oo  Local Attractions oo

Kildare is steeped in unique heritage and culture. Among the many attractions in the area are The Irish National Stud, Japanese Gardens, and St Fiachra's Garden, Lullymore Heritage & Discovery Park , Donadea Forest Park, Millennium Maze, and Maynooth College. Pause and visit the heritage towns of Athy – see artefacts of the famous explorer Sir Ernest Shackleton and Kildare – where St. Bridgid first founded her monastery. Marvel at the graceful houses with their gardens created of visual splendour for example Coolcarrigan Gardens near Timahoe, and Williamstown Gardens in Carbury, Ballindoolin House near Edenderry, Castletown House and Celbridge Abbey Gardens in Celbridge, Larchill Arcadian Gardens in Kilcock or Russborough House near Ballymore Eustace. Visit the Steam Museum and Lodge Park Garden in Straffan. Visit open farms such as Ardkil Farm & Bog in Carbury, Morrell Farm in Straffan, or the unique Straffan Butterfly Farm. Ballitore Quaker Museum is the Mary Ledbetter House in the village and this museum contains artefacts based on the Quaker families that lived there.

oo  Historical Sites  oo

• Hill of Allen – between Robertstown and Milltown. It was the seat of the great Irish Warrior Fionn MacCumhaill commander of Ná Fianna and his sons Óisin and Fergus. This folly or tower was built on top of the hill by Sir Gerald Alymer. The stones in the staircase of the tower were quarried in Edenderry and brought to Robertstown by boat and then carted to Allen.

• Lullymore – is a small mineral island that rises from the Bog of Allen and is about 9000 years old!

• Fr Moores Well – Located on the road from Milltown to Kildare town. This is one of the best-known holy wells in Kildare Fr. John Moore, was born in 1799 in Rathbride and is buried at the old cemetery in Allen (beside Mulrennan’s Shop). He was ordained in Maynooth and appointed as curate to Allen in 1803. Over the years pilgrims travelled from far and near for his cures.

• St Brigids Well - Is regarded as a 'healing well' and again thronged by pilgrims where healing liturgies are often held. St Bridget's well is situated near the Irish National Stud at Tully in Kildare town.

• Kildare Cathedral - St. Brigid, was born in 453 A.D., and is one of the three most famous Irish saints, along with St. Patrick and St. Columcille. She then founded a monastery on the edge of the Curragh Plains near a stand of oak trees on land given to her by the King of Leinster. The settlement flourished and gave the county its name Cill Dara – “ Church of the Oak”. St Brigid was a deeply religious person, even as a child, she was the first woman who engaged in church work in Ireland. She then built her church originally in wood but was later burnt down and replaced by a stone structure. As a place of interest both historically and religiously, Kildare Cathedral is second only to that of the Cathedral Church of Armagh. St Brigids feast day is 1st February and on this day each house hold places a St Brigids cross, which is traditionally made from reeds on the Curragh, in their house to protect it from fire.

• Moone High Cross – is near the village of Moone in the south of Kildare. In the ruins of a medieval church and legend has it that the cross was erected to St Columcille who founded Moone Abbey in the 6th Century.

• Ballymore Eustace High Cross – situated outside Naas on the Wicklow border. Close to the site of an old Protestant church is the present day St. John’s Church of Ireland, which was built in 1820. It houses a FitzEustace effigy dated to the early sixteenth century and an ancient font.