Ireland’s Most Popular Tourist Destinations

If visiting Ireland is on your bucket list, you’re in luck – new research has revealed the country’s most popular tourist destinations.

Luggage shipping experts at mybaggage.com analyzed the review site Tripadvisor to examine the number of five-star reviews compared to the total number of reviews for various tourist attractions in Ireland. The percentage of five-star reviews was calculated to determine the ranking of the most popular tourist destinations.

RankAttractionPercentage of five-star reviews
1The Irish Rock ‘N’ Roll Museum Experience91.16%
2Skellig Michael90.97%
3Arigna Mining Experience85.80%
4EPIC The Irish Emigration Museum85.52%
5Irish Whiskey Museum85.30%
6Killarney National Park84.00%
7The Little Museum of Dublin83.35%
8Dalkey Castle and Heritage Centre82.75%
9Hook Lighthouse76.42%
10Cliffs of Moher76.36%

Taking the top spot for places you must visit is The Irish Rock ‘N’ Roll Museum Experience in Dublin. The attraction showcases the history of the country’s rock and roll scene with rooms dedicated to artists such as U2 and Thin Lizzy. It has a total of 6,174 reviews, of which 5,628 are five stars, meaning 91.16% of visitors recommend it. 

The second highest-rated attraction is Skellig Michael, a crag located in County Kerry. 90.97% of reviews for the two-pinnacle crag are five-star, meaning 725 of the 797 reviews were excellent. 

The Arigna Mining Experience in Arigna Valley, County Roscommon ranks third. The exhibition gives visitors a glimpse of equipment and photos from when coal mining was a booming industry. There is also a tour where you can immerse yourself in the grueling conditions miners endured daily at work. Out of 1,028 total reviews, 882 were five-star, resulting in a high proportion of 85.80%. 

In fourth place is Dublin’s EPIC The Irish Emigration Museum. The experience shares stories of Irish emigrants and their global impact. The attraction boasts 7,869 five-star reviews out of a 9,201 total, which equals 85.52%.

The Irish Whiskey Museum in Dublin is in fifth place with 10,154 five-star reviews out of a total of 11,904, meaning 85.30% of visitors who left reviews would recommend the experience. 

Killarney National Park in County Kerry lands in sixth place. The park has 84% of five-star reviews; out of a possible 7,344 reviews, 6,169 gave the highest number of stars. 

The Little Museum of Dublin is the seventh highest-rated attraction in the country. The attraction, which tells the story of the Irish capital with “hospitality and humor,” has 16,253 reviews in total, 13,547 of which are five-star. As a result, the proportion of five-star reviews for the Little Museum of Dublin is equal to 83.35%.

In eighth place is Dalkey Castle and Heritage Centre. Out of 632 reviews, 523 were five-star, equating to 82.75%.

Hook Lighthouse is one of the oldest lighthouses in the world with over 800 years of history. The attraction has 1,465 five-star reviews, which is equal to 76.42% of the 1,917 total.

The Cliffs of Moher take tenth place, a natural site in County Clare. 76.36% of reviews on Tripadvisor are five-star, with 11,416 out of 14,951 reviews giving the highest rating. 

Paul Stewart, Managing Director of mybaggage.com, said, “Ireland is a fascinating country to visit with lots of things to do, learn, and see. The top-rated attractions on Tripadvisor demonstrate there are a variety of entertaining places to visit while you’re there – ensuring a fun and memorable holiday, whether you are going alone or with loved ones.” 

Here is the entire list:

RankAttractionTotal reviewsFive-star reviewsPercentage of five-star reviews
1The Irish Rock ‘N’ Roll Museum Experience6,174 5,628 91.16%
2Skellig Michael797 725 90.97%
3Arigna Mining Experience1,028 882 85.80%
4EPIC The Irish Emigration Museum9,201 7,869 85.52%
5Irish Whiskey Museum11,904 10,154 85.30%
6Killarney National Park7,344 6,169 84.00%
7The Little Museum of Dublin16,253 13,547 83.35%
8Dalkey Castle and Heritage Centre632 523 82.75%
9Hook Lighthouse1,917 1,465 76.42%
10Cliffs of Moher14,951 11,416 76.36%
11Newgrange1,073 784 73.07%
12Kilmainham Gaol Museum27,959 20,211 72.29%
13Powerscourt House & Gardens2,830 1,973 69.72%
14Sean’s Bar, Athlone1,572 1,045 66.48%
15Blarney Castle & Gardens7,785 5,098 65.48%
16The Ring of Kerry 2,184 1,423 65.16%
17Muckross House5,183 3,342 64.48%
18Bunratty Castle & Folk Park4,644 2,811 60.53%
19Rock of Cashel4,332 2,590 59.79%
20The English Market3,162 1,866 59.01%
21Dublin Zoo7,867 4,636 58.93%
22The Blarney Stone652 384 58.90%
23Kilkenny Castle6,703 3,795 56.62%
24The Book of Kells Experience24,192 13,423 55.49%
25Guinness Storehouse49,390 26,776 54.21%
26Carrick-a-Rede Rope Bridge4,779 2,568 53.74%
27Trinity College Dublin14,203 7,510 52.88%
28St. Patrick’s Cathedral7,988 4,191 52.47%
29National Gallery of Ireland2,281 1,167 51.16%