My 15 Favorite Amazing Historical Sites in Ireland
There are some amazing historical sites in Ireland.
From ancient sites that date back to BC (BCE) times to those that date back just a couple hundred years.
Ireland is definitely a wonderful country for history lovers.
I tend to favor the BCE history as I find it more mysterious.
But I do love a good monastery, castle or fort that we know a bit more about.
So in this post, I want to offer up an array of historical sites in Ireland that you might want to put on your list for your next trip to one of my favorite countries.
Newgrange • County Meath
One of the rock stars of the plethora of historical sites in Ireland is Newgrange.
I’ve written about his megalithic site and raved about the tour.
But in a nutshell Newgrange is a passage tomb that dates back to about 3200BC.
It’s one of the coolest things I’ve ever seen and one of the best tours I’ve ever taken.
I’m quite sure my jaw dropped on my first visit to Newgrange.
Located in County Meath just an hour or so from Dublin, Newgrange sits in the sacred Boyne River valley along with Knowth and Dowth.
This is what is known as the Brú na Bóinne area.
Brú na Bóinne means “palace of the Boyne” and it was named because it’s this part of the Boyne River where the ancient people of Ireland built these incredible structures.
It was sacred to them.
There is another site on this list from the area that I’ll be getting to.
Anyway…
Admittedly, when you first see Newgrange from a distance, it may not look like much.
But just wait until you get inside.
Newgrange is lined up so that on winter solstice morning at sunrise, the small inner chamber lights up.
They do a fabulous re-creation of this on the tour.
It’s amazing!
The tour itself is highly informative and very fascinating.
I’m a huge fan of Newgrange and recommend it to all of my travel clients.
Here’s something that you might be interested in — you can enter your name in a lottery to actually be at Newgrange on Winter Solstice morning to witness the real thing.
Tip: You must take a guided tour of Newgrange which begins at the visitor center.
Knowth • County Meath
Also located in the Brú na Bóinne is Knowth.
This is another intriguing historical site in Ireland.
And you can visit this along with Newgrange.
But it’s a very different experience from Newgrange.
Knowth actually has 2 entrances and 2 passage tombs which unfortunately you can’t go into as it’s still being excavated.
You can enter a small chamber immediately inside for a wee look around, but that’s it.
There’s no going all the way in like Newgrange, although you can see down a passageway that looks entrancing.
Knowth also has satellite mounds/passage tombs scattered about the site.
I think one of the most impressive parts of Knowth — that you can see — is the rock art.
There is definitely some awesome rock art at this ancient site.
Tip: You must take a guided tour which begins at the visitor center AND do take a good look at the stone carvings as they are amazing!
Hill of Tara • County Meath
So this historical site in Ireland doesn’t look like much when you first approach it so you have to use your imagination a bit.
Located south of Navan and east of Trim, the Hill of Tara is actually one of the most sacred places in Ireland that dates back to about 2500 to 2000BC/BCE.
It is said that 142 kings reigned here in prehistoric and historic times.
In ancient Irish religion and mythology the Hill of Tara was the sacred place of dwelling for the gods.
And it was the entrance to the “otherworld” which we might think of as the afterlife.
While it doesn’t look like much they have found passage tombs here as well as indications under the earth that suggest there was a huge temple at Tara once upon a time.
So you need to use your imagination as to what the Hill of Tara was like in ancient times.
There is a single standing stone on the hill thought to be the Stone of Destiny.
It is said that the stone roars when touched by the rightful king of Tara.
Who else loves these myths and legends?
Tip: Spend a good amount of time here, walking around to all the different parts. Quiet your mind and let your imagination go.
Loughcrew Cairns • County Meath
This is one of my absolute favorite historical sites in Ireland.
Loughcrew is a collection of megalithic cairns scattered about a few hills in County Meath — specifically the Slieve na Caillaigh hills — that dates back to about 3000BC/BCE.
There are 2 main locations — Carnbane East and Carnbane West.
Cairn T is one of the major sites and is located at Carnbane East.
Cairn L is the main site of Carnbane West.
Full disclosure: I only had time to visit Carnbane East.
These cairns are tombs, chambers and monuments where the ancient people of Ireland buried their dead, held rituals, gatherings and celebrations and perhaps honored their ancestors.
It’s all a bit mysterious.
Carnbane East and Cairn T see the most visitors, and as I said, it’s the site I visited.
There is the stone throne known as the Hag’s Chair on the north side of Cairn T, rock art, the main passage tomb along with smaller ones.
And the views from up on the hill are stunning.
You can wander about the hill amongst the sheep and take it all in at your leisure.
No entrance fee to Loughcrew.
I just love this site!
Tip: If you want to go into the passage tomb you must get the key from Loughcrew Gardens.
Glendalough • County Wicklow
Located about 65km south of Dublin, Glendalough can make a great day trip from Dublin.
But you may want to stay out in this area of County Wicklow for a night or 2 because it’s incredibly beautiful.
Glendalough is a monastic settlement dating back to the 6th century and is the home of St Kevin who founded it.
The ruins are in fabulous condition with a round tower, some stone churches and decorated crosses.
And as fabulous as the ruins are, it might be the fact that Glendalough sits in the Wicklow Mountains and has a couple of splendid lakes to gaze upon, walk around or get out onto.
There are some excellent trails to walk on in the Glendalough valley.
So along with the historical site you get all this natural beauty.
It’s a win-win!
Glendalough was the very first historical site in Ireland I visited.
I was a bit jet lagged as I had literally just gotten off the plane about 2 hours before my visit — so I don’t remember a lot but I do have some images.
What I do remember is thinking it was stunning — and that I would need to return.
Tip: Do give yourself time to explore both the ruins and get out on a trail to enjoy the beauty of the landscape.
Kilkenny Castle • County Kilkenny
This is one of the historical sites in Ireland that I experienced with my parents.
I remember seeing it from the outside on my first trip to Ireland.
But my friend and I just didn’t have much time so we didn’t go into it.
However I wanted to visit a site like this with my folks, so we toured the inside of the castle.
Kilkenny Castle was originally built in the 13th century by William Marshall, the 4th Earl of Pembroke.
It was built as a symbol of Norman control (i.e. the English. Remember that Ireland was ruled by the English until 1922.)
And this castle came to be a symbol of the fortunes of the powerful Butlers of Ormonde for 600+ years.
It’s a beautiful castle for sure.
My folks and I didn’t do a guided tour which I regret.
Kilkenny Castle also has a lovely garden with a fountain.
It’s free to enter the gardens but does cost to enter the castle.
I recommend both!
Tip: Do take a guided tour or get the audio guide to maximize your experience.
Clonmacnoise • County Offaly
I feel like the middle of Ireland gets overlooked for the coasts.
And it’s in the interior where you can find some magnificent historical sites in Ireland.
Clonmacnoise is one of these.
This is another monastic settlement, like Glendalough.
And its location along the River Shannon is another reason to visit.
Clonmacnoise was founded by St Ciarán in 548 to be a place for learning.
St Ciarán had studied under St Finian and decided to start up his own place.
He determined the banks of the River Shannon were the perfect spot so he founded Clonmacnoise.
Unfortunately Ciarán succumbed to a plague shortly after the first structure was built in 549.
He was just 33 years old.
But his pupils continued their learning and teachings and built more structures.
By the 11th and 12th centuries it was producing some of the great manuscripts of the time.
At its height, Clonmacnoise had 2 towers, 7 churches and 3 high crosses.
Two of the crosses are still intact and located in the visitor center.
They are extraordinary!
The site is superb with ruins of churches and other living and religious buildings.
The 2 towers are amazing and there are cemeteries you can wander about too.
I highly recommend spending a wee bit of time in the visitor center.
The 2 high crosses really are magnificent.
Tip: Before touring the grounds, do watch the interpretive video in the visitor center which is loaded with information on St Ciarán, what life was like and the entire history of this intriguing site.
Drombeg Stone Circle • County Cork
I do love my stone circles!
And Drombeg is definitely one of my favorites.
Located near the wee town of Glandore, Drombeg is a remarkable historical site in Ireland.
This stone circle has 17 stones and sits in a beautiful, pastoral location.
You can just see the sea off in the distance.
There are also some other ruins of living quarters and a communal cooking pit.
Also known as the Druid’s Altar, Drombeg dates back to somewhere between 153BC/BCE and 127AD/CE.
I know.
That’s pretty darn old.
I highly recommend this historical site in Ireland as its such a well-preserved stone circle and it has such a stunning location.
Plus, it’s FREE!
Tip: You’ll see signs for Drombeg Stone Circle. It’s a short walk down a path from the parking area. Do try to visit early in the day or toward the end of the day as it’s a popular site.
Charles Fort • County Cork
This is one of my favorite historical sites in Ireland and one of my favorite guided tours.
And it happens to be in the town of Kinsale which I love — even if the town has gotten a wee bit too popular.
Charles Fort is a 17th century, star-shaped fort that guards Kinsale harbor.
It’s one of the largest military forts in Ireland and it’s incredibly well-preserved.
I highly recommend taking one of the guided tours that comes with your admission as the guides are excellent.
You’ll learn all about what life was like as a soldier at Charles Fort and about the battles fought here.
The views from the fort across the harbor to the town of Kinsale are marvelous as well.
This is one of those sites I recommend to all my travel clients traveling to this part of Ireland.
Tip: Do take the guided tour!!
Beltany Stone Circle • County Donegal
Oh my!
After getting a bit lost out in the hills of eastern County Donegal, I finally found my way (and the signs) for Beltany Stone Circle near the town of Raphoe.
One of my absolute favorite historical sites in Ireland, Beltany conjures up some fond memories.
This stone circle which dates back to somewhere between 2100-700 BC/BCE (yup, that’s a range!), has about 64 stones of varying sizes and heights.
It’s thought that this ancient site has something to do with the celebration of la Bealtaine — a day that is halfway between the Spring Equinox and the Summer Solstice.
And that there would be some sort of solar alignment on that day.
Now la Bealtaine is celebrated on May 1 which is close enough to that halfway day.
Anyway…
I fell in love with this stone circle.
I think because I was mostly there alone.
A man and his young son showed up for about 10 minutes during my time there.
But I relished in being at Beltany alone…and touching every single stone!
The walk is a short walk up a hill through the trees.
You make a left and walk out onto the open field on top of this hill.
Sheep are grazing around — so watch where you walk!
And there is this very large stone circle.
The views are fantastic to the rolling hills of this piece of County Donegal.
It’s peaceful, serene and tranquil.
Yet energizing.
I just love Beltany!
Tip: Do go toward the town of Raphoe to get to Beltany as there are then signs from the town. And do wear good shoes since you are out in the fields!
Glenveagh Castle • County Donegal
The newest of the historical sites in Ireland on my list, this stately castle sits within the boundaries of Glenveagh National Park.
The castle was built in the late 1800’s by Captain John George Adair — a native of County Laois and a member of the minor gentry.
He bought some land in the county, married a wealthy American woman by the name of Cornelia Wadsworth Ritchie and they set about building the castle and its gardens.
Captain Adair was not a good man, but fortunately his wife was.
So after he died, Cornelia took over, improving the gardens and the relationships with the townspeople.
Since they had no children, the estate was sold and bought by an American Harvard professor and his wife.
Then another American — Henry Plumer McIlhenny — bought the estate after the death of the professor and his wife.
It was McIhenny who left Glenveagh Castle and its beautiful gardens to the Irish nation in the 1970s so that Glenveagh National Park could be created.
McIlhenny continued to use the castle as a part-time residence until 1982.
The castle is a lovely tour.
It sits right on the shores of Lough Veagh with views to the mountains.
While my visit was a little early to see the gardens in full bloom, I could certainly get a sense of how gorgeous it would be in summer.
For lovers of castles and stately homes, Glenveagh Castle is a must.
Tip: Do make reservations for the castle tour in advance. And do allow time before or after to explore the superb Glenveagh National Park.
Céide Fields • County Mayo
The Céide Fields are a fascinating neolithic site in northern County Mayo.
What exactly are these ‘fields’?
First of all, let’s get this out of the way — Céide is pronounced kay-ja.
In Irish this spot is called Achaidh Chéide which means flat topped hill.
And that’s what the Céide Fields are — a flat topped hill — that also happens to sit above the Atlantic Ocean.
This neolithic site contains stone walled fields dating back roughly 6000 years.
This means that there was a farming community here 6000 years ago — so back in the Stone Age.
The implications of this suggest that organized farming — a group of people coming together, planting crops, raising livestock — dates back much further than many scholars originally thought.
From the artifacts found, these people used wooden ploughs with a stone edge pulled by cattle (there were no horses in Ireland back then) to cultivate the earth.
It’s pretty cool to think that people 6000 years ago were actually growing their own food in this organized, thought out way.
There’s a great story about the discovery of the site that you can read in this post.
I happen to love this site for a few reasons.
First of all because of its historical significance and implications.
Secondly I love the Céide Fields because — like the Hill of Tara — it’s a site where you need to use your imagination.
Thirdly, the visitor center is outstanding with loads of information on what life would have been like for the people.
And lastly, the views from the fields are stunning!
You’ll have amazing views to the northern Mayo coastline which is oh so beautiful.
Tip: Do take a guided tour that is included with your admission price. And be prepared for any kind of weather. I got lucky!
Dún Aengus • County Galway
My second historical site in Ireland was Dún Aengus or Dún Aonghasa.
This fort was built between 800BC/BCE and 400AD/CE on the island of Inis Mór, the largest of the Aran Islands.
The location of Dún Aengus is what makes this site so worthy.
It sits on a sea cliff about 100m up.
There are no barriers, so do be careful!
There are still some walls of the fort which was probably oval or D-shaped.
But it’s hard to tell for sure since parts of the cliff and fort have since fallen into the sea.
Outside the third ring of fortification walls lies a defensive system of stone slabs which were planted in an upright position in the ground.
They’re actually well-preserved.
You’ll also find a huge rectangular stone slab — which no one seems to know much about or what it might have been used for.
Dún Aengus is a large prehistoric site covering 6 hectares / 14 acres.
It’s a walk up to and out to the fort across uneven ground so do be prepared.
This awesome site is not for everyone.
Tip: Do visit the small museum and do dress accordingly with proper footwear. Also, do NOT venture too close to the edge.
Aughnanure Castle • County Galway
Home of the Fighting O’Flahertys, Aughnanure Castle is more of a tower and a few outlying buildings than a grand castle.
Located northwest of Galway City and just south of Oughterard and near the shores of Lough Corrib, this historical site in Ireland is still pretty impressive.
Aughnanure Castle was built in the mid 1500s.
The fierce O’Flahertys actually joined forces with the O’Malley clan of Mayo when the Pirate Queen (as she became known), Granuaile (or Grace) married Donal an Chogaidh O’Flaherty.
The tower is really cool as you can see the banquet hall and some other rooms.
I loved all the old archways, wooden doors and curved stairways.
While it’s not super impressive, I still find Aughnanure Castle to be a worthy site to visit.
Tip: Do wander about the grounds as there are some other buildings of interest.
Creevykeel • County Sligo
This historical site in Ireland is one that I think not many folks know about.
I actually read about Creevykeel and decided it was worth checking out.
But I actually passed by it twice as there was a small sign along the N15 that I didn’t see.
Creevykeel sits just off this main road, a wee bit hidden by some trees so it is easy to miss it and the sign.
This site dates back to 4000 to 2500BC and it’s known as a court tomb.
They did find 4 cremation burials here.
What I love is that I could walk around it all, touch the stones and sit under the henge.
That’s the wonderful thing about these smaller sites.
While there’s no guide to tell you all about it, you often can get up close and personal to the site and explore it at your leisure.
It also leaves a lot to the imagination and lets you be a part of the ancient history that is in all those stones.
Tip: Keep your eyes open for a small sign and fairly large parking area on the east side of the N15.
There are my 15 favorite historical sites in Ireland
Of course, there are so many more historical sites in Ireland that I have yet to explore.
I’m sure this list will grow.
There are more ruins of castles and abbeys.
More stone circles.
More burial and passage tombs.
Ireland is a fabulous country for history lovers.
What are some of your favorite historical sites in Ireland?
Drop them in the comments below.
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Hey Lynne, thank you for all the interesting information!
One more suggestion; when in Wicklow it is really worth visiting the “Meeting of the Waters” too. Regards, John
https://visitwicklow.ie/listing/meeting-of-the-waters-avoca-valley/
I’m hoping to spend more time in Wicklow on my next visit so I’ll bookmark your suggestion. I really want to walk some more of the Wicklow Way and see Glendalough again.