Heritage Card: Explore Ireland's Heritage

We'll be staying in the South-West area of Ireland, and are looking
forward to seeing Killarney National Park, Muckross House and Gardens,
Ross Castle, Skellig Michael, Charles Fort, Ilnacullin-Garnish Island,
Derrynane House, and more.  One easy way to explore Ireland (and save money) is to get a Heritage Card. The Heritage Card allows free admission to dozens of historic and sites of interest all around Ireland.

- A Heritage Card allows the purchaser unlimited free admission to all Heritage Sites managed by The Office of Public Works (OPW) and the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government for one year from the date of first use (with the exception of Muckross Traditional Farms, Killarney).

- For information on location, opening times etc. of sites that can be visited with an OPW Heritage Card please browse our site by selecting a region from the main menu. 

- The quickest and most convenient way to purchase an OPW Heritage Card is to buy it at the first OPW fee-paying site you visit.  Please note that credit card facilities are only available at a few of our larger Heritage Sites - i.e. Brú na Bóinne, Battle of the Boyne, Kilkenny Castle and Muckross House. OPW Heritage Cards and information leaflets are also available at Dublin Tourism, Suffolk Street, Dublin 2 and at Tourist Offices at Dublin Airport, Shannon Airport, Limerick, Ennis and Adare.

Ireland's built and natural heritage enriches our understanding of history. Trace this history from our earliest civilisation to the birth of our modern nation through the centuries in between.

Increasingly, international attention is being focused on the preservation of the world's natural and built heritage. National parks and other protected areas are part of a global network.

One of the responsibilities of The Office of Public Works (OPW) is the protection and conservation of Ireland's built heritage. The Department of Environment, Heritage and Local Government (DOEHLG) is responsible for the protection and conservation of Ireland's natural heritage and works closely with the European Union to ensure that protected areas in Ireland, of European importance, are cared for.

The primary concern of both the OPW and DOEHLG is to protect and maintain Ireland's heritage for future generations and visitors are therefore asked to respect the sites they visit and to co-operate at all times with on-site staff.  Please note access may be restricted to certain sites due to essential maintenance.

For more information, please see:
http://www.heritageireland.ie/