Butterfly Farms

One of the best ways to closely observe butterflies is to visit a Butterfly Farm, where numerous butterflies (tropical rather than native Irish species) are housed within a specially adapted building.
Note that these Butterfly Farms are generally only open during the Summer months.

Straffan Butterfly Farm

The Straffan Butterfly Farm is the longest established Butterfly Farm in Ireland, having been in existance since 1986. The butterfly farm is located at Ovidstown near Straffan in County Kildare. You can walk around among the colourful flowers and shrubs, viewing the butterflies at close range. The setting is perfect for photography, the photos shown below represent only a small sample of the extensive range of tropical butterflies that can be seen there.
GPS Reference: N53 18 49.86 W6 38 07.49

Dublin Butterfly House

This is a more recent Butterfly Farm, established in 2001. This farm also contains many tropical butterfly species in addition to exhibits of other insects and an adjoining aviary. The Dublin Butterfly House is located near Swords in County Dublin. It is also ideal for butterfly photography, a selection of photos taken there appear below.
GPS Reference: N53 29 27.92 W6 13 27.65