Welcome to our final article of Famous Ireland Landmarks: 101 of The Greatest Attractions.
Up to this point, we’ve explored 80 famous Ireland landmarks scattered across every corner of our remarkable and breathtaking island. Without further delay, let’s unveil our final recommendations of the greatest attractions in Ireland.
*Our list of The Greatest Ireland Landmarks is presented in a random order.
The Final 20 Ireland Landmarks
If you have not read any of the previous posts, we would recommend going back and starting from the beginning of the list of famous Ireland landmarks.
To go back and read the previous posts, you can click on the following links:
- Famous Ireland Landmarks 1-20
- Famous Ireland Landmarks 21-40
- Famous Ireland Landmarks 41-60
- Famous Ireland Landmarks 61-80
Consider ticking these Irish attractions off your Ireland bucket list on the ultimate 2-week Ireland road-trip.
81. Slieve League – County Donegal
#2 The Cliffs of Moher are the most famous cliffs in Ireland. But perhaps the most breathtaking ones are the cliffs of Slieve League.
What is non-debatable though, is that they are one of best natural Ireland landmarks and a must-see attraction when visiting the County of Donegal.
Standing at a height of 598 meters they are some of Europe’s tallest cliffs and Bunglass is the best viewpoint to take in this stunning sight.
There is a lower and higher car park, if you park at the lower one it will take you at least an hour to walk to the viewpoint. Parking is 5 Euro for 2 hours.
82. Copper Coast – County Waterford
A spectacular 40-kilometer scenic drive with lots of natural beauty along the way is The Copper Coast Drive in County Waterford (Dungarvan – Tramore).
In fact, the area is that beautiful it is now a UNESCO Global Geopark, and Ireland’s first Geopark!
The name stems from the copper mines that were here in the 1800s. Today you can walk, cycle, or drive this stretch with lots of picturesque stops along the way.
The best stops are; Tramore Beach, Tra na mBó, Kilmacthomas Viaduct, Ardmore Tower, and the Ballyvoyle Tunnel and Durrow Viaduct.
83. Lismore Castle – County Waterford
Also in County Waterford is Lismore, a small but colourful medieval village between Cork City and Waterford City.
The castle is the standout feature here. Unfortunately, you can only see the inside of the castle if you book an event.
Nonetheless, you can still visit the Castle Gardens set within the castle walls which comprise 7 acres of spectacular castle views and surrounding countryside.
Just outside of Lismore, you can also visit the Ballysaggartmore Lodges and Towers.
Both these buildings are like a setting from a fairytale. Surrounded by woodland they are a short walk apart and free to visit!
We would advise you to visit all of the above attractions at the end of the Copper Coast Drive.
84. Mount Brandon – County Kerry
One of the best scenic hikes in Ireland is that of Mount Brandon (Named after Saint Brendan aka Brendan the Navigator)
This is a tough 9-kilometer hike but you will be rewarded with some very scenic views of the Atlantic Ocean, lakes, waterfalls, and beaches that make it all worthwhile.
We love Saint Brendan because he is one of the original wanderers in the world. Back in the 6th century he was already travelling and exploring Europe.
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Before he set off on his biggest of journeys the Irish Saint climbed to the top of Mount Brandon to pray and fast for 40 days.
Then, in search of the Garden of Eden, Brendan and his monk friends set off across the Atlantic in search of this paradise. It is believed that he in fact was the first person from Europe to discover America, nearly a thousand years before Columbus!
Some people doubted that a boat made back in those days could make such a long journey.
However, a sailor and geographer named Tim Severin recreated a similar sailing vessel voyage in 1977 and reached the shores of Newfoundland! It is documented in his book – The Brendan Voyage.
To fully explore this part of Ireland, we highly recommend renting a car. Having your own vehicle gives you the flexibility and freedom to travel at your own pace and make spontaneous stops whenever you wish.
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85. Temple Bar District- County Dublin
The top 101 of Ireland landmarks must include a pub crawl! Although technically this can be done anywhere in Ireland, there is one great area to do this –The Temple Bar District.
And yes, there is much more to discover than just the most famous Irish pub in the area, Temple Bar.
The selection of great public houses in the area is so big that there are just too many to name them all. Of course, you should go to the famous Temple Bar, but one or two drinks there is enough.
The best way of finding the greatest pub is by going out, exploring, and tasting for yourself!
Every night there is live music and a Tuesday night can feel like a Saturday.
Just make sure you have your bottle of water and packet of paracetamol ready for the next day!
86. Galteemore – County Tipperary
A place on the famous Ireland landmarks list that has a special place in our hearts is the beautiful Galteemore Mountains. Specifically the tallest mountain- Galteemore. It was here we had one of our first dates (we survived and are still together!)
Standing at a height of over 900 meters this is a challenging but fun hill walk with lots of rewarding views.
There are a few different routes that all range around the 10-kilometer mark and take 4 to 6 hours to complete.
The most famous ones are The Black Road Route, Kings Yard Route, and the Horseshoe Route.
87. Mussenden Temple – County Antrim
One of the best views in the North of Ireland is Mussenden Temple.
Standing on the edge of a cliff you will have views for many kilometers overlooking Downhill Strand to the west and Portrush to the East.
This former library with picturesque views was used in Game of Thrones as the location for the Dragonstone exterior.
There is no entrance fee to this famous Ireland landmark, but depending on where you park you may be charged a parking fee.
88. Caves – Nationwide
There are many famous Irish caves to discover in Ireland. Instead of naming them separately, we have placed our favorites under the same headline.
The first one up is Dunmore Cave in County Kilkenny, known for a viking massacre that took place inside.
Secondly, we have Aillwee Cave in County Clare. A bear skull and bones were found here that are over 10,00 years old!
Also in County Clare, you will find Doolin Cave which has one of the world’s largest stalactites.
Lastly, the Marble Caves in County Fermanagh. Inside here you can sight underwater passages and waterfalls which are explored on a boat!
89. Arbour Hill Cemetery – County Dublin
Historically, Arbour Hill Cemetery is a very important burial place. Because buried here are 14 of the 16 executed leaders of the 1916 Easter Rising who were executed at # 25 Kilmainham Jail.
Don’t get confused between Arbour Hill Cemetery and Arbour Hill Prison, they are two very different places!
90. Galway City – County Galway
Made even more famous by Ed Sheeran and known as the festival city is Galway City.
Many people consider this their favorite city in Ireland with its great nightlife. From a few quiet drinks listening to traditional Irish music to dancing the night away in a late bar with friends, Galway has something from everyone and should 100% be put on your Ireland bucket list.
Known for its chilled vibe with live music festivals every year you’re guaranteed to have a few good nights out to remember (or maybe not!)
- From Dublin, enjoy a Full-Day Galway Tour which includes Galway City and much more.
91. George Best Statue – County Antrim
One of the world’s best footballers to have ever played comes from this Island!
George Best was the world’s first football playboy superstar, an incredibly skilled footballer, he sadly passed away in 2005.
Outside of Northern Irelands National football stadium (Windsor Park), he is immortalized in the form of a statue which can be visited for free.
Some of George Best quotes were:
“If you’d given me the choice of going out and beating four men and smashing a goal in from thirty yards against Liverpool or going to bed with Miss World, it would have been a difficult choice. Luckily, I had both.”
“I spent a lot of money on booze, birds, and fast cars. The rest I just squandered.”
“They’ll forget all the rubbish when I’ve gone and they’ll remember the football. If only one person thinks I’m the best player in the world, that’s good enough for me.”
92. Bunratty Castle and Folk Park – County Clare
Only 15 minutes away from Limerick City is a fun attraction for all ages. One of the great famous Irish landmarks – Bunratty Castle and Folk Park.
The site on which Bunratty Castle stands today was a Viking trading camp in 970. The present structure is the last of four castles to be built on the site. The most popular thing to do in the castle is a medieval banquet.
In the Folk Park, you can visit a “real” Irish village. A collection of 19th-century urban Irish buildings as they were back in the day. some of the buildings on display are, a school, a doctor’s house, of course a pub, a grocery, and a Post Office.
- From Dublin, get your Cliffs of Moher and Bunratty Castle and Folk Park Rail Tour here.
93. Derry City Walls – County Derry
Built in the early 1600s Derry City is the only remaining completely walled city in Ireland.
This 1.5-kilometer walkway around the inner city offers lots of history and great views of The Bogside and the river Foyle.
Along the way, you will come across gates, lots of canons, towers, bastions, and Kate’s favourite of all – The Derry Girls Mural.
This walk can be explored for free, but there are many walking tours available.
- Get your Derry Walled City Private Tour.
94. Skibbereen – County Cork
Not just another picturesque colourful tourist town of Ireland (though it still is all those things), but a town enriched with sad history related to the famine and the horrific death, sorrow, and loss endured by the Irish land and its people.
A harrowing but truly eye-opening experience is to visit the famine museum.
Another place we highly recommend visiting is the Abbeystrowry Cemetery to get a glimpse into the massive loss of life during those horrific Famine years.
95. Kilkoe Castle – County Cork
Hopefully you are not sick of castles by now because we have one very last one still to show. Just a short drive away from Skibbereen is Kilkoe Castle.
For a long time, this was an abandoned fortress, until the famous actor Jeremy Irons (Die Hard with a Vengeance, Lion King) bought and fully restored it.
Now the castle can be sighted from far away because of its distinct and untraditional terracotta limewash walls.
Located on private property it CAN NOT be visited from close up. However, it can still be admired from the surrounding countryside.
96. Irish Republican History Museum- County Antrim
When visiting Belfast this remarkable museum is a must-see attraction for your bucket list, it may be a small museum but you can easily spend a full day here.
Inside you will find a tremendous collection of artifacts, weaponry, crafts made by prisoners, photographs, and other memorabilia from the last 200 years.
There is also a library with an unbelievable amount of books and newspaper articles that go back over 100 years.
Mistakingly this is not just a Republican museum as the displays show stories from both sides of the conflict.
97. The Blasket Islands – County Kerry
We already showed you three of the four most extreme points of Ireland (North South and East).
Therefore, the last one we would like to show is Ireland’s most Western point – The Blasket Islands.
This is a group of islands on the coast of Kerry, the biggest and most famous island would be Great Blasket Island. But that is not the most Western point, that honour goes to Tearaght Island.
This island is uninhabited and unfortunately not open to visitors, basically it is a very big rock! Nevertheless, it is still possible to admire it on a boat trip.
98. Christy Moore – Nationwide!
Who doesn’t love a good aul Christy song?! Perhaps Ireland’s greatest folk singer ever, Christy Moore has been listened to by Happy Irish Wanderers all over the world!
In our opinion, everybody should see him in real life at least once. Currently, he is still touring and belting out classic songs such as “I wish I was back home in Derry”
Don’t believe all the hype that he’s a grumpy aul fart, He’s absolutely brilliant!
99. Slea Head Drive – County Kerry
Picking the best Ireland road-trip is not an easy task, but if we were to pick one it would be Slea Head Drive!
This is a circular drive of nearly 50 kilometers that starts and ends at Dingle. Allow yourself at least 3 hours to complete, maybe even half a day!
Besides non-stop beautiful and rugged Irish scenery there are also lots of historical stops along the way.
These include Beehive huts, Dunbeg Fort, and the Gallarus Oratory.
For the best views drive this route in a clockwise direction and be prepared to drive some very narrow roads.
100. Dunquin Pier – County Kerry
One of our favourite of all the Ireland landmarks is Dunquin Pier.
Although it is part of the Slea Head Drive, We love this area so much that it deserves to get its own spot on our list.
The area is surrounded by a dramatic coastline and also overlooks the Blasket Islands. In the middle of that scenery is a winding lane that makes its way down to a pier providing breathtaking views of the Atlantic Ocean and surrounding cliffs.
101. The Guinness Storehouse – County Dublin
Last but not least on our famous Ireland landmarks list, Ireland’s number one tourist attraction with over one million visitors per year – The Guinness Factory.
And….unfortunately never visited by us….. We know….shame, shame, shame….
Although we have never been there, we have heard nothing but positive feedback. Maybe we shouldn’t have planned to visit the day after the #85 Temple Bar pub Crawl!
If you do visit it is a very fun and interesting experience. You learn about the history of Guinness and the different aspects of the company over 7 floors (The brewing process, ingredients, and shipping by barge, just to name a few.)
This is done through interactive facts and lots of old-school advertisements.
At the end of the tour you will learn how to pour a perfect pint of deliciousness for yourself, and most importantly drink a few in the Gravity Bar which has a phenomenal 360-degree view of Dublin City.
It is HIGHLY recommended to buy tickets in advance.
- Get your Entry Ticket here, which of course includes a free pint!
And That’s It! Enjoy all the Famous Ireland Landmarks
There you have it – Famous Ireland Landmarks: 101 of The Greatest Attractions! Are we correct or have we left out some very obvious ones?!
How many have you visited? How many are you planning to visit after reading this?!
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Slán go fóil
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