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Rathcroghan Royal Site & Visitor Centre

Rathcroghan Royal Site & Visitor Centre

Rathcroghan Royal Site & Visitor Centre
5
Visitor CentresHistoric SitesAncient Ruins
9:00 AM - 4:30 PM
Monday
9:00 AM - 4:30 PM
Tuesday
9:00 AM - 4:30 PM
Wednesday
9:00 AM - 4:30 PM
Thursday
9:00 AM - 4:30 PM
Friday
9:00 AM - 4:30 PM
Saturday
9:00 AM - 4:30 PM
About
Rathcroghan, in County Roscommon, is the hidden heart of the West of Ireland. When you visit this area, just off the N5 Dublin to Westport road, you can experience the home of Celtic Warrior Queen Maeve, the Goddess Morrigan, the Cattle Raid of Cooley, and seat of Gaelic Royalty – this is the Land of Legends for over 5,000 years. Here you can walk in the footsteps of the ancestors, imagine yourself transported back through time to the age of warriors and heroes, and enjoy this fascinating slice of Irish Heritage. The Rathcroghan Complex, with over 200 ancient monuments, is the historical royal capital of Connacht, Ireland’s Western province. We have been nominated to World Heritage Status, and Rathcroghan Visitor Centre offers a BRAND NEW Rathcroghan and Medieval Tulsk exhibition (open April 2014) with fully insured guided tours tailored to suit you; whether your interest is History, Genealogy, Literature, Archaeology, Heritage, Spirituality, or Mythology. Rathcroghan Visitor Centre, in the Medieval village of Tulsk, provides professional guided tours with a qualified historian/archaeologist; plus self-guide information, maps and advice; family friendly activities, workshops and special events, and full café facilities. You can shop for unique hand crafted gifts, an unparalleled specialist book selection, and expert advice no matter what your interest in Irish Culture, History or Heritage.
Duration: 2-3 hours
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  • MAlagna
    Dublin, Ireland63 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    History comes alive
    Fascinating, guide was extremely knowledgeable and very personable. The beautiful landscape of Rathcroghan and rich history came alive. Also, cafe at at visitor centre serves very tasty food and coffee, and the gift shop is full of artisan crafts, rather than mass produced tat. Thoroughly enjoyed myself.
    Visited February 2024
    Travelled solo
    Written 7 February 2024
  • Anne M
    47 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Highly entertaining - should be on everyone's itinerary.
    It was a great experience and we couldn't have had a more knowledgeable guide in Elaine. A great mix of fact, legend and folklore that was very entertaining. I didn't go into Owenygat but a friend did and she was thrilled with the experience. Very worth while and enjoyable visit. The interpretive centre was a great add-on at the end, as well as a lovely lunch in the cafe.
    Visited February 2024
    Travelled with friends
    Written 21 February 2024
  • Andy C
    29 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Mythology and geography come together.
    This is the place where early medieval mythology and geography come together. Elaine provided a professional and knowledgeable tour linking what was on the ground with surrounding myths. After the tour, its worth doing the self-guided tour to visit the other locations throughout the area.
    Visited February 2024
    Travelled with family
    Written 25 February 2024
  • Mary C
    3 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Fascinating & Special Tour
    This tour was a wonderful experience. Mike is a brilliant tour guide who took us through the history and mythology of Rathcroghan in such an engaging and knowledgeable way. Getting into owenagat cave at the end of the tour was amazing! I highly recommend it!
    Visited March 2024
    Travelled with friends
    Written 4 March 2024
  • Luci
    6 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Impressive tour
    I highly recommend this tour for anyone who wants to experience some fascinating archaeological monuments within the local landscape. They date back over 6000 years which is quite impressive. Walking up the Rathcroghan mound and listening to the guide Daniel talk about the immense size and purpose of this mound just blew my mind. Daniel has a wealth of knowledge and is a fantastic story teller.
    Visited March 2024
    Travelled solo
    Written 30 March 2024
  • Philip O
    Dublin, Ireland6 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Fascinating insight into Irish Mythology
    The guided were extraordinarily knowledgeable and so helpful. This is a fascinating tour with so much information on the ancient Irish mythology. Elaine the archeologist who took us on the field trip and to Owenygat was engaging and entertaining. Be brave and enter Owenygat. They had a lovely café in which to eat when you arrive back at the centre. We'd highly recommend this tour to anybody - young or old.
    Visited March 2024
    Travelled as a couple
    Written 30 March 2024
  • Familie Goerg
    2 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Meet with Queen Maeve! Mike our Guide, made it happen!
    15-year old girls aren't the most enthusiastic fans of Irish pre-history. But Mike our tour guide made the Cattle Raid of Ulster come totally alive for our daughter. And the Cave of the Cats (Oweynagat) experience something to remember....when the lights went out, and we Celtic warriors were left in the dark with the drip, drip, dripping of water through the limestone roof! Thank you Mike! You'd make a great bard. And a kind one!
    Visited April 2024
    Travelled with family
    Written 12 April 2024
  • Maddie C
    Wellington, New Zealand7 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Incredible Experience of Royal Site In Rain or Shine
    We had an incredible visit to Rathcroghan today. Mike was our dynamic and deeply knowledgeable guide and I can't recommend visiting this site enough with him at the helm. He wove an incredible tale of history, mythology and archaeology through rain and shine, and presented the story of the Táin in such a humorous and accessible way, its sure to make anyone a fan of the Irish epic. Mike was also up for letting us go down into Oweynagat even though it had been raining and when the torched went off, it might’ve been the most special part of our trip so far, being in the dark, the entrance to the Otherworld. The visitor centre & museum area are beautifully laid out with amazing displays . Definitely head to Rathcroghan if you can.
    Visited April 2024
    Travelled as a couple
    Written 29 April 2024
  • Gina D
    28 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Best tour and guide.
    The tour and the tour guide are fantastic. Elaine was fun and engaging. She answered questions, we had a laugh. It was a thoroughly enjoyable day. The food in the cafe is just OK, the museum is OK but the tour out to the sites is not to be missed. It's pricey but I'd absolutely go again.
    Visited May 2024
    Travelled solo
    Written 7 May 2024
  • Ann W
    25 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Well worth visiting
    This place exceeded our expectations. Inside, the interpretative displays are extremely informative and professionally done. The cafe was most welcome and the parking, though not obviously signed, was most convenient in the spacious lot next door. After spending quite some time in the Centre we then drove to the Site, recreating Iron Age Ireland in our minds.
    Visited May 2024
    Travelled as a couple
    Written 23 May 2024
These reviews are the subjective opinion of Tripadvisor members and not of TripAdvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.

Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.

Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as waiting time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.

Popular mentions

5.0
5.0 of 5 bubbles668 reviews
Excellent
606
Very good
51
Average
5
Poor
4
Terrible
2

Maeve
1 contribution
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jul 2020 • Family
Had an amazing tour of Rathcrogan with Mike in July and have been meaning to write a review ever since. I have passed this site travelling to and from Westport for years. It is a fascinating site and stunning that it is not more widely known and respected in Irish culture and history. Mike was a brilliant tour guide and his vast knowledge was astounding. Even better was his ability to make each and every one of the tales and the scientific information relevant and interesting to everyone in our tour group. It was raining and we had 6 children under 11 with us, including a one year old. We all had a brilliant time, taking away great knowledge of the site and inspired by the stories and Mike's enthusiasm.We are still talking about it. Thanks Mike. Rathcroghan and its importance in Irish mythology and culture deserves much more attention and investigation and it is criminal that this is not so. Do not pass Rathcroghan. Book a tour, we would recommend it to anyone. And thanks again!
Written 5 January 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you maeveh2021 for the positive review, It's great news that you had an amazing tour with Mike and you were astounded by his vast knowledge. We are delighted you had a brilliant time at Rathcroghan and you found the stories inspirational. Once again thank you for your positive comments and please keep in touch with our upcoming events and new exhibits by joining our social media profiles. Thank you Alan
Written 8 June 2021
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Ellen R
Dublin, Ireland1 contribution
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Aug 2020
Oral storytelling is a cherished and masterful art form in Ireland, and visitors have the privilege of experiencing it by attending this tour. Daniel, a qualified archeologist, transported us to an ancient time where we could almost see kings coronated on the hill mound where we stood, and feel dread to hear how they were so often executed, their mutilated bodies buried in nearby bogs. Daniel skillfully infused these historical accounts with millennia of local mythology and mysticism, from magical bullfights and heroic battles to a more profound sense of the sacredness of the land – the physical embodiment of the old gods.

The tour concluded at the legendary Oweynagat cave, gateway to an otherworld of heroes and monsters. Here, Daniel’s chilling tales left us both anxious to get inside and keen to run away. And the cave doesn’t disappoint. The chance to see ancient ogham inscriptions up close, and explore its caverns, was an exhilarating experience.

Returning from the tour, Daniel answered our barrage of questions with enthusiasm and vast knowledge. As a published academic, he also shared some thought-provoking and original hypotheses on the sites. It was exciting to think there’s more still to discover here. We also learned of his team’s ongoing efforts to support sustainable farming solutions for local families who both work the land and help to preserve its history.

Back at the centre, we walked through the engaging Rathcroghan exhibit, which included displays of ancient artefacts. Then we spent far too long in their bookshop and enjoyed a tasty vegetarian meal in the Táin café.

Every Irish person should know about and attend this tour, not to mention international tourists. It is more likely to happen when Rathcroghan receives UNESCO World Heritage Site status – recognition it undoubtedly deserves.
Written 5 September 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you ellenrA1874IR for the positive review,     We are delighted you enjoyed your time with us and highlighted us as a must do for Irish and international tourists. Its also great to hear that Daniel transported you back to an ancient time and utilised his vast knowledge of the sites to tell of (local mythology and mysticism, from magical bullfights and heroic battles to a more profound sense of the sacredness of the land – the physical embodiment of the old gods). Once again thank you for your positive comments and please keep in touch with our upcoming events and new exhibits by joining our social media profiles   Thank you  Alan 
Written 27 September 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

OMP H
1 contribution
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Aug 2021 • Friends
I have passed and visited Rathcroghan and the visitors centre in Tulsk on several occasions but we decided to pay for the guided tour with Mike McCarthy from the centre (Very reasonable). One fine Saturday afternoon we spent 2 and half splendid hours with Mike who brought the history and myths of Rathcroghan to life before our eyes. His enthusiasm and knowledge of the history and the legends of the area and the people who inhabited it kept us enthralled. We visited the cave of the cats without Mike due to covid restrictions and rounded off the afternoon with a coffee and an entertaining video back at the centre. Well worth a visit to a hidden gem
Written 5 September 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you omph2020 for the positive review, We are delighted you found Mike your tour guide was able to bring the history and myths of Rathcroghan to life before our eyes. It's great you also enjoyed an entertaining video back at the center and ended your review with a well worth a visit comment. Once again thank you for your positive comments and please keep in touch with our upcoming events and new exhibits by joining our social media profiles. Regards Alan
Written 6 October 2021
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

JohnR
Kilcock, Ireland16 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Aug 2020 • Couples
We have previously taken tours at other ancient Royal Irish Sites, but were excited to visit Rathcroghan and were not disappointed. We got there early for a 12pm tour and had time to have a lovely brunch in the Tain Cafe. Good food at very reasina me price's.
We met our tour Guide Michael (Mike) and followed him in our van to the Mound north of Tulsk. His stories and knowledge of the site, the mythological, the archeology and the historical was impressive, but his deliverence was pasionate and excitable. Really enjoyable and informative 2hrs, finishing at the Cave of Cruachan. After the tour we returned to the center and visited the museum which brought to life, through the exhibits and videos, the stories and information that Michael shared with us.
Really a jewel of a find, the staff at the center are so friendly and helpful to make the experience truly rememberable. We will return again!!
Written 10 August 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you Z7896CFjohnr for the positive review,    We are delighted you found our guide Mike's knowledge of the Rathcroghan site was impressive.and passionate. We are also thrilled you enjoyed our museum videos and exhibits . Thank you also for highlighting how friendly and helpful the staff where to assist in making your experience truly memorable. Once again thank you for your positive comments and please keep in touch with our upcoming events and new exhibits by joining our social media profiles. Thank you Alan    
Written 23 August 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Ann G O'Reilly
1 contribution
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Sept 2021
On a dull day in early September I arrived at the Visitor Centre to join a prebooked guided tour of the royal site at Rathcroghan and what a tour in a mini bus with wonderful artwork of the legendry Queen Maeve!
Many years ago I had walked the complex field monuments many times but this tour with Daniel was an eye opener ,the archaeology, mythology, history, geography and their relationship with contemporary society were presented and elaborated by Daniel with humour, colour, deep learning and memorable language skills. Rathcroghan is a most expansive archaeological landscape and for Daniel to make it so alive for us over a three hour tour is not to be missed.

The Rathcroghan Centre itself has a well presented display of background material and has great coffee too.
The guide book written by Daniel and Mike is a fascinating read even a month after the visit. even if it advised to read beforehand.
Rathcroghan is must visit site.

Ann G O'Reilly
Written 26 October 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you anngF9718WD for the positive review, We are delighted you found your guide Daniel made your tour come alive with humour,,colour, deep learning and memorable language skills. It's also great news you are enjoying reading the Rathcroghan Guidebook written by Daniel and Mike. Once again thank you for your positive comments and please keep in touch with our upcoming events and new exhibits by joining our social media profiles. Regards Alan
Written 12 January 2022
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Oonaghpm
65 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Aug 2021
Very enjoyable visit. Mike is so knowledgeable and we had no idea how important Rathcroghan is, historically speaking! Well worth the trip.
Be aware though that because of COVID restrictions, you need your own car to get between the visitor centre and the main sites, and the cave is not accessible either. We didn't know either of these things beforehand and were very disappointed that we couldn't access the cave, as I had booked the 2pm slot especially.
Also, build in 30-40 minutes either before or after to go around the visitor centre which is really good.
Written 24 August 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you Oonaghpm for the positive review, We are delighted you found your guide Mike to be so knowledgeable and the site historically speaking was well worth the trip. Unfortunately due to social distancing restrictions at present we are unable to take Customers in our transport or down into the cave but please feel free to visit us when these restrictions are negated. Once again thank you for your positive comments and please keep in touch with our upcoming events and new exhibits by joining our social media profiles. Regards Alan
Written 4 October 2021
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Noelle H
Castlebar, Ireland3 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Aug 2021 • Couples
A thunder warning ment out tour on Thursday afternoon was cancelled. we were called in plenty of time and easily rescheduled for the Friday afternoon. we arrived at the cafe and my husband looked at the visitor centre while I got the tea and then joined him so much history and local knowledge the gift shop has some great pieces we met our tour guide Mike who is so enthusiastic full of information and just a nice man. we all set off for the afternoon traipsing through fields it was very informative and fun the rain didn't beat us but we did have to retreat to our cars for one bad shower the Royal sight was amazing and the Cave of cats was interesting really enjoyed our day out
Written 7 August 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you wellie80 for the positive review, It's great to hear your guide Mike was so enthusiastic, was full of information and was a nice man. We are also delighted you found our gift shop had some great pieces. Once again thank you for your positive comments and please keep in touch with our upcoming events and new exhibits by joining our social media profiles. Regards Alan
Written 12 September 2021
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

POD
42 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Aug 2021
A wonderfully enlightening tour with a guide (Mike) that is so knowledgeable and tells the story of the place with all the myths and legends so well - we were enthralled for the whole time. Due to Covid we travelled from the centre to the site in our own car but that was no issue. It is greatly under developed site and could knock the socks off Newgrange or other better known sites if developed.
Written 26 August 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you peteroW8382PF for the positive review, We are delighted to hear that Mike your tour guide enthralled you the whole time. It's also great to see you highlighted us as absolutely brilliant. Once again thank you for your positive comments and please keep in touch with our upcoming events and new exhibits by joining our social media profiles. Regards Alan
Written 4 October 2021
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

701jojo
Dublin, Ireland17 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Aug 2021 • Family
A great visitor centre complete with museum, interpretation, bookshop and cafe. I cannot recommend the guided tour enough. Our guide, Mike, was so enthusiastic and engaging, we would gladly have spent the whole day with him, listening to the folklore and its relevance to the site. He was a great storyteller with good archaeological knowledge and he really brought the site to life and managed to keep everyone, from my mother to my teenage son, interested throughout the afternoon. Excellent value for money too.
Written 3 August 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you 701jojo for the positive review, We are delighted you recommended our guided tour and your guide Mike was so enthusiastic and engaging that you would gladly have spent the day with him. It's also great to hear you enjoyed his storytelling and highlighted us as excellent value for money.. Once again thank you for your positive comments and please keep in touch with our upcoming events and new exhibits by joining our social media profiles. Thank you Alan
Written 22 August 2021
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Rogafieo
Dublin, Ireland5 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jul 2021 • Family
Daniel, our tour guide, was an absolute wealth of information and had so many stories about the heroes, legends and events of Ireland's ancient past. He relayed the information to us in an entertaining and animated manner, holding our attention the whole time, as he explained what the Rathcroghan Mound would have looked like in the past, and what purpose it likely served. He pointed out many other sites of interest on the surrounding landscape, which had played important parts in the events he described. Daniel told us stories of Queen Medb, Cú Chulainn, and many others, but from different perspectives and with more detail than I had ever previously heard. It threw a whole new light on what I always thought I knew about Ireland's prehistory. The Oweynagat cave, the entrance to the Otherworld, was equally fascinating and entertaining to learn about, and once again, Daniel had an abundance of knowledge and interesting facts about it, and the legends surrounding it.
I visited with my 3 teenage kids (13, 15 and 17) and they thoroughly enjoyed the experience as much as I did.
I would absolutely recommend a visit to Rathcroghan to anyone.
Written 1 August 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you Rogafieo for the positive review, We are delighted that you found your guide Daniel to be both entertaining and animated in manner while relaying information about the Rathcroghan Mound, surrounding landscapes, Queen Medb, Cú Chulainn and The Oweynagat Cave. It's great news that he also gave some different perspectives and more detail than you had ever previously heard. The team are delighted you would absolutely recommend a visit to Rathcroghan to anyone. Once again thank you for your positive comments and please keep in touch with our upcoming events and new exhibits by joining our social media profiles. Regards Alan
Written 8 August 2021
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

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RATHCROGHAN ROYAL SITE & VISITOR CENTRE (2025) All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (with Photos) - Tripadvisor

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