Was Ireland a good tourist spot in the '80s?

When most Irish people think of the 1980s, they generally think of unemployment and a lot of emigration, but it wasn't all doom and gloom. 

Ireland in the 1980s was a tough time. With high unemployment leading to mass emigration, the country relied heavily on tourism to sustain the economy, but there were still plenty of reasons to visit, as this tourism promotional video below shows. 

Films like this proved to be a valuable tool for promoting the country to foreign travelers as an ideal place to visit, showcasing its cultural and natural amenities.

With extensive improvements in transportation and local infrastructure, coupled with extensive marketing plans to promote Irish heritage, Ireland quickly became a busy tourist destination in the ‘80s and ‘90s.

And the rest is history, really. The country continues to have record-breaking levels of tourism year on year, and initiatives such as the Wild Atlantic Way and Ireland's Ancient East continue to show that every single part of the country has a wondrous story to tell.  

This tourism promotional film, produced in 1982 by Bord Fáilte (now known as Fáilte Ireland), presents Ireland and its rich history as an attractive holiday destination.

From the bustling streets of Dublin during the St Patrick’s Day Parade to the serene calm of the River Shannon, this film, directed by Louis Marcus, shows the breadth of choice Ireland has to offer any visitor.

The video below is published with thanks to the Irish Film Institute (IFI), with whom IrishCentral has partnered up to bring you a taste of what their remarkable collection entails.

With kind permission of Fáilte Ireland.

To watch more gems from Ireland’s past, visit the IFI Player, a virtual viewing room from the Irish Film Institute, giving audiences across the globe free instant access to Irish heritage preserved in the IFI Irish Film Archive. Irish Culture from the last 100 years is reflected through documentaries, animation, adverts, amateur footage, feature film and much more. Or download the IFI Player Apps for free on iPhone, Android, Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV, and Roku.

* Originally published in Apr 2019 and updated in January 2026.