Glasnevin Cemetery Tour Review
Is Glasnevin Cemetery tour worth it?
Many of the famous names in Irish history, our rebellion leaders & our independence heroes are buried here and so Glasnevin Cemetery is absolutely essential for every Irish person to visit once in their life.
If you are visiting Dublin for a day or two, I think the Kilmainham Gaol tour is better. If you are spending longer in Dublin, the tour at Glasnevin followed by a walk through the adjoining Botanical Gardens and a pint at the Gravediggers is a nice way to spend an afternoon. Or take the ghostly Gravediggers Night Bus.
Score 7/10
What is Glasnevin Cemetery?
Glasnevin is Ireland's national cemetery. There are 1.6 million bodies here. There are more Dubliners buried here than there are living today. Every Dubliner has had a sad day here saying goodbye to a loved one. It's still a working cemetery and you will likely see funerals taking place during your visit.
The Tour Experience
The tour begins in the visitor centre. There's a shop with a lot of good Irish history books, a cafe and a museum
The Museum
I'd suggest arriving 20 minutes before your tour time to take a look at the museum. It's small but has good view over the grounds and a history of the graveyard along with some of the people buried in it.
The Guided Tour
You walk through the cemetery with a guide for 90 minutes, stopping at graves of important people in Ireland's history.
Roger Casement We started at the grave of Roger Casement. One of our independence heroes who led an incredible life from Congo to Peru. He was executed in London.
The Forgotten Ten Ten young men executed during our War of Independence who were buried in the prison grounds until they were rightly moved to the national cemetery and given a state funeral in 2001.
Daniel O'Connell Ireland's Liberator. He founded the cemetery and has the biggest headstone in Ireland. You can touch his coffin in his crypt. The walls say "My body to Ireland, My heart to Rome, my soul to heaven".
The Republican Plot & Michael Collins This is the highlight of the tour for me. But our guide spent so much time at the previous graves that we had to rush through the republican plot and Michael Collins. The Big Fella. A huge figure in Irish independence and there was no time to talk about him.
Get fresh air, coffee & a guided tour of Dublin with me.
What The Tour Misses
There is a lot more to the cemetery than the tour covers. Leave time to walk 5 minutes to the O'Connell Circle. This is the most beautiful and atmospheric area. It has graves from the 1800s and I enjoy the walking around reading the headstones wondering what kind of lives these people left.
Thoughts on the Tour
I do think 90 minutes is too long. 10 minutes at 6 graves with a more concise guide would have been better and then 30 minutes at the O'Connell Tower would make for much better experience. It's always cold here, so dress warmly.
Make an Afternoon of It
Gravediggers Pub
Gravediggers Pub is next to the cemetery. It's become famous on the tourist route. It's a lovely pub for sure, I wouldn't come out here just to visit it, there's plenty of old classic pubs in Dublin city centre that have a similar atmosphere. But, if you are already here, it's worth a visit for a pint.
The National Botanical Gardens
The gorgeous gardens are next to the cemetery, there is a gate between the two. It's an absolutely beautiful place to spend an hour or two.
Or A Ghostly Evening
You can do the Dublin Gravedigger & Ghost Bus tour in the evening.
Where To Get Tickets For Glasnevin Cemetery?
Book a few days ahead to get your preferred tour time. Get tickets here.
Where is Glasnevin Cemetery?
It is in the Dublin suburb of Glasnevin. It's just 20 minutes from the city by taxi or bus.
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Photos from Glasnevin Cemetery
