Things To Do in County Kildare

The fine, symmetrical architecture of this spectacular Palladian-style mansion has been imitated many times across Ireland over the centuries. Made of clean, white stone, with elegant rows of tall windows, Castletown was built between 1722 and 1729, designed by Italian architect…

Many of Ireland's fastest horses have been bred on the grounds of this famous stud farm. Horse lovers and racing fans will be in heaven, walking around the expansive grounds and watching the well-groomed horses being trained. There are exhibits on racing, steeplechase, hunting, and…

In an 11th-century mill originally constructed for the nunnery of St. Moling, Ireland’s oldest pewter mill makes a nice diversion. There’s a little museum devoted to the craft, but the main attraction is the skilled artisans who work here, still casting pewter in antique molds, some…

This unusual farm garden is the only surviving "ornamental farm" in Europe and it was nearly lost forever after it fell into decay in the 1970s and 1980s. Luckily, it was restored in the late 1990s. Products of the Romantic Movement, these hybrid farms were popular in the 18th…

Amid the picturesque ruins of Moone Abbey, this magnificent high cross is nearly 1,200 years old. The abbey, established by St. Columba in the 6th century, lies in evocative ruins around it. The cross features finely crafted Celtic designs as well as biblical scenes: the temptation…

For 60 years, this has been Ireland's leading manufacturer of fine silverware. The visitor center has displays of place settings, bowls, candelabras, trays, frames, and one-of-a-kind items; and if you like it all too much to leave it behind, you can stock up at the shop.

Built on the site of St. Brigid’s monastery, which was founded in the 5th century, this beautiful 13th-century church dominates central Kildare. Its exquisite stained-glass windows portray Ireland’s three great saints: Patrick, Colmcille, and Brigid. The round tower on the grounds is…

The country's best-known racetrack, The Curragh has hosted races for hundreds of years. The first recorded race took place here in 1727, but historians believe races were held here long before then. Today it’s a modern flat track—there’s nothing left of whatever may have stood here…