The Emerald Isle is better known for its rugged coastlines and rolling, green hills, but the Irish have their fair share of impressive architectural triumphs, too! Here are our top choices for the most beautiful buildings in Ireland: Ireland's Content Pool Now there are many old churches and monasteries of all denominations to be found across the island of Ireland, but St. Mary’s in Youghal is particularly interesting. From a historical point of view, it’s the oldest Catholic Church in the diocese, with the roof timbers carbon dated by Queen’s University Belfast back as far as 1170.
It enjoyed a long and dynamic history, including being the Church in a town where famous English poet and New World explorer Sir Walter Raleigh was Mayor (in 1588). A building of significant historical importance, the church is now a National Monument of Ireland but it also now houses a very modern addition; a wheelchair stairlift. Olympic Lifts fitted a Garaventa Artira providing access from street level to this architecturally impressive, still-functioning parish Church.
Sign up to IrishCentral's newsletter to stay up-to-date with everything Irish! WikiMedia Commons/ Nick Birse As a general rule, old universities tend to be some of the most architecturally impressive and historically significant sights anywhere, and Queen’s in Belfast is no exception. Founded in 1810 and one of the UK’s oldest universities, Queen’s University’s main structure “The Lanyon Building” was designed .