10 Things to Add to Your Ireland Bucket List
In so many ways, Ireland is a dream.
The rich green grasses blanketing the rolling hills.
The mysterious, crumbling ruins of castles and abbeys and walls.
The soaring coastal cliffs towering over crashing waves.
The brightly colored towns with charming streets and cozy pubs.
And, of course, so much more.
There are countless ways to experience all Ireland has to offer, but here are 10 things to be sure to add to your Ireland bucket list.
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1. Walk the spectacular Cliffs of Moher
No Ireland bucket list would be complete without a visit to the country’s best-known tourist attraction: the Cliffs of Moher.
These spectacular cliffs tower over the Atlantic Ocean for miles along Ireland’s western coast, attracting thousands of visitors each day. And rightly so — the Cliffs of Moher are one of the very best things to see in Ireland.
However, the crowds at the Cliffs of Moher can be genuinely overwhelming, detracting from the experience of viewing these natural wonders.
So, what’s the solution?
In my opinion: it’s to walk the Cliffs of Moher Coastal Walk, which will take you away from the crowds around the visitors’ center and out to more sparsely populated sections of the cliffs. In fact, if you take the Coastal Walk far enough, you may get away from seeing any other tourists at all (I did!)
READ MORE | A Complete Guide to the Cliffs of Moher Coastal Walk
2. Experience the vibrancy of Ireland’s most colorful town
By and large, Ireland is a country of small towns. While there are some notable cities, including Dublin and Cork, Ireland is predominantly dotted with charming little towns and villages.
Many of these towns are full of bright, inviting colors, but perhaps none more so than the tiny town of Kinsale.
Located on the southern coast of Ireland, in County Cork, Kinsale is best known for its vibrantly painted buildings. To find many of these buildings in one area, head to the small pedestrian street around the Milk Market Cafe.
3. Explore the atmospheric ruins of Hore Abbey and the Rock of Cashel
Ireland is full of intriguing ruins, but two of my favorite sites, the Rock of Cashel and Hore Abbey, are right beside each other.
The Rock of Cashel is a hill containing a wonderful collection of medieval ruins, including a cathedral, chapel, other buildings, and a graveyard. Just beside the base of the Rock of Cashel is Hore Abbey, a ruined monastery dating back to the 13th century.
Many, many tourists visit the Rock of Cashel — and rightly so — but few make their way down the hill to Hore Abbey. Don’t make that mistake; I myself preferred Hore Abbey for its quiet, atmospheric setting free of other people. In fact, my dad, brother, and I were the only tourists at Hore Abbey during our visit!
READ MORE | What to Know About Visiting the Rock of Cashel and Hore Abbey
4. Experience golf at its best
If you’re a dedicated golfer, you probably already know: Ireland is one of the best places in the world to play golf.
No, golf didn’t begin there (that’s Scotland) but Ireland is famous for its exceptional array of world-class golf courses. These links courses are designed around the natural elements, often skirting dramatic coastlines and incorporating large, grassy dunes.
My dad and brother have dreamed of golfing many of Ireland’s top courses for many years (partly fueled by their enjoyment of an excellent golf book, A Course Called Ireland). And, for my dad’s 60th birthday, my family decided to make his dream come true, gifting him a once-in-a-lifetime trip to spend a week golfing in Ireland with my brother.
I am no dedicated golfer (though I do enjoy stumbling my way through a few rounds each year), but I tagged along on my dad and brother’s trip, using it as the starting point for the European leg of my year of full-time travel.
And…I even joined in for a round! I opted to play at Enniscrone, since (1) it was the least expensive course they played (lol), and (2) there was little else for me to do in the area while they golfed (lol). Little did I know that I joined in at one of the very hardest courses they played (lol).
No, I did not play well (to say the VERY least). But it was absolutely beautiful!
5. Admire a 400ish-year-old yew tree
Ireland’s first national park, Killarney National Park, is full of interesting sights — including scenic overlooks, a waterfall, and castle ruins perched on the edge of a lake — but be sure not to miss the beautiful Muckross Abbey.
Muckross Abbey is a notable ruined monastery dating back to the 14th or 15th century. It’s well worth a visit to see its twisting stairs, dark and mysterious corners, and active graveyard, which is the final resting place for both ancient chieftains and decedents of today.
But Muckross Abbey is most famous for the huge, centuries-old yew tree growing right in the center of the abbey’s moody cloisters.
No one knows exactly how old the yew tree is — some believe it was planted way back when the abbey was founded, making the tree nearly 600 or 700 years old, others think that it’s probably about 400 years old.
Whether the tree is 400 or 600 or 300 or 700 years old, it is…well…old, and it is striking.
Muckross’s yew tree is also the subject of quite a few superstitions and legends, including one stating that anyone who harms the tree is doomed to die within a year, and another that the tree will bleed if you cut it. (To state the obvious: superstitions aside, do not harm the tree!)
6. Soak in the magic of a fairy trail
Irish folklore is full of tales about fairies. Indeed, these mythical — or not? — creatures are at the heart of all sorts of places in Ireland, including special trees, rings, forts, and more.
That said, Irish folklore isn’t always complimentary to fairies, who are often portrayed as mischievous, thieving beings who are prone to causing mayhem.
You wouldn’t know that, though, from the fairy trails you can find dotted all over Ireland. In these magical trails, people place miniature structures, doors, and treats for fairies to live in and consume.
While fairy trails are often meant primarily for kids to enjoy, they can be lovely even for adults!
I visited the Glenbeigh Fairy Forest, and had a delightful time hiking through the forest, passing dozens of little fairy houses (and even a fairy vet clinic!). I saw zero other tourists and relished that only the noises of birds, trees rustling in the breeze, and leaves under my feet could break the silence.
7. Pretend you’re Luke Skywalker at Dunmore Head
Of Ireland’s many (MANY!) incredible coastal views, one of my very favorites is the magnificent, 360-degree beauty to be found at Dunmore Head.
Dunmore Head is a promontory that forms the westernmost point of mainland Ireland. It’s my favorite stop on Slea Head Drive — an excellent driving loop — and it’s also a Star Wars filming location, having served as the spot where Luke crashes his X-wing. Actually, quite a few places in this area of Ireland have appeared in Star Wars!
If you complete Slea Head Drive, you’ll naturally drive past Dunmore Head — you can’t miss it. But Dunmore Head is worth a visit even if you skip Slea Head Drive. Give yourself several hours to climb the hill and admire the views, clamber down to the craggy rocks below, enjoy the bright blue waters at the beach, and picnic on the lush green grass.
8. Drive a coastal loop route
Speaking of Slea Head Drive: Ireland has a number of absolutely lovely coastal driving routes with spectacular views and historic sights.
These drives range from lengthy, multi-day journeys that will take you across many parts of Ireland, to short loops that can be completed in just a few hours.
During my time in Ireland with my dad and brother, we drove two of these loops: Slea Head Drive and the Ring of Kerry.
Both coastal loops are wonderful experiences and well worth the time, though I’m partial to Slea Head Drive if you have to choose just one!
READ MORE | Slea Head Drive vs. Ring of Kerry: Which Is Better?
9. Photograph the “deck of cards” in Cobh
The charming seaside town of Cobh is best known for being Titanic’s last port of call before the ship left Europe behind and headed for New York.
In the age of Instagram, though, Cobh is also known for its so-called “deck of cards” — a row of colorful houses cascading down a hill. Behind them sits Cobh’s striking cathedral, which is the tallest church in Ireland.
You can see Cobh’s deck of cards from several places, including a small park right across the street from the houses.
However, in order to get the famous shot of the cathedral towering over the row of homes, you’ll need to head up to a road called Spy Hill.
There, at approximately this spot, you can peer over a stone wall and see the deck of cards with the cathedral behind them — but only if you’re tall. If you’re short, like me, you’ll have to hold your camera up over the wall and hope for the best!
10. See the ancient Book of Kells
Last but not least on your ideal Ireland bucket list is one of the most popular things for tourists to do in Dublin: visiting Trinity College’s Old Library and its most famous item, the Book of Kells.
The Book of Kells is a massive, illustrated manuscript containing the four gospels of the New Testament, among other materials. Incredibly, it’s thought that the Book of Kells dates all the way back to the 9th century!
Of course, such an ancient book must be carefully protected, so it’s kept behind glass and visitors can see only whichever pages are visible at any given time. However, before you see the Book of Kells itself, you’ll walk through an exhibit all about the book’s contents and creation.
After looking at the Book of Kells, you can visit the library’s incredible Long Room, which is exactly what it sounds like: a long room filled with enormous shelves of books. More than 200,000 of them, in fact!
Annoyingly, during my visit to Trinity College, the Long Room was in the midst of a cleaning and restoration process, so most of the shelves had been stripped of their books. (They tried to spin this as an opportunity to see the library as few visitors have. This, I must report, only made me roll my eyes.)
In order to visit the Book of Kells and the Old Library, you need a timed ticket — and it’s crucial to buy your ticket in advance, since this is a very popular activity. Head to this website to snag your ticket.
More Information About Ireland
ICONIC RUINS | Ireland is full of historic sites and atmospheric ruins, and some of the best can be found right beside each other at the Rock of Cashel and Hore Abbey.
CLIFFS OF MOHER | Experience Ireland’s best-known tourist attraction, the Cliffs of Moher, through a wonderful coastal walk.
COASTAL DRIVING ROUTES | Learn about Slea Head Drive and the Ring of Kerry, and find out which one is better.
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