OSM PHOTO – 15/03/2026 – REPRO FREE for Editorial Use –
Zebras pictured at the opening of the Panoramic wheel at Fota Wildlife Park. Located within the park greounds, the Panoramic Wheel is an optional, paid experience, and is now open for a limited time. This premium attraction offers spectacular views across the Park’s 100 acres, showcasing wildlife habitats and the daily conservation work taking place on site. From this unique vantage point, visitors can take in the expansive landscapes devoted to wildlife preservation.
Picture: Michael O’Sullivan / OSM PHOTO(Image: Michael O’Sullivan / OSM PHOTO)
With more than eight in every ten flights to Ireland arriving into Dublin airport, it’s no surprise the capital dominates in terms of tourism, attracting around 6.6m visitors per year.
The sector is huge for our economy, Ireland is the 13th most popular country in the world to visit, according to the UN World Tourism Organisation and tourism contributed €3.1bn to the economies of Cork and Kerry in 2024.
However, when it comes to Ireland’s most popular visitor attractions, Dublin dominates with five of the top ten. Cork, Kerry and Clare all get one and for the Rebel County, it may not be the attraction that seems obvious. A new survey ranks Ireland’s most-visited tourist attractions by visitor satisfaction – and not just raw visitor numbers – analysing online review data to reveal where Irish holidaymakers and tourists are having the best experiences according to visitor commentary.
For Cork, it’s Fota Wildlife Park – and not Blarney Castle – that takes our only spot in the top ten, as compiled from data by online travel insurance experts Chill.ie.
They looked at satisfaction ratings with reviews on sites like TripAdvisor showing how visitors reacted to what they saw and experienced at Ireland’s top attractions. The ratings include domestic Irish visitors as well as foreign tourists.
Leading the way is EPIC The Irish Emigration Museum, which ranks first overall thanks to its exceptional 4.8 average review rating and more than 3,000 happiness-related mentions from visitors. Other Dublin attractions making the ranking include Chester Beatty Library, National Museum of Ireland – Archaeology, National Museum of Ireland – Decorative Arts & History, and Malahide Castle & Gardens.
From immersive museums and historical collections to scenic castle grounds, the ranking highlights Dublin’s strong appeal as a cultural and heritage destination for both international tourists and domestic visitors alike.
Coming in second is Bunratty Castle & Folk Park, one of Ireland’s most iconic heritage attractions. Welcoming more than 405,000 visitors, the historic castle and recreated folk village generated more than 2,100 happiness-related mentions in positive reviews, reflecting its continued appeal for visitors looking to experience traditional Irish history and culture.
Cork’s Fota Wildlife Park – with 428,000 visitors in 2025 – had a satisfaction rating of 4.5 (or four and a half stars), putting it at eight in the Top Ten most satisfying destinations.
Second on the happiness index, Bunratty Castle & Folk Park in Clare scores 6.98 and backs it up with the highest proportion of positive sentiment language of any attraction analysed. More than 59% of its highest-rated written reviews contain words like “loved,” “fantastic,” and “enjoyed.”
With over 779,000 visitors a year, Muckross House Gardens in Kerry is one of the busiest attractions on the index, and one of the most loved. Placing third with a score of 6.87, the Kerry landmark punches well above its weight, demonstrating that some of Ireland’s most satisfying visitor experiences don’t come with a price tag attached.
The number one attraction was EPIC – the Irish Emigration Museum in Dublin, even though at 388,000 visitors, it ranked far below bigger attractions like the Guinness Storehouse, in terms of visitor numbers.