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All Ireland

The Atlas Obscura Guide To Ireland

181 Cool, Hidden, and Unusual Things to Do in Ireland

Updated May 23, 2023

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Dublin
Galway
Skellig Michael.
Kerry
Dunmore Cave
Kilkenny
The ferryman statue
Wicklow
Entrance to the Cork Butter Museum
Cork
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  15. Tullamore
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Attractions
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Unusual Attractions in Ireland

Dublin, Ireland

The Long Room Library at Trinity College

The gorgeous library at Trinity College is home to remarkable treasures of Irish identity.
The vaults

Dublin, Ireland

St. Michan's Mummies

An Irish church where an 800-year-old mummy is reaching out of his coffin as if to shake hands.
Skellig Michael.

Kerry, Ireland

Skellig Michael

Perfectly preserved ancient monastery in an impossibly dramatic location on a rocky island in the Atlantic.
Dunmore Cave

Kilkenny, Ireland

Dunmore Cave

This Irish show cave is said to have been the site of a Viking massacre that claimed 1,000 lives.
An aerial view of the Sky Garden's crater and central altar

Skibbereen, Ireland

Irish Sky Garden

This floating garden in the sky is straight out of a fairy tale, but the real thing is nothing short of magical.

Sligo, Ireland

The Glen

A tiny microvalley etched into the side of Knocknarea Mountain hides another world.
The ferryman statue

Wicklow, Ireland

Victor's Way Indian Sculpture Park

An eccentric garden of sculptures crafted in India decorate an Irish green space dedicated to Alan Turing.

Galway, Ireland

Brigit's Celtic Garden

The world of the ancient Celtic civilization explained through a bewitching 11 acre garden.
See All 181 Things To Do in Ireland

Cool Places to Eat & Drink in Ireland

Entrance to the Cork Butter Museum

Cork, Ireland

The Butter Museum

This Irish museum in a historic 19th century market pays tribute to the glory of butter.

Dublin, Ireland

John Kavanagh ('The Gravediggers')

This pub built its reputation pouring post-shift pints for employees of the cemetery with which it shares a wall.

Galway, Ireland

Áras na nGael

At this cozy bar tucked down a hidden Galway backroad, Guinness makes the Gaelic come out.

Glendalough, Ireland

Writers' Room at The Wicklow Heather

A restaurant with an extensive Irish whiskey bar also has several first editions of famous works by Irish authors.
See all 8 Places to Eat in Ireland
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Unforgettable Experiences Nearby

Explore Ireland

Ruins 33
Sacred Spaces 19
Celtic 16
Medieval 15
Memorials 14
History 14
History & Culture 14
Monuments 13
Churches 13
Statues 12
Geology 12
Tombs 11
Unique Restaurants & Bars 3

Ireland Leaderboard

Places Added

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Recent Ireland Activity

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    wants to go to Sweny's Pharmacy

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    wants to go to Kilmacduagh Monastic Settlement

Stories About Ireland

Bonfires and revelry dominate modern Beltane celebrations, but the origins of the event are more mundane.

Beltane Is About More Than Fire and Fertility

The ancient “Celtic” start of summer is rooted in animal husbandry—and it’s not on May 1.
by Gemma Tarlach
April 28, 2023
Built sometime around the sixth or seventh century, this ring fort is tucked between hills and farms in a remote corner of northwestern Ireland.

What Is a Fairy Fort?

In Ireland, fears about disturbing the fair folk have saved thousands of these mysterious ancient structures.
by Sarah Durn
February 2, 2023
The cottage where Michael Cleary murdered his wife, Bridget, still stands in Ballyvadlea in County Tipperary, Ireland. It is shown here in an 1895 photograph.

The Haunting True Story of Bridget Cleary’s “Changeling” Murder

There's more to this 19th-century crime than the dark side of fairy lore.
by Sarah Durn
October 21, 2022
Without added flavors, carrageen moss pudding can be rather bland.

How Ireland Embraced Seaweed Pudding

Irish moss has a long culinary history.
by Chris Baraniuk
September 28, 2022
A five-acre pasture on the McCullen family farm, dominated by an old stone tower, has turned out to be the site of both a medieval monasterial complex and Neolithic ruins.

How a Farmer's Hunch Led to a Lost Monastery and a Neolithic Surprise

The rediscovered medieval complex of Beaubec is unique in all of Ireland—and it's just the most recent layer of history unearthed in a humble pasture.
by Matt McIntosh
July 28, 2022

The Archivists Who Rediscovered 700 Years of Irish History

The Virtual Record Treasury is recreating much of what was lost in a Dublin fire a century ago.
by Amy Crawford
July 20, 2022
All illustrations: John Mata for Atlas Obscura

Puzzle Monday: Deciphering Ireland's Ancient Standing Stones

by Alex Bellos
May 9, 2022

Podcast: St. Brigid’s Well

Join us for a daily celebration of the world’s most wondrous, unexpected, even strange places.
by The Podcast Team
March 1, 2022

Lists Featuring Ireland

The "pet ham" is 119 years old.

Bog Butter, Ancient Beef, and Other Remarkably Old Foods on Display in Museums

Some of these foods are centuries past their expiration dates.

6

Including Ancient Bog Butter, Preserved Victorian Wedding Cake, and World’s Oldest Edible Ham

Ye Olde Trip to Jerusalem0115 947 3171
The Star Tavern
The Eagle is among the best-known pubs in Cambridge.
The recreated apartment.

The Best British Pubs to Get Drunk on History

A 14-stop bar tour through Great Britain's past.

14

Including Ye Olde Trip to Jerusalem, The Star Tavern, and The Eagle

Original letter of Abraham, the son of Maimonides found in the Cairo genizah.
A sculpture of the Tower of Babel, by Alan Baughman, from the Introductory Room of the Museum of the Alphabet
Boontling word of the week in the tap room of the Anderson Valley Brewing Company.

A Linguistics Lover's Tour of the World

12 places to marvel at the history of human language.

12

Including The Cairo Genizah , The Museum of the Alphabet , and Boontling Language of Boonville

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