Itinerary: Day Trip to Kildare Town
St. Brigid’s Cathedral & Round Tower. Photo: Gareth Wray
Neighbouring County Kildare is known for its history, hospitality and love of horses. It is known as Ireland's equestrian hub, earning its nickname "The Thoroughbred County" with the Irish National Stud and Curragh Racecourse being two big attractions in the county. Beyond their world-class horse racing reputation they are known for the rich history, particularly the heritage that is associated with St. Brigid.
Did You Know? Kildare comes from the Irish “Cill Dara,” meaning “church of the oak,” from “cill” (church) and “dara” (oak), referring to a monastery founded by St. Brigid under a sacred oak tree.
Keep reading and find some inspiration in our specially-curated itinerary for a day trip to Kildare Town!
The following itinerary is based on a 9am start time with travel times taken into account, feel free to choose your own adventure by mixing and matching different activities to suit your schedule!
The train between Portarlington and Kildare Town runs hourly with Iarnród Éireann (Irish Rail). The direct trip takes just under 15 minutes, making it a very quick and reliable option for days out. The first train from Portarlington leaves at approximately: 5:38 AM with the last train returning from Kildare departing at approximately 10:57 PM.
9:20am
Arrive at Portarlington Train Station (located 5.2km North of Killenard) for 9:20am for the train to Kildare Town, which departs at approximately at 9:29am.
When you arrive at Kildare Town Station, walk South for 700m before arriving at St. Brigid’s Cathedral and Round Tower. Christians have worshipped on the hill of Kildare since at least the year 480 AD when Saint Brigid made the site her permanent home.
The Story of St. Brigid
St. Brigid is Ireland’s female patron saint, we celebrate her feast day on the 1st of February each year. The most famous story associated with Brigid is when she sought land to establish a convent and monastery. She approached the King of Leinster, who refused her request for land. She approached him once more after praying and asked only for as much land as her cloak could cover. The king laughed and agreed, but as she placed her cloak on the ground, it miraculously stretched and spread across several acres of land. The amazed king granted the land and converted to Christianity.
St. Brigid’s Cathedral
The first thing that will grab your attention when you arrive at the Cathedral site is the 33m tall round tower. There are very few round towers in Ireland that can still be accessed but fear not, the tower at St. Brigid’s Cathedral is open to visitors from May to September each year however it can only be accessed by ladders so it may not be suitable to some visitors. On days of good visibility, visitors will be rewarded with spectacular views of the surrounding Curragh with the Wicklow mountains on one side and the central midland plain on the other!
Explore the interior of the Cathedral, the stunning stained glass windows and the rich heritage encompassed within the walls of the Anglican cathedral.
After a morning of learning about St. Brigid and the stunning cathedral that bears her name, grab a well-deserved morning coffee at Firecastle Kildare and arrange for a taxi to bring you out to the Irish National Stud & Japanese Gardens, located just 2km from Kildare Town.
The Irish Racehorse Experience takes you on a journey through the rich history and heritage of the Irish thoroughbred sector from the world’s very first steeplechase in Cork up to modern-day Irish successes including champion-rider, Rachel Blackmore. The experience is an immersive and interactive journey that uses cutting-edge gaming technology with live video, audio and graphics to bring you into the world of horse racing. It is a great experience for all-ages and would make for a fun day out with all the family.
Even if horse racing is not your thing, it is worth a visit to see the Japanese Gardens that are on-site. They are renowned throughout the world and the finest of their kind in Europe. The gardens were created between 1906 and 1910 by Colonel William Hall Walker, a wealthy Scotsman from a famous brewing family, the gardens were laid out by Japanese master horticulturist Tassa Eida and his son Minoru.
Head for lunch in the Japanese Gardens Restaurant, where you will find a range of dishes that have taken flavour inspiration from all over the world. Allow yourself to be tempted by their selection of freshly baked breads, scones, desserts and cakes.
After a delicious lunch, call for the taxi man and head for some retail therapy at Kildare Village, Ireland’s premier and only luxury outlet shopping destination.
Visit the Concierge Services team upon arrival for information about Hands-free Shopping, Gift Cards and wheelchairs. You can book the hands-free shopping via the Kildare Village App before you visit or you can request it on arrival.
Shop at your leisure and the boutique staff will collect and pack your purchases. Kildare Village aims to have your bags ready within 30 minutes of you notifying Guest Services that you wish to collect them and leave.
Kildare Village runs a shuttle bus to the train station, so don’t worry about dragging all your shopping back! The shuttle departs every 30 minutes on the hour and half hour. The last departure from Kildare Village is at 7:00 PM.
Please Note: Kildare Village’s opening hours are Monday to Wednesday: 10:00 AM to 8:00 PM and Thursday to Sunday: 9:00 AM to 8:00 PM.
