Admission to Office of Public Works managed heritage sites will be free on the first Wednesday of every month in 2011, beginning this month.
The initiative hopes to encourage more national and international people to visit the sites and to stimulate interest in the heritage of the country.
Minister of State with Responsibility for the Office of Public Works Brian Hayes has urged the public to take advantage of the opportunity.
Access to many sites is already free, but for some sites such as Kilmainham Gaol, Kilkenny Castle and Newgrange adult visitors pay a fee of between €3-€11 each.
Muckross House & Gardens, Muckross Traditional Farms and Glenveagh Castle are excluded from the scheme.
Sites free of charge, or free on specified dates:
Rock of Cashel, Co Tipperary
Skelligs, Co Kerry
Garden of Remembrance, Dublin
Hill of Tara, Co Meath
Farmleigh, Dublin
Newgrange, Co Meath
Arás an Uachtaráin, Dublin
Cork
Barryscourt Castle
Desmond Castle (French Prison)
Ilnacullin (Garinish Island)
Donegal
Donegal Castle
Glebe House and Gallery
Dublin
The Casino, Marino
Dublin Castle, State Apartments
Kilmainham Gaol
Galway
Athenry Castle
Aughnanure Castle
Dún Aonghasa
Portumna Castle and Gardens
Patrick Pearse's Cottage (Teach an Phiarsaigh)
Kerry
Ardfert Cathedral
Derrynane House, National Historic Park
Ionad an Bhlascaoid Mhóir, The Blascaod Centre
Ross Castle
Kildare
Castletown
Kilkenny
Dunmore Cave
Jerpoint Abbey
Kilkenny Castle
Laois
Emo Court
Leitrim
Parke's Castle
Louth
Old Mellifont Abbey
Mayo
Céide Fields
Meath
Battle of the Boyne – Oldbridge Estate
Brú na Bóinne Visitor Centre (Newgrange) Knowth Open Easter to Late October
Hill of Tara
Trim Castle
Offaly
Clonmacnoise
Sligo
Carrowmore Megalithic Cemetery
Sligo Abbey
Tipperary
Cahir Castle
Rock of Cashel
Roscrea Heritage (Castle and Damer House) and the Blackmills
Swiss Cottage
Waterford
Reginald's Tower
Wexford
John F Kennedy Arboretum
Tintern Abbey
Wicklow
Glendalough Visitor Centre
More information at www.heritageireland.ie
