THE GUINNESS STOREHOUSE has once again topped the list of Ireland’s most popular tourist attractions.
Fáilte Ireland’s annual survey of the Emerald Isle’s most popular visitor attractions for 2018 saw the St James’s Gate location come out on top with 1.7 million visitors last year.
That represents an increase of 25,000 on the previous year, helping the Guinness Storehouse retain its status as Ireland’s most popular fee-charging attraction.
The Cliffs of Moher Visitor Experience came in second with 1.5 million visitors, while Dublin Zoo was the third most popular with 1.2 million visitors.
Kilkenny Castle Parklands topped the list of free-to-enter attractions in Ireland with 799,032 visitors last year.
It came in just ahead of the National Gallery of Ireland, which drew in 775,382 visitors.
Glendalough came in third in the free-to-enter list, followed by the National Botanic Gardens.
A spokesperson for Fáilte Ireland, Director of product development, Orla Carroll said: “While 2018 was a positive year for most of Ireland’s top attractions, there are many challenges ahead for the tourism industry.
“Our work with attractions in helping them grow their visitor numbers through training and funding is a significant part of what we do across the country.”
Image: Tourism IrelandThe full top 10 lists read as follows:
- Guinness Storehouse - 1,736,156 (visitors)
- Cliffs of Moher Visitor Experience – 1,580,000
- Dublin Zoo – 1,230,145
- Book of Kells – 1,057,642
- Tayto Park – 700,000
- St Patrick’s Cathedral – 627,199
- Kylemore Abbey & Garden – 561,657
- Muckrose House – 550,649
- Powerscourt House Gardens and Waterfall – 472,523
- Blarney Castle & Gardens – 460,000
Ireland’s top ten ‘free to enter’ attractions for 2018 were:
- Kilkenny Castle Parklands – 799,032
- The National Gallery of Ireland – 775,491
- Glendalough Site – 732,824
- National Botanic Gardens – 655,609
- Castletown House Parklands – 642,278
- Irish Museum of Modern Art – 505,891
- Doneraile Park – 490,000
- National Museum of Ireland – Archaeology, 466,038
- Farmleigh House Estate – 389,932
- Battle of the Boyne/Oldbridge Est – 355,608
