Kilkenny Castle beats rivals Dublin Castle as OPW’s most visited attraction in 2023

The Office of Public Works (OPW) have revealed the amount of visitors that stepped foot on OPW sites across the country last year.

Its finding show that Kilkenny Castle and Parklands was the most visited ticketed attraction in 2023, as it welcomed 546,354 visitors last year.

Dublin Castle came in a close second place with 534,014 visitors in 2023, while the Rock of Cashel in Co Tipperary took third place with a lower 357,273 visitors last year.

Overall the OPW had another successful year for visitor numbers at its heritage sites in 2023, as the number of recorded visitors rose from 15 million in 2022 to exceeding 15.3 million in 2023.

The 2023 data highlights a continued trend in number of visitors to Historic Castles, Gardens and Monuments across the country.

Iconic Irish heritage sites such as Kilmainham Gaol, The Rock of Cashel and Glendalough continue to play a pivotal role for both domestic and international tourism. While the major parks, such as the Phoenix Park, St. Stephen’s Green and parklands around Doneraile Court have remained top of the list, continuing the trend of visitors utilising these recreational spaces.

In Dublin, Farmleigh Estate saw a 13% increase in visitors, while a number of regional sites have also seen an increase in their visitor volumes.

Dún Aonghasa on Inis Mór- which was the winner of the European film location award last year, recorded an increase of 20%. The Céide Fields, Co Mayo, which received a €2.6m state investment in 2022 for its new immersive visitor centre experience, recorded a 38% increase on the previous year. Ionad an Bhlascaoid – The Blasket Centre, Co Kerry saw a 58% increase in visitors in 2023, while Clonmacnoise Co Offaly saw a 29% increase.

The data indicates a continued upward trend and visitor interest in Ireland's cultural legacy and underscores the importance of preserving such invaluable assets for future generations.

“The 780 sites under the care of the Office of Public Works contribute to the local sense of place, the local economy and are great places for domestic and international tourists to enjoy. The 2023 visitor data clearly indicates that there is a strong interest in heritage tourism and that an increasing number of visitors regard Ireland’s heritage sites as great places to visit,” said Minister of State with responsibility for the OPW, Patrick O'Donovan.

“We have fortunate to have such a rich and diverse collection of landmarks across the country. The continued investment by the State in our heritage portfolio- from ancient monuments to medieval castles- is so important for the safeguarding and preservation of our built heritage.

"It is wonderful to see the continued upward trend in visitor numbers to both the paid attractions and the recreational spaces which the public can access for free, all year round,” concluded Minister O’Donovan.