Croke Park Stadium

The home of Gaelic games
Noteworthy for: During the Troubles the Gaelic Athletics Association was bound up with the nationalist cause, and it was during a Croke Park game that police killed 14 people in the Bloody Sunday massacre.

Since the late 1800s, two institutions have had an immense impact on Irish history, culture and social life. One, of course, is the Catholic Church. The other, lesser known yet still hugely important, is the Gaelic Athletic Association.
More than just a sporting organisation, the GAA not only promotes national pastimes such as Gaelic football and hurling but Irish music, dance and language. Clubs dotted around Ireland act as social centres and training grounds and there are international branches for expats. The 82,000 capacity Croke Park is the GAA's headquarters and the largest stadium in Europe not primarily used for soccer.

You can see the stadium on a guided tour - including access to a 17 storey high walkway, the Etihad Skyline, with panoramic views of Dublin - and visit the excellent GAA Museum, which explains the history and importance of the association in Ireland. Or, of course, you could join the roaring crowds at a game.