Native Woodlands across Ireland

Ireland’s native and semi-natural woods, the ones with public access and a walk you can actually do. These are sessile oak, yew, holly, hazel and birch rather than planted conifer, and most of them survive as fragments of a forest that once covered far more ground. Some stand on their own as nature reserves; others are the old woods inside the national parks.

6 listings

  • Dromore Wood Nature Reserve

    Native Woodlands · Clare

    A National Parks and Wildlife nature reserve near Ruan in Clare — hazel-ash woodland, a lake, turloughs and the ruins of Dromore Castle, with marked trails.

    Last verified 2026-07-20

  • Glen of the Downs Nature Reserve

    Native Woodlands · Wicklow

    A steep valley of sessile oak on the N11 in north Wicklow, and the best surviving oak wood of its kind within reach of Dublin.

    Last verified 2026-07-11

  • Glengarriff Woods Nature Reserve

    Native Woodlands · Cork

    Three hundred hectares of old oak woodland a kilometre outside Glengarriff village in west Cork, rated one of the best oceanic sessile oak woods in Ireland.

    Last verified 2026-07-11

  • Glenveagh National Park

    Native Woodlands · Donegal

    Native oak and birch woodland on the lower slopes of a glaciated valley in the Derryveagh Mountains, Donegal.

    Last verified 2026-07-11

  • Killarney National Park

    Native Woodlands · Kerry

    Ten thousand hectares of oak and yew wood, lake and mountain in Kerry, including Reenadinna, the largest yew woodland in Western Europe.

    Last verified 2026-07-11

  • Tomnafinnoge Woods

    Native Woodlands · Wicklow

    The last fragment of the great oak woods of Tinahely, in south Wicklow.

    Last verified 2026-07-11