The National Gallery of Ireland was founded by an Act of Parliament in 1854 and opened to the public in 1864. In addition to the national collection of Irish art, the Gallery houses the national collection of European Old Master paintings.
A monastery was founded here by St. Brendan “The Navigator” in the 6th century. There are three medieval churches, an ogham stone and a number of early Christian and medieval grave slabs on the site today.
One of Ireland's quintessential attractions, a visit to Blarney Castle and kissing the Blarney Stone is high on most people's list of things to do in Ireland.
The ancestral home of Daniel O'Connell, Derrynane House is a public museum commemorating one of Ireland's leading historical figures and arguably the greatest ever Irishman, known by the nation as the Great Liberator.
Built as a custom house by the Earl of Desmond c. AD 1500, Desmond Castle has a colourful history, ranging from Spanish occupation in 1601 to use as a prison for captured American sailors during the American War of Independence.
One of Ireland's finest examples of Regency architecture, Fota House commands graceful gardens and a world-renowned arboretum on Fota Island just 12km from Cork City.
Located in the sheltered harbour of Glengarriff in Bantry Bay, Ilnacullin is a small island of 15 hectares (37 acres) known to horticulturists and lovers of trees and shrubs all around the world as an island garden of rare beauty.
The Blasket Centre in Dun Chaoin, on the tip of the Dingle Peninsula, celebrates the story of the Blasket Islanders, the unique literary achievements of the island writers and their native language, culture and tradition.
Ireland's first Marine Nature Reserve and unique sea-water lake, Lough Hyne is one of the most beautiful spots in West Cork and offers diving and water sports opportunities.
A sparsely populated peninsula of outstanding rugged beauty, Mizen is Ireland's most southerly point and at its lonely ocean swept head stands the Mizen Head Signal Station and Visitor Centre.
The Muckross Estate forms the core of the fabulous Killarney National Park and at the heart of this is Muckross House, a fabulous Victorian country mansion set amid the wonderful scenery of Killarney's lakes.
Home to the world-renowned brands of Irish Whiskey; Jameson, Paddy and Powers, the Old Midleton Distillery presents historic Whiskey Tours, through production of Irish Whiskey.
A multimedia interpretive centre, the Skibbereen Heritage Centre houses the Great Famine Commemoration Exhibition outlining one of the most tragic periods of Irish History in a part of Ireland that was one of the worst effected.
The most westerly peninsula in Europe and one of Ireland's most atmospheric places, the Dingle Peninsula boasts beautiful scenery, rugged charm and a true sense of timelessness.
Once described as ?the saddest place in Ireland', the Port of Cobh was the embarkation point for the millions that left the country throughout the 19th Century. Today the compelling Queenstown Story exhibition in the town, tells their sad tale.
Half in Kerry and half in Cork, the Ring of Beara - the Beara Peninsula is Ireland in a nutshell, with a landscape that is beautiful, magical and full of rugged charm.
One the most famous and popular road circuits for tourists in the South West of Ireland, the Ring of Kerry, traverses the coastline of the Inveragh Peninsula, with a great many tourist sites along the way.
The Burren in County Clare is a famous outcrop of limestone on the West coast of Ireland where, for millions of years, rain and rivers have intricately carved holes and caves.
One of Ireland's premier attractions, Bunratty Castle and Folk Park traces back through Ireland's history from life in a 19th Century Irish Village to medieval banquets in a stunning 14th Century Castle.
Situated in the countryside of County Clare, Craggaunowen offers a taste of Celtic life, with a reproduction of a Bronze Age village, set beside the 16th Century Craggaunowen Castle.
West Limerick preserves many of Ireland's surviving spacious medieval halls. The Desmond Banqueting Hall is an imposing two-storey structure and was used by the Earls of Desmond for banquets and entertainment.
An area of approximately 400 hectares (1000 acres), Dromore was established as a nature reserve because of the diversity and richness of its flora and fauna.
Striking an imposing figure along the banks of the River Shannon and dominating the town of Limerick, this 12th Century castle was built by King John of England and stands as a testament to 800 years of history.
A magnificent 15th Century castle, Knappogue is situated in the tranquil heart of the County Clare countryside, and offers a more refined medieval experience with fabulous grounds and walled gardens.
This Information Centre on the mainland interprets the island on which a monastery is sited. The monastery, consisting of a round tower and several churches, was founded by St. Senan in the early part of the 6th century.
The Burren, situated in north-west County Clare, covers over 300 square kilometres and is of extreme importance to geologists, botanists and archaeologists from Ireland and beyond.
One of Ireland's premier museums and one of the finest private collections of art and antiquities in the world, the Hunt Museum is the pride of Limerick with objects from Celtic works, to works of masters like da Vinci, Renoir and Yeats and fabulous artefacts from the ancient world.
Bru na Boinne Visitor Centre, open in 1997, is designed to present the archaeological heritage of the Boyne Valley, which includes the megalithic passage tombs of Newgrange and Knowth.
The monastic site of Clonmacnoise in County Offaly borders three provinces: Leinster, Connacht and Ulster. Founded over 1500 years ago, it is situated close to both Athlone town in County Roscommon and Ballinalsoe in County Galway.
Glendalough, situated in picturesque County Wicklow, was made famous by Saint Kevin who came to the area in the 6th century. He was looking for a place of solitude and having found it, remained and lived a rather hermitic life.
Though best known as the seat of the High Kings of Ireland, the Hill of Tara has been an important site since the late Stone Age when a passage-tomb was constructed there.
This is an arboretum particularly famous for its conifers and calcifuges, planted during the 19th century by Thomas Acton in conjunction with David Moore and his son, Sir Frederick Moore, curators of the National Botanic Gardens in Glasnevin.
Situated eight kilometres east of the village of Slane, the Passage Grave of Newgrange is regarded by some as one of the greatest wonders of the ancient world.
Trim Castle is the largest Anglo-Norman castle in Ireland. Hugh de Lacy began construction of the castle in about 1172 but the central tower - the keep - was not completed until the 1220s.
The Book of Kells, which is on display in Trinity College, was written around the year 800 AD and is one of the most beautifully illustrated manuscripts in the world.
Originally built in the 13th century on a site previously settled by the Vikings, Dublin Castle functioned as a military fortress, a prison, treasury, courts of law and the seat of the English Administration in Ireland for 700 years.
One of the largest unoccupied gaols in Europe, covering some of the most heroic and tragic events in Ireland's emergence as a modern nation from 1780s to the 1920s.
The National Concert Hall is Ireland's most prestigious music venue. The magnificent building was designed in the classical style for the Great Exhibition of 1865.
