New!
Bray's FREE History and Culture Tour
The tour lasts 2 hours
Available in English
Description
Today it’s known as a seaside resort and commuter town, but Bray’s history stretches back thousands of years. The area has evidence of human activity dating back to prehistoric times and even has links to the Romans. The name “Bray” is believed to come from the Irish Brí Chualann, meaning “hill of Cualu”, referring to the nearby headland known as Bray Head. Today Bray is the largest town in County Wicklow with a population of almost 35,000.
From figures such as the apostle St James, conqueror Oliver Cromwell and emperor Napolean Bonaparte, to writers Osacr Wilde, James Joyce and Arthur Conan Doyle, the famous engineer Isambard Kingdom Brunel and former Irish President Cearbhall Ó Dálaigh, you will be surprised by Bray's curious connections to historical people and events from times gone by.
On the ‘Bray’s History and Culture’ FREE tour you will learn about
- Bray's prehistoric history and surprising Roman links
- Its 12th century church ruins and Napoleonic Martello Tower
- The homes of famous writers such as James Joyce, Oscar Wilde and Arthur Conan Doyle
- How the train developed Bray into a Victorian tourism powerhouse
- Its role in the First World War, the 1916 Rising and its connections to Michael Collins
- How the town became the centre of film making in Ireland
Guide: Jake
Guiding since 2026Hi everyone, I'm Jake and I'm a local history student based in Bray offering free walking tours! I love all travel but my favourite place is probably Thailand.
Other cities after visiting Bray
How does a free tour work?
1
Choose and book
Select a tour, date and time. Booking is free.
2
Enjoy the tour
Go to the meeting point and live the experience with your guide.
3
Pay what you want
At the end, you decide how much to pay based on your satisfaction.
Free cancellation and booking
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