Tourism in the Republic of Ireland
Tourism in the Republic of Ireland is one of the biggest contributors to the
Transport in Ireland
Ireland's national flag carrier is Aer Lingus, which services Europe, North America and North Africa, but the vast majority of flights originating from continental Europe come from another Irish company,
For travellers from mainland Europe and the UK, another way to enter the country is by sea, with connections by ferry to Roscoff and Cherbourg in France, Liverpool in England and Pembroke, Fishguard and Holyhead in Wales, Douglas on the Isle of Man and Santander in Spain. These routes are operated by Irish Ferries, Stena Line, Celtic Link Ferries, P&O Ferries and Brittany Ferries.[9][10][11][12]
Motorways link Dublin with all the major cities in the country and there are plans to extend the motorway system in the future. In recent years the quality of Irish roads has improved dramatically with the advent of the Celtic Tiger and significant European Union funding, although outside the main routes, roads can be quite unpredictable in terms of quality and upkeep, especially in rural areas such as County Kerry and County Donegal.
The rail and light rail network in Ireland is not as extensive as it once was, but it is still possible to get from city to city using the rail system, although many rural stations have closed along these lines. At the moment there is only one Light rail system in the country, the Luas in Dublin. This system opened in 2004 and due to the number of people availing of it (27.5million in 2010), it was stated as being "Dublin's best public transport success story" by Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, Leo Varadkar in 2011.[13]
SailRail
Transport for Wales Rail, Iarnród Éireann, as well as Irish Ferries and Stena Line promote SailRail[14]
SailRail tickets offer a discounted means of travelling from anywhere on the UK rail network to anywhere on the Irish rail network with one ticket.[citation needed] A bus connection from Dublin Port is required to reach Dublin's main train stations, Connolly or Heuston.[citation needed]
Cities
Dublin
The largest city in
Other attractions
- Guinness Brewery, a brewery founded in 1759 that produces Guinness. As of 2018, it was most-visited fee-charging tourist attraction in Ireland.[18]
- Bloomsday, a festival of celebration into James Joyce's life, during which the events of his novel Ulysses are relived. It is held annually in Dublin on 16 June.[19]
- The Ha'penny Bridge, a famous Victorian bridge spanning the River Liffey.
- Croke Park, one of Europe's biggest stadiums and principal stadium of the Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA).[20]
- Temple Bar, an area on the south side of the city that has preserved its medieval street pattern, with many narrow cobbled streets. It is now known for its nightlife.
- St Stephen's Green, a city centre public park.
- The buildings of Georgian Dublin, e.g. the Customs House and the houses at Fitzwilliam Square and Merrion Square, Mountjoy Square, Parnell Square, and Henrietta Street (one of the buildings in Henrietta Street is now a museum showcasing the history of that particular Georgian building).
- Samuel Beckett Bridge, a recent, 21st century (Celtic Tiger) landmark in the Docklands.
- The "Millennium Spire" or Spire of Dublin, a recent, 21st century landmark on O'Connell Street.
- The General Post Office, a late Georgian building on O'Connell Street that served as the headquarters of the leaders of the 1916 Easter Rising (now partially a museum about said Rising).
- St. Patrick's Cathedral, a 12-th century cathedral serving as the national cathedral of the Church of Ireland, largely rebuilt in the 19th century.
- Christ Church Cathedral, an 11-th century cathedral, the cathedral of the United Dioceses of Dublin and Glendalough and the cathedral of the ecclesiastical province of the United Provinces of Dublin and Cashel in the (Anglican) Church of Ireland, largely rebuilt in the 19th century.
Cork
Situated on the southern coast of Ireland,
Other attractions
- Fota Wildlife Park, a zoo located just outside the city on Fota Island, now one of the most popular visitor attractions in the country.[22]
- star fortjust off Barrack Street, originally built as a defensive fortification outside the city walls, it is now a tourist attraction.
- Cork Opera House, an opera house built in the 1850s.
- River Leeflows through it.
- Blarney Castle, a medieval castle in Blarney, a town just west of Cork. The castle is now a partial ruin with some accessible rooms and battlements and is the location of the Blarney Stone, a stone which is rumoured to give you the gift of eloquence when you kiss it.
- Spike Island, a former prison island located in Cork harbour, just off the coast of Cobh. A 24-acre star-shaped Fortress was built in the late 1700s and this became the largest prison in the world in the 1850s, during the famine years. The island was converted into a visitor attraction in 2016 and won the title of 'Europe's Leading Tourist Attraction in 2017.
Limerick
Situated on the mouth of the
Other attractions
- St John's Cathedral, one of two cathedrals in the city, this one has been in continuous use since 1861 and its spire is the tallest in the country, topping out at 94m. Built in a Gothic Revival style, it is one of the few Irish buildings designed by Philip Charles Hardwick.[30]
- Adare, a tourist destination and heritage centre, this aged village is popular due to the fact many of its buildings still bear their original thatched roofs or crafted stone exteriors.[31]
- megalithicremains there.
Galway
Achieving city status in 1484,
Waterford
Waterford is a city in the
Coastlines and resorts
As the Republic of Ireland occupies just over 80% of the
The south and south west of Ireland is particularly known for its seaside resorts including
Tourism routes and regions
A number of
Wild Atlantic way
A tourism driving route, the Wild Atlantic Way, extends for 2,500 km of roadway along the West coast.
Ireland's Ancient East
Ireland's Ancient East (
Ireland's Hidden Heartlands
Ireland's Hidden Heartlands is a touring region encompassing the Shannon region and Beara-Breifne Way.[41] It was launched in July 2018.[42][43] Unlike the Wild Atlantic Way, the touring region doesn't have a set driving route,[citation needed] and instead highlights various sights throughout counties Westmeath, Offaly, Roscommon, Longford, Cavan, Leitrim, and parts of Tipperary, Clare and Galway.[44]
Reeks District
The Reeks District is a tourism region in County Kerry which was created as a destination marketing concept in 2018, having previously being promoted as the "Mid-Kerry region".[45][46] Taking its name from the MacGillycuddy Reeks, the area was voted as one of the "top 6 to visit" globally by Rough Guides in 2019.[47]
Festivals and events
Ireland has many festivals, most of which take place annually. The most famous by far is the
Another festival which is known worldwide, particularly in Europe, is the .
For Irish people, probably the most celebrated sporting events are the annual finals of the All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship and the All-Ireland Senior Football Championship. These matches, normally held around the middle of September, are normally fully sold out, with well over 80,000 people packed into Croke Park, the largest stadium in Europe not used primarily for Soccer.
Another festival that celebrates the Irish Culture and Diaspora all over the world is the Rose of Tralee. This international competition, which is celebrated among the Irish communities all over the world, is held annually in the town of Tralee in County Kerry. The winner is picked based on her personality and her ability to be a good role model for the festival and for Ireland during her travels around the world. Unlike other pageants, the competitors are not judged on their appearance or their body. One of the only rules of the competition is that the potential roses have to have an Irish ancestry.[50]
The
The
Electric Picnic is another popular music festival held in Stradbally Hall in Stradbally, County Laois every year since 2004. It was voted Best Medium-Sized European Festival at the 2010 European Festival Awards, and has been voted Best Big Festival at each of the last four Irish Festival Awards since they began in 2007. Compared to other major music festivals, there is more emphasis on quality festival services such as food and sleeping arrangements. Rolling Stone Magazine stated it was one of the best festivals they had ever been to.[54]
The Lisdoonvarna Matchmaking Festival is one of the oldest festivals in the country, originally started in 1892. Held over the month of September every year, the festival attracts between 20,000 and 40,000 romantic hopefuls, coming from all over the world to take part in the events. In recent years the festival has become particularly popular with tourists from the Far East. Willie Daly, the prime matchmaker, uses his notebook of love-seeking profiles to match potential couples, and the festival has evolved to become the biggest matchmaking festival in Europe.[55]
Geological tourism
Ireland has many geological attractions, most being along the coastline of the country. The two most famous geologically important destinations in the Republic are both situated in County Clare; the Cliffs of Moher and The Burren. Another notable geological phenomena, the Giant's Causeway, lies in Northern Ireland. The Cliffs of Moher are one of the most visited sites in the country, with the rocks at the bottom of the cliffs dated as being about 320 million years old, formed when Ireland was under water during the Carboniferous Period.[56] The Burren was also created during this period. When a tropical sea flooded the south of the country, a buildup of coral (Limestone) began, covering many places in Ireland. When the sea shallowed, rocks such as Sandstone and Shale were deposited over the Limestone, effectively covering it over again. The Burren is one of the largest karst landscapes in Europe and is one of the few places in the country where the limestone is visible above ground.[57]
Many
Statistics
Graphs are unavailable due to technical issues. There is more info on Phabricator and on MediaWiki.org. |
In 2017 9,932,100 overseas tourists visited Ireland, a 3.5% increase over the previous years figure of 9,584,400.[59]
Rank | Country | Visitors |
---|---|---|
1 | United Kingdom | 3,728,900 |
2 | United States & Canada | 2,101,500 |
3 | Germany | 681,400 |
4 | France | 549,300 |
5 | Spain | 443,200 |
6 | Italy | 363,300 |
7 | Australia, New Zealand & Rest of Oceania | 208,500 |
Rest of Europe | 1,445,200 | |
Rest of World | 410,800 | |
Total | 9,932,100[59] |
In 2016 9,584,400 overseas tourists visited Ireland, a 9.8% increase over the previous years figure of 8,643,100.[59]
Rank | Country | Visitors |
---|---|---|
1 | United Kingdom | 3,924,100 |
2 | United States & Canada | 1,808,000 |
3 | Germany | 652,200 |
4 | France | 531,400 |
5 | Spain | 394,900 |
6 | Italy | 344,400 |
7 | Australia, New Zealand & Rest of Oceania | 204,500 |
Rest of Europe | 1,379,100 | |
Rest of World | 345,700 | |
Total | 9,584,400[59] |
In 2015 8,643,100 overseas tourists visited Ireland, a 13.7% increase over the previous years figure of 7,604,400.[60]
Rank | Country | Visitors |
---|---|---|
1 | United Kingdom | 3,546,900 |
2 | United States & Canada | 1,514,200 |
3 | Germany | 629,300 |
4 | France | 504,700 |
5 | Spain | 343,200 |
6 | Belgium, Netherlands, & Luxembourg | 326,000 |
7 | Italy | 321,400 |
8 | Denmark, Finland, Norway & Sweden | 233,900 |
9 | Australia, New Zealand & Rest of Oceania | 207,600 |
Rest of Europe | 684,900 | |
Rest of World | 331,000 | |
Total | 8,643,100[60] |
In 2014 7,604,400 overseas tourists visited Ireland, an 8.1% increase over the previous years figure of 6,985,900.[61]
Rank | Country | Visitors | Percentage |
---|---|---|---|
1 | United Kingdom | 3,163,900 | 41.6% |
2 | United States & Canada | 1,328,600 | 17.5% |
3 | Germany | 455,700 | 6.0% |
4 | France | 396,000 | 5.2% |
5 | Spain | 307,900 | 3.8% |
6 | Belgium, Netherlands, & Luxembourg | 274,700 | 3.6% |
7 | Italy | 257,800 | 3.4% |
8 | Denmark, Finland, Norway & Sweden | 200,300 | 2.6% |
9 | Australia, New Zealand & Rest of Oceania | 190,000 | 2.5% |
Rest of Europe | 601,500 | 7.9% | |
Rest of World | 283,800 | 3.7% | |
Total | 7,604,400 | 100%[61] |
In 2013 6,985,900 overseas tourists visited Ireland, a 7.2% increase over the previous years figure.[61]
Rank | Country | Visitors | Percentage |
---|---|---|---|
1 | United Kingdom | 2,929,000 | 42% |
2 | United States | 1,036,000 | 14.8% |
3 | Germany | 483,000 | 7% |
4 | France | 434,000 | 6% |
5 | Belgium, Netherlands, & Luxembourg | 265,000 | 3.8% |
6 | Spain | 263,000 | 3.8% |
7 | Italy | 234,000 | 3.4% |
8 | Denmark, Finland, Norway & Sweden | 210,000 | 3% |
9 | Australia, New Zealand & Rest of Oceania | 188,000 | 2.7% |
10 | Canada | 123,000 | 1.8% |
Rest of Europe | 575,000 | 8.2% | |
Rest of World | 248,000 | 3.5% | |
Total | 6,985,900 | 100% |
Entry regulations
Under the Short-stay Waiver Programme, anyone from the countries on the list below can travel to Ireland within the time remaining on a current UK visa, without the requirement to obtain an Irish visa, and be granted permission to stay in Ireland up to a maximum of 90 days, or the time left on their UK visa to expire.[62]
Irish Short-stay Visa Waiver Programme[62] |
---|
Bahrain |
Belarus |
China[n 1] |
India |
Kazakhstan |
Kuwait |
Montenegro |
Oman |
Qatar |
Russian Federation |
Saudi Arabia |
Serbia |
Turkey |
Ukraine |
United Arab Emirates |
Uzbekistan |
Citizens of most countries can enter Ireland without a
Citizens of countries who need transit visas[63] |
---|
Afghanistan |
Albania |
Cuba |
Democratic Republic of the Congo |
Eritrea |
Ethiopia |
Ghana |
Iran |
Iraq |
Lebanon |
Moldova |
Nigeria |
Somalia |
Sri Lanka |
Zimbabwe |
Tourism organisations
Tourism Ireland was established under the Good Friday Agreement of 1998 to promote the island of Ireland overseas. It is jointly funded by the Irish Government and the Northern Ireland Executive on a two-to-one ratio. Tourism Ireland works together with the two tourist boards on the island, Fáilte Ireland and Tourism Northern Ireland.
Fáilte Ireland
Fáilte Ireland is the biggest tourist body in Ireland with responsibility for promoting domestic tourism and helping to develop the sector as a leading component of the Irish economy. The organisation provides strategic and practical support to develop and sustain Ireland as a tourist destination. The organisation runs Discoverireland.ie, an award-winning website[64]
References
Notes
Sources
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- ^ "Brittany Ferries Official Website – Cork <> Santander route". Brittany Ferries. Retrieved 31 October 2018.
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- ^ "History of St John's Cathedral". Limerick Diocese. Retrieved 15 September 2012.
- ^ "History of Adare". Bill Chawke. 11 June 2011. Retrieved 15 September 2012.
- ^ a b "Introducing Galway City". Lonely Planet. Retrieved 15 September 2012.
- ^ "Aran Islands Guide". aranislands.ie. Retrieved 15 September 2012.
- ^ "Rosslare Sunshine Hours". eca.nl. Retrieved 16 September 2012.
- ^ "Croaghaun, Ireland's highest cliffs". Geograph.ie. Retrieved 16 September 2012.
- ^ "Surfing Locations split by Location". wannasurf.com. Retrieved 16 September 2012.
- ^ Ní Chonchúir, Sharon (December 2016). "Ireland's Ancient South East". IrishAmerica.com. Archived from the original on 8 December 2016.
- ^ "What is Ireland's Ancient East, exactly?". independent. 10 July 2016.
- ^ "Ireland's Ancient East | The Areas of Ireland 's Ancient East".
- ^ "'Ireland's Ancient East' launched as follow-up to Wild Atlantic Way". independent. 14 April 2015.
- ^ MacConnell, Eoghan (12 April 2018). "Fáilte Ireland unveils Hidden Heartlands brand for the midlands". The Irish Times.
- Athlone Advertiser. 12 July 2018. Archivedfrom the original on 18 July 2018. Retrieved 18 July 2018.
- ^ "Activities for a fantastic short break in Ireland's Hidden Heartlands". IrishCentral.com. July 2019. Retrieved 30 April 2021.
- ^ Heartlands, Ireland's Hidden (30 June 2018). "Beginner's Guide to Ireland's Hidden Heartlands".
{{cite journal}}
: Cite journal requires|journal=
(help) - ^ "Mid-Kerry rebrands as 'The Reeks District'". radiokerry.ie. 30 April 2018.
- ^ Lucey, Anne (18 December 2018). "Kerry's rebranded Reeks District looks to draw the tourists". Irish Examiner. Retrieved 10 November 2020.
- ^ Ó Conghaile, Pól (7 January 2019). "Ireland's 'Reeks District' makes Rough Guides' Top 6 to visit for 2019". independent.ie. Retrieved 10 November 2020.
- ^ "Dublin hosts St Patrick's Day party". Irish Independent. 17 March 2012. Retrieved 16 September 2012.
- ^ "OXEGEN NAMED BEST FESTIVAL & BEST LINE-UP IN EUROPE". Oxygen. Archived from the original on 2 June 2013. Retrieved 16 September 2012.
- ^ "Rose of Tralee – Entry Info". Southern California Rose of Tralee. Archived from the original on 23 August 2011. Retrieved 16 September 2012.
- ^ "Launch of the Galway Summer Festival 2012". Galway Races. Archived from the original on 12 September 2012. Retrieved 16 September 2012.
- The Sunday Times.
- ^ "History of the Festival". Galway International Oyster Festival Website. Archived from the original on 15 February 2006. Retrieved 4 May 2006.
- ^ "What People Say About Electric Picnic". Electric Picnic. Retrieved 16 September 2012.
- ^ "150 years of Matchmaking in Lisdoonvarna". Match Maker Ireland. Retrieved 16 September 2012.
- ^ Geology of the Cliffs of Moher. 17 December 2008. Archived from the original on 19 December 2021 – via YouTube.
- ^ "Two Feet from Shore". Diving.ie. Retrieved 16 September 2012.
- ^ "Volcanoes, earthquakes and fold mountains". Skoool.ie. Archived from the original on 19 October 2013. Retrieved 16 September 2012.
- ^ a b c d "Table 5 Overseas Trips to Ireland by Area of Residence by month, 2016 – 2018". Central Statistics Office. 27 September 2018. Retrieved 1 October 2018.
- ^ a b "Overseas Travel December 2015 - February 2016 - CSO - Central Statistics Office". www.cso.ie. 30 March 2016.
- ^ a b c "Overseas Travel November 2014 - January 2015 - CSO - Central Statistics Office". www.cso.ie. 25 February 2015.
- ^ a b "The Irish Short-stay Visa Waiver Programme" (PDF). Inis.gov.ie. Retrieved 14 September 2012.
- ^ a b "Visa requirements for entering Ireland". Citizens information. Retrieved 14 September 2012.
- ^ "Discover Ireland Website Home Page". Discover Ireland. Retrieved 16 September 2012.
External links
- Official website
- Ireland travel and tourism at Curlie