When planning your trip to Ireland, make sure you plan so that you take in as many Irish museums and historical places as you can. This beautiful country provides an opportunity in almost every town to soak up the rich heritage and history of Ireland. Whether you visit historical sites, buildings or museums, there is a wealth of facts, legends and history behind each of them.
Your first stop should be the National Museum of Ireland, offering insight into the archaeology, natural history and heritage of Ireland. The museum was opened in 1877, and houses 4 million historical artefacts. Divided into 4 separate locations, each part of the museum covers a different area. The decorative arts department is housed in the Art and Industry Building in Collins Barracks which includes exhibitions of artistic crafts through the ages, including glasswork, metalwork, lace and ceramic works. This and two other departments, natural history and archaeology and history, are housed nearby in Dublin city as well. The fourth exhibit of the museum covers the history of country life in Ireland, and is in County Mayo, some 240 kms away.
No matter which city you visit in Ireland, there will be a museum exhibiting artefacts found in the county providing a peak into the history of the area. Ulster, Cork and Galway have super museums, and the Donegal Railway Heritage Centre in Ulster is worth a visit too. In Dublin you will find a Toy Museum and Transport Museum, as well as Dublinia, a Viking and medieval history exhibit that is quite different to the usual museum visit.
As you travel around Ireland, perhaps the most prominent historical places will be the many castles found here – about 83 in total, most built between the 13th and 16th centuries. Dublin Castle, which is now the Irish Government’s home, was the site of King John of England’s fortress, built around 1230. Limerick Castle is the site of the famous Blarney Stone, said to endow those who kiss it with the ‘gift of the gab’. Kilkenny Castle, Rathfarnham and Drimnagh are all worth a visit, as is Grange Castle in County Kildare with its 15th century tower house.
Of particular interest to historians are the many cathedrals and other religious sites dating back centuries that are found throughout Ireland. Glendalough is the site of a sixth century monastery. Ennis Friary, St Colman’s Cathedral and many other large and small religious buildings are not only magnificent in appearance, but are fascinating in terms of their history as well. St Patrick’s Cathedral in Dublin is possibly the best known cathedral in Ireland, dating back to 1220. If architectural history interests you, don’t miss Belfast City Hall, built in 1898 with its magnificent green domes.
Before you leave the Irish museums and historical places behind, be sure to visit some of the ancient sites dating back thousands of years. Megalithic passage tombs, though to have been built 5000 years ago, can be found at Fourknocks and Newgrange with its unexplained celtic spirals on the surface. If you manage to see a third of the Irish museums and historical places in a month, you will be fortunate. This beautiful country has a rich and fascinating heritage that will take months to fully explore.