County Kildare (Irish: Contae Chill Dara) is in Ireland's East Coast and Midlands. It is south of Dublin and also borders County Wicklow and County Laois as well as County Meath.
Towns
- 1 Naas (Nás na Ríogh, "Meeting Place of the Kings") – county town
- 2 Athy (Baile Átha Í, "town of the ford of Ae")
- 3 Carbury
- 4 Clane (Claonadh)
- 5 Newbridge (Droichead Nua)
- 6 Celbridge (Cill Droichid)
- 7 Maynooth (Maigh Nuad)
- 8 Kildare (Cill Dara, "church of the oak")
- 9 Leixlip (Léim an Bhradáin)
- 10 Lowtown
- 11 Straffan (Teach Srafáin)
Understand
Kildare is known as "the shortgrass county", revealing its fame for sheep farming in the plains to the south. It is the horsebreeding capital of Ireland and home to the Curragh Racecourse, as well as many studfarms. Historically, it was inside the Anglised area known as "The Pale" and ruled by landlords such as the Fitzgeralds. County Kildare is Ireland's wealthiest county outside Dublin with many middle and upper class residents mainly in the north east of the county eg Naas and Maynooth. The largest town is Naas with a population of 30,000 and is also is the county town.
Get in
Get around
See
- In Kildare see the Japanese Gardens and the Irish National Stud Farm.
- Castletown House, Castletown House, Celbridge, Co. Kildare, W23 V9H3 (From M4 take Exit 6 for R449 Castletown), ☏ 353 1 628 8252, ✉[email protected]. Palladian mansion open for tours during the summer, serves food and is also a concert venue, with organic farmers market at weekends
Do
- Go to the races: The Curragh is at Newbridge near Kildare, while Punchestown is south of Naas.
- Golf: There are some excellent golf courses in Kildare, such as The K Club (which hosted the 2006 Ryder Cup), Carton House, and Castlewarden Golf Clubs.
- Canal boats: the Barrow Navigation meets the Grand Canal (which is navigable from the Liffey in Dublin to the Shannon near Longford) at Robertstown in County Kildare. It courses south to Athy, Carlow, Bagenalstown, Graignamanagh and St Mullins, where it joins the tidal river down to New Ross, Waterford and out to sea. Check Waterways Ireland for current status of locks, moorings and so on. There are restrictions on how far rented boats may be taken from base, and they won't let you venture into tidal waters.
Eat
Naas and Kildare town have the most choice.
Drink
See Kildare and Naas for a selection of pubs and hotel bars.