ATLAS · UNIVERSITIES · IRELAND

Universities in Ireland

Ireland has 49 universities on the map. The oldest dates to 1592. 2 were founded before 1600. Below: how they spread across the centuries, and the country’s oldest institutions. From Wikidata, snapshot 2026-06-22.

UNIVERSITIES49

OLDEST1592

FOUNDED 1900+28

By founding era

Before 12000 · 0%

1200–15992 · 4%

1600–189914 · 29%

1900 or later28 · 57%

Date unknown5 · 10%

Oldest universities in Ireland

The country’s earliest institutions — the deepest roots of higher education here.

1592University of Dublin

1592Trinity College, Dublin

1782St. Patrick's, Carlow College

1782St Kieran's College

1795St Patrick's College, Maynooth

1807St. John's College, Waterford

1811St Peter's College, Wexford

1845University College Cork

1845University of Galway

1848Royal Irish Academy of Music

1854Catholic University of Ireland

1854Holy Cross College

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