Explore the island’s rich heritage
Ireland’s past lives on in its castles, heritage houses and historic towns — places where visitors can walk through stories shaped over centuries.
Begin in Ireland’s Ancient East, where the Rock of Cashel in County Tipperary rises dramatically above rolling fields. Once home to Munster’s high kings, its dramatic ruins crown a limestone outcrop, offering sweeping views and centuries of legend. County Wexford’s Irish National Heritage Park traces 9,000 years of settlement through reconstructed ringforts, Viking houses and early Christian sites, offering an immersive journey through Ireland’s beginnings. In Dublin, Dublin Castle stands at the heart of the city’s story, its courtyards, gardens and State Apartments reflecting centuries of change.
In Ireland’s Hidden Heartlands, Birr Castle Demesne in County Offaly blends history, science and architecture across vast grounds. Tour elegant interiors, explore inventive galleries, and behold the Great Telescope, once the world’s largest and still an extraordinary sight. To the west, Boyle Abbey in County Roscommon reveals rib-vaulted aisles, carved stone figures, and the remarkable scale of Cistercian life. In the heritage town of Athlone, County Westmeath, explore lively medieval streets and Athlone Castle; interactive exhibits tell stories of soldiers, sieges and life by the River Shannon.
On the Wild Atlantic Way are landscapes shaped by wind, sea and ancient settlement. On Inis Mór, the village of Kilmurvey leads to Dún Aonghasa, a prehistoric stone fort perched above the Atlantic, offering one of Ireland’s most stirring archaeological experiences. In County Mayo, Westport House offers elegant rooms and curated displays, where guided tours highlight the Browne family heritage and its ties to the famed Pirate Queen, Grace O’Malley. In Cork Harbor, Spike Island visits include its ramparts and former prison blocks, where guided tales reveal its past as a monastic site, military fort and notorious jail. To the south, the harbor town of Kinsale is home to Desmond Castle, a 16th-century tower house whose exhibitions shed light on the town’s trade links and maritime heritage.
Across Northern Ireland, castles and heritage towns teem with stories shaped by landscape, craft and tradition. In Belfast, Belfast Castle overlooks the city from Cave Hill, its grand interiors, panoramic walking routes and formal gardens offering a memorable blend of history and scenery. South of the city, Castle Ward is a striking 18th-century mansion where contrasting architectural styles reflect the tastes of its former owners — and fans may recognize elements of its estate from the Game of Thrones®. Near the mouth of Strangford Lough, the village of Strangford charms with its Georgian houses and maritime echoes, while along the north coast, Downhill Demesne and Mussenden Temple offer dramatic cliffside heritage, framed by sweeping views of the Atlantic.
Which part of Ireland’s history will you discover first?
