Dublin is one of Ireland’s most historically significant city.
First settled by the Vikings in the early Middle Ages, it later became the seat of British colonial rule for several centuries, before becoming the capital of the independent Irish state in 1923.
If you think keeping up this heritage may be costly (old buildings aren’t cheap to maintain!), you’d be right.
But you also may be surprised to learn exactly how much of Ireland’s rich heritage you can discover without breaking the bank.
Keep reading to find out what to do for cheap – or free! – in Dublin.
Table of Contents
Dublin Castle Gardens
Cost: Free
Dublin Castle was once the administrative seat of the British government when Ireland was under British rule. You’ll need to pay to enter the Castle, which includes the State rooms where the Presidents of Ireland are still inaugurated.
But it won’t cost you anything to visit the Dublin Castle Gardens, right next to the castle. Here you’ll find the original Duiblinn (or dubh linn)– meaning “black pool” – where the Vikings harbored their ships. From here, a trading post was set up, which in time became the city of Dublin.
Also in the Castle Gardens is the Garda Memorial Garden, designed in 2009, dedicated to members of the Irish Police who were killed in the line of duty.
National Museum of Ireland – Archaeology
Cost: Free
If you want to see artefacts from Ireland’s prehistoric to medieval past, look no further than the National Museum of Ireland – Archaeology. The oldest item is said to date from around 7000 BC.
There is a lot to see at this museum, but perhaps the most interesting is the goldwork, the exquisite Tara Brooch, and (more morbidly) the well-preserved bog bodies.
Ha’penny Bridge
Cost: Free
For most of Dublin’s history, the way to cross the River Liffey was via ferry. In 1816, the first cast iron and the first dedicated foot bridge was built. It was called the Wellington Bridge, after the British hero of the Napoleonic Wars, Arthur Wellesley, Duke of Wellington, who had been born in Dublin.
A toll was charged to use the bridge. The cost was originally a half penny – or ha’penny – and the name “Ha’penny Bridge” stuck. The toll was dropped in 1919. Today, the bridge is an iconic symbol of the city.
Oscar Wilde Statue
Cost: Free
Ireland’s most famous literary figure, Oscar Wilde was born and raised in Dublin. He wrote plays and poems, although his best-known work is his novel, The Picture of Dorian Gray. He is also famous for having been convicted of engaging in homosexual acts, then illegal in the UK. He was pardoned in 2017.
At Merrion Square Park, you can see a statue of Oscar, languidly lying atop a rock with a mischievous expression on his face. (The statue is across from the Oscar Wilde House, now part of the American College Dublin, which had been the writer’s childhood home, which you can see for free from the outside, but which is not free to tour.)
O’Connell Monument
Cost: Free
Located on O’Connell Street, the O’Connell Monument pays tribute to Daniel O’Connell (1775–1847), the Irish nationalist leader. Known as “The Liberator,” his efforts led to Catholic emancipation in 1829, whereby certain British laws against Catholics (who made up the majority of Irish people in the 19th century) were removed.
The Famine Memorial
Cost: Free
It goes by many names – the Great Famine, the Irish Potato Famine, the Great Hunger, the Famine – but they all refer to a time of starvation and disease that occurred in Ireland between 1845 and 1852. The Famine had a major impact on Irish history. More than 1 million people died, and more than a million more emigrated (including many to America). Between death and emigration, the population fell by an estimated 20-25%.
This memorial, unveiled in 1997, pays tribute those who chose to leave their homeland, enduring dismal conditions, for a chance at a better life abroad.
National Museum of Ireland – Decorative Arts and History
Cost: Free
This museum has a bit of an identity crisis. As its name implies, it houses items relating to the decorative arts, such as clothing and furniture, as well as artefacts pertaining to events in Irish history, such as the Easter Rising.
The museum is housed in the Collins Barracks, which from 1702 to 1997 served, as its name implies, as a military barracks. As a result, there’s a large collection relating to military history here as well.
Molly Malone Statue
Cost: Free
Molly Malone is actually a traditional Irish song about a fishwife plying her trade on the streets of Dublin. There is no evidence of a historical Molly Malone, but the song is so ingrained in Irish culture, that it is considered the unofficial anthem of Dublin.
Georgian Doors
Cost: Free
In the 18th century, Dublin was ruled by a Protestant minority, and was known as the Protestant Ascendancy. It was also the wealthiest British city outside of London, and, to reflect their status, the Protestant rulers built large, uniform houses in the latest style.
While at first all the same color, the doors of these buildings later became famous for their variety of colors. The reason for the many colors is unclear: one story has it that it was to help prevent drunken homeowners knocking on the wrong doors and disturbing their neighbors!
National Museum of Ireland – Natural History
Cost: Free
Formally known as the National Museum of Ireland – Natural History, this museum is affectionately known to locals as the “Dead Zoo.” Take a journey through earth’s geological and zoological history as you admire the thousands of taxidermized animals, rocks, and fossils on display.
But why does the Dead Zoo hold such a special place in the hearts of Dubliners? Perhaps because the museum itself is a historical artefact. The museum hasn’t changed much since it opened to the public in 1857, so the exhibits look much the same as they did in Victorian times. It’s been described as “a museum of a museum.”
National Gallery of Ireland
Cost: Free (permanent collection – there may be a fee for some special exhibits)
Take a tour through European art at the National Gallery of Ireland. Here you’ll find a who’s who of European masters from through the centuries, from Fra Angelico to Titian to Vermeer to Rembrandt. There’s even a work by Caravaggio which, up until its rediscovery in 1990, was believed to have been lost.
If it’s Irish art you’re looking for, there is an exhibit of the works of the Irish artist Jack B. Yeats. If that name rings a bell, the answer is yes; Jack was the Nobel Prize-winning writer William Butler Yeats.
St. Mary’s Pro-Cathedral
Cost: Free
The more famous and older St. Patrick’s Cathedral and Christchurch Cathedral both charge for entrance, but St. Mary’s Pro-Cathedral, seat of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Dublin, is free to enter. Known as “the Pro” and completed in 1825, it has hosted a number of major religious ceremonies, including a special Thanksgiving Mass attended by Daniel O’Connell after the granting of Catholic Emancipation, the funeral of Irish rebel leader Michael Collins, the funeral of President of Ireland and Taoiseach Éamon de Valera, and a visit by Pope Francis.
Chester Beatty Museum
Cost: Free
If you want to expand beyond Irish history for a more global perspective, head to the Chester Beatty Library. Located near Dublin Castle, this museum is a collection of rare manuscripts, books, miniature paintings and prints from Western, Islamic, and East and Southeast Asian traditions.
Alfred Chester Beatty was an American who had made his fortune as a mining engineer. He used his money to purchase rare manuscripts, later moved to Dublin, and eventually donated his collection to the Irish state.
Phoenix Park
Cost: Free
The large park is a whopping 1,750 acres and is home to a herd of wild deer. It is also the home of the Dublin Zoo, Ireland’s most visited attraction – and one of the world’s oldest zoos (not free to enter).
From a historical perspective, the park, which was founded in 1662, was the site of the Phoenix Park Murders, where the Chief Secretary of Ireland and Unter-Secretary were stabbed to death. A couple of popes have celebrated Mass here, including Pope John Paul II, for whose visit a large Papal Cross was erected and can still be seen.
There you have it! No matter your budget, I hope you enjoy some of the free and cheap things Dublin has to offer!
Cost not an issue? Check out the top 20 historical things to see in Dublin!
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