Ireland Before You Die: 39 Bucket List Picks

My pick of Ireland’s 39 best bucket-list experiences, spanning both the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland from the Giant’s Causeway and Skellig Michael to Slieve League’s cliffs, Newgrange, and a proper Irish whiskey tour. Organised by region below, so jump straight to the part of the island you’re planning to visit.

My Irish bucket list is a comprehensive list of the best sights to see in Ireland tourist attractions, landmarks, mountains, beaches, and much more. Every time I put one of these lists together I end up wanting to add another cool thing I love about this country, so consider this the long-winded, opinionated version.

I’m lucky enough to live in Donegal, so a good number of these are close by I can drive across the entire island in around three hours, which is genuinely less driving than I used to do in Canada just to reach cottage country. This list is in no particular order and covers both Northern Ireland and the Republic. If you’re renting a car to see these sites, you can drive freely between the two there are no border checks just let your rental company know in advance, and remember Northern Ireland uses pounds sterling, not euros.

Fast Facts: The Irish Bucket List

Best Things to Do in Northern Ireland

Mussenden Temple on the north coast of County Londonderry, standing guard on the edge of the cliff above the ruined Downhill Demesne, with spectacular views west toward Magilligan Point and County Donegal, and east toward Castlerock, Portstewart, Portrush, and Fair Head. Grab a coffee at the café here you won’t even need sugar.

Carrick-a-Rede Rope Bridge a heart-in-mouth walk across a rope and plank bridge to the island of Carrick, once home to Irish salmon fishers and now one of Northern Ireland’s most visited attractions.

Stairway to Heaven, Fermanagh officially the Cuilcagh Legnabrocky Trail, meaning ‘chalky peak’ in Gaelic, and Fermanagh’s highest mountain. You don’t need to hike the full 33km Cuilcagh Way to make the famous boardwalk section worthwhile.

Rathlin Island steeped in the legends of Robert the Bruce, the massacre of Sorley Boy’s family, and Viking raids, with over 40 shipwrecks resting in the surrounding waters. One of the best places to spot Puffins in season. Often skipped by visitors rushing along the Causeway Coast’s Game of Thrones sites, but only a 25-minute ferry from Ballycastle.

The Giant’s Causeway a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the world’s great geological spectacles and home of one of Ireland’s most interesting folktales: 18 miles of coastline made up of over 40,000 interlocking basalt columns, drawing more than a million visitors a year. If you have mobility issues read my Accessible Guide to the Giant’s Causeway.

The Causeway Coastal Route over 50 stops across 120 miles between Belfast and Derry, and one of the most scenic drives on earth, running from the Nine Glens of Antrim all the way to views of Donegal. You can read my Accessible Causeway Coast guide here.

Black Cab Tour, Belfast one of the best things to do in the city, typically covering the Shankill Estate’s King William murals, the Peace Wall, and across to the Falls Road an unfiltered look at the history of the Troubles from both sides of the peace line.

Crumlin Road Gaol closed in 1996 after nearly two centuries in operation, holding both Republican and Loyalist prisoners in its final decades. Guided tours cover the full, often grim, history of the site.

Derry / Londonderry the second-biggest city in Northern Ireland, bordering Donegal, and the only remaining fully intact walled city in Ireland. Worth knowing before you visit: nationalists favour ‘Derry,’ unionists use ‘Londonderry’ the naming became politicised during the Troubles as a marker of the push for a united Ireland. Make time to see all the Derry Murals and Bloody Sunday Memorial when visiting.

Things to Do on the Wild Atlantic Way and the West

Fanad Head, Donegal a photographer’s dream, with a lighthouse you can even stay beside in one of three lightkeepers’ cottages. It’s a climb of 76 stairs to the top, but the views over the northwest are worth every step.

An Grianán Celtic Fort, Donegal dating back to around 1700 BC, and long associated with the Tuatha Dé Danann, who built stone forts atop strategic hills and worshipped Dagda, the Good God, also linked to the fort’s origins.

Slieve League Cliffs on the Wild Atlantic Way in Donegal’s Gaeltacht region, and among the highest accessible sea cliffs in Europe, with panoramic views across Donegal Bay into Leitrim, Sligo, and Mayo. If you’re weighing it against Ireland’s other big cliff walks, see my comparison in Slieve League vs Cliffs of Moher vs Kerry Cliffs: Which?, and check Is Slieve League Safe or Dangerous? before you go, especially if you’re visiting with kids or a dog.

The Secret Waterfall, Donegal not quite as secret as people think, tucked in Largy on the Slieve League peninsula between Killybegs and Kilcar. It’s not an easy walk, and you need to watch the tides carefully I’ve covered exactly how to find and access it safely in Finding the Secret Waterfall in Donegal.

Rossnowlagh Beach one of hundreds of hidden beaches and coves along the Donegal shoreline, stretching from the cliffs at Coolmore to the rock outcrop at Carrickfad, with surf schools right on the soft yellow sand.

Donegal Town Dún na nGall, ‘Fort of the Foreigner’ in Gaelic, sitting where the River Eske meets Donegal Bay, with the Bluestack Mountains on one side and the bay on the other. There is also a beautiful castle to stay at near Donegal Town, Lough Eske Castle hotel.

Drumcliffe, Sligo (Yeats Country) where W.B. Yeats was laid to rest in 1948 beneath Ben Bulben Mountain, in an unassuming grave at St. Columba’s Church. Sligo itself is one of the most overlooked counties on the Wild Atlantic Way, with pristine beaches and thousands of years of history buried in its bogs and valleys.

Céide Fields, Mayo the oldest known field systems in the world, over 5,500 years old a unique Neolithic landscape with stone walls, houses, and megalithic tombs preserved beneath blankets of peat across several square miles.

Doolin arguably the prettiest village in Ireland, on the County Clare coast bordering Lisdoonvarna. If you’re visiting the Cliffs of Moher, stay a night here for the craic and the traditional music.

The Cliffs of Moher one of Ireland’s most outstanding natural sights, with hilltop walks, wheeling seabirds, and grazing cattle right beside the paths. Weather turns fast here sudden fog and wind are part of the experience, not a rare exception.

The Burren a surreal, UNESCO-recognised limestone landscape in County Clare, thick with Irish myth and legend.

Croagh Patrick in Mayo near Westport (another pretty town) climbed by thousands of pilgrims every year on the last Sunday of June, some walking barefoot to honour Ireland’s patron saint. The peak is only 764 metres, but the path goes almost straight up, turning rocky and unstable near the top.

Galway City easily explored on foot in two days, with plenty of free attractions don’t miss Galway Cathedral, Eyre Square, and the Latin Quarter.

Sean’s Bar, Athlone the oldest bar in Ireland, and possibly the world, founded by Luain Mac Luighdeach beside ‘Áth Mór The Great Ford,’ worth the detour on your way out of Galway.

The Ring of Kerry a 179km scenic circuit of the Iveragh Peninsula and one of Ireland’s most iconic drives, best started from Killarney National Park, with a jaunting cart tour a fun way to see part of the Ring. For more of the county, see my full guide to the Best Things to Do in Kerry.

Killarney small in size but big in spirit, with a castle, lively pubs, outdoor activities, and some of the friendliest people you’ll meet anywhere in Ireland.

Skellig Michael made newly famous by Star Wars as Luke Skywalker’s home, this island off Portmagee rises 218 metres from the sea, crowned by a remarkably well-preserved sixth-century monastic settlement and puffins, depending on the season.

Things to Do in Ireland’s Ancient East and the Southeast

Leap Castle, Offaly under an hour from Sean’s Bar, and world-renowned as the most haunted castle in Ireland. Its Bloody Chapel hides an oubliette where nearly three cartloads of skeletons were discovered. I’ve covered this one, along with 14 other haunted castles you can visit or even stay in, in my full guide: 15 Haunted Castles in Ireland.

Jim O’ the Mill, Tipperary widely considered Ireland’s best pub, open only on Thursdays, with a single tap and bottled beer, and reliably the best traditional music session around.

Waterford, the Viking Triangle founded by the Vikings roughly 1,000 years ago, home to the largest collection of medieval walls and defensive towers in the country. Reginald’s Tower holds Ireland’s most comprehensive Viking exhibition, including the Waterford Kite Brooch.

Dunbrody Famine Ship, New Ross, Wexford an authentic reproduction of an 1840s emigrant vessel, showing exactly what those fleeing the Famine endured crossing the Atlantic.

Kilkenny Castle a 12th-century castle extensively remodelled in the Victorian era, in continuous use for over 800 years, and reputedly home to a ghost of its own I’ve covered its story in 15 Haunted Castles in Ireland.

Kilkenny’s Medieval Mile the heart of the ‘Marble City,’ with medieval slipways, a Tudor inn, St. Canice’s Cathedral and a fine 17th-century merchant’s house. Don’t skip Kyteler’s Inn, home of one of Ireland’s most famous accused witches.

The Rock of Dunamase, Laois seat of the ancient Kings of Laois, with castle ruins silhouetted more than 45 metres above the Valley of the O’Moores, just outside Portlaoise.

Things to Do in Dublin and the East

Temple Bar, Dublin one of Dublin’s most popular tourist spots, worth a wander for the atmosphere, but be warned food and drink here can be extraordinarily overpriced for what you get. Note for anyone with food allergies: Irish law requires all ingredients to be clearly listed, so eating out is generally straightforward.

Glasnevin Cemetery, Dublin the final resting place of many of Ireland’s most significant historical figures, opened in the 1830s with high stone walls and watchtowers once manned against body snatchers. A good spot to trace Irish ancestry or take a walking tour of the country’s leaders and rebels.

Newgrange a Neolithic monument built around 3,200 BC, older than Stonehenge and the Great Pyramids of Giza an 85-metre mound with a 19-metre passage and chambers inside, ringed by 97 engraved curbstones. The guides here are genuinely excellent at explaining its solstice significance. Full details in How to Visit Newgrange.

The Hill of Tara the ancient seat of Ireland’s High Kings, and one of the country’s most revered historical sites, still being actively investigated archaeologically. It includes the Rath of the Synods, the Mound of the Hostages, and the Stone of Destiny, the Lia Fáil.

Glendalough National Park home to the remains of a 6th-century monastic settlement founded by St. Kevin, with several hiking trails around its lakes. Lonely Planet calls it one of the most beautiful places in the country, and it’s hard to disagree.

The Wicklow Mountains the largest continuous mountain range in Ireland, spreading across most of County Wicklow and into Dublin, Wexford, and Carlow. No entry fee beyond parking at Glendalough. I’ve built a full road trip around this range in Best Things to Do on a Wicklow Mountains Road Trip.

A Taste of Ireland: Whiskey

No Irish bucket list is complete without trying Irish whiskey. Unlike Scotch, which uses only malted barley, Irish whiskey blends malted and unmalted barley and is traditionally triple-distilled a method established by John Jameson in 1780 that produces a smoother, higher-alcohol spirit. I’ve covered the best distilleries to tour, from Dublin’s big names to the newest craft distillery near me in Donegal, in Best Irish Whiskey Distillery Tours. And if you’re weighing an Irish whiskey trip against a Scotch-focused one in Scotland, my full Ireland vs Scotland comparison covers exactly how the two differ.

So there it is my Irish bucket list. I know I’ve left off a few of the obvious ones people expect, like kissing the Blarney Stone, the standard Guinness Storehouse tour, and the Titanic Museum not because they’re not worth doing, but because there are, in my opinion, better ways to spend that time and money elsewhere on this list.

Frequently Asked Questions About the Irish Bucket List

How long would it take to see everything on this Irish bucket list?

Realistically, three to four weeks if you wanted to properly experience all 39 entries without rushing, since they span the entire island from Rathlin Island in the north to Kerry in the southwest. Most visitors pick a region or two per trip rather than attempting the whole list at once.

Do you need a car to see most of this Irish bucket list?

Yes, for almost all of it you need to rent a car. Sites like Fanad Head, Slieve League, the Secret Waterfall in Donegal, and the Rock of Dunamase are well outside any public transport network. A handful of entries Temple Bar, Glasnevin, and central Belfast’s Black Cab Tour are accessible without a car if you’re based in a city.

Can you visit both Northern Ireland and the Republic on the same trip?

Yes, easily. There are no border checks between the two, so you can drive freely across, though it’s worth telling your car rental company in advance, and remembering that Northern Ireland uses pounds sterling rather than euros.

What’s missing from this Irish bucket list?

Deliberately, a few of the most obvious tourist stops the Blarney Stone, the standard Guinness Storehouse tour, and Dublin’s Titanic-adjacent attractions since there are, in my view, better ways to spend that time and money elsewhere on this list.

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Exploring the fascinating regions of Ireland

 Exploring Northern Ireland

Ireland’s Ancient East

Ireland’s Hidden Heartlands

Ireland’s The Wild Atlantic Way

Discovering Dublin

Driving in Ireland articles

How to visit Glenveagh without a car

Driving in Ireland over 60

How to Hire a Private Driver

Tips for driving in Ireland

Travelling in Ireland without a car

Do you need a car in Donegal?