Things to do in Rathfarnham
Attractions, heritage sites and walks around Rathfarnham, drawn from open data. Distances are straight-line from the town centre.
In brief
Rathfarnham is a town in County Dublin about 6 km from Dublin city centre. Open datasets list 542 Fáilte Ireland visitor attractions within 10 km, eight national monuments open to visitors within 20 km, one nationally rated heritage building in the town, one waymarked walking trail starting nearby. Everything below comes from published sources, refreshed regularly.
Attractions near Rathfarnham
Visitor attractions listed by Fáilte Ireland within 10 km (top 12 of 542).
- Rathfarnham Castle located in South Dublin is one of the earliest examples of a fortified house in Ireland. Built in 1583, it was substantially remodelled in the…
- Bushy Park is a peaceful Dublin City park noted for its woodland walks, ornamental ponds and beautiful Dodder Walk as well as catering for football, tennis, skate…
- The Pearse Museum is situated in the ground of St Enda's Park, one of Dublin City's most charming and atmospheric parks, with its riverside walks, unique follies,…
- Marlay House was built about 1794 and today the 300-acre historic demesne provides a wonderful park space for the public. Located in Rathfarnham, Dublin, 9km from…
- Marlay House was built about 1794 and today the 300-acre historic demesne provides a wonderful park space for the public. Located in Rathfarnham, Dublin, 9km from…
- Eamonn Ceannt Park is located between Sundrive Road and Clogher Road, in the Crumlin area of South Dublin City. It includes numerous mature trees, an athletic track,…
- MART Gallery is an arts organisation founded in 2007 by Matthew Nevin & Ciara Scanlan. The mission is to provide creative art studios and promote contemporary art…
- Airfield Estate, Dundrum, is Dublin's only urban working farm open to the public all year round. It is a perfect family day out. On the estate you will find many…
- Brickfield Park in Drimnagh is a Dublin city park with an all-weather pitch, located between the Crumlin Road and Mourne Road. To the north of the well-known Iveagh…
- The Irish Jewish Museum is located in a former synagogue in Dublin City. The museum highlights the place of Jewish influence in Ireland's cultural and historic heritage.
- Gerard Byrne Studio, Art Gallery & Artist Studio is dedicated to showcasing the work of Gerard Byrne, one of Ireland’s leading visual artists renowned for his command…
- Tymon Park in Tallaght, Dublin City, is a valuable resource for visitors and locals in the surrounding hinterland. Opportunities to avail of a wide range of outdoor…
Heritage and monuments
National monuments open to visitors within 20 km, plus nationally rated buildings in Rathfarnham from the National Inventory of Architectural Heritage.
- The original castle at Rathfarnham dates back to the Elizabethan period and was built for Archbishop Adam Loftus, an ambitious Yorkshire clergyman, who came to Ireland as chaplain to the Lord Deputy and quickly rose to…
- Today the wedge tomb at Kilmashogue is located in forestry, but originally it would have been situated on an open mountain side overlooking the lowlands now occupied by Dublin city.
- One of the largest unoccupied gaols in Europe, covering some of the most heroic and tragic events in Ireland's emergence as a modern nation from 1780s to the 1920s.
- Sited in the heart of the walled medieval city, St Audoen's Church is the only remaining medieval parish church in Dublin. It is dedicated to St Ouen the 7th century bishop of Rouen and patron saint of Normandy.
- St. Mary's Abbey is one of Dublin's best kept secrets. It was once the wealthiest Cistercian Abbey in Ireland. Today only two rooms remain - the Chapter House and the Slype.
- The Casino was designed by Sir William Chambers as a pleasure house for James Caulfeild, 1st Earl of Charlemont.
- Today Monkstown Castle is situated in the suburbs of Dublin. In medieval times the castle here was the centre of a large farm owned by the Cistercian monks of St.
- The old church of Tully near Cabinteely is situated on a low hill overlooking much of south county Dublin and has fine views of the Dublin Mountains.
Walks and nature
Waymarked trails from Sport Ireland's National Trails Register and NPWS parks and nature reserves, starting near Rathfarnham and across Co. Dublin.
- Ireland's largest national park and the only one in the east, almost 23,000 hectares of blanket bog, heath, oak woodland and upland lakes south of Dublin.
- North Bull Island Nature ReserveA UNESCO biosphere on a sandy island in Dublin Bay, internationally important for wintering wildfowl and waders.
- Rogerstown Estuary Nature ReserveA tidal estuary near Rush that is a key roost for Brent geese and other wintering birds.
- Baldoyle Estuary Nature ReserveA sheltered north Dublin estuary and saltmarsh, important for wintering waterfowl.
Plan around Rathfarnham
- What's on across Leinster this week, refreshed every Monday.
- Thinking of moving here? Living in Rathfarnham covers prices, rents and schools. Median sale price €750,000.
- See every nationally rated heritage building and monument in our heritage guide to Co. Dublin.
Attraction data from Fáilte Ireland Open Data (CC BY 4.0), last refreshed 13 July 2026. Monuments from the National Monuments Service and heritage buildings from the National Inventory of Architectural Heritage (both data.gov.ie, CC BY 4.0). Trails from Sport Ireland's National Trails Register. Parks and reserves from the National Parks and Wildlife Service. Opening hours and admission can change; check the linked site before travelling.