Ireland has six national parks and admission to all of the Parks are free:

East Coast

• 1. Wicklow - Wicklow Mountains National Park http://www.wicklowmountainsnationalpark.ie/

Wicklow Mountains National Park covers part of the Wicklow mountain range that extends over most of County Wicklow. Centred on Glendalough, the Wicklow Mountains National Park offers a network of nine waymarked trails to those interested in walking. This park is also a great place for spying on nature. It is one of Ireland's major deer habitats and bird species include ravens, red grouse, skylarks and meadow pipits.

The primary purpose of Wicklow Mountains National Park is the conservation of local biodiversity and landscape. The Park is also an invaluable recreational space for locals and visitors alike. Over one million visits are estimated to be made each year. The most visited area is the scenic Glendalough Valley where the ancient monastic settlement of St. Kevin is located. Escape from the summer crowds is possible for those coming properly equipped to explore the uplands on foot, where a sense of wilderness and isolation can readily be found, with blanket boh and heather the order of the day.

The Park also boasts a Sensory Garden,  a miners village, an education and numerous historic sites.

. West Coast

• 2. Clare - The Burren National Park http://www.burrennationalpark.ie/

The Burren National Park is located in Clare and is approximately 1,500 hectares in size and contains examples of all the major habitats within the Burren: Limestone Pavement, Calcareous grassland, Hazel scrub, Ash/hazel woodland, Turloughs, Lakes, Petrifying springs, cliffs and Fen.

The Burren is most famous for its Neolithic monuments and its bare stone hills which, due to the mixture of nutrient rich herb and floral species, are home to many rare Alpine and lowland flowers.  For the walker there are many walking routes of which the 123km Burren Way is the most famous.

The word "Burren" comes from an Irish word "Boíreann" meaning a rocky place. This is an extremely appropriate name.

• 3. Donegal - Glenveagh National Park http://www.glenveaghnationalpark.ie/

Glenveagh National Park is situated in the north-west of Co. Donegal in the Derryveagh Mountains. It is a remote and beautiful wilderness of rugged mountains and pristine lakes. The Park, which is over 16,000 hectares in extent consists of three areas. The largest of these is the former Glenveagh Estate, including most of the Derryveagh Mountains. To the west are the quartzite hills around Crocknafarragh and to the south, the peatlands of Lough Barra bog, Meenachullion and Crockastoller

As Discover Ireland suggest - "With mountains, moorlands, lakes and woods, Glenveagh National Park in north-west Donegal offers a real wilderness feel. Experienced hikers might be tempted to climb the two highest peaks - Errigal and Slieve Snaght, and there are many shorter waymarked trails too."

• 4. Galway - The Connemara National Park - http://www.connemaranationalpark.ie/

Situated in the West of Ireland in County Galway, Connemara National Park covers some 2,957 hectares of scenic mountains, expanses of bogs, heaths, grasslands and woodlands. Several of the imposing Twelve Bens are within the Connemara National Park providing a mixture of challenging more sedate walking routes. The Park provides Nature Trail Booklets at the visitor centre near Letterfrack which will outline the more popular walking routes. Some of the Park's mountains, namely Benbaun, Bencullagh, Benbrack and Muckanaght, are part of the famous Twelve Bens or Beanna Beola range.  Much of the present Park lands formed part of the Kylemore Abbey Estate -  http://www.kylemoreabbey.com/   or http://www.kylemoreabbeytourism.ie/ - and the Letterfrack Industrial School, the remainder having been owned by private individuals.

• 5. Kerry - Killarney National Park - http://www.killarneynationalpark.ie/

The Killarney National Park is located in the South-West of Ireland covering some 10,236 hectare. The distinctive combination of mountains, which include McGillycuddy's Reeks, the highest mountain range in Ireland, the lakes, woods and waterfalls gives the area a special scenic beauty.  

The focal point of the National Park for visitors is Muckross House and Gardens - http://www.muckross-house.ie/ . The former Kenmare Desmene close to Killarney Town - http://www.killarney.ie/  is also part of the National Park and features Killarney House and Gardens and Knockreer House which is the education centre of the park. There is an excellent network of surfaced tracks in the Muckross, Knockreer and Ross Island areas of the park which are ideal for walkers.

Killarney National Park contains many features of national and international importance such as the native oakwoods and yew woods together with an abundance of evergreen trees and shrubs and a profusion of bryophytes and lichens which thrive in the mild Killarney climate. The native red deer are unique in Ireland with a presence in the country since the last Ice Age.

Killarney National Park was designated as a Biosphere Reserve in 1981 by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO), part of a world network of natural areas which have conservation, research, education and training as major objectives.

• 6. Mayo - Ballycroy National Park - http://www.ballycroynationalpark.ie/

Ballycroy National Park is located on the Western seaboard in northwest Mayo. It comprises of 11,000 hectares of Atlantic blanket bog and mountainous terrain, covering a vast uninhabited and unspoilt wilderness dominated by the Nephin Beg mountain range.

There is a short nature trail with a viewing point which offers great scenic views of Achill Island to the west, and the Nephin Beg Mountain Range to the east. Greenland White-fronted geese, Golden plover, Red Grouse and Otters are just some of the important fauna found within the Park

To the west of the mountains is the Owenduff bog. This is one of the last intact active blanket bog systems in Ireland and Western Europe and is an important scientific and scenic feature of the National Park. The Park also protects a variety of other important habitats and species. These include alpine heath, upland grassland, heath and lakes and river catchments. Greenland White-fronted geese, Golden plover, Red Grouse and Otters are just some of the important fauna found within the Park. The National Park is itself part of the Owenduff/Nephin Complex Special Area of Conservation (SAC) and Special Protection Area (SPA). These European designations are part of the Natura 2000 Network, which protect rare and important habitats and species under the EU Habitats and Birds Directives.