The Ireland of the 1890s may have been one of greater poverty than modern-day Ireland, but the views and beauty still came for free for anybody who walked the country’s shores.

These incredible postcard photos, taken between 1890 and 1900, offer a magical look at Ireland from over 130 years ago.

The pictures come to use courtesy of the US Library of Congress. They enable us to get a view of some of the top tourist spots in late 19th-century Ireland, many of which are still popular destinations for tourists today.

Although not all counties are covered, the images do come for all over the country and even give us an insight into the fashion and architecture of the day.

Taking in sites from the Giant’s Causeway to Ross Castle in Co Kerry, the images were created using a secret method developed in the 1880s by an employee of a Swiss printing company. The complicated method was one of the first used to create color photography which was in the early stages of development.

It was a delicate and time-consuming process. First, a tablet of lithographic limestone would be coated in a light-sensitive emulsion and exposed to sunlight under a photo negative. The emulsion hardened over several hours in proportion to the tones in the negative and the image would be left on the stone.

Here is a look at some of the best colored postcards from Ireland

Co Antrim

Glengarriff

Image: Library of Congress

Image: Library of Congress

Glenoe village

Image: Library of Congress

Image: Library of Congress

Giant’s Causeway

Image: Library of Congress

Image: Library of Congress

Portrush

Image: Library of Congress

Image: Library of Congress

Dunluce Castle

Image: Library of Congress

Image: Library of Congress

Bridge in Glengarriff

Image: Library of Congress

Image: Library of Congress

Royal Avenue, Belfast

Image: Library of Congress

Image: Library of Congress

Co Clare

Lisdoonvarna

Image: Library of Congress

Image: Library of Congress

Co Cork

Eccles Hotel, Glengarriff

Image: Library of Congress

Image: Library of Congress

Cottage near Glengarriff

Image: Library of Congress

Image: Library of Congress

Blackrock Castle

Image: Library of Congress

Image: Library of Congress

Glengarriff Harbour

Image: Library of Congress

Image: Library of Congress

Queenstown (now Cobh)

Image: Library of Congress

Image: Library of Congress

Cobh Harbour

Image: Library of Congress

Image: Library of Congress

Co Down

Newcastle

Image: Library of Congress

Image: Library of Congress

Co Dublin

The main Bank of Ireland building in Dublin City

Image: Library of Congress

Image: Library of Congress

Shelbourne Hotel

Image: Library of Congress

Image: Library of Congress

St. Patrick’s Cathedral

Image: Library of Congress

Image: Library of Congress

Phoenix Park

Image: Library of Congress

Image: Library of Congress

Co Fermanagh

Lower Lough Erne

Image: Library of Congress

Image: Library of Congress

Devenish Island in Lough Erne

Image: Library of Congress

Image: Library of Congress

Co Galway

Killary Bay in Connemara

Image: Library of Congress

Image: Library of Congress

Co Kerry

Valentia Island

Image: Library of Congress

Image: Library of Congress

Ross Castle, Killarney

Image: Library of Congress

Image: Library of Congress

Co Waterford

Dungarvan bridge and harbor

Image: Library of Congress

Image: Library of Congress

The Quays, Waterford

Image: Library of Congress

Image: Library of Congress

Co Wicklow

Enniskerry

Image: Library of Congress

Image: Library of Congress

Dargle Bridge

Image: Library of Congress

Image: Library of Congress

Bray

Image: Library of Congress

Image: Library of Congress

Vale of Avoca

Image: Library of Congress

Image: Library of Congress

Poulaphouca Fall

Poulaphouca Fall

Poulaphouca Fall

* Originally published in 2017, updated in Aug 2024.