Glasnevin Cemetery Tour in Dublin

Dublin’s Glasnevin Cemetery first opened in the 19th century, and went on to become the final resting place of over 1.6 million people. Step back in time and enjoy a tour of the cemetery with your knowledgeable guide. Hear of the tall tales and daring deeds of many of the country’s famous (and infamous) characters from bygone times, and remember the old adage that sometimes truth is stranger than fiction!

After meeting your guide outside the museum, visit the O'Connell Crypt, the resting place of Daniel O’Connell, one of Ireland’s most important citizens and the man responsible for a tireless campaign for Catholic emancipation in the early 19th century. See the famous O’Connell Tower, and learn how it has benefited from comprehensive restoration work in recent years.

As you walk around, learn of the many heroes of this great nation that have since passed away. Your guide might take you to the grave of Michael Collins, an Irish revolutionary whose grave still receives floral tributes today, or perhaps the resting place of Constance Markievicz, the first woman to be elected to the British House of Commons.

Every day at 2.30pm, a local actor delivers the iconic speech that Pádraig Pearse made at the funeral of Jeremiah O'Donovan Rossa in August 1915 - a mere nine months before the historic Easter Rising of 1916.

Having explored the cemetery, bid your guide goodbye and head inside Glasnevin Cemetery Museum to explore independently. While viewing the exhibits, discover some of the little-known facts about the many great people now at rest within the cemetery grounds, including some of Ireland’s key literary, political and cultural figures such as Arthur Griffith, Brendan Behan and Gerard Manley Hopkins.

If you are interested in genealogy, take a look at your own family tree at Glasnevin Cemetery Museum’s Genealogy Research Center. Before leaving, your guide will have handed you a voucher, which you can use to search for your own ancestors. How long you spend inside the museum or research center is up to you. Your tour also allows you to enjoy discounts on select purchases in the museum's shop and café.

The

O'Connell Tower is now open to the public - you can now climb Ireland's largest round tower! Once at the top, you will enjoy 360 degree panoramic views of the sprawling grounds of the cemetery, the city of Dublin, Wicklow and the Irish Sea. Please enquire at reception for more information regarding booking and admission rates. (Tower admission can be purchased as an add-on to your tour on site)