The National Gallery of Ireland was founded by an Act of Parliament in 1854 and opened to the public in 1864. In addition to the national collection of Irish art, the Gallery houses the national collection of European Old Master paintings.
A monastery was founded here by St. Brendan “The Navigator” in the 6th century. There are three medieval churches, an ogham stone and a number of early Christian and medieval grave slabs on the site today.
One of Ireland's quintessential attractions, a visit to Blarney Castle and kissing the Blarney Stone is high on most people's list of things to do in Ireland.
The ancestral home of Daniel O'Connell, Derrynane House is a public museum commemorating one of Ireland's leading historical figures and arguably the greatest ever Irishman, known by the nation as the Great Liberator.
Built as a custom house by the Earl of Desmond c. AD 1500, Desmond Castle has a colourful history, ranging from Spanish occupation in 1601 to use as a prison for captured American sailors during the American War of Independence.
One of Ireland's finest examples of Regency architecture, Fota House commands graceful gardens and a world-renowned arboretum on Fota Island just 12km from Cork City.
Located in the sheltered harbour of Glengarriff in Bantry Bay, Ilnacullin is a small island of 15 hectares (37 acres) known to horticulturists and lovers of trees and shrubs all around the world as an island garden of rare beauty.
The Blasket Centre in Dun Chaoin, on the tip of the Dingle Peninsula, celebrates the story of the Blasket Islanders, the unique literary achievements of the island writers and their native language, culture and tradition.
Ireland's first Marine Nature Reserve and unique sea-water lake, Lough Hyne is one of the most beautiful spots in West Cork and offers diving and water sports opportunities.
A sparsely populated peninsula of outstanding rugged beauty, Mizen is Ireland's most southerly point and at its lonely ocean swept head stands the Mizen Head Signal Station and Visitor Centre.
The Muckross Estate forms the core of the fabulous Killarney National Park and at the heart of this is Muckross House, a fabulous Victorian country mansion set amid the wonderful scenery of Killarney's lakes.
Home to the world-renowned brands of Irish Whiskey; Jameson, Paddy and Powers, the Old Midleton Distillery presents historic Whiskey Tours, through production of Irish Whiskey.
A multimedia interpretive centre, the Skibbereen Heritage Centre houses the Great Famine Commemoration Exhibition outlining one of the most tragic periods of Irish History in a part of Ireland that was one of the worst effected.
The most westerly peninsula in Europe and one of Ireland's most atmospheric places, the Dingle Peninsula boasts beautiful scenery, rugged charm and a true sense of timelessness.
Once described as ?the saddest place in Ireland', the Port of Cobh was the embarkation point for the millions that left the country throughout the 19th Century. Today the compelling Queenstown Story exhibition in the town, tells their sad tale.
One the most famous and popular road circuits for tourists in the South West of Ireland, the Ring of Kerry, traverses the coastline of the Inveragh Peninsula, with a great many tourist sites along the way.
The Burren in County Clare is a famous outcrop of limestone on the West coast of Ireland where, for millions of years, rain and rivers have intricately carved holes and caves.
One of Ireland's premier attractions, Bunratty Castle and Folk Park traces back through Ireland's history from life in a 19th Century Irish Village to medieval banquets in a stunning 14th Century Castle.
Situated in the countryside of County Clare, Craggaunowen offers a taste of Celtic life, with a reproduction of a Bronze Age village, set beside the 16th Century Craggaunowen Castle.
West Limerick preserves many of Ireland's surviving spacious medieval halls. The Desmond Banqueting Hall is an imposing two-storey structure and was used by the Earls of Desmond for banquets and entertainment.
An area of approximately 400 hectares (1000 acres), Dromore was established as a nature reserve because of the diversity and richness of its flora and fauna.
Striking an imposing figure along the banks of the River Shannon and dominating the town of Limerick, this 12th Century castle was built by King John of England and stands as a testament to 800 years of history.
A magnificent 15th Century castle, Knappogue is situated in the tranquil heart of the County Clare countryside, and offers a more refined medieval experience with fabulous grounds and walled gardens.
This Information Centre on the mainland interprets the island on which a monastery is sited. The monastery, consisting of a round tower and several churches, was founded by St. Senan in the early part of the 6th century.
The Burren, situated in north-west County Clare, covers over 300 square kilometres and is of extreme importance to geologists, botanists and archaeologists from Ireland and beyond.
One of Ireland's premier museums and one of the finest private collections of art and antiquities in the world, the Hunt Museum is the pride of Limerick with objects from Celtic works, to works of masters like da Vinci, Renoir and Yeats and fabulous artefacts from the ancient world.
Large, beautiful old world garden, Robinsonian in style with a strong emphasis on the informal tradition of combining a good plant collection within the natural landscape of its environment.
Dunmore Cave is eleven kilometres north of Kilkenny City and, like other caves across the country, is formed by limestone which was laid down over 300 million years ago.
The castle was built in the 13th century, possibly by William, Earl Marshall. Originally, the castle formed a square, with large corner towers. Only half of the castle now remains.
Dedicated to the memory of John Fitzgerald Kennedy, President of the United States from 1960 - 1963, the Arboretum is a plant collection of international standing.
A 12th century castle remodelled in Victorian times and set in extensive parklands which was the principal seat of the Butler family, Marquesses and Dukes of Ormonde.
Reginald's Tower is a circular tower, part of the town's defences, built in the beginning of the 13th century, with a second phase in the 15th century.
The stone castle consists of a gate tower, curtain walls and two corner towers dating from the 1280s. The castle rooms are furnished and some house exhibitions.
The National Gallery of Ireland was founded by an Act of Parliament in 1854 and opened to the public in 1864. In addition to the national collection of Irish art, the Gallery houses the national collection of European Old Master paintings.
An impressive and well preserved Cistercian Monastery which was founded in the 12th century under the patronage of the local ruling family, the MacDermotts.
Beneath the wild boglands of North Mayo lie the Ceide Fields, the most extensive stone age monument in the world: field systems, dwelling areas and megalithic tombs of 5,000 years ago. In addition, the wild flora of the bog is of international importance and is bounded by some of the most spectacular rock formations and cliffs in Ireland.
The Connemara National Park covers some 2,000 hectares (4,942 acres), consisting of entirely natural and unspoilt terrain. It is an environment which offers the visitor endless sights, experiences, adventure and activity.
Coole Park, now a nature reserve, was the home of Lady Augusta Gregory, dramatist and co-founder with Edward Martyn and W.B. Yeats of the Abbey Theatre.
Croagh Patrick is Ireland's holy mountain, from where St Patrick banished the snakes from Ireland and where thousands of pilgrims come to pay homage to Ireland's patron saint.
The spectacular stone fort of Dun Aonghasa is perched on the cliff edge of Aran Island; Inishmore, dating back over two and a half thousand years, beaten by the constant swell of the Atlantic Ocean.
Holycross Abbey, situated about four and a half miles from Thurles in Co. Tipperary, is located in a magnificent setting on the banks of the River Suir.
Situated in the town of Boyle in County Roscommon, King House is one of Ireland's best-preserved Georgian country houses and today stands as a museum to life in Ireland in the 18th Century.
The imposing structure of Belfast Castle towers over the city below. Situated on Cave Hill, the castle is closely linked with the history of Belfast City.
Began in the 1830's and built in Barionial style "Storm Mount" Castle was the home of the Cleland family descendants of the Rev John Cleland rector of Newtownards from 1789-1809.
Castle Coole is the impressive 18th Century home of the Earl of Belmore, a neoclassical manor situated in stunning landscaped parkland outside Enniskillen and one of the National Trust's key properties in Northern Ireland.
Perhaps the best known building in Belfast, the city hall was once again a symbol of the vision Belfast's city fathers had of themselves and their city.
Devenish Island is situated in the scenic Lower Lough Erne in County Fermanagh. It is a magnificent and picturesque island and the largest of some 200 islands found in the lake.
Built some 600 years ago Enniskillen Castle was once the stronghold of the Maguire clan, guarding the waters of Lough Erne and inside, the castle houses the Fermanagh County Museum and the Museum of the Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers.
One of the finest show caves in Europe, Marble Arch Caves in County Fermanagh allow visitors to explore this fascinating underworld cave system, first explored by caving pioneer Edouard Martel.
The Museum of Free Derry, also known as The National Civil Rights Archive, gives the most important information about the history of Derry and focuses on the civil rights era of the 1960s and 1970s when the early troubles took place.
First devised in 1845 Queens College Belfast as a campus of the Queens University of Ireland alongside the Queen Colleges of Cork and Galway, was intended to provide higher education for Catholics and Presbyterians as a counterpart of the Trinity College, Dublin, then an Anglican institution.
Erected on the site of the second Linen Hall which was gifted to the Anglican church by the fifth Earl of Donegal and named after both his wife and St Anne, the mother of the virgin Mary.
Built in Derby Street of Belfast Albert Street, St Peters was built in response to the growing Catholic population of Belfast throughout the 19th Centuary.
Following partition the newly formed Northern Ireland parliament which was first opened by George V on June 21st 1921, met at two venues, Belfast City hall and the Presbyterian assembly college at 108 Botanic Avenue.
The Giant's Causeway is Northern Ireland's most famous landmark and a World Heritage Site. It takes its name from the legends of Finn MacCool and is draws people from far and wide to this corner of north Antrim.
The Tower Museum is well located in Union Hall within the city’s historic walls. The exhibitions are about the Story of Derry and the Armada Shipwreck – La Trinidad Valencera. The Tower Museum also hosts a wide range of interesting, temporary exhibitions.
Belfast is famous as the city to have built Titanic and the introduction in 2012 of the new Titanic Belfast visitor attraction is a must see - both for the architecture and experience.
The Book of Kells, which is on display in Trinity College, was written around the year 800 AD and is one of the most beautifully illustrated manuscripts in the world.
Originally built in the 13th century on a site previously settled by the Vikings, Dublin Castle functioned as a military fortress, a prison, treasury, courts of law and the seat of the English Administration in Ireland for 700 years.
One of the largest unoccupied gaols in Europe, covering some of the most heroic and tragic events in Ireland's emergence as a modern nation from 1780s to the 1920s.
The National Concert Hall is Ireland's most prestigious music venue. The magnificent building was designed in the classical style for the Great Exhibition of 1865.
The National Gallery of Ireland was founded by an Act of Parliament in 1854 and opened to the public in 1864. In addition to the national collection of Irish art, the Gallery houses the national collection of European Old Master paintings.
The National Museum of Ireland is divided into three sections: the Collins Barracks Museum in Benburb Street, the archaeological museum in Kildare Street and the Natural History Museum in Merrion Street.
The National Museum at Collins Barracks is Ireland's new museum of the decorative arts and of the economic, social, political and military history of our country.
The National Museum of Ireland is divided into three sections: the Collins Barracks Museum in Benburb Street, the archaeological museum in Kildare Street and the Natural History Museum in Merrion Street.
The National Photographic Archive, which is part of the National Library of Ireland, was opened in 1998 in an award-winning building in the Temple Bar area of Dublin.
The date of the foundation of the Castle is uncertain, but recent research would suggest 1583 as the most likely date. It was built by Adam Loftus, a Yorkshireman.
The Irish Museum of Modern Art, in collaboration with Dúchas, The Heritage Service of the Department of Arts, Heritage, Gaeltacht and the Islands, presents the magnificent 17th century Royal hospital, Kilmainham.
The National Theatre, comprising the world famous Abbey and Peacock Theatres, was founded in 1904 by poet William Butler Yeats, Lady Augusta Gregory and Edward Martyn.
Bru na Boinne Visitor Centre, open in 1997, is designed to present the archaeological heritage of the Boyne Valley, which includes the megalithic passage tombs of Newgrange and Knowth.
The monastic site of Clonmacnoise in County Offaly borders three provinces: Leinster, Connacht and Ulster. Founded over 1500 years ago, it is situated close to both Athlone town in County Roscommon and Ballinalsoe in County Galway.
Glendalough, situated in picturesque County Wicklow, was made famous by Saint Kevin who came to the area in the 6th century. He was looking for a place of solitude and having found it, remained and lived a rather hermitic life.
Though best known as the seat of the High Kings of Ireland, the Hill of Tara has been an important site since the late Stone Age when a passage-tomb was constructed there.
This is an arboretum particularly famous for its conifers and calcifuges, planted during the 19th century by Thomas Acton in conjunction with David Moore and his son, Sir Frederick Moore, curators of the National Botanic Gardens in Glasnevin.
Situated eight kilometres east of the village of Slane, the Passage Grave of Newgrange is regarded by some as one of the greatest wonders of the ancient world.
Trim Castle is the largest Anglo-Norman castle in Ireland. Hugh de Lacy began construction of the castle in about 1172 but the central tower - the keep - was not completed until the 1220s.
Carrowmore, situated at the centre of the Cuil Irra peninsula in County Sligo, is the second largest cemetery of megalithic tombs in Europe and is among Ireland's oldest. In such a fantastic location, visitors to Carrowmore can enjoy the beautiful scenery of the area as well as the magnificent archaeological finds.
Ireland has a large number of historical castles which have been lovingly restored and are now open for visitors. Feel the whisper of previous centuries where striking portraits pay tribute to past occupants.
A restored plantation castle of the early 17th century, picturesquely situated on the shores of Lough Gill, once the home of Robert Parke and his family.
The Slieve League (Grey Mountain) cliffs, situated on the West coast of Donegal, are said to be the highest and one of the finest marine cliffs in Europe with a three hundred metre drop straight down into the wild, Atlantic waves below.
The Ulster American Folk Park is a fascinating open-air museum reconstructing the story mass emigration from Ulster to North America in the 18th and 19th Centuries and tracing the roots of those who left for the New World.
County Sligo has breathtaking mountain scenery, lakes, waterfalls and beautiful beaches. It is known as Yeats Country as it inspired many of the great works of the Nobel Prize winning Irish writer, W.B. Yeats.
"I just wanted to let you know our Ireland trip was fabulous!! Thank you so much! Your recommendation to Adare Manor was a top tip! I went to Ashford Castle as well, it was very very nice to, but my preference is still Adare Manor. I just wish that I had booked 2 nights there instead of just one. The B&Bs were TOP too! Especially the one in Kilkieren up in Galway. Barbara was lovely and couldn't have done more to make our stay memorable. The Hillside House is definately one you can recommend to anyone!" -- Silke
