Strange Irish museums - including a leprechaun one

Ireland is steeped in history and amazing museums, but we decided to take a look at the truly surreal little museums around the country.

If your interests include copper mining, toy carriages, and dolls, leprechauns, basketry, or fly fishing, chances are there is a museum for you in Ireland.

Here, IrishCentral present ten of the more unique and interesting museum experiences Ireland has to offer.

Read more: Dublin and surrounding areas tours

National Leprechaun Museum, Dublin City

This museum is the place to experience the sounds, sights, and stories and magic of the land of those miniature, mischievous, mythological figures.

Quiet Man Cottage Museum, Cong, Co.Mayo

If you are among the throngs who fell in love with the movie you are certain to fall in love with this Mayo attraction featuring an exact replica of the ‘White-O-Mornin’ cottage, furniture, clothing, and costumes as seen in the classic film shot in the village.

Read more: Ireland golf tours

Tara’s Palace Museum of Childhood (Powerscourt House) Co. Wicklow

This world renowned 22 room dollhouse which took master craftsmen over 20 years to build is the main exhibit among others which the “house in a bottle," “the smallest dollhouse in the world” and 300-year-old dollhouses.

Cork Butter Museum, Shandon. Co. Cork

Located in what was the world’s largest butter market in Cork this museum traces the historical production and export of the dairy product in the economic and social life in Ireland. Butter making equipment and storage containers are on display including a 1000-year-old keg of butter.

Read more: Mayo and the Cliffs of Moher tours

Greenan Farm Museums and Maze, Co. Wicklow

The museum’s hub is the manicured Celtic hedge maze. Other highlights include a bottle museum showcasing 19th and 20th-century jars and the barn museum that served as a safehouse for Irish rebels and the home for Seanchai Tom O’Neill.

Arigna Mining Experience, Arigna. Co. Roscommon

The Mining Experience Centre was developed to preserve the energy heritage of the Arigna Valley and to ensure that Arigna maintains its link with Energy themes: Past, Present & Future. During the underground tour, visitors will experience what it was like to work in some of the narrowest coal seams in the western world.

Museum of the Master Saddler, Co. Cavan

Corlough hosts the only museum in the world devoted to the art of the saddler and the harness maker. Museum exhibits include horsedrawn carriages and farm machinery and houses a workshop and publishing division. Many exciting events like hunting and miniature plowing are featured here.

Read more: Northern Ireland and Game of Thrones tours

Ye Olde Hurdy Gurdy Museum of Vintage Radio, Dublin

This museum, located in the Martello tower, boasts an impressive collection of old radios, music boxes, and gramophones that also serves as an amateur radio station on Saturday nights.

Alliehies Coppermine Museum, Beara Peninsula, Co Cork

The former Methodist chapel built for miners in 1845 serves as this geological information center that through the use of large-scale models, diagrams, and maps tells the core history of mining with a focus of that in the Millihies.

Irish Fly Fishing and Game Shooting Museum, Portlaoise, Co. Laois

This restored farmhouse houses a startling array of rods, reels, guns, tackles, tools, bird and fish specimens and brutal “human traps” luckily outlawed in 1827.

Read more: Kerry and the Wild Atlantic Way tours

* Originally published in 2012.