5 Paid Attractions To Visit in North Dublin

5 Paid Attractions To Visit in North Dublin

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I’m not the best for writing blog posts in a timely manner. Two years ago I wrote about some free museums in Dublin I loved visiting when I lived there (it’s been 5 years since I was last in Ireland). Still, St. Patrick’s Day is coming up so it’s time to talk Ireland. I spent a lot of my time in Ireland in “poor mode” and doing a lot of free/cheap things (walks in parks, free museums, etc). Eventually I got a bit of money coming in and was able to visit some paid attractions though I only paid full price for a few of them. One of these I visited with my parents when they were in Ireland and they insisted on paying. A few others I got a deal through Groupon and/or a bus tour. Those some deals may not be available now (although it doesn’t hurt to check).

Similar to my free museum post I have made a Google Map of these attractions with nearby train or luas stations (the luas is the above-ground tram). While you could take the bus to some of these most are not too far walking distance from either a train or luas stop (sometimes both).

Covid seems to have changed how many museums and attractions operate. If you really want to visit an attraction it’s advisable to book tickets online in advance, especially if its really popular.

Unlike my free museum post that I did in one big post I’m splitting this post into two parts. This post is about paid attractions on the north side (north of the Liffey river). The next post is about paid attractions to visit in south Dublin (still centrally location), which you can read here.

Jameson Distillery

I went on a tour of the Jameson Distillery with my parents when they came to visit me for a few days (a.k.a I didn’t pay for this one). The tour is about 45 minutes. You get to taste a few different whiskeys, learn about Jameson, and you get a drink at the end (I went with Jameson and ginger ale). The tour costs €26. With this being a distillery with alcohol this isn’t the type of attraction to bring kids (drinking age in Ireland is 18). I’m not a huge whiskey drinker, but I did enjoy this tour and getting to try some different whiskeys. If you’re interested they also have tours where you can learn to make whiskey-based cocktails.

Whiskey tasting at the Jameson Distillery. Oh look sweet, spicy, and nutty – 3 words to describe me.

The Jameson Distillery is located at Bow Street in Smithfield, Dublin 7. If you’re taking the Luas it’s about a 2-miute walk from the Smithfield stop on the Red Line. There isn’t a train station close by, but Heuston Station is about a 17-minute walk. This station is located south of the river so you’ll have to cross the river at either the James Joyce Bridge or the Mellows Bridge.

GPO Museum

I wrote about this in my post Five Attractions I Didn’t Plan To Visit (Because I Didn’t Know About Them) so I won’t go into too much detail here. The GPO is actually at the General Post Office on O’Connell Street, but isn’t about stamps. This was one of the sites of the 1916 Easter Rising and was a important site in Irish history. The Museum isn’t too big, an hour or two will be enough time to see everything. I did get a Groupon for this museum, but that deal is long gone. Visit their website to see admission rates and hours of operation.

These were painted-on mostly political posters on a brick wall inside the GPO Museum. I was just excited to see a poster about Donabate because that’s where I was living at the time.

The GPO Museum is located at O’Connell Street Lower, Dublin 1. If you’re taking the Luas it’s just across the street from the O’Connell Stop on the Green Line. If you’re taking the train it’s a 10 minute walk from Connolly Station just head down Talbot Street toward the Spire.

GAA Museum at Croke Park Stadium

Croke Park Stadium is the national stadium of Ireland that hosts many Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA) matches including the All Ireland Finals for Gaelic football, and hurling. Other events and concerts are also held at Croke Park. I went on a tour of the GAA Museum at Croke Park with the work abroad program I did. I found the tour and museum visit really interesting, even though I’m not much of a sports person (didn’t really know much about GAA games either). There is an interactive part of the museum where you can try your skills at some of these game, plus you get to to to the top of the stadium for some nice (albeit cloudy) views of Dublin. I also learned there are GAA clubs not just in Ireland, but in Canada too. Go Edmonton Wolf Tones! Stadium Tours can be booked by going to their website.

Croke Park is 3rd largest stadium in Europe. And don’t worry that’s not snow. The grounds were just covered with a white tarp when I visited.

The GAA Museum is located at Croke Park Stadium St Joseph’s Ave, Ballybough, Dublin 3. There isn’t a luas nearby, but the closest train station is Drumcondra which is a 10 minute walk away.

EPIC The Irish Emigration Museum

EPIC The Irish Emigration Museum was definitely my personal favourite paid attraction I did in Dublin. I did get a discount for this museum with a hop on hop off bus tour (it was the yellow bus and I also got a Groupon deal for that tour). This museum goes into detail that Irish emigrants (that is people who’ve left Ireland to live in other countries) have had on the world. From movie starts to politicians to inventors and more this museum is really well done, and definitely worth spending a few hours in. If you have Irish ancestry there is a genealogist that you you book a consultation with (this costs extra). Just be warned you’ll want to do some preliminary research ahead of time (don’t just show up and say your great-grandfather was from somewhere in County Galway or maybe County Mayo). Visit the EPIC museum website for their admission and hours of operations.

This was at the start of the EPIC Museum. This photo doesn’t accurately represent how epic (haha) this museum really is.

EPIC The Irish Emigration Museum is located at Custom House Quay, North Dock, Dublin 1. If you’re taking the luas it’s about a 5-minute walk from George’s Dock stop on the red line. The closest train station is Connolly, which is about a 6 minute walk away.

The Jeanie Johnston: An Irish Famine Story

The Jeanie Johnston is a docked ship that once transported Irish emigrants during the Great Famine that occurred from 1845 to 1852 and completely changed the country (killing a million people). Another one million emigrated from Ireland went to England or the US or Canada. I visited part of this museum for free during Riverfest (which happens in June during the bank holiday). It’s not a huge museum, but it’s close the EPIC museum and both are about the stories of Irish people emigrating from Ireland so doing both of these museums in one day sticks with a similar theme. Visit their website for admission and hours of operation.

Visiting the Jeanie Johnston during Riverfest.

The Jeanie Johnston is located at Custom House Quay, North Dock, Dublin 1. If you’re taking the luas it’s about a 4-minute walk from George’s Dock stop on the red line. The closest train station is Connolly, which is about a 7-minute walk away.

Bonus – 2 Attractions I Wished I Visited in North Dublin

I think I saw a good amount of the paid attractions in the north Dublin city centre, but I didn’t see everything. When I go back to Dublin I’d like to visit 14 Henrietta Street, which is a tour led tenement museum. Technically this museum hadn’t quite opened when I lived in Dublin. And while it might sound strange I’d also like to visit Glasnevin Cemetery. This is where many historic Irish figures are buried and they have history tours and a museum. I know this one is a bit further out of the city centre so I’d suggest a cab to get here.

Be sure to read my next post about my favourite paid attractions in south Dublin. And if money is tight (those pints can add up fast) check out my post about some of the free museums in Dublin.


Things To Know
If you’re planning to visit Dublin you can book your hotel here. If you’ll be in Dublin for a few days and are looking for a day trip consider taking the train to the small coastal town of Donabate.


Have you been to any of these attractions in north Dublin?

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