The Atlas Obscura Guide To Ireland

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

Updated September 19, 2023

Email

Cities

Top Cities

All Cities

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.

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.

Sligo, Ireland

The Glen

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

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

In partnership with KAYAK

Plan Your Trip

In partnership with GetYourGuide

Unforgettable Experiences Nearby

Explore Ireland

Ruins 33

Sacred Spaces 19

Celtic 16

History 15

Medieval 15

Memorials 14

History & Culture 14

Monuments 13

Churches 13

Geology 12

Statues 12

Tombs 11

Unique Restaurants & Bars 3

Ireland Leaderboard

Places Added

Places Edited

Places Visited

Recent Ireland Activity

H

haeleydonovan

wants to go to Kyteler's Inn
H

haeleydonovan

wants to go to Doolin Cave
H

haeleydonovan

wants to go to The Butter Museum
H

haeleydonovan

wants to go to Francis Bacon's Preserved Art Studio
H

haeleydonovan

wants to go to Ancient Bog Butter

Stories About Ireland

Michael Cleary claimed the human Bridget had been abducted when walking through a nearby "fairy fort," like this one in County Roscommon.

Podcast: The "Changeling" Murder of Bridget Cleary

In March 1895, a husband murdered his wife after accusing her of being replaced by an evil fairy.

by The Podcast Team

September 12, 2023

Wild bluebells, native to the area, are thriving once more on Eoghan Daltun's land on Ireland's Beara Peninsula.

Rewilding His Corner of Ireland's Beara Peninsula Is One Man's Labor of Love

Eoghan Daltun has spent 14 years creating a showcase of native biodiversity.

by Rory Carroll

August 21, 2023

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

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.

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.

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

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

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.

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.

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.

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

See Fewer Ads

Become an Atlas Obscura member and experience far fewer ads and no pop-ups.