Almost half of Ireland is underlain by limestone and limestone means caves. In addition to being beautiful and other worldly places to visit caves have significant historic importance too, having variously been lived in, used as places of refuge or to hide food and valuables, and as places of burial or of ritual around death. Local folklore commonly links caves to supernatural occurrences and they often featured in religious practice. Many important archaeological discoveries have been made in Ireland’s caves.
The caves listed here are all ‘show caves’, easily accessible to the public without any need for special equipment or clothing. Most also have restaurants and other facilities adjoining them.
Mitchellstown varies from most of Ireland's other show caves in being a very low key place, still owned and run by the same family on whose land it …
Marble Arch caves are Ireland largest caves, both in terms of the extent and the sheer hugeness of some of the internal spaces.
Ailwee Caves are Ireland's largest cave system, deep beneath the Burren in Co Clare, and can be explored during a guided tour.
While many cave systems open to visitors in Ireland were discovered relatively recently, this one has been known about since at least the 9th century, …