Dark Dublin Guided Walking Tour: Unearthing Gruesome Stories and the Brutal Past
4.9
1,593 Ratings
Barnardo Square
Unearth Dublin's gruesome stories of murder, torture, cannibalism, and more on this 2-hour guided walking tour. Explore the city's dark past and discover the secrets hidden behind its beautiful architecture.
Duration: 2 hours
Cancellation: 1 day learn more
Highlights
  • Dublin Castle - Our guides will spend some time in the Lower Courtyard of Dublin Castle exploring the tortures of the past.

next, the Tour Guide will venture to the Upper Courtyard of the Castle and talk about the Devil’s Half Acre

*Tour does not enter Dublin Castle

  • The 40 Steps - The Tour Guide will explore stories of cannibalism.

  • Saint Patrick’s Cathedral - The guide will take you into the grounds of St Patrick’s Cathedral and uncover the history of Jonathan Swift.

*Tour does not enter St Patrick’s Church

  • Christ Church Cathedral - The guide will cover the stories of the hidden history behind the extraordinary church.

*Tour does not enter Christ Church

  • St. Audoen’s Church - The Tour Guide will unearth the dark past of grave robbings and the attacks from The Black Pig

*Tour does not enter St Audoen’s Church

  • St. Michan’s Church - The Tour Guide will dive into the brutal history of Billy in the Bowl and more recent dark events

*Tour does not enter St Michan’s Church

  • Smithfield Square - Our guide will finish in Smithfield Square with an incredible finishing story of a local murderer.

*End point is a Public Square

What's Included
  • Eco-friendly tour practices ensure sustainability.
  • Enjoy the intimacy of small group experiences.
  • Benefit from the knowledge of an in-person guide.
What's Not Included
  • Private transportation
  • Dinner
Additional Information

Join us as we unearth Dublin’s terrifying tales of homicide, extreme punishment, man-eating, grave pilfering, houses of ill-repute, suggestions of child consumption, mysterious rituals, and much more! Our adventure begins at Dublin Castle where we will delve into its savage history, discuss ecclesiastical persecutors and reveal why the main courtyard was ironically dubbed the Devil’s Half Acre. Despite its stunning architectural facade, the castle has a barbarous history. We’ll then meander down the alleyways to discover tales of flesh-eating and shocking proposals of infant feasting. As we venture deeper into Dublin’s sinister history, we enter a region once ominously called Hell, where stories of brothels, sorceresses, and the notorious Hellfire Club lie in wait. As we stroll past the ancient city fortifications, we’ll come across tales of grave theft, the ominous Black Pig and conclude with the peculiar case of a legless asphyxiator and murderer. Embark on this 2-hour walking expedition through city roads and hidden lanes as we unravel the dark underbelly of Dublin.

Location
Barnardo Square
Barnardo Square is the small square next to Dublin City Hall on DAME STREET DUBLIN 2.
Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Customer Ratings
4.9
(1593 Ratings)
5 stars
4 stars
3 stars
2 stars
1 star
B7911ucashleyc
May 22, 2024
10/10 recommend - Cillian is the best tour guide this country has ever produced. He is very handsome. He smells amazing. He’s deadly craic.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Mindyoroscowitt
May 20, 2024
Great Walking tour of Dublin’s Dark history - Cillian was a fantastic tour guide!! Great mix of humor, facts and of course the dark history of Dublin. Great way to see more of the city as well!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Matthew_z
May 20, 2024
10/10 - Cillian was a very fun and informative guide. We learned all about the dark history and more. Would like more tours like this one.
Review provided by Viator
Dick
May 17, 2024
Great tales of real gruesome happenings. Some real ghost stories too - Great tour. Nice pace. We were in a group of 21 and could hear well. Interesting true stories, some a bit grizzly but was just what we wanted. Our guide was very funny but serious enough. He helped us with food and pub recommendations and made sure we all knew how to get to wherever we were headed.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Jeroen_j
May 15, 2024
A very fun and quick way to see some parts of Dublin and learn some of its (dark) past - A very fun and quick way to see some parts of Dublin and learn some of its (dark) past. We were very glad we filled up our free hours before the dinner with this fun tour. This was the second time we did it because it was so fun the first time we did it (it was also already dark in November, so it helped to bring some dark atmosphere :-)). Our guide, Cillian, was really fun and knowledgeable. His storyteling talent was remarkable: he was able to captive our attention and did not forget to spice up the stories with some fun jokes!
Review provided by Viator
M8764akhannahl
May 15, 2024
Great guides/spooky facts! - I went last year and did the hidden gems tour with family and everyone loved it! Came back during a layover and saw they had the dark tours. Again loved every bit of it. The tour guides are great welcoming and not over bearing and flashy like many tour guides can be! (A great bonus if thats what puts you off of doing tours like this!) Trust me it's great all around and will please anybody. So worth your time while you are here AND! you get your steps in 💪. And of course you learn so much! Trust me if you think you know Irish history this tour will surprise you.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Richard_c
May 14, 2024
Gruesome and funny! - The dark Dublin walking tour was one of the highlights of our visit to Dublin! The guide was very knowledgable and funny at the same time. If you find the time, take this tour.
Review provided by Viator
Marina_b
May 13, 2024
Good tour with interesting stories, even for a local - We enjoyed this tour and even as a local I learned a lot! Cillian was funny and interesting throughout. I felt it was more of a collection of tales rather than an educational history tour but that was not necessarily a bad thing. I’d recommend this to others!
Review provided by Viator
Alison_d
May 20, 2024
Dark history with fun - Lady justice an how her scale weren’t level in more than one way an how the Irish people have survived their troubles with grace an laughter
Review provided by Viator
Carol_s
May 17, 2024
Fun Evening - Fun walk tour with storytelling. Not scary at all. Our guide was very good at spinning a yarn and keeping everyone engaged.
Review provided by Viator
Select Date and Tickets
up to 14 guests
1
Adult
May 2024
Sun
Mon
Tue
Wed
Thu
Fri
Sat
Today