Additional Dublin city points of Interest:
St. Patrick’s Cathedral, Dublin Castle and Croke Park

Featured Day Trip from Dublin: Newgrange, Knowth, Hill of Tara, Trim Castle
One of the most exciting day trips from Dublin is to visit the ancient sites located throughout County Meath just west of Dublin, Ireland.  Newgrange is one of the most fantastic examples of a Neolithic ritual center, incorporating an intact passage tomb complete with a solar calendar leading to the sunrise on the winter solstice shining inside the depths of the tomb to light the interred bones.  At 5,000 years old Newgrange is older than either the Pyramids or Stonehenge. Knowth is another nearby 5,000 year old passage tomb with additional ritual mounds built around its exterior – to tour and discover all these unique ancient Irish sites have to offer is a treat that should not be missed.  

Also in County Meath is the Hill of Tara the premier political and spiritual seat of the Irish High Kings where well over 100 kings were anointed prior to the conquest by the British. 

A word to the wise – the Hill of Tara is primarily just a landscape with some earthworks for viewing – there are no major ruins to tour.  Many people enjoy hiking around the site with help of an audio tour, but if the exercise does not appeal to you this stop may not be for you.  Also in County Meath, and accessible in the same day of touring is Trim Castle, an 800 year old Anglo-Norman fort which served as the center of Norman administration for the area.
Please note that while these sites are all located within County Meath it would be very difficult to complete this tour on your own and it is highly recommended that you book a guided tour from Dublin which covers each of them.  It would not be possible to take public transportation to see all of these sites and would be very difficult to drive to each of them yourself unless you were already very familiar with the area.  It is also recommended to arrive at Newgrange as early in the day as possible – during the summer months it can get quite crowded.

Other Day Trips from Dublin:

120 miles west of Dublin in County Offaly is Clonmacnoise, Irelands’ most important monastic site.  Built in the 6th Century it includes a Cathedral, 8 churches (dating to medieval times), two roundhouses, and three high crosses.   Please check offerings at a tourism Ireland office for transportation to this site.
South of Dublin two and one-half hours by train is Waterford – home to the much beloved Waterford Crystal Works for shopping enthusiasts.  With at least six departures daily (Kildare-Waterford line) this rail line makes a crystal shopping experience possible as a day trip while returning to Dublin in time for dinner.