61 Photos That Prove That Ireland is the Most Beautiful Place on Earth

I constantly get emails from people asking to see pictures of Ireland.

At first, this baffled me.

I’d have thought people would just hop onto Instagram or use Google image search.

But no.

These emails pop into my inbox every few days. 

And generally, they sound a little like this:

• Hi. Can I see pics of ierland plese ~ Franz
• Kieth. Where can I find photos of irland for my trip planing. Tnks.

See for yourself.

The Best Pictures of Ireland (That I’ve Come Across Over the Past 3-4 years) 

I’ve spent some time looking back through the photos of Ireland that I’ve uploaded to this site.

I’ve also taken a flick through my favourite Instagram accounts, along with some of the pics of Ireland that Tourism Ireland makes available to global media.

The result?

49 pictures of Ireland (or ‘pics of ierland’, for my friend Franz…) that I believe show that Ireland is the most beautiful place on earth.

Let’s hop into it, so!

Ireland Landscape Photos: 10 of my Favourites

In the first section, I’m going to show you a handful of my favourite Ireland landscape photos.

These are photos that I’ve come across over the last few years that I keep coming back to time and time again.

1 – The magical Hill of Tara in County Meath

When I first saw this snap of the Hill of Tara in County Meath, I’d never been there.

So, the following day, myself and a friend took the handy 40-minute drive from where we live in Dublin to check it out.

If a photo can influence you to visit a place, it’s got that magic sauce.

2 – The view at Grianan of Aileach in County Donegal

You can nearly smell the sharp freshness of the air and feel the wind lapping against your face from looking at the photo above.Magic.

3 – A pink and orange sky hanging over the Rock of Cashel in County Tipperary

Brian Morrison is easily one of my favourite Irish photographers.

He’s taken many photos on behalf of Tourism Ireland and Failte Ireland, and the result is just out of this world.

4 – Patchwork-like green fields in County Kilkenny

5 – A lovely bit of light over Loughcrew Cairns in County Meath

This photo of Ireland was taken a while back.

It was snapped at Loughcrew Cairns in County Meath by Tony Pleavin.

This is the type of photo that I want hanging proudly on my wall.

Green fields and a lovely, tangy sky.

6 – The view out over Coumshinaun Lake in County Waterford

7 + 8 – The only goooooooorgeous Waterford Greenway

9 – Trim Castle in County Meath looking very medieval altogether (one of my favourite pictures of Ireland)

10 – A sea of green from the Nine Stones Viewing Point in County Carlow

11 + 12 – Achill Island and Benween Head in Mayo looking mighty

13 – Tintern Abbey in County Wexford looking a little like something from a Harry Potter movie

14 – Downpatrick Head and the mammoth of a Sea Stack known as Dun Briste

15 – The spectacular Bantry Bay in West Cork

16 – A bit of humour on Dursey Island in Cork

Fancy taking a stroll here? Check out our guide to 7 of the most scenic walks in Ireland.

17 + 18 – Lough Ouler in Wicklow – Ireland’s heart-shaped lake

Yes, there really is a heart-shaped lake in Wicklow.

Here’s a guide to getting to Lough Ouler.

19 – The sky above Kerry singing at the Dark Sky Reserve

Did you know that there’s a place in Kerry that has been designated as Ireland’s very first International Dark Sky Reserve by the International Dark-Sky Association?

The photo below was snapped there. Find out more about the Kerry Dark Sky Reserve.

Beautiful Photos of Ireland Taken on the Wild Atlantic Way

The Wild Atlantic Way is special.

Mile after mile of spectacular coastline combines to create one of the world’s best road trip routes.

Below, you’ll find more beautiful pictures of Ireland to get that wanderlust flowing.

20 + 21 – The tabletop-like mountain of Benbulben in County Sligo

22, 23, 24 + 25 – Scenes along Slea Head in County Kerry

I could drive along Slea Head for 7 days straight and never get bored.

Regardless of whether the rain is hopping off your roof or the sun is blazing, there’s always something to have a gander at.

There’s also scenery that’ll make you want to pull in, hop out and stare.

The last photo in the little batch above blew me away when I saw it a few years back.

It was snapped from a helicopter by the lads at the Irish Air Corp.

Green fields and rolling mountains collide with the sheer power of the Atlantic Ocean to make this a photo of Ireland that cemented itself in my mind from the second I first laid eyes on it. 

26 – Barleycove (home to one of the best beaches in West Cork)

27, 28 + 29 – Some very mighty waterfalls

30, 31 + 32 – The other-worldly Skellig Islands

The Skellig Islands in Kerry have been on my bucket list for about 7 years now.

Every time that I’m visiting Kerry and thinking about taking the boat over to them, the weather is terrible, and the tour is canceled.

There’s something immensely special about these two little islands.

33 – The rugged cliff face at Dún Aonghasa

I’ve always felt that if there’s a place where Ireland ends, it’s here.

If you visit, please be careful when nearing the cliff edge.

34, 35 + 36 – The view from the top of Croagh Patrick in County Mayo

If you manage to get a clear view when you reach the top of Croagh Patrick, you’re in for a treat.

The view out over Clew Bay is just out of this world.

37, 38, 39 + 40 – Endless scenery in Connemara

My Favourite Images of Ireland (That I’ve Taken)

I’m not a great photographer by any means.

But I’ve travelled around Ireland a fair bit and I’ve been lucky enough to capture some photos that I’m pretty fond of.

Here’s a handful of pictures of Ireland that I’ve taken.

Some are from drones. Others were taken on a DSLR. And several more were snapped on a phone.

41 + 42 – Valentia Island at Sunset

There’s a place on Valentia Island in Kerry that is my favourite place in Ireland.

If you’re visiting this corner of Kerry, try and get to Valentia around sunset.

You’ll be treated to a view like the one above on a clear evening.

43 – A mist-covered mountain in Connemara

I took this photo a couple of Christmases ago.

A couple of friends and I were out west for the Galway Christmas markets and we decided to escape the city for a bit and head to Connemara.

It was a dully dreary day, but the landscape was as magnificent as ever.

44 – The Cliffs of Moher at Sunset

So, the photo above was a complete fluke.

I had just spent the weekend in Clare with a friend and we decided to round it off with a visit to the Cliffs of Moher.

The day had been miserable.

It was cloudy, the rain was hopping off the ground, and there was a fog hanging in the air.

Then, right before sunset, the sky cleared and we were treated to the scene above.

45 + 46 – Gazing out at the stone walls on Inis Oirr

This, in my opinion, is the best photo of Ireland that I’ve ever taken.

It was the first time heading away with a friend that I hadn’t seen in a while and we were DYING with a hangover after a night in Doolin.

We hopped off the ferry and took the short stroll up to this lookout point.

The view nearly knocked me sideways.

47 – Strolling with the sheep on Achill Island

I took the photo above a couple of winters ago.

It was around 5 in the evening and I had spent 4 or 5 hours in the car that day, so I decided to head off for a ramble on the island.

The sun was setting, the wind was lashing me out of it from every angle, and I had these lads for company.

Incredible Aerial Pictures of Ireland

I can’t get enough of drone photography.

It offers a completely different, and at times never before seen, perspective on a place, be it natural or man-made.

In the section below, you’ll find a heap of aerial images of Ireland that should tickle your fancy.

48 – The windy road at Glengesh Pass in Donegal 

49 – The gorgeous fishing harbor of Ballintoy in County Antrim

50 + 51 – The Antrim coast that surrounds the ruins of Dunluce Castle

52 – The Carrick-a-rede rope bridge in County Antrim

If you’re thinking about road trippin’ along the Antrim coast, check out our road trip guide that takes in the best things to do on the Causeway Coastal Route over 2 days.

53, 54 + 55 – Some of Donegal’s finest stretches of sand

56 – Hook Head Lighthouse in Wexford

I took this photo a couple of years back.

The sun was blazing and the water around the lighthouse was a beautiful teal.

57, 58 + 59 – The ancient Skellig Islands off the coast of County Kerry

If you’ve only heard about the Skellig Islands in the context of Star Wars, then you’re missing out.

Here’s an article that’ll take you through their rich past.

60 – The gorgeous village of Allihies in County Cork

This is one of my favourite little towns in West Cork.

Follow our 4-day West Cork road trip guide and you’ll end up here.

61 – Mizen Head in County Cork – cracking from every angle

Wrapping it up

I’ve no doubt that there’s plenty more fantastic photos of Ireland out there.

If you know of one, or if you’ve taken it yourself, pop it into the comments section below.