World War 1 Trench Experience

The World War 1 Trench Experience is an outdoor replica trench system in the grounds of Cavan County Museum in Ballyjamesduff, County Cavan. Described by the museum as the largest replica trench open to the public in Ireland and the UK, it recreates the layout and conditions of the Western Front for visitors to walk through and explore.

Extending over 350 metres, the trench includes frontline, communication and support sections and took more than 6,000 sandbags to build. It was constructed to the specifications and manuals of the Irish Guards and reflects the type of trench used by the Royal Irish Fusiliers at the Battle of the Somme in 1916. Sound and visual effects are used throughout to help convey what daily life in the trenches was like during the First World War.

The trench first opened in August 2014 and reopened on 31 July 2025 following an extensive renovation that included a complete rebuild, a new retaining wall and improved drainage. It sits at the rear of the museum and includes an accessible viewing platform, with the wider museum accommodating wheelchair users. The experience forms part of a visit to Cavan County Museum, which lies just off the M3 motorway, around an hour and twenty minutes from Dublin.