What would be like to live in the 1800's in Dublin?…read more Take a walk through this house and you'll know and feel what it would have been like... (encourage the guided tour). The tour, began with a 15 minute video about the history of the house and the area, and then we toured through all 5 storeys of the house. The guide really made the tour come to life - she made us feel just what it must have been like to live there both as the lady of the house and as one of the servants. It was a pity we weren't allowed to take photographs - but you can always buy a souvenir from their little shop. A great place to go if you have an hour to kill in the city centre and don't want to be bombarded with crowds of people and noise. Great for couples, not really a place for children.

The very out of date introductory film we were shown upon entering the museum really set the tone…read morefor what was to follow - the picture quality and mode of storytelling wasn't of a museum standard. It was busy so you could barely hear what was being said on the film at times over the sound of people coming in - this should be in a more cordoned off area. The house has a tearoom, very average with teas, chocolate bars on offer - very old fashioned. Be prepared for walking up and down a lot of stairs. The house actually contains some wonderful artefacts on loan from the National Museum of Ireland, but the ESB should be ashamed of the tired and outdated presentation of the place. With the info panels and gaudy mannequins it looks like it was lifted out of a museum design circa 1995. For far superior presentations of Georgian Homes I would recommend visiting the North-side of the city - to the Georgian Quarter. I was in and out under half an hour, as there really wasn't satisfactory information on the actual occupants of the house through the centuries, rather a general overview of how Georgian houses were used (which doesn't really do it justice of being a genuinely Dublin Georgian home) and it would have be interesting to explore its current context, as it was once part of the 'Georgian Mile', a row of fine 18th century houses which were controversially destroyed by the ESB in the 1960s.

I've been able to visit lots of castles across Europe, but very few have been preserved in such a…read moreway that the interior decor and furniture remain and continue to tell the story of their inhabitants. It's extra cool to be able to see things just the way someone would have back so long ago. The rooms are staged with artifacts and replicas and they are pretty true to life. The ornate designs in the wood are original and each one tells a different story. Be sure to ask your tour guide about the term "being plastered" and where that originated. This is one castle you don't want to miss out on.

Wish I had more time to do more! We had a wonderful guide…read moreon the day trip! She was so knowledgeable and fun! What amazing history! SO glad the government kept this gem as it was in its hay day! Please always keep this protected! The gardens are outstanding! Kudos to the grounds keepers! The butterfly garden is a MUST see! I had a great time shopping in the deli and shoppes....I regret not having time for the cafe...the food smelled yummy!

It's really cool place to visit. The place is a Cistercian abbey on the River Boyne in Bective,…read moreCounty Meath, Ireland. The abbey was founded around 1147. Is in ruins but some areas are really well preserved. It is very quiet, the 5 times I've been there I think I've seen 10 people and That was too many haha! So it's very relaxing and inspiring. I always take my dog, so he can run all over the place. It is good that is very clean and well cared. It's great location for photographs.

Absolutely fantastic collection of Irish historical finds…read more The bogs of Ireland preserved things such as fish traps, textiles, lots of gold jewelry, and, most notably, some human beings. The acidic and anaerobic nature of the peat bog was so effective at preserving these bodies that we even knew what the men had been eating. And even more interesting - the methods that had been used to MURDER them so long ago. Because these men had not just randomly fallen into the bog, oh no; there are all sorts of things to learn including why the nipples were cut off! But I will refrain from going in to more detail. If you are interested, and are in Dublin, you MUST go there yourself. It is free so you have no excuse not to. Well, unless you are not interested in things such as I described here. Whatever. Note: there is not a cafe in the museum, and no storage lockers for your bag. Also, I thought the gift shop was pretty boring as it had very few things that were relevant to the museum displays. Which is disappointing as the museum artifacts themselves are very local and specific to Ireland and are extremely interesting.

Wonderful museum. It is in the smaller side and a bit dark but it feels cozy somehow…read more The exhibitions tell a story of the history of Ireland. I wanted to visit to view the big bodies and I was not disappointed. They also had hordes of gold in display which were surrounded by beautiful jewelry. The museum is free.

The former "ducal palace" of the Duke of Leinster, many more buildings have been added since he…read morefirst swanned around the grounds in 1747. Today, the complex is the seat of the two Houses of the Oireachtas, Dáil Éireann (the House of Representatives) and Seanad Éireann (the Senate). This is where decisions are made, the country's future is shaped, where expense reports are padded. "Being carried from the airport to the city by eight comely maidens bearing a velvet armchair? That seems pretty standard, John." You can take the Leinster House tour and see what goes on behind closed doors and if House is in session, you can even get to sit in the Public Gallery and watch. To do it, contact your local TD, I'd say they'll be only delighted.

Free tour offered here everyone should take who has any interest in Irish history- and there's an…read morearchitectural component to the 30 minute tour as well. Tours are offered several times a day (10:30- 3:30, I believe)- and while you can contact your representative if you live in Ireland, you could also book using this email: Event_Desk@oireachtas.ie if you live in the US or anywhere else that is not Ireland. They will get back to you right away, and then you'll have your wonderful tour led by a marvelous docent. I'd read the Wiki article on Leinster House, and then follow the links in the article to the info about the Dukes of Leinster and the Oireachtas- the Irish Parliament (since 1922 Leinster House is home to Parliament). Really, this is not to be missed.

The Hill of Tara has been important since the late Stone Age, when a passage tomb was built there…read more However, the site became truly significant in the Iron Age (600 BC to 400 AD) and into the Early Christian Period when it rose to supreme prominence - as the seat of the high kings of Ireland. All old Irish roads lead to this critical site. St Patrick himself went there in the fifth century. As Christianity achieved dominance over the following centuries, Tara's importance became symbolic. Its halls and palaces have now disappeared and only earthworks remain. On sight to see is the Lia Fáil - the great coronation stone. Gayle and I came here on a bus tour and spent maybe an hour or so on site. Our tour guide (Mary Gibbons) was superb, with lots of information and dry humor provided. Judging by the Irish Goddess calendar made and sold here, this area remains a place of spiritual opportunity.

We visited Hill of Tara with Mary Gibbons tour and it was spectacular on a clear day. Views for…read moremiles. Amazing history. A just a very powerful experience overall. Highly recommend.

Trim Castle is the oldest and most well preserved Norman-Anglo castle in Ireland. Built in 1172 by…read moreHugh de Lacy. The tour was given by Jimmy who was very captivating and he described the history of the buildings. There were models inside of the changes that took place in the castle. We followed thru very narrow circular stairs that take you to the top. We saw spectacular views of the buildings and the countryside. This was where they did filming of the 1995 movie Braveheart. Which was about Scotland but filmed in Ireland.

Trim Castle, located in County Meath, Ireland, is Ireland's largest and best-preserved Anglo-Norman…read morecastle. It was constructed over a 30-year period starting in 1172 by Hugh de Lacy. Trim Castle was strategically built to guard the inland passage from Dublin to the northwest. Also....Trim Castle served as a prominent filming location for the 1995 film "Braveheart," directed by and starring Mel Gibson.

Really amazing historic building and museum. Our guide did a great job telling and showing us about…read morethe place. I would have liked to be in a smaller group, but given how many people want to see it, it was understandable. The museum is fascinating as well, and there is a temporary exhibit through the end of October 2026 of photographs taken by a prisoner who had smuggled a couple cameras in...as well as somehow setting a darkroom to develop the film. The cafe is nice; reasonably priced with a good selection of sandwiches, hand pies, baked goods, etc. Gift shop packed with a lot of stuff, but much of it standard Irish Tourist things, and not a lot of things directly relating to this place. Although maybe there's not a lot of gaol-specific merch available, I guess. As mentioned by many other commenters, unless you purchased your tickets weeks in advance, it's a bit of a challenge to try to catch some online when the extras are released for the day.

A must see in Dublin!…read more I didn't realize you had to book tickets so far in advance. We were lucky enough to be able to get some of the same day tickets they release at 9:15. The same day release was a bit hard to navigate on an iPhone but we did it fine. Our tour guide was super friendly and knowledgeable. We enjoyed the tour and it was a great way to also escape the rain. Learned lots about the history of this place during the tour and at the museum!