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The Atlas Obscura Guide To Ireland

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

Updated February 2, 2023

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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.

Kerry, Ireland

Skellig Michael

Perfectly preserved ancient monastery in an impossibly dramatic location on a rocky island in the Atlantic.

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.

Kilkenny, Ireland

Dunmore Cave

This Irish show cave is said to have been the site of a Viking massacre that claimed 1,000 lives.

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.

Sligo, Ireland

The Glen

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

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.

Galway, Ireland

Brigit's Celtic Garden

The world of the ancient Celtic civilization explained through a bewitching 11 acre garden.

See All 175 Things To Do in Ireland

Cool Places to Eat & Drink in Ireland

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

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Guided Tours of Ireland

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Sacred Spaces 19

History & Culture 13

Unique Restaurants & Bars 3

Ireland Leaderboard

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Recent Ireland Activity

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wants to go to Kilcoe Castle
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Stories About 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 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

How Ireland Embraced Seaweed Pudding

Irish moss has a long culinary history.

by Chris Baraniuk

September 28, 2022

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

Puzzle Monday: Deciphering Ireland's Ancient Standing Stones

Podcast: St. Brigid’s Well

Join us for a daily celebration of the world’s most wondrous, unexpected, even strange places.

by The Podcast Team

Meet the Death Metal Baron Giving His Irish Estate Back to Nature

The carnivore-turned-vegan lord has rewilded hundreds of acres, boosting biodiversity—and drawing criticism.

by Rory Carroll

August 23, 2021

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

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