Michael B.

A beautiful cemetery, with so much history. You absolutely must come here. I was very happy and would come again.

Brent L.

Cemeteries may seem like a macabre place to tour, but there is often so much history to discover, not to mention the ornate architecture involved in the memorials dedicated to those who have passed. This is the largest cemetery in all of Dublin and I was awestruck by the ornate memorials held within. I just LOVED being able to view all of these old and ornate headstones and memorials. Pictures, nor words can possibly do it justice. The "General History Tour" or the "Dead Interesting Tour" are both €13.50 per adult (read details about the tours on their website). You can climb to the top of the O'Connel Tower for an additional €9.20 per adult. But WAIT! That's not all folks! If you have the Dublin City Pass, you can choose one of the two tours for FREE and then add the climb to the top of the O'Connel Tower for a discounted price of €7. There are quite a few of the executed rebels from the 1916 Easter Rebellion buried here, so the place is packed full of history for you history buffs. Unfortunately, we arrived after the last guided tour, so we were relegated to checking out their audio devices (for free with the Dublin City Pass) which kind of guided us around the cemetery and would tell us a little history about the person in each gravesite. We tried doing this for a little while, but the place is so huge, and not marked very well, and the maps aren't very useful either. We found a couple of the spots and listened to anecdotes, but we both agreed that it would have been much better if we had gotten there in time for their guided tour. So, we ended up putting the headsets away, and just wandered around enjoying the beautiful architecture. There's also a museum at the entrance that gives a bit of history, also a cafe located next door. The young people running the museum and entrance area were very polite, helpful, and courteous. They were able to give us advice on what to do and where to do. They were very patient, and I truly appreciate that. In summary, if you just want to walk around and explore on your own, it's fun. But if you're craving more history about the cemetery and the people resting here, get there on time for a guided tour. I think it is more than worth it!

Jared M.

We visited this as part of the Rick Steves Heart of Ireland tour - learned a lot about key figures that were buried here (in fact more buried here 1.5m than the living population of 1.4m). If you can get a drive over or have it as part of a group packaged then please go!

Dan R.

I didn't know much anything about Irish history, but after some lessons from our tour guide, I soon learned the names of Michael Collins and Daniel O'Connell. Both of them are buried here at Glasnevin. It's a beautiful Victorian Garden style cemetery that covers 124 acres. Our tour was conducted by an engaging young lady by the name of Katie and she was such a pleasure to be around. She wove the history of Ireland, Dublin, the freedom movement, the social and political forces of the region, and the life stories of Irish patriots into a fascinating presentation. Combine all of that with the physical beauty of the grounds and you have one impressive visit. By the way, legend has it that if you touch Daniel O'Connell's coffin (which you can through holes in the tomb), you will receive good luck. Just saying....

Minnie N.

Niall was our guide when we took the tour on a cloudy and occasionally rainy day in July. It was a fun and fantastic tour. We followed him around as he told us interesting and fascinating anecdotes about some of the different residents of Glasnevin. The tour was maybe an hour long, more or less. I didn't keep track of time because it was so interesting. The cemetery grounds itself was really well kept and organized well. The cemetery also has a cafe and museum. There's quite a bit of interesting displays in the museum and a must-see if you're going to be there anyway. I also paid the extra €5 to climb the 198 steps up O'Connell's tower. There are four windows up there where you can get some excellent views of the area. It was well worth it even on an overcast day. Glasnevin should be a stop on your tour of Dublin landmarks. You don't have to do a guided tour but the guides know all the stories and really make the visit worthwhile.

Alex M.

So glad I booked this tour! We had watched 1 Million Dubliners- a truly fascinating documentary about the cemetery. After watching that, I knew we had to visit here ourselves. Our tour was at 11:30- so we took a cab to the botanic gardens next door at 9am (when they open) and spent some time there until our tour. There's a way into the cemetery through the gardens- or you can be dropped off at the reception area. You've got a bit of a walk (about 1/4 mile) if you come in through the botanic garden gate- near the botanic garden reception. We had an historical tour- visiting the graves of the 1916 dead, Daniel O'Connell, Michael Collins, and the "forgotten dead"- patriots who were reburied in Glasnevin after having been buried at Mountjoy prison. O'Donovan Rossa lies here, and Eamon de Valera- with his family. We saw many other people too- I wish I could remember all of them- they've all got such interesting stories. I love that they bring teens here for the tour, and then ask them to return and give one of the tour stops- so they learn their history AND they learn to speak in front of others. It's a very moving tour, but history is often sad- on the way to becoming better. So take the tour, and understand the sadness that is passed, and thank these men and women under the soil for laying the groundwork of the Ireland we see today. Should you wish to take the tour in the Irish language, get a group of 10 friends together (or more) and book in advance. There are also tours catering to special interests- medical, literary, scientific, etc- inquire at Glasnevin and I'm sure they'll help you. There's a lovely little cafe, free wifi! and a gift shop- to make your stay perfect. Perhaps you can tell I'm a big fan of this place. Honestly, I'd like to be buried here.

Vanessa A.

Wonderfully picturesque is not something you usually hear when discussing a cemetery. But Glasnevin, much like Buenos Aires' Recoletta Cemetery, is a beautiful example of statuary, history and prose. I would definitely suggest hiring a tour guide to give you some interesting background, point out the most historically relevant graves, as well as point you in the direction of some other beautiful examples. Still in use to this day, don't be surprised if your meanderings are interrupted by an actual burial. Be respectful!

Jamie W.

If you are planning a visit to Dublin, Ireland. It is paramount that you visit Glasnevin Cemetery before leaving the City. I highly recommended arriving early in the day and immediately purchase your tickets for the tour in the Visitors Center. These Tickets give you access to the Museum Exhibits in the visitors center. The visitors center staff are so very professional and helpful. They also have experts on standby if you are doing genealogy research. You can purchase gifts in the Visitor's Center and also enjoy refreshments at the Cafe. I had planned for many years to visit the Museum and take the tour of Glasnevin. I had actually seen the tour featured in an amazing documentary called One Million Dubliners. The documentary discussed the day to day operations of Glasnevin and featured the tours. I watched it on DVD that was sent to me from a family friend back in Dublin, Ireland. After watching A Million Dubliners I could not wait to visit the Visitors Center and take the tour. I have being to Glasnevin Cemetery so many times in my life due to a lot of own family being there. Well my journey to Ireland this past March was a powerful one due to my Family bringing my Dad's Ashes back to Ireland to buried at Glasnevin. The Glasnevin Trust were absolutely amazing and so professional in taking care of our family. I personally took the tour of Glasnevin the day before my Dad's ashes were buried at our family plot. I arrived to the Glasnevin Visitors Center early in the afternoon and immediately purchased my ticket for the tour. I was informed by the staff that my ticket covered me to visit the Museum Exhibits that are located upstairs and in the basement of the building. Once I purchased my tickets I went to the Cafe. The Cafe was absolutely amazing. I purchased a Cappuccino and a slice of cake. Also they offer free WiFi Internet Access. I ended up touring the exhibits and I was so impressed with the attention to detail. When it was time for my tour I immediately went to the desk and met other visitors that were taking the tour. Our tour guide arrived on time and his name was Aerial O'Connell. He was so professional and passionate about his job. You could tell he really loved history and taking care of the visitors. We set out on our tour and even got to hear a Reenact-or that portrayed Jeremiah O'Donovan whom was a key participant in Ireland's fight for Independence. We toured quite a lot of graves of people who contributed to the foundation of Ireland and got to hear about the history of Glasnevin. It would go with out saying that the tour ended at the Grave Of Michael Collins. I was so on top of the world after taking the tour due to waiting many years to take it. I ended my day by purchasing an other cappuccino at the cafe. Lastly I ended back up at Glasnevin Cemetery to bury my Dad's ashes. One of the staff members immediately recognized me from the day before and gave me a huge hello. The Staff at Glasnevin are incredible and so professional . I highly recommended taking the time to visit Glasnevin and take the tour of this amazing cemetery. Glasnevin Cemetery rates ten stars and more ! I definitely will be returning to Glasnevin upon my next visit to Ireland.

Mary S.

Number one reason you should check this place out, People are dying to get in since 1832....baah bump bump drum roll please. Ok but seriously this is one of the most interesting cemeteries I have visited. The museum and tours do a wonderful job portraying Dublins History and all of the impacting people who led a fascinating life. Dublin has dedicated a ton of time and money in preserving these sacred grounds. And now that I look back on my visit I am probably a total asshole for smoking a cigar here. Great place to take photos of beautiful ornate celtic tombstones and statues. they do have and adorable cafe serving up breakfast and lunch. And whats cool about this cemetery is they offer online genealogy for conducting any family tree or historical research! Must see while visiting the Dublin Land

Eamonn J.

Look after Phil and I'll look after you all my Heroes are dare. May They Rest In Peace I Remember Going Up With Paul White Thanks For The Fantastic Memories.

Caroline R.

This graveyard is a hidden gem and deservedly part of the most interesting lesser known sights of Dublin, not only because are there more Dubliners buried here than are currently living in the city. Some of those who found their final resting place in Glasnevin are amongst the most important historical figures of Ireland - "The Liberator" Daniel O'Connell (who incidentally founded the cemetery), Parnell, de Valera and Michael Collins. While visiting graveyards may be seen as a very morbid way to spend a vacation, Glasnevin is a special place - not only was the foundation of this non-Anglican cemetery an important part of the fight for Catholic emancipation, "The Liberator" himself is even buried here. A massive (though fake) round tower marks Daniel O'Connell's grave. Nearby a simple (but huge) boulder highlights Charles Stewart Parnell's last resting place. Originally this was a mass grave for paupers ... the poor are all but forgotten today. Glasnevin Cemetery is the final resting place for over 1.1 million people. I had to go back several times to see the majority of the plots I wanted to see: Roger Casement, Michael Collins, John DeVoy, Luke Kelly, Countess Markievicz; just to mention a few. It is a peaceful and beautiful place, you won't regret it. It inspired me to visit Milltown Cemetery in Belfast.

Karen C.

After living in Dublin for 8 months, we decided to be "tourists". We got up early on brisk Saturday morning and trekked out to Glasnevin Cemetery (actually only about a 45 min walk from city centre). What a wonderful experience! Our guide, Niall, was enthusiastic and incredibly engaging, even sharing some of his own family history in the mix of the rich history of Glasnevin and, being ultimately intertwined, Ireland. I can't recommend this tour enough for anyone who hasn't done it. Centuries of history over 100+ acres involving some of the most important figures in Ireland on a 90-minute tour for €12... well worth it.

Catarina L.

Where would you go on Valentine's Day? Nothing says romantic like a cemetery, right? We thought so, and went along one of the guided tours on that cold February morning. First of all, Glasnevin will impress you by its sheer size. Stretching for acres of land filled with graves, it's now the place of rest for roughly the same number of people as there are people living in Dublin. Headstones old and new make it an eerily beautiful place, especially if you are one to appreciate typography or architecture. Closer to the visitor's centre and museum, you'll find the most famous buildings, where of course are buried some of the most famous people in Irish history. We started the tour just outside the museum, our guide was witty without being disrespectful. We followed him around on what was truly a walk through Dublin's and Ireland's recent past, sometimes sad but punctuated by humour and even love stories. It was Valentine's Day after all, as you could attest by Michael Collin's grave covered in flowers, postcards and heart-shaped red balloons. It's a bit unusual, but I'd put this up as one of the best places to visit in this city, it's an equally powerful, entertaining and informative experience. On a related note, make sure to watch the "One Million Dubliners" documentary, you can even buy it at the souvenir shop. Tip: At the time, it was slightly cheaper to buy the tickets online beforehand. So check that!