Ireland, Europe (Point of interest)

Once home to a vast butter industry, Cork's former Exchange houses the Butter Museum, which tells the fascinating story of Ireland's most successful food industry. The building is also home to the Shandon Craft Centre and the Firkin Crane Centre.... Continue reading →

Opened in 1991, the Dublin Writers Museum celebrates the world-renowned literary heritage of the city. Using letters, books and artefacts, the museum acts as a lasting testimony to Dublin's literary influence. Ireland can be justifiably proud of i... Continue reading →

Led by local guides, this Dublin tour provides a passionate insight into the Easter Rising. Entitled the 1916 Rebellion Walking Tour, it starts at the International Bar on Wicklow Street and takes in the significant sites of the rebellion. In 1916... Continue reading →

The private collection at Chester Beatty Library comprises the 20th-century collection of American-born Beatty, including centuries-old illuminated Qu'rans and Persian miniature paintings. Permanent exhibitions include Arts of the Book, with rare a... Continue reading →

Matches at huge historic Croke Park stadium by the Royal Canal immerse everyone into Ireland's real sporting culture. Locals love Gaelic football and fast-and-furious hurling, which see crowds of 80,000 fans in friendly rivalry. Competitions run fr... Continue reading →

Arthur Guinness brewed Ireland's best-known export at the Guinness Storehouse in St James's Gate from 1759. Now a seven-floor gallery, you can learn about its history, see James Gilroy's 1930s advertising posters, and sample a pint at the Gravity B... Continue reading →

Dublinia & The Viking World explores how Dublin changed from two small Gaelic settlements into a thriving Viking trading centre. Videos, reconstructions and models trace events from the 1170 arrival of the Anglo-Normans to the 1540s closure of the ... Continue reading →

Housed in former 17th-century Royal Hospital Kilmainham, the Irish Museum of Modern Art (IMMA) in Kilmainham is Ireland's finest contemporary art collection, with 1600 works including pieces by Damien Hirst. Temporary exhibitions can include sculpt... Continue reading →

It's difficult to visit Dublin without stumbling across a reference to the city's famous literary hero. Housed in a Georgian house saved from demolition in 1975, the James Joyce Centre is dedicated to the author's life and work. The museum feature... Continue reading →

The Lewis Glucksman Gallery is a graceful concrete and glass building surrounded by greenery and water in the grounds of University College. The gallery is a bright, airy platform for temporary exhibitions, often featuring work from the University'... Continue reading →

The National Gallery of Ireland boasts an extensive collection of paintings, sculpture and objets d'art. It also hosts temporary exhibitions by internationally renowned artists. Among the highlights is Caravaggio's masterpiece The Taking of Christ ... Continue reading →

The collections of the National Museum of Ireland are housed at a number of locations. Archaeological and historical items are displayed in Kildare Street. The museum contains artefacts dating from 7000BC to the 20th century. The archaeological co... Continue reading →

The National Museum of Ireland - Decorative Arts & History at Dublin's Collins Barracks has a wide-ranging collection including weaponry, furniture, silver, ceramics, glassware and costume. History sections explore the Irish at War and the 1916 Eas... Continue reading →

The 18th-century Old Jameson Distillery in the heart of Dublin's Smithfield Village offers an insight into the art of Irish whiskey-making. An hour-long guided tour of the distillery includes video and tasting.... Continue reading →

Phoenix Park is Dublin's famous recreational wilderness, spreading across 1752 acres. Popular Dublin attraction Dublin Zoo is located here, along the Wellington Memorial, the tallest obelisk in Europe (205 feet), commemorating the Dublin-born "Iron... Continue reading →

The 19th-century Saint Fin Barre's Cathedral stands exactly where Cork's patron saint established the city's first church around 600AD. The French Gothic-style steeples are the dominant landmark of the city's south side, and its ornate interior boa... Continue reading →

St Patrick's Cathedral, in Central Dublin, honours Ireland's patron, who brought Christianity to Ireland in the 5th century. Late afternoon, the stained-glass windows shine brightly, and there are occasional choir rehearsals. Look out for 18th-cent... Continue reading →

Trinity College Library is one of Dublin's most visited sites. This may have something to do with the fact that it's home to the Book of Kells, an illustrated copy of the Gospels in Latin dating back to 800AD. The Book of Kells exhibition can be v... Continue reading →