136 Pictures of Ireland That Will Make You Feel Like You’re There

Ireland is one of the most popular tourist destinations in the world. Are you wondering: Is Ireland beautiful? Is Ireland good for photography? Let me take you on a virtual tour of Ireland so you can see for yourself.

Pictures of Ireland are no substitute for the real thing, but a picture is worth a thousand words, and these Irish images will make you want to hop on a plane.

I hope these images of Ireland inspire a bit of armchair travel. I know I’ve found some measure of joy curating these Ireland photos from my personal travels.

Get ahead of the curve and use these beautiful pictures of Ireland to inspire a future trip.

Ireland Picture Gallery

Having called Dublin home for over a decade, taking photos of Ireland was one of my favorite pastimes. I took the opportunity to sift through thousands of photos of Ireland from dozens of trips to different places on the Emerald Isle in both the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland.

Our 12 years in Dublin took us to the four corners of the island. I’ve grouped my favorite Ireland pictures by location below, starting close to Dublin and proceeding clockwise to the south around the island.

If you click on any of the small images of Ireland in the grids for each section, you’ll be taken to a larger version.

This is Instagrammable Ireland at its finest since all of the images included below were originally posted on my Instagram account. Don’t miss my latest photos of Dublin and further afield in Ireland: follow drj_sidewalksafari on Instagram.

Pictures of Ireland by Theme

Let’s start with a selection of photos of Ireland curated by theme.

Pictures of Ireland’s Castles

There is nothing like an Irish castle to capture the imagination. I’ve visited and photographed my fair share of Ireland’s castles including:

1. 15th-century castle that is now home to the Phoenix Park Visitor Centre in Dublin
2. Rock of Dunamase and ruins of Dunamase Castle in County Laois
3. An impressive sand castle on the grounds of Dublin Castle
4. Macroom Castle in West Cork
5. Malahide Castle on the outskirts of Dublin City
6. Kilkea Castle, a 12th-century gem that you can stay in
7. Carlingford Castle on Carlingford Lough
8. Imposing Athlone Castle in the Irish Midlands
9. Lismore Castle in County Waterford

Pictures of Ireland’s Beaches and Cliffs

Ireland’s beaches and windswept cliffs also make for lovely photographs. You can’t swim at Irish beaches without a wetsuit, but a photowalk is always possible. Let me share some of my favorite photos of Ireland’s beaches and cliffs here:

1. North Bull Island near Dublin City and Clontarf
2. A rocky beach on a moody day in Waterville in County Kerry
3. A starling and a sailboat on the Irish Sea in Monkstown near Dublin
4. The cliff walk from Bray to Greystones near Dublin
5. Iconic Poolbeg Towers and the beach at Sandymount Strand
6. Stunning cliff walk and well in Ardmore in County Waterford

Pictures of Ireland’s Countryside

Ireland’s countryside is rife with photo opportunities. If you take yourself on a self-drive around Ireland, give in to the urge to pull over often to capture some amazing pictures of Ireland in the country’s most rural areas. Sheep and thatched cottages are among my favorite Instagrammable subjects in Ireland.

1. Thatched cottage with a pink door in rural Kilkenny
2. A curious sheep in Carlingford
3. Sheep crossing the road in County Kerry

Pictures of Ireland’s Cities

I am a city girl at heart, and I love exploring the cities and towns of Ireland. Some of my most memorable pictures of Ireland were taken in her cities:

1. Giant ceramic fish taken on a weekend in Belfast
2. Iconic Bord Gáis Energy Theatre in Grand Canal Dock in Dublin
3. The Gasworks Pub in Dublin
4. The Long Hall Pub in Dublin City Centre
5. Charming Georgian door and tree in Cork City
6. Historic Seán’s Bar in Athlone
7. Sunrise over the new Google Offices in Boland’s Mill
8. A view of Boland’s Mill in Dublin
9. Historic façade in Rathmines
10. Sun-dappled buildings in Dungarvan
11. Historic façade in Cork City
12. The neon bridge connecting the Google office buildings on Barrow St.

Pictures of Ireland by Location

The following sections cover photos taken in different locations around Ireland.

In the Neighborhood of Dublin, Ireland Images

I covered pictures of Dublin City in a separate post featuring 106 photos of Dublin. Let’s start slightly further afield but in the neighborhood of Dublin. These are destinations that you could easily get to on a drive or organized tour from Dublin in a day.

1. The Jealous Wall at Belvedere House near Mullingar
2. The wooden roller coaster at Tayto Park (now Emerald Park), the world’s only potato chip-centered theme park
3. Falconry show at Tayto Park
4. The courtyard at St. Patrick’s Church in Maynooth
5. The cairns at Loughcrew in the Boyne Valley
6. Ardgillan Castle: a great place for afternoon tea in a historic home and one of my favorite castles in Ireland

Wicklow Ireland Images

Continuing south from Dublin, you’ll arrive in County Wicklow. Wicklow features fantastic hillwalking, Irish wildlife, and ancient ruins. County Wicklow is accessible by car, public transportation, or on an organized tour.

1. Hiking the lakes at Glendalough
2. Grinning goat on the hiking trails near Glendalough
3. Historic cannon protecting the Black Castle
4. Ancient round tower at the monastic settlement in Glendalough
5. Another view of the round tower at Glendalough
6. The ruins of the Black Castle
7. A curious fox in the woods
8. An infinite forest near Glendalough
9. A babbling brook dark with tannins
10. The P.S. I Love You bridge
11. A more anonymous but equally idyllic stone bridge
12. Stately lion at Powerscourt

Pictures of Ireland: Wexford

Continue south from Wicklow and you’ll arrive in County Wexford. Known for some of the best strawberries in Ireland, Wexford is also great for birdwatching. Greenland white-fronted geese overwinter at the Wexford Wildfowl Reserve.

Did you know that Wexford is also the ancestral home of former U.S. President John F. Kennedy?

Plan a stop at the Kennedy Homestead on a road trip from Dublin to Kinsale.

Kilkenny, Ireland Photos

Kilkenny is one of the best places in Ireland to visit by train. If you are ambitious, you can even do Kilkenny as a day trip from Dublin. Take a virtual trip to Kilkenny with these photos:

1. The garden at Rothe House, a well-preserved medieval dwelling
2. A Kilkenny home ensconced in fiery foliage
3. Dublin doors may be iconic, but Dublin isn’t the only city in Ireland known for amazing doors. Check out this pair of Irish doors near the historic Smithwick’s brewery
4. The park at Kilkenny Castle
5. Remnants of Nelson’s Pillar that was blown up on O’Connell Street in Dublin during the Troubles
6. An atmospheric ruined church

Cork, Ireland Photos

Cork City (one of the best cities to visit in Ireland) has great craic and County Cork (both East Cork and West Cork) features some of the most beautiful scenery in Ireland. Join us on a virtual tour of Cork below.

1. Empty streets of Cork City on a Sunday morning
2. A historic quad at University College Cork (UCC)
3. St. Fin Barre’s Church towers in the distance
4. St. Fin Barre in Cork City on a cloudless day
5. Gorgeous door on the UCC campus
6. Gargoyle drainpipe at St. Fin Barre’s Church
7. Flags flying over Cork City
8. Shandon Bells and Tower at St. Anne’s Church in Cork City
9. Bright yellow door in Clonakilty in West Cork
10. A comforting fire at The Castle Inn pub in Cork City
11. A brightly colored building in Cork City
12. Sundial at the UCC campus
13. Nano Nagle Place
14. Red Abbey Tower
15. The façade of St. Fin Barre’s Cathedral
16. Youghal Clock Gate Tower in East Cork
17. Fishing boat in Youghal
18. Clouds over Old Head Lighthouse in Kinsale

Photos of Ireland: The Ring of Kerry

Continuing along the southern coast of Ireland, we arrive at one of the Republic’s most popular places for tourists: The Ring of Kerry. Head to Killarney and then embark on a virtual scenic drive below.

1. Muckross Abbey
2. Craggy coastline at Parknasilla
3. Sunrise over the Ring of Kerry at Parknasilla
4. Clouds and reflections near Killarney Town
5. The grounds of Parknasilla
6. Walking the coastline at Parknasilla

Pictures of Ireland: The Dingle Peninsula

Going even farther to the southwest, we come to some photos from one of my all-time favorite road trips in Ireland: the Dublin to Dingle drive. The Dingle Peninsula is one of the most beautiful parts of the Wild Atlantic Way.

1. Driving the Dingle Peninsula
2. Sunset over Dingle Town
3. An adorable spring lamb
4. Taking a hike along the Dingle Peninsula
5. Angry seas and dramatic cliffs on a sunny day at the edge of the Dingle Peninsula along Slea Head Drive
6. The colorful façades of Dingle Town
7. A moody day at Inch Beach
8. Gallarus Oratory, a perfectly preserved beehive church on the Dingle Peninsula
9. Green fields that inspire Ireland’s nickname (the Emerald Isle)

Limerick, Ireland Pictures

We now head north and east to Limerick. Limerick City is arguably one of the more underrated destinations in Ireland but is great for a weekend break.

1. Bunratty Castle
2. The grounds of Bunratty Castle and Folk Park
3. Limerick’s famous Milk Market
4. King John’s Castle
5. Gorgeous red door in Limerick City
6. Door to 12th-century St. Mary’s Cathedral

Galway, Ireland Photos

Let’s head north from Limerick to Galway, one of Ireland’s most beautiful cities.

1. Galway Cathedral
2. The Quad of NUI Galway covered in red autumn foliage
3. The NUIG Quad at another time of year
4. Gingerbread man at the Galway Christmas Market on Eyre Square
5. Happy little snowmen on Eyre Square
6. Thomas Dillon jewelers, home to the world-famous Claddagh ring

Connemara, Ireland Images

West of Galway, you’ll find one of the most remote and wild parts of Ireland: Connemara. In Connemara some people still speak Irish rather than English as their first language. Connemara is one of the most scenic places to take pictures in Ireland.

1. Horse racing at low tide on Omey Island
2. Stone ruins in Cong
3. A charming thatched cottage
4. Decadent Ashford Castle where you can spend more than 1000 EUR a night for a room
5. A windswept cottage on the Atlantic
6. A stone wall on Inchagoill Island, a place where St. Patrick himself is rumored to have spent time

Mayo, Ireland Photos

County Mayo is one of the most peaceful places in all of Ireland. From Westport Town to Ballina and everywhere in between, commune with nature and come away refreshed and rejuvenated.

1. Sheep along the cycle path between Achill Island and Westport Town
2. Colorful flowers framing a mountain landscape between Achill Island and Westport
3. Mischievous sheep on the path at Mount Falcon
4. Mossy stones in the woods on a walk at Mount Falcon
5. Eyes like a hawk at Mount Falcon
6. Yellow flowers on the Great Western Greenway, one of the best things to do near Westport
7. A mother sheep and her lamb on the cycle track between Achill Island and Westport
8. Anchor and the bridge to Achill Island
9. Sunset over the Octagon in Westport Town

Sligo, Ireland Photos

Sligo on Ireland’s west coast is one of the least touristed and most underrated places in Ireland. Transport yourself to Sligo with these beautiful pictures from the town and countryside.

1. Easkey Castle
2. Wooden fence in the countryside
3. An affectionate horse guarding the Carrowmore megalithic burial site
4. Stunning views of Benbulbin
5. The walled garden and sea beyond at Lissadell House
6. The sea in Sligo is known for surfing
7. Rippling sand near Lissadell House
8. An idyllic church in Sligo Town
9. The roaring Easkey River
10. Lavagh Friary (aka Court Abbey)
11. Sheep encounter on the hike to Knocknashee
12. A windy view of Benbulbin

Northern Ireland Images

Continuing north and east, we cross the border into Northern Ireland. Belfast is definitely worth visiting, and a weekend trip from Dublin to Belfast is always a fun idea. These images of Belfast and the surrounding region will hopefully inspire you to visit.

1. Commercial Court is lined with pubs and street art
2. The twisting staircase at Belfast Castle
3. Stone wall looking out to the sea in Bangor

Images of Ireland: Miscellaneous Pictures

I didn’t have enough photos of these places in Ireland to warrant their own section so I’ll just end this post with a few miscellaneous pictures. These are some great spots in Ireland that you won’t want to miss on your virtual tour!

1. Birr Castle, once home to the world’s largest Victorian-era telescope
2. Dromoland Castle with a Back to the Future inspired DeLorean parked out front. Did you know that the DeLorean was manufactured in Northern Ireland? Dromoland Castle is located in County Clare.
3. Charming thatched roof cottage in Adare

I hope you’ve enjoyed this virtual tour of Ireland. I find photography to be a wonderful way to relive my travels between trips.

I reflect fondly on these images from our years in Dublin, and I hope they inspire you to experience Ireland for yourself.

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