Top 5: UNESCO Sites of Ireland

Ireland is an island rich with culture and beautiful landscapes. If you’re looking for a historic tour of this place, here are five UNESCO sites to check out, chosen for their historic significance and natural beauty.

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Newgrange

This prehistoric monument is older than the Egyptian pyramids, built during the Neolithic age around 3000 BC. Excavations have shown the site is of religious significance, believed to have been used in funeral rituals or some kind of faith based on the stars.

Ring of Kerry, Ireland © Markus Gann | Dreamstime

Ring of Kerry

Located in Killarney National Park, a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, the Ring of Kerry is a tourist route through many of the region’s most popular attractions, including Muckross Abbey, the Gap of Dunloe and Torc Waterfall. If you prefer to hike, the Kerry Way was established for pedestrians, and there is also a separate route for cyclists as well.

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Skellig Michael

The larger of the two Skellig Islands is home to a Christian monastery founded sometime between the 6^th and 8^th century. No more than 12 monks and an abbot lived here at a time, before a shifting climate forced them to abandon the church. If you recognize the stone structures, it’s because that was where Rey found Luke Skywalker in Star Wars: The Force Awakens.

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Giant’s Causeway

This is the only World Heritage Site in Northern Ireland, named after Fionn mac Cumhaill of Gaelic folklore. Legend has it Benandonner, the giant of Scotland, challenged the Irish giant to a fight. Fionn built the causeway to meet him in the middle to defeat him. In reality, an ancient volcano thousands of years ago created the hexagonal steps.

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Cliffs of Moher

These cliffs receive more than 1 million visitors a year, making it one of the most popular attractions in Ireland. The name refers to an old watchtower that stood lookout during the Napoleonic Wars.