Custom House Visitor Centre

16/06/2026

Over the weekend OPW tour guiding staff from both Casino Marino and The Custom House were privileged to meet with the 15th Viscount Lord Charlemont John Caufeild and his wife Lady Charlemont Nadea, who made the journey to Dublin all the way from Canada.

Their ancestor, James Caulfeild, first earl of Charlemont, had Sir William Chambers design a pleasure house for him in what was then the Dublin countryside. The Casino Marino.

The Casino is one of the finest examples of neo-classical architecture in Europe, it would go on to influence architects far and wide including our very own James Gandon, architect of The Custom House, the extension to Parliament House on College Green, and The Four Courts.

The influence of their ancestor undeniably left us a plethora of Dublin architectural marvels that are still beloved by Dubs to this very day.

Sadly the Casino is temporarily closed at present, although both the Lord and Lady promised to come back when the Casino Marino opens back up. We can't wait to welcome them again 🙂.

📸Pictured are the Lord and Lady 3rd from the left in the first photo at The Custom House. (Photographer: Sonja Kroll)

📸The Lady and the Lord first from left in the second photo at the sundial in the Marino Institute of Education. (Photographer: Ciarán Fogarty)

01/06/2026

Cuimhnigh go bhfuil cead isteach SAOR IN AISCE chuig roinnt láithreacha oidhreachta OPW ar an gcéad Chéadaoin sa mhí.

Tá Teach an Chustaim saor in aisce Dé Céadaoin seo chugainn.

On the first Wednesday of every month The OPW opens up sites across the country for FREE ENTRY.

The Custom House is included in this.

No need to book, just turn up anytime this Wednesday for a free visit.

25/05/2026

Today marks the 105th anniversary of the burning of The Custom House by the IRA.

Five IRA volunteers and four civilians lost their lives in the operation.

___________

Both Mahon Lawless and Francis Davis were amongst the civilians who died that day.

Francis Davis was an Englishman who worked for customs in Britain. In 1906 he saw an advertisement in a Scottish newspaper looking for a caretaker of the Custom House in Dublin.

After a successful application, Francis and his family moved across the Irish Sea and started a new life living in an apartment here in this very Custom House.

On the day itself, IRA forces barged into his apartment and warned Francis to take no action. Francis ignored the IRA warning and he made a dash for the roof to signal for help. He was subsequently fatally wounded by IRA gunfire, but remained conscious and was able to say a final goodbye to his dear wife before being transferred to the Military Hospital on Infirmary Road where he passed away.

__________

Mahon Lawless was born into a nationalist family in Sunday’s Well in Cork in 1897. His father, a customs official, was transferred several times around the then United Kingdom. This meant that Mahon was an English resident during World War 1, and was conscripted into the British army.

After the war, Mahon would move back to Ireland and become a temporary clerk in the Local Government Board in the Custom House, a job he would actually only start a year previous to the burning.

On the fateful day itself, Mahon would be killed by gunfire from the very Crown forces he fought alongside during WW1. His colleague’s endeavours to save him proved futile and he would pass away twenty minutes later.

____________

Volunteers Seán Doyle, Dan Head, Eddie Dorrins, Patrick O’Rielly and Stephen O’Reilly gave their lives for Ireland in the operation.

John Byrne and James Connolly were the other two innocent civilians who lost their lives during the operation.

Ar dheis Dé go raibh a n-anamacha uaisle.

19/05/2026

Book now: https://customhouse.admit-one.eu/?p=calendar&ev=BEALLIT

Or phone our reception at 046 940 7146, and one of our tour guides will be happy to reserve a place for you ☺️

Bealtaine Festival - Literary Tour at Custom House Visitor Centre
This year’s Bealtaine Festival celebrates age and opportunity by promoting greater participation in society by older people in Ireland. On selected dates in May, Custom House Visitor Centre will host a special literary tour. This tour will delve into the lives of poets, novelists and columnists and their connections to The Custom House over the centuries.

This tour is free of charge as part of the Bealtaine Festival 2026 but tickets are limited and must be booked in advance .

Tours take place on -
➡️Tuesday 19th May 11am
➡️Saturday 23rd May 11am
➡️Tuesday 26th May 11am
➡️Saturday 30th May 11am

🔗Book your tickets at heritageireland.ie
Bealtaine Festival

13/05/2026

Still plenty of spaces on these free tours. Don't wait, book today 😁

Bealtaine Festival - Sculpture Tour at Custom House Visitor Centre
This year’s Bealtaine Festival celebrates age and opportunity by promoting greater participation in society by older people in Ireland.

Join one of our expert Guides for an outdoor tour of this magnificent eighteenth century architectural marvel. The tour will focus on works of the three main sculptors, including all of Edward Smyth’s fourteen River God keystone heads.

➡️Friday 22nd May 2pm
➡️Friday 29th May 2pm

🔗Book your tickets at https://heritageireland.ie/whats-on/outdoor-sculpture-tour/
Bealtaine Festival

07/05/2026

On Friday 22 May, the Office of Public Works will be offering a free admission day for senior citizens at most fee paying heritage sites. The Custom House Visitor Centre will be included in this.

There will be free entry all day for anybody lucky enough to be 60 or over.
Those wishing to self-guide throughout the exhibition can come at any time between 09:30am and 4:45pm, no need to pre book.
For those who would like a guided tour, we will have three special tours that day at 12 midday, 1:30pm and 3pm, booking is essential for these via: https://customhouse.admit-one.eu/?p=calendar&ev=BEALT

06/05/2026

We're delighted once again to be teaming up with our colleagues in the Courts Service and offering a guided tour of the Four Courts at 11am on both Wednesday 27th May and Friday 29th May.

Join one of our knowledgeable Guides for a tour where we will be taking you from the eighteenth century, when the building was commissioned, right up to the present day. You will learn about its architecture, the destruction of the building during the Civil War and some court cases over the last few centuries.

Tickets are limited and booking is essential via this link: https://customhouse.admit-one.eu/?p=calendar&ev=FOURCOURTS

05/05/2026

On the first Wednesday of every month the OPW opens up sites across the country for FREE ENTRY.

No need to book, just turn up anytime tomorrow for a free visit.

We will have regular indoor tours throughout the day, but we will also be running a free Outdoor Sculpture Tour at 2pm. Places are limited on the outdoor tour, so it's first come first served!

Looking forward to welcoming you all!!

04/05/2026

As part of our wonderful Beltaine Festival line up on selected Tuesdays and Saturdays we have a brand new literary tour.

Join this free guided tour of the Custom House, James Gandon's neo-classical masterpiece, and learn about three Irish writers who once worked here. Memoirist and historian Sir Jonah Barrington held a sinecure position at the Custom House as a legal adviser, popular-fiction author Maurice Walsh was a Customs & Excise Officer, and Flann O'Brien, comic novelist, journalist, and much more, was once employed here in the Department of Local Government. Discover more about these three writers, born in the 18th, 19th and 20th centuries, while enjoying the chance to see inside this iconic building.

🔗See the link in our bio for more information and for bookings 🔗

If you're 60 or over, don't wait, book today 😃.

03/05/2026

We're very excited in The Custom House to launch our Bealtaine Festival programme 🥳.

On Friday afternoons in May we will have outdoor tours around the exterior of this magnificent building showing off all the sculpture adorning the facades and roofs.

🔗 For dates, times and bookings see here: https://customhouse.admit-one.eu/?p=calendar&ev=BEALOUT 🔗

If you're 60 or over, don't wait, book today 😃.