ADMISSION CHARGES TO certain Office of Public Works (OPW) heritage sites are being waived as part of the government’s July Stimulus Plan in an effort to encourage domestic tourism and support for the tourist economy.

The charges will be waived from this Monday and the measure will remain in place until the end of the year. It is hoped that this will help provide a greater appeal to Irish people to stay at home and take staycations and short breaks within Ireland particularly over the next six months.

The OPW manages 70 visitor sites around the country including some of the most iconic historic locations like the Rock of Cashel, Dún Aonghasa and Castletown House. Last year they attracted a total of over 9.3 million visitors.

Minister of State for the OPW Patrick O’Donovan today announced that many of these places will have either reduced admission fees or no charges at all for the rest of this year.

A small number of the busiest sites will not be offered with free admission as the OPW said there are concerns that they might be “overwhelmed with large numbers of visitors and create a significant Covid-19 risk”.

The OPW sites that will have fully free admission are:

• Battle of the Boyne/Oldbridge Estates
• Blasket Centre
• Carrowmore
• Castletown House and parklands
• Céide Fields
• Charles For
• Corlea Trackway
• Desmond Castle, Newcastlewest
• Dún Aoghnasa
• Emo Estate
• Glebe Gallery
• Glendalough monastic site
• Hill of Tara site
• JFK Arboretum
• Jerpoint Abbey
• Kells Priory
• Kilmacurragh National Botanic Gardens
• Loughcrew
• National Botanic Gardens, Glasnevin
• Old Mellifont Abbey
• Ormond Castle
• Pearse Museum, Rathfarnham
• Pearse Cottage
• Portumna Castle Estate
• Rathfarnham Castle
• Roscrea Heritage grounds
• Scattery Island
• Trim Castle grounds
• Fota Arboretum and gardens

Clonmacnoise, Garinish Island and the Rock of Cashel will have half price admission charges for the rest of the year. 

“Hopefully people will be able to discover something new or maybe they’ll be able to relive a childhood experience with their own families,” the OPW said today. “But we would encourage everyone to get out there and see what Ireland has to offer.”