Tourist attractions in Ireland

A visit to Malahide Castle and Gardens is a great day out for the family as there is just so much to see and do. Take a guided tour around the Castle which was originally built in the 12th century and see its lavish interior. Be transported back in time and see the wonderful examples of craftsmanship. The ornamental gardens will inspire you with over 5,000 different species of plants. Look out for the classic walled garden and the Discovery Room.

Located in the beautiful Killarney National Park with its famous Lakes of Killarney and surrounded by mountains and woodland, Muckross House and Gardens couldn't be in a more perfect setting. Muckross house is a fine example of a 19th century Victorian mansion and visitors can get a taste of what life was like for both the Herbert family who lived there and their staff.

Newgrange is a passage tomb and ancient temple constructed in the Neolithic period (New Stone Age), around 3,200 B.C, or over 5,000 years ago. This dates the structure as being older than the Great Pyramids in Egypt and older than Stonehenge in England. It is a designated UNESCO World Heritage Site. Its inner chamber is illuminated by the rising sun at the winter solstice via a roof-box opening. This, together with the design and scale of the construction, suggests a well-organised society.

A must-see for the whiskey connoisseur or anyone interested in the process of whiskey distilling. This old distillery has been in operation for over 400 years. Guided tours are given.

Powerscourt House and Gardens is a magnificent place to visit. The house, built in 1741 is full of Palladian character and today houses several shops offering the best of Irish design in fashion, jewellery, furniture and giftware, as well as a food hall and terrace café. Powerscourt Gardens is a collection of gardens including an Italian garden and a Japanese garden. A lovely walking trail offers visitors the chance to stroll around the gardens, take in the fresh air and enjoy the natural beauty.

The Rock of Cashel was the traditional seat of the Kings of Munster for hundreds of year until the Norman invasion. Few remnants of the early structures survive, with the majority of buildings dating from the 12th and 13th centuries and these have some unique features.

Recently opened after major refurbishment, the Smock Alley Theatre has risen from the ashes and is again operating as a theatre and tour destination. It originally opened as a theatre in 1662 and was a Catholic Church from 1811 to 1989. It was later used as a Viking adventure centre and is now, finally a theatre again. Discover why, among the artifacts found during pre-restoration excavations, oyster shells were found among the clay tobacco pipes.

The Titanic Experience, a visually amazing building in its own right, and with its own facinating side story, wows visitors on many levels. It celebrates the construction, in Belfast, of the RMS Titanic. Multiple galleries tell various aspects of the story of the Titanic, from its conception in the early 1900s, to its construction, launch and ultimate tragic end.