166 Cool and Unusual Things to Do in Ireland - Atlas Obscura

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.

Skellig Michael

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

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.

Kilkenny, Ireland

Dunmore Cave

This Irish show cave is said to have been the site of a Viking massacre that claimed 1,000 lives.

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.

The Glen

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

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.

Newgrange

The ancient tomb acts as a calendar that keeps perfect time.

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Cool Places to Eat & Drink in 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.

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.

Galway, Ireland

Áras na nGael

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

See all 8 places to eat in Ireland See all 8 places to eat in Ireland

Atlas Obscura Trips

Literature, Lore & Libations Across Ireland’s Northwest

An exciting itinerary celebrating the legends, lore, stories, and storytellers of Ireland and their inspiration.

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Kilbrittain Whale	2 June 28, 2019	1062	June 28, 2019
Rathcroghan	1 July 9, 2019	1129	July 9, 2019
Ringfinnan Garden of Remembrance	1 June 25, 2019	748	June 25, 2019
Gap of Dunloe	1 June 28, 2019	1163	June 28, 2019
Rindoon	1 June 26, 2019	1025	June 26, 2019

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Stories About Ireland

Lord Randal Plunkett, seen in the company of his Jack Russell terriers, began rewilding the estate he inherited seven years ago.

Meet the Death Metal Baron Giving His Irish Estate Back to Nature

The carnivore-turned-vegan lord has rewilded hundreds of acres, boosting biodiversity—and drawing criticism.

by Rory Carroll

August 23, 2021

Fionnan O'Connor's doctoral research is supported by the Irish government.

This Irish Academic Is Getting His PhD in Ghost Whiskey

And partnering with a distillery to resurrect one.

by Ronan O'Connell

The púca is a shapeshifter that may take the form of a domestic animal.

The Púca Is Ireland's Supernatural Pastoral Trickster

They can turn a drunken walk home into a wild ride.

by Kaleb Horton

October 26, 2020

All indications are that the coast was mapped from the sea, in secret.

How a Secret Map Brought Down a Pirate Alliance on the Irish Coast

Now archaeologists are using it to search for evidence of clandestine activity.

by Erin Mullally

September 29, 2020

Don't forget to visit the Tapestry Room.

For Sale: The Most Haunted Mansion in Ireland

Loftus Hall holds tales of Satan, colonialism, and getting stood up by the Queen.

by Matthew Taub

In 1832, cholera killed more than 10 percent of Sligo's population.

The Deadly Irish Epidemic That Helped Bring Dracula to Life

Forget Vlad the Impaler. A 19th-century cholera outbreak in Sligo may have been Bram Stoker's chief inspiration.

by Ronan O'Connell

Jasper McCarthy outside of the pub established by his great-great-grandfather, Michael, in 1840.

Why Ireland's Pub Owners Have Long Moonlighted as Undertakers

It helps to have cold storage and room to hold a wake.

by Jessica Gingrich

October 29, 2019

Scottish Singles Used to Spend Halloween Picking Kale

The leafy green once foretold the future.

October 23, 2019

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