Emerald Park

The site began as Tayto Park, funded by the crisp manufacturer, opening in 2010 on land belonging to the Kilsaran farm and rebranded as Emerald Park in 2023 when the sponsorship ended. It combines two things usually kept apart: a zoo with around four hundred animals including Amur tigers, white rhinoceros, lemurs and a bird of prey collection, and a theme park with the country's most substantial ride line-up. The Cu Chulainn Coaster, opened in 2015, is Ireland's first and only major wooden rollercoaster, thirty-two metres high and over a kilometre long, and remains the park's signature; the Air Race and Viking Voyage fill out the thrill list, with a large area for younger children. It is comfortably the biggest attraction of its type in Ireland and it is busy accordingly - school holidays and fine weekends mean queues of an hour or more for the main rides. Height restrictions apply on most of the thrill rides.

History

The park opened on 24 November 2010 as Tayto Park, themed around the Irish crisp brand, with an investment of €8.5 million from Ray Coyle, the potato farmer who founded Largo Foods and bought the Tayto brand. It kept that name until 2022, and it holds the only permanent rollercoasters in the Republic of Ireland (Wikipedia, Emerald Park).

The main sights

• The Cu Chulainn Coaster - a large wooden coaster, the park's signature ride.
• The zoo - around four hundred animals including tigers and rhinoceros.
• The children's area - a substantial separate section for younger visitors.
• The scale - the largest theme park in the country.

When to go

April to October; the park closes or runs limited days in winter. Weekdays outside school holidays are far quieter. Book online for cheaper entry and a time slot.

Practical notes

Queues on the main rides run to an hour or more at peak times. Height restrictions exclude smaller children from most thrill rides. Rides close in high wind and lightning. On-site food and extras add up.

Nearby

Ashbourne is close; Newgrange and the Boyne Valley are north.

Key facts