Irish National Heritage Park

What to Expect

The Irish National Heritage Park is an open-air museum with 16 reconstructed sites spread across its parkland, tracing Irish life from the Stone Age through to the Norman invasion, a span of roughly 9,000 years. Costumed interpreters lead three themed guided tours, Prehistoric Ireland, Early Christian Ireland and the Age of Invasion, each running 30 to 45 minutes, and visitors can try falconry as one of the hands-on heritage experiences. Younger children have their own trail, the Trials of Tuan, plus a dedicated play area called the Fairy Glade. Two marked nature trails, the Estuary Trail and the Hazel-Wood Trail, add a walking option away from the reconstructed sites, and the park also recreates a crannog, a fortified lake dwelling built on an artificial island, an early Christian monastery and a Viking longhouse, giving children something physical to walk through rather than just look at behind glass. The falconry experience is hands-on rather than a demonstration, with visitors given the chance to fly a bird of prey themselves under supervision, and the Trials of Tuan trail sets younger children a set of simple, physical challenges to complete as they move between the different reconstructed sites, turning the walk into more of a game than a straight tour.

Good to Know

• Open year-round, daily, with extended hours through summer
• Address: Ferrycarrig, Co. Wexford, on the N11 just north of Wexford town
• Adult, child and family tickets available; check irishheritage.ie for current prices
• Cafe, restaurant and gift shop on site, with free parking
• Guided tours run throughout the day; ask at the visitor centre for the next start time

Getting There

Ferrycarrig is about 5km north of Wexford town on the N11, well signposted from the main Dublin road, with a large free car park at the visitor centre. The site is mostly flat parkland with surfaced paths between the reconstructed sites, so it is manageable with a buggy, though the nature trails are less formal underfoot.