Ireland’s national tourism development authority, Fáilte Ireland, has compiled a list of the top 10 visited free and paid tourist attractions in Ireland. The lists put together by Fáilte Ireland have been categorised into both “Free” and “Paid” attractions, and have been ranked by the number of visitors they each received during 2011.
The tourism body recorded a growth of six percent in the rise in the number of people making Ireland vacations, and they hope to improve this figure in 2012. They also said Queen Elizabeth and US President Barack Obama’s visits to the country had been a wonderful showcase for everything that Ireland has to offer. The top ten attractions in each category were as follows:
Top 10 Free Attractions in Ireland:
- National Gallery of Ireland – 624,412 visitors
- National Botanic Gardens – 501,000 visitors
- National Museum of Archaeology – 402,582 visitors
- Irish Museum of Modern Art – 362,000 visitors
- Farmleigh – 315,464 visitors
- National Museum of Decorative Arts (Collins Barracks) – 295,488 visitors
- National Museum of Natural History – 289,172 visitors
- Chester Beatty Library – 247,729 visitors
- Science Gallery – 242,833 visitors
- Holycross Abbey, Thurles – 240,000 visitors
Top 10 Paid Attractions in Ireland:
- Guinness Storehouse – 1,025,677 visitors
- Dublin Zoo – 1,000,000 visitors
- National Aquatic Centre, Dublin – 825,049 visitors
- Cliffs of Moher – 809,474 visitors
- Book of Kells – 524,119 visitors
- Fota Wildlife Park – 390,124 visitors
- St Patrick’s Cathedral – 362,000 visitors
- Blarney Castle – 325,000 visitors
- Kilmainham Gaol – 294,095 visitors
- Bunratty Castle – 275,986 visitors