The Atlas Obscura Guide To Ireland

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

Updated November 6, 2024

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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.

The vaults

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.

Skellig Michael.

Kerry, Ireland

Skellig Michael

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

Dunmore Cave

Kilkenny, Ireland

Dunmore Cave

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

An aerial view of the Sky Garden's crater and central altar

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.

The ferryman statue

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.

Dublin, Ireland

National Leprechaun Museum

A museum that cashes in on its infamous little people while teaching you a thing or two about the Irish fey.

See All 197 Things To Do in Ireland

Cool Places to Eat & Drink in Ireland

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.

Entrance to the Cork Butter Museum

Cork, Ireland

The Butter Museum

This Irish museum in a historic 19th century market pays tribute to the glory of butter.

Dublin, Ireland

Ancient Bog Butter

The block of aged dairy is probably still edible after 2,300 years in a peat bog.

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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Ruins 34

Architecture 22

Sacred Spaces 20

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History 16

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Stories About Ireland

The Cù Sith, an otherworldly hound of Scottish folklore, and its Irish counterpart the Cù Sidhe are sometimes described as green, the color associated with magic—and misfortune.

Death as a Dog: The Cù Sith of Scotland

The spectral, terrifying dog of Scottish folklore has inspired many a nightmare for centuries—and likely for millennia.

by Emma Cieslik

October 9, 2024

Rabbits Are Creatures of the Underworld According to Ancient Fears

From Ancient Egypt to 'Donnie Darko', beware the bunny.

by Charis McGowan

Is This the World's Oldest Eclipse Art?

There's something shady about the idea that an ancient rock carving on a Neolithic tomb in Ireland depicts the Moon blotting out the Sun.

Imbolc, Groundhog Day, and Brigantia All Celebrate the Coming Spring

Whatever you call it, early February's cross-quarter day reconnects us with ancient astronomical timekeeping traditions.

by Rebecca Boyle

January 30, 2024

Michael Cleary claimed the human Bridget had been abducted when walking through a nearby "fairy fort," like this one in County Roscommon.

Podcast: The "Changeling" Murder of Bridget Cleary

In March 1895, a husband murdered his wife after accusing her of being replaced by an evil fairy.

by The Podcast Team

September 12, 2023

Wild bluebells, native to the area, are thriving once more on Eoghan Daltun's land on Ireland's Beara Peninsula.

Rewilding His Corner of Ireland's Beara Peninsula Is One Man's Labor of Love

Eoghan Daltun has spent 14 years creating a showcase of native biodiversity.

by Rory Carroll

August 21, 2023

Bonfires and revelry dominate modern Beltane celebrations, but the origins of the event are more mundane.

Beltane Is About More Than Fire and Fertility

The ancient “Celtic” start of summer is rooted in animal husbandry—and it’s not on May 1.

by Gemma Tarlach

Built sometime around the sixth or seventh century, this ring fort is tucked between hills and farms in a remote corner of northwestern 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

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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