TOP ATTRACTIONS
Irish weather has a habit of changing many times in the course of a single day… sometimes a
single hour. We all know that it is partial to dropping a few splashes on visitors, so here’s a list
that combines the indoor with the outdoor, which means you get to decide where you go when
you can drag yourself away from Ireland’s magical golf courses.
There are over 300 major indoor attractions to choose from, across the length and breadth of the country… not
counting the ever-popular activities such as shopping and the 17,000 public houses, many of which are centres
for the ‘performance arts’ in themselves. Outdoor attractions are too many to count, but we’ve tried our best.
CLIFFS OF MOHER: Ireland’s
second most popular pure
visitor attraction produced a
top 20 finish in the New Seven
Wonders of Nature awards
in 2011. Arrive before 11am
to avoid the crowds, which
can see 147 coaches trundle
through in any day, and up to
45 at a time. The visitor centre
is handy on a wet day but the site stretches for miles so be sure to
explore as far as you can and, no matter how crowded it gets, you
can always find somewhere quiet to contemplate these beautiful
cliffs which rise up to 700 feet.
DUBLIN ZOO: Strategically
located in the Phoenix Park,
the zoo is an old family
favourite. Sundays are
busy… and have been since
the zoo opened in 1831.
EPIC IRELAND: The
centre celebrates Ireland’s
contribution to world
culture through its
emigrants, in 22 multimedia
galleries. It is due to open
in May, near the Custom
House on Dublin’s quays.
GIANT’S CAUSEWAY:
Famed far and wide, these
hexagonal rock formations in
north Antrim, alongside the
nearby Carrick-a-Rede Rope
Bridge and Bushmills Centre,
make a great day excursion.
Check out the nearby centre,
which, pandering to local
Presbyterian sensibilities, has
a creationist interpretative panel.
GUINNESS STOREHOUSE:
Named Europe’s leading
visitor attraction at the World
Tourism Awards in Sardinia,
2015, the Storehouse at
Dublin’s St James’s Gate is,
not surprisingly, Ireland’s
most visited attraction by
some distance. It is also the
third most visited brand
attraction in the world. The architecture is impressive, guiding
visitors around a giant pint to a viewing area and sample bar at
the top, where visitors can look out over the city.
KILMAINHAM JAIL: For the
1916 centenary this is where
you can discover the heart of
the rebellion against colonial
rule… as well as its five
predecessors.
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KILDARE VILLAGE: In
essence, this is a shopping
centre but, with 2.3m
visitors, Kildare Village ranks
as Ireland’s most visited
destination. It has expanded
from 60 retail outlets to
96, with two restaurants,
400 new parking spaces
and a pedestrian link to the
adjacent Tesco. It also has a smart tourist information centre.
Pop up attractions change by the season, in a bid to turn the
village into a more ‘enhanced retail’ tourist experience.
KYLEMORE ABBEY: This park
and magnificent faux-castle
are rather popular with the
French. The banner from the
Battle of Ramillies hangs in
the front hall.