[5] In official Irish language texts the form Fáilte Éireann has been used.

[6][7] After the foundation of the Irish Free State in December 1922, hoteliers and others created local tourism boards in various regions, which combined in 1924 into the Irish Tourist Association (ITA), a private organisation "promoting tourism to the benefit of the nation".

[16] An Tóstal, a summer cultural festival held from 1953 to 1959, took up the bulk of the authority's work in this period.

The advent of travel websites reduced the usefulness of the RTAs and a 2005 PricewaterhouseCoopers report recommended substantial reorganisation;[20] as a consequence all were dissolved in 2006, except Dublin Tourism, which was made a direct subsidiary of Fáilte Ireland.

[21][24] Dublin Tourism's separate status ended in 2012 in line with a 2011 report by Grant Thornton.

[citation needed] Its activities fall into four areas: On 15 August 2020, the Chairman of Fáilte Ireland, Michael Cawley,[28] resigned after it emerged he travelled to Italy on holiday during the COVID-19 pandemic;[29] his decision to holiday abroad had sparked controversy and criticism as it coincided with a campaign from Fáilte Ireland urging holidaymakers to engage in staycations.