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    Ireland's UNESCO Sites

    What is UNESCO?

    The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, more commonly known as UNESCO, has long been established to celebrate and protect the world’s most significant cultural and natural treasures. From historic landmarks to breathtakingly unique landscapes, UNESCO World Heritage Sites are recognised for their universal value and importance to humanity.

    In Ireland, these UNESCO sites showcase the island’s unique history, geology, and traditions. From volcanic landscapes to monuments that pre-date the Pyramids of Giza, UNESCO recognises Ireland’s extraordinary beauty and heritage. From the ancient mysteries of Brú na Bóinne to the geological marvel of the Giant’s Causeway, each site offers a unique glimpse into the island’s rich history, culture, and natural splendour. Explore these remarkable treasures and uncover the stories that have shaped Ireland for millennia.

    Which Sites are on the List?

    The Current List

    • Skellig Michael
    • Giant’s Causeway
    • Brú na Bóinne – Newgrange
    • Irish Traditions

    The Tentative List

    • Sligo Archeology Sites
    • Royal Sites of Ireland
    • Valentia Island’s Transatlantic Cable

    Global Geoparks

    • Cuilcagh Lakelands
    • Copper Coast
    • Burren & Cliffs of Moher
    Hiking the Causeway Coast

    Hiking the Causeway Coast

    Skellig Michael

    Beehive huts built by monks on Skellig Michael.

    Skellig Michael, also known as both the Great Skellig and by its Irish name, Sceilg Mhichíl, is one of Ireland’s handful of UNESCO World Heritage Sites. The larger of the two Skellig Islands off the coast of Kerry, Skellig Michael is renowned for its dramatic sea crags, iconic rock formations, an ancient monastic settlement, a puffin and gannet colony, and, of course, Star Wars.

    Located 11 km off the shore of Ireland, lucky visitors can explore the remarkably preserved drystone beehive huts built by monks seeking isolation and spiritual devotion in this remote location. The Skelligs famously appeared in Star Wars as Luke Skywalker’s hideaway – and the resident puffins inspired the adorable alien creatures, the progs.

    From Skellig Michael, a UNESCO-listed site since 1996, enjoy views of Little Skellig, home to one of Europe’s largest colonies of seabirds, including approximately 27,000 pairs of gannets. Together, the islands combine natural and cultural wonders, offering a striking glimpse into Ireland’s heritage and wildlife.

    Read the UNESCO listing here

    Read our Skellig Michael travel guide below to learn more about this famous and remote island. 

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    Giant's Causeway & Causeway Coast

    The Giants Causeway

    The Giants Causeway

    The Giant’s Causeway, a UNESCO World Heritage Site in Northern Ireland, is one of Ireland’s most iconic and world-famous sites. Listed by UNESCO since 1986, this is the island of Ireland’s first world heritage site.

    Immediately recognisable, the Giant’s Causeway is renowned for its approximately 40,000 interlocking basalt columns, formed by volcanic activity around 60 million years ago. According to local legend, the Irish giant Finn McCool built the causeway to confront his Scottish rival, Benandonner, and though the scientific explanation is a touch more likely, both origin stories have made it back to the UNESCO listing.

    The best way to experience this impressive heritage site is by hiking along the Causeway Coastal Route. Weaving past castles and seastacks, caves and coves, walkers will enjoy views of rolling farmland on one side and ocean waves on the other before arriving at the jewel in the crown: the Giant’s Causeway itself.

    Read the UNESCO listing here.

    Learn more about the Giant’s Causeway in this travel guide.

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    Learn more about the Causeway Coast in this travel guide.

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    Brú na Bóinne – Newgrange

    The sunset at Newgrange. Credit Failte Ireland.

    Newgrange, part of the UNESCO-listed Brú na Bóinne complex in County Meath, is a masterpiece of Neolithic engineering. Built around 3,200 BC, this huge ancient passage tomb predates the Pyramids of Giza and is renowned for its winter solstice phenomenon, when sunlight illuminates the inner chamber. A lucky few chosen by a lottery system get the opportunity to view the solstice event from inside the chamber each December.

    Decorated with striking megalithic art, including its iconic triple-spiral motif, Newgrange offers a glimpse into Ireland’s prehistoric past and is a must-visit for those exploring the country’s UNESCO heritage. Added to the list in 1993, it was the first UNESCO World Heritage site added to the Republic of Ireland’s entries.

    Read the UNESCO listing here

    Read our guide to Newgrange below. If you’re interested in ancient Ireland, check out this page that collects information on several Irish sites.  

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    Irish Traditions

    It’s not all about place. Intangible tradition and beauty are also an important and fascinating part of global and Irish heritage and a hugely important reason why people travel to Ireland—or, indeed, anywhere.

    UNESCO recognises this through its UNESCO Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. Though a mouthful of a name, this list focuses on ephemeral parts of our world.

    In Ireland, three Irish-specific elements are listed under the Cultural Heritage heading: Uilleann Piping (2017), Hurling (2018), and Irish Harping (2019), as well as two multinational listings: Falconry and the art of dry stone walling.

    Sligo Archeology

    County Sligo’s Passage Tomb Landscape, currently on Ireland’s UNESCO Tentative List, boasts approximately 100 interconnected megalithic sites set amidst dramatic terrains.

    Notable sites include Carrowkeel, featuring 14 passage tombs atop the Bricklieve hills; Carrowmore, one of the largest such ancient megalithic complexes in Ireland; and Knocknarea Hill, crowned by the large cairn known as Queen Maeve’s Tomb.

    These ancient sites, some predating the pyramids, offer profound insights into Neolithic culture and are essential destinations for those exploring Ireland’s rich archaeological heritage.

    Neolithic passage tomb - a stone mound framed with huge lintels

    One of the cairns at Carrowkeel.

    Royal Sites of Ireland

    Hill of Tara from above. Credit Failte Ireland.

    UNESCO’s tentative listing, the Royal Sites of Ireland, is a collection of six ancient ceremonial centres that hold significant historical and cultural importance. These sites include the Hill of Tara in County Meath (pictured), Navan Fort (Emain Macha) in County Armagh, Dún Ailinne in County Kildare, the Rock of Cashel in County Tipperary, Rathcroghan in County Roscommon, and the Hill of Uisneach in County Westmeath.

    Today, they might not seem all that impressive at first glance, but these hills and ringforts play a hugely pivotal role in Ireland’s ancient history. Once serving as the island’s royal centre, the Hill of Tara was the seat of the High Kings.

    Uisneach symbolised the central point of Ireland – and in fact, modern technology shows that they were just a few kilometres off from the epicentre. The Rock of Cashel is one of Ireland’s most visited sites, while Rathcrogan is tied to the origins of Halloween.

    Collectively, these hilltop sites with panoramic views illustrate the development of power, ceremony, and religion in Celtic society, which was allowed to flourish without the influence of Roman culture. Used for ceremonial, religious, and funerary purposes from the Neolithic through the Iron Age before declining under the thumb of Christianity, much about these time-worn places remains a mystery. Even millennia later, these timeless monuments still call curious visitors, historians, and archaeologists to their historic centres.

    Read more about ancient Ireland in our guide here. 

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    The Cliffs of Moher

    The Cliffs of Moher

    The Cliffs of Moher, a designated UNESCO Global Geopark, is among Ireland’s most iconic natural landmarks. Towering more than 200 metres above the Atlantic, these dramatic cliffs display millions of years of geological history, from ancient seabed layers to striking fossils. Visitors are treated to unparalleled views, abundant birdlife, and a deep connection to Ireland’s coastal heritage.

    Browse our travel guide below.

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    Aerial views of the Burren

    The Burren National Park

    The Burren

    Part of the same UNESCO Global Geopark as the Cliffs of Moher, the Burren landscape is a remarkable karst limestone landscape unlike anywhere else on Earth. This vast region is a rocky tapestry of fascinating geology, unique flora, and archaeological treasures. From Neolithic tombs to delicate wildflowers growing in the crevices, the Burren exemplifies the beauty of Ireland’s geological and cultural history.

    Browse our travel guide below.

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    Visit UNESCO Sites in Ireland

    Our holidays reviewed
    in your own words

    My trip was one of which I will truly treasure the memories. It sparked a lot of curiosity and I expect to put in some time reading to fill in the gaps in my knowledge of Ireland, its natural and political history.

    Patricia Bliquez
    Hiking - The Causeway Coastal Route & Donegal
    Reviewed on 16/08/2022

    Rated 4.93 out of 5 based on 2,369 reviews

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