nov 2026): €5 (about $6) · Grounds free; castle by guided tourFee changed?

   Last verified Nov 4, 2026

   Search tickets and tours on TiqetsSources: Office of Public Works (Heritage Ireland); Killarney National Park, National Parks and Wildlife Service (official); Discover Ireland (Fáilte Ireland)
7. 7Galway

   Wander Galway's Latin Quarter to the Spanish Arch

   Galway's Latin Quarter fills the old streets between the Spanish Arch, O'Brien's Bridge, St Nicholas' Church and Middle Street, with Shop Street at its heart. Buskers play on the cobbled streets between family-run shops, trad pubs and restaurants. At the river end stands the Spanish Arch, built in 1584 as part of the town wall that protected ships moored nearby, named for the Spanish galleons that once traded here. Walk through it into Galway City Museum, whose three floors hold a traditional Galway Hooker sailing boat and the original statue of the writer Pádraic Ó Conaire. Allow one to two hours for the museum.

   Tip: Check the museum's notices before you go, since it closes on some public holidays, including Christmas Day, St Patrick's Day and Good Friday.

   Pay as you go
   Sources: Fáilte Ireland (Discover Ireland); Discover Ireland (Fáilte Ireland); Discover Ireland (Fáilte Ireland); Galway City Museum (official)
8. 8Galway

   Cycle Inis Mór to Dún Aonghasa's cliff fort

   Inis Mór is the most visited of the three Aran Islands, across Galway Bay. Ferries sail year round from Rossaveal, about 37 km west of Galway, and the crossing takes about 40 minutes; a shuttle bus runs from Galway city. From the pier at Kilronan, rent a bike and ride just under half an hour to Dún Aonghasa, the largest of the islands' prehistoric stone forts and more than 3,000 years old. A 1 km walk over rough rock brings you to its three massive drystone walls, which run right to the edge of an 87 m sea cliff with no fence or barrier.

   Tip: Wear boots or sturdy shoes for the rocky path to the fort, stay well back from the unfenced edge, and keep an eye on the time for the last ferry back.

   Search tickets and tours on TiqetsSources: Aran Island Ferries (operator); Discover Ireland (Fáilte Ireland); Heritage Ireland, Office of Public Works (official)
9. 9DublinBook ahead

   Pour a pint at the Guinness Storehouse

   The Guinness Storehouse sits at St James's Gate in the Liberties, where Arthur Guinness signed a 9,000-year lease on the brewery in 1759. The self-guided tour tells the story of the founder and his optimism, passes an immersive tasting room, and shows off the brand's famous advertising, from the toucans to award-winning TV commercials. At the top, the glass-walled Gravity Bar gives a 360-degree view over Dublin with a pint of Guinness, Guinness 0.0 or a soft drink. Add-ons include the Guinness Academy, where you learn the six-step pour and pull your own pint, and the Stoutie, which prints your selfie on the head.

   Tip: Book your date on the official site before you go, and add the Guinness Academy when you book if you want to pour your own pint.

   Storehouse Experience, from: €24 (about $27) · Book a time slotFee changed?

   Last verified Nov 4, 2026

   Search tickets and tours on TiqetsSources: Guinness Storehouse (Diageo); Guinness Storehouse (official); Guinness Storehouse (official)
10. 10Dublin

    Walk the Howth Cliff Path Loop

    Howth is a harbor village on Dublin's DART line, so you can go from the city center to a clifftop walk by train. The Cliff Path Loop is 7.8 km and takes about 2 hours, with 130 m of climbing. Follow the green arrows from Howth DART station along the harbor, around the Nose of Howth and onto the cliffs, with views of Lambay Island, Ireland's Eye and Dublin Bay before the Baily Lighthouse comes into sight. You return from the Summit on a parallel path. Watch for seabirds and grey seals below.

    Tip: Wear walking boots, as parts of the path are rough, and save time at the end for the cafes, pubs and restaurants back in the village.

    Free to visit
    Search tours on TiqetsSources: Discover Ireland (Fáilte Ireland); Sport Ireland, Ireland's National Trails (official); Fingal County Council (official)
11. 11Dublin

    Spend a day in Glendalough's monastic valley

    Glendalough lies in a glacial valley in the Wicklow Mountains, about 50 km south of Dublin. St Kevin founded a monastery here in the 6th century, and it became one of the most famous religious centers in Europe. Today you walk among a round tower, medieval stone churches and carved crosses, then follow the valley to its two lakes. Look up above the Upper Lake for St Kevin's Bed, a small cave where the saint is said to have prayed. Nine walking trails range from short strolls to hill hikes, including the Spinc boardwalk above the Upper Lake. St Kevin's Bus runs daily from St Stephen's Green.

    Tip: Start at the visitor center to learn the history, and avoid sunny weekends if you can, when traffic and parking are a real problem.

    Search tickets and tours on TiqetsSources: Heritage Ireland, Office of Public Works (official); Ireland.com (Tourism Ireland); Wicklow Mountains National Park, National Parks and Wildlife Service (official); St Kevin's Bus Service (operator, via glendalough.ie)
12. 12Galway

    Join a trad session at Gus O'Connor's in Doolin

    In almost every County Clare town, pubs host traditional music sessions, and Doolin, a village on the Wild Atlantic Way, is one of the best-known stops. Gus O'Connor's Pub, not far from the pier, has stood here since 1832 and regularly hosts some of trad's top players. Sessions start around 9 PM every evening from late February to the end of November, and the pub serves food, with seafood a specialty. The Russell Festival in Doolin each February marks the unofficial start of the trad season. Pair a night here with a day at the Cliffs of Moher or in the Burren.

    Tip: Come for dinner before the music, so you already have a seat when the session starts around 9 PM.

    Pay as you go
    Sources: Gus O'Connor's Pub (official); Ireland.com (Tourism Ireland)
13. 13Galway

    See Poulnabrone Dolmen on the Burren's limestone

    Poulnabrone is a portal tomb standing on one of the highest points of the Burren, the limestone landscape of County Clare. Its upright stones carry a huge flat capstone, and a second stone lying behind may once have covered the back. Excavations found the remains of 33 men and women dating from 3800 to 3200 BC, plus a newborn from the Early Bronze Age, along with a polished stone axe, quartz crystals, arrowheads and pottery. Archaeologists now think the tomb marked the edge of tribal land in the Neolithic. The Burren and the Cliffs of Moher together form a UNESCO Global Geopark.

    Tip: It is an unguided national monument, so look from the path without climbing on the stones, and take care on the uneven limestone underfoot.

    Free to visit
    Search tours on TiqetsSources: Heritage Ireland, Office of Public Works (official); Cliffs of Moher Experience (official)
14. 14Dublin

    See ancient Irish gold at the National Museum

    The National Museum of Ireland, Archaeology, in the heart of Dublin, holds the country's main collection of ancient objects, more than two million in all. In Ór, Ireland's Gold, you see prehistoric goldwork from 2200 to 500 BC: crescent-shaped lunulae, sun discs, twisted torcs and great sheet-gold collars. The Treasury follows Irish art from the Iron Age to the 12th century, through the Golden Age of the 7th to 9th centuries and the Viking era, and one gallery is given to the Faddan More Psalter, a Book of Psalms from about AD 800 found in a Tipperary bog in 2006. There are also galleries on Viking Ireland.

    Tip: Join one of the museum's public tours of the archaeology collection for the stories behind the gold.

    Free to visit
    Search tours on TiqetsSources: National Museum of Ireland (official); National Museum of Ireland (official); National Museum of Ireland (official)
15. 15Dublin

    Visit St Patrick's Cathedral, where Jonathan Swift lies

    Saint Patrick's is the largest cathedral in Ireland and has stood at the heart of Dublin for more than 800 years; the present building dates from 1220 to 1259. Tradition says Saint Patrick baptized converts at a well on this site about 1,500 years ago. Jonathan Swift, author of Gulliver's Travels, was dean here and is buried inside. The phrase "to chance your arm" comes from a feud between the Butler and FitzGerald families played out inside in 1492. The cathedral choir school has sung services here since 1432, and the cathedral sits at Patrick Street, an easy walk from the city center.

    Tip: Free guided tours run regularly through the day; ask at the Welcome Desk for the next one, since times can change.

    Adult: €11.50 (about $13) · Pay at the doorFee changed?

    Last verified Nov 4, 2026

    Search tickets and tours on TiqetsSources: Saint Patrick's Cathedral (official); St Patrick's Cathedral, Dublin
16. 16Dublin

    Trace Ireland's emigrant stories at EPIC

    EPIC The Irish Emigration Museum, in the Dublin Docklands, tells the stories of the people who left the island of Ireland, what they carried with them and the mark they made abroad. In its 20 interactive galleries you watch, listen and touch your way through the stories, and you can explore them at your own pace with multimedia guides in several languages. If you have Irish roots, genealogists at the Irish Family History Centre inside the museum can help you research your family. A 2-minute walk away is the Jeanie Johnston, a replica 19th-century emigrant ship that shows what the Atlantic crossing was like.

    Tip: Join the daily English-language guided tour at 1 PM, and keep your self-guided ticket, which allows a free return visit within 10 days.

    Adult, online price from: €22 (about $25) · Book online for the best priceFee changed?

    Last verified Nov 4, 2026

    Search tickets and tours on TiqetsSources: EPIC The Irish Emigration Museum
17. 17Bunratty

    Climb Bunratty Castle and stroll the Folk Park

    Bunratty Castle rises from the banks of the River Shannon in County Clare, a 15th-century castle on a site that began as a Viking trading camp in 970. The present castle is the last of four built here, and it is furnished to show how its lords and ladies lived, with views over the Clare countryside from the top. Around it, the Folk Park recreates 19th-century rural Ireland in more than 30 buildings on 26 acres: farmhouses, village shops and a street, through to Bunratty House, a Georgian home built in 1804 for the Studdarts, the castle's last family.

    Tip: In the run-up to Christmas, check the official site for Bunratty in Lights, when the park sparkles with lights.

    Tickets €[fee], book onlineKnow the fee?
    Search tickets and tours on TiqetsSources: Bunratty Castle and Folk Park, Shannon Heritage (official)

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