All Topics  
County Kildare

 

   Email Print
   Bookmark   Link






 

County Kildare



 
 
County Kildare is an Irish
Republic of Ireland

Ireland is an Island country in north-western Europe. The modern Sovereignty state occupies about five-sixths of the island of Ireland, which was partitioned by the British on 3 May 1921....
 county
County

A county is a land area of Local government government within a larger state. A county may have city and towns within its area....
 located to the southwest of Dublin
Dublin

Dublin is both the largest city and capital of Republic of Ireland. It is located near the midpoint of Ireland's east coast, at the mouth of the River Liffey and at the centre of the Dublin Region....
 in the province of Leinster
Leinster

Leinster , one of the Provinces of Ireland, lies in the east of Ireland and comprises the counties of County Carlow, County Dublin, County Kildare, County Kilkenny, County Laois, County Longford, County Louth, County Meath, County Offaly, County Westmeath, County Wexford and County Wicklow....
. The name comes from the Irish, meaning church (Cill) of the oaks (Dara).

are was shire
Shire

A shire is a traditional administrative division of United Kingdom and Australia. Shire has been effectively synonymous with county since the Norman Conquest....
d in 1297 and assumed its present border
Border

Borders define geography boundaries of political geography or legal jurisdictions, such as governments, states or Subnational entity. They may foster the setting up of buffer zones....
s in 1832.

From A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man
A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man

A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man is a autobiography novel by James Joyce, first serialized in The Egoist from 1914 to 1915 and published in book form in 1916 in literature....
 by James Joyce
James Joyce

James Augustine Aloysius Joyce was an Ireland expatriate author of the 20th century. He is best known for his landmark novel Ulysses and its controversial successor Finnegans Wake , as well as the short story collection Dubliners and the semi-autobiographical novel A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man ....
:

Can you answer me this one? Why is the county of Kildare like the leg of a fellow's breeches?

Stephen thought what could be the answer and then said:

--I give it up.

--Because there is a thigh in it, he said.






Discussion
Ask a question about 'County Kildare'
Start a new discussion about 'County Kildare'
Answer questions from other users
Full Discussion Forum



Encyclopedia


County Kildare is an Irish
Republic of Ireland

Ireland is an Island country in north-western Europe. The modern Sovereignty state occupies about five-sixths of the island of Ireland, which was partitioned by the British on 3 May 1921....
 county
County

A county is a land area of Local government government within a larger state. A county may have city and towns within its area....
 located to the southwest of Dublin
Dublin

Dublin is both the largest city and capital of Republic of Ireland. It is located near the midpoint of Ireland's east coast, at the mouth of the River Liffey and at the centre of the Dublin Region....
 in the province of Leinster
Leinster

Leinster , one of the Provinces of Ireland, lies in the east of Ireland and comprises the counties of County Carlow, County Dublin, County Kildare, County Kilkenny, County Laois, County Longford, County Louth, County Meath, County Offaly, County Westmeath, County Wexford and County Wicklow....
. The name comes from the Irish, meaning church (Cill) of the oaks (Dara).

History

Kildare was shire
Shire

A shire is a traditional administrative division of United Kingdom and Australia. Shire has been effectively synonymous with county since the Norman Conquest....
d in 1297 and assumed its present border
Border

Borders define geography boundaries of political geography or legal jurisdictions, such as governments, states or Subnational entity. They may foster the setting up of buffer zones....
s in 1832.

From A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man
A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man

A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man is a autobiography novel by James Joyce, first serialized in The Egoist from 1914 to 1915 and published in book form in 1916 in literature....
 by James Joyce
James Joyce

James Augustine Aloysius Joyce was an Ireland expatriate author of the 20th century. He is best known for his landmark novel Ulysses and its controversial successor Finnegans Wake , as well as the short story collection Dubliners and the semi-autobiographical novel A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man ....
:

Can you answer me this one? Why is the county of Kildare like the leg of a fellow's breeches?

Stephen thought what could be the answer and then said:

--I give it up.

--Because there is a thigh in it, he said. Do you see the joke? Athy is the town in the county Kildare and a thigh is the other thigh.

Geography

Kildare is bordered by the counties of Carlow
County Carlow

County Carlow is a counties of Ireland in Republic of Ireland located towards the south east of Ireland, in the province of Leinster. It has an overall population of 50,349, as of April 2006....
, Laois
County Laois

County Laois , formerly also Laoighis or Leix, is a county in the midlands of Ireland, in the Provinces of Ireland of Leinster.File:ViewFromDunamase.JPG...
, Meath
County Meath

County Meath is a county in Republic of Ireland, often informally called The Royal County. The county town is Navan, where the county hall and government are located, although Trim, County Meath, the former county town, has historical significance and remains a sitting place of the courts of the Republic of Ireland....
, Offaly
County Offaly

County Offaly is a county in Leinster, Ireland, bordered by seven other counties: County Galway, County Roscommon, County Westmeath, County Meath, County Kildare, County Laois, and County Tipperary....
, Dublin
County Dublin

County Dublin , or more correctly today the Dublin Region , is the area that contains the city of Dublin, the Capital of Republic of Ireland as well as the largest city on the island of Ireland; and the modern counties of County of Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown, County of Fingal and County of South Dublin....
 and Wicklow
County Wicklow

County Wicklow is a Counties of Ireland on the east coast of Republic of Ireland, immediately south of Dublin. The county is bordered by the Irish Sea and the counties of County Carlow, County Kildare, County Wexford, as well as two parts of what was County Dublin, County of Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown and County of South Dublin....
. Kildare is part of the "Greater Dublin Area
Greater Dublin Area

Greater Dublin Area , or simply Greater Dublin, is a term which is used to describe the city of Dublin and the surrounding counties of Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown, Fingal, County Kildare, County Meath, South Dublin and County Wicklow in Republic of Ireland....
", a regional area surrounding Dublin.

Towns and villages in Kildare


Towns
  • Naas
    Naas

    Naas is the county town of County Kildare, Republic of Ireland. With a population of over 23,000, it is the largest town in the County of Kildare....
     (pop. 32,565) is the County Town and largest town in County Kildare with a population of over 32,000 and rapidly growing Naas is situated in the North-East of the County.With new house planning the population could exceed 40,000 in the next five years and becoming the largest town in The Greater Dublin Area zone.Both Sallins and Johnstown are suburbs of Naas,the town is the main collector for the population overspill of Dublin.Naas is also the main centre for economic growth in the county of Kildare.
  • Newbridge
    Newbridge, County Kildare

    Newbridge is a town in County Kildare, Republic of Ireland, near the Irish midlands. Its population 18,520 makes it the second largest town in Kildare and the 17th largest in the Republic of Ireland....
     is Kildare's second largest town and is situated in the centre of the county, near the Curragh
    Curragh

    The Curragh is a flat open plain of almost 5,000 acres of common land in County Kildare, Ireland, between Newbridge, County Kildare and Kildare....
     plain. It is a thriving and rapidly growing town with a population of over 20,000.
  • Celbridge
    Celbridge

    Celbridge is a town on the River Liffey in County Kildare in Republic of Ireland, 22 kilometres from Dublin City. As a town within the Dublin Metropolitan Area#Planning usage and the Greater Dublin Area, Celbridge has expanded dramatically in recent years - however most of the town's services and amenities still centre around the single mai...
     (Cill Droichid) (pop. 17,262) is the largest one street town in Ireland and nearby Straffan
    Straffan

    Straffan is a village in County Kildare, Republic of Ireland, situated on the banks of the River Liffey, 25 km upstream of the Irish capital Dublin....
     is the site of the K Club Golf Course which hosted golf's Ryder Cup
    Ryder Cup

    The Ryder Cup is a golf trophy, donated by Samuel Ryder, which is awarded biennially in an event called the "Ryder Cup Matches" between teams from Europe and the United States of America....
     2006.
  • Leixlip
    Leixlip

    Leixlip is a town in north-east County Kildare, Republic of Ireland, east of the midlands of Republic of Ireland, situated on the confluence of the River Liffey and the River Rye , on the border of the ancient kingdoms of Leinster and Kings of Brega....
     (pop. 15,000) (Léim an Bhradáin) town is the industrial centre of north Kildare, with large Intel
    Intel Ireland

    Intel Irelands parent company - the giant United States based Intel microprocesser business - is a quoted company trading on the NASDAQ exchange....
     and Hewlett-Packard
    Hewlett-Packard

    The Hewlett-Packard Company , commonly referred to as HP, is a technology corporation headquartered in Palo Alto, California, United States....
     facilities, and the original home of Guinness
    Guinness

    Guinness is a popular dry stout that originated in Arthur Guinness' first brewery in Leixlip, County Kildare but it then moved to its present home at St....
     which has its origins in Leixlip
    Leixlip

    Leixlip is a town in north-east County Kildare, Republic of Ireland, east of the midlands of Republic of Ireland, situated on the confluence of the River Liffey and the River Rye , on the border of the ancient kingdoms of Leinster and Kings of Brega....
    .
  • Maynooth (Maigh Nuad) (pop. 10,715) is the historic educational centre of the county. It contains the National University of Ireland, Maynooth and St Patrick's College, Maynooth. Kilcock
    Kilcock

    Kilcock is a town in the north of County Kildare, Ireland, on the border with County Meath. Dublin city is quite nearby, and Kilcock is a dormitory town for many commuters....
     (Cill Choca) is a town located 6 kilometres (4 miles) from Maynooth.


  • Athy
    Athy

    Athy Its population of 7,943 makes it the sixth largest town in Kildare and the 50th largest in the Republic of Ireland, with a growth rate of 31.3% since the 2002 census....
     (pop. 7,943) is the main town in the southern part of the county.


  • Kildare
    Kildare

    Kildare is a town in County Kildare, Republic of Ireland. Its population of 7,538 makes it the seventh largest town in Kildare and the 55th largest in the Republic of Ireland, with a growth rate of 32.4pc since the 2002 census....
     (pop. 7,538) is the oldest in the county and the most historic.


  • Monasterevin
    Monasterevin

    Monasterevin is a town in County Kildare in the Republic of Ireland. The town lies on the River Barrow and the Grand Canal of Ireland. Its population of 3,017 makes it the 11th largest town in Kildare and the 105th largest in the Republic of Ireland....
     (pop. 3,000) (Mainistir Éimhín) is the site of the 6th century Moore Abbey founded by St Evin.


Villages
  • Allen
    Allen, County Kildare

    Allen is a village in County Kildare in Republic of Ireland located on regional road R415 road between Kilmeage and Milltown, County Kildare. The village is overlooked by Hill of Allen, which in recent times has been scarred by quarrying....
    , Allenwood
    Allenwood

    Allenwood is a small Ireland village in County Kildare situated on the Grand Canal of Ireland. Allenwood is located about from Dublin and half way between Rathangan%2C_County_Kildare and Clane in North County Kildare....
    , Ardclough
    Ardclough

    Ardclough is a village and community in the parish of Kill, County Kildare County Kildare, Ireland, two miles off the N7 road. Amongst its buildings today are a national school, a church, Ardclough GAA Club, and one shop....
  • Ballitore
    Ballitore

    Ballitore is a village in County Kildare, Republic of Ireland, sometimes spelt "Ballytore".It is noted for its historical Quaker associations....
    , Ballymore Eustace
    Ballymore Eustace

    Ballymore Eustace is a town in County Kildare in Republic of Ireland, which was within a "pocket" of County Dublin until 1836. It lies close to the border with County Wicklow....
    , Ballynadrumny
  • Calverstown
    Calverstown

    Calverstown is a small village located south of the town of Kilcullen and approximately from each of the towns of Athy, Kildare, Naas and Newbridge, County Kildare in County Kildare, Republic of Ireland....
    , Caragh
    Caragh

    Caragh or Carragh is a village in County Kildare, Ireland. It is located on the R409 road regional road between the River Liffey and the Grand Canal approximately 4 km north-west of Naas....
    , Carbury
    Carbury

    Carbury , also formerly spelt "Carbery", is a village in north-west County Kildare, Republic of Ireland. It is situated in the on the R402 road regional road between Enfield, County Meath and Edenderry, County Offaly, near the border with County Offaly....
    , Castledermot
    Castledermot

    Castledermot is an inland village in the south-east of Ireland in County Kildare, about from Dublin, and from the town of Carlow. The N9 road from Dublin to Waterford passes through the village but completion of a bypass is due during 2010....
    , Celbridge
    Celbridge

    Celbridge is a town on the River Liffey in County Kildare in Republic of Ireland, 22 kilometres from Dublin City. As a town within the Dublin Metropolitan Area#Planning usage and the Greater Dublin Area, Celbridge has expanded dramatically in recent years - however most of the town's services and amenities still centre around the single mai...
    , Clane
    Clane

    Clane is a village on the River Liffey and in the barony of Clane in County Kildare, Republic of Ireland. It is situated 32 km from Dublin, at the crossroads of the R403 road and R407 road regional roads, halfway between Maynooth and Naas in north Kildare....
    , Coill Dubh
  • Eadestown
  • Hawkfield
  • Kilberry
    Kilberry, County Kildare

    Kilberry is a village in County Kildare, Republic of Ireland. It is located on the the R417 road regional road in the valley of the River Barrow 4 km north of Athy....
    , Kilcock
    Kilcock

    Kilcock is a town in the north of County Kildare, Ireland, on the border with County Meath. Dublin city is quite nearby, and Kilcock is a dormitory town for many commuters....
    , Kilcullen
    Kilcullen

    Kilcullen , or Kilcullen Bridge, is a small town on the River Liffey in County Kildare, Republic of Ireland. Its population of 2,985 makes it the 12th largest settlement in County Kildare and the fastest growing in the county, having doubled in population from 1,483 in the census of 2002....
    , Kildare
    Kildare

    Kildare is a town in County Kildare, Republic of Ireland. Its population of 7,538 makes it the seventh largest town in Kildare and the 55th largest in the Republic of Ireland, with a growth rate of 32.4pc since the 2002 census....
    , Kildangan
    Kildangan

    Kildangan is a village in County Kildare in Republic of Ireland. The village of 570 people lies close to the flood plain of the River Barrow, near the County Laois border....
    , Kill
    Kill, County Kildare

    Kill is a village and parish in County Kildare, Ireland near the county's border with Dublin beside the N7 road . The name is derived from the Irish language "An Chill" meaning "The Church", the same root for Kil in Kildare....
    , Kilmead,Kilmeague,Kilteel
    Kilteel

    Kilteel is a small village in County Kildare, Republic of Ireland. It is located south of Naas at the foot of the Wicklow Mountains. Being 800 feet above sea level it holds the title of Kildare's highest village....
  • Lullymore
  • Maynooth, Milltown, Monasterevin
    Monasterevin

    Monasterevin is a town in County Kildare in the Republic of Ireland. The town lies on the River Barrow and the Grand Canal of Ireland. Its population of 3,017 makes it the 11th largest town in Kildare and the 105th largest in the Republic of Ireland....
    , Moone
    Moone

    Moone is a small village in the south of County Kildare, Ireland. It is on the former N9 road about south of Dublin. It has only a few hundred inhabitants, a church, a National School, one Retailing and a small community centre....
  • Narraghmore, Newbridge
    Newbridge, County Kildare

    Newbridge is a town in County Kildare, Republic of Ireland, near the Irish midlands. Its population 18,520 makes it the second largest town in Kildare and the 17th largest in the Republic of Ireland....
    , Nurney
    Nurney, County Kildare

    Nurney may also refer to Nurney, County CarlowNurney is a village in County Kildare, Republic of Ireland. The village is located on the R415 road regional road and is signposted from the M7 motorway motorway at J13, Kildare....
  • Prosperous
    Prosperous, County Kildare

    Prosperous is a town in Republic of Ireland in northern County Kildare, at the junction of the R403 road and R408 road regional roads, about from Dublin....
  • Rathangan
    Rathangan, County Kildare

    Rathangan is a town in the west of County Kildare, Republic of Ireland, with a population of 1,718 . It is located from the centre of Dublin, and from Kildare, at the intersection of the R401 road, R414 road, and R419 road regional roads....
    , Robertstown
    Robertstown

    Robertstown is a small village situated on the banks of the Grand Canal in County Kildare, Ireland. It grew in importance on the arrival of the canal, at the highest level, 85m above sea level, of which it lies, in 1784....
  • Sallins
    Sallins

    Sallins is a suburban town in County Kildare, Ireland, situated 3.5 km north of the town centre of Naas, from which it is separated by the M7 motorway ....
    , Straffan
    Straffan

    Straffan is a village in County Kildare, Republic of Ireland, situated on the banks of the River Liffey, 25 km upstream of the Irish capital Dublin....
    , Staplestown
    Staplestown, County Kildare

    Staplestown is a village in North County Kildare, Republic of Ireland, located 25 miles west of Dublin. The village has a church, a school, a post office and shop and is home to St Kevin's GAA....
    , Suncroft
    Suncroft

    Suncroft is a village in County Kildare, Republic of Ireland, south of The Curragh and east of Kildare Town.It has a population of about 500....
  • Timolin
    Timolin

    Timolin is a hamlet in the south of County Kildare, Ireland. It is on the former N9 road about south of Dublin. It is a small village, with less than a hundred inhabitants, one Retailing and a two pubs....
    , Two-Mile-House


Border Regions

County Kildare borders several counties:
  • Co Meath - To the North
  • Co Dublin - To the North-East
  • Co Wicklow - To the South-East
  • Co Carlow - To the South
  • Co Laois - To the South-West
  • Co Offaly - To the West


Demographics

The county's population has nearly doubled to some 186,000 in 1990-2005. The north eastern region of Kildare, had the highest average per-capita income in Ireland outside County Dublin
County Dublin

County Dublin , or more correctly today the Dublin Region , is the area that contains the city of Dublin, the Capital of Republic of Ireland as well as the largest city on the island of Ireland; and the modern counties of County of Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown, County of Fingal and County of South Dublin....
 in 2003. East Kildare's population has increased rapidly, for example the amount of housing in the Naas suburb of Sallins
Sallins

Sallins is a suburban town in County Kildare, Ireland, situated 3.5 km north of the town centre of Naas, from which it is separated by the M7 motorway ....
 has increased sixfold since the mid 1990s.

Transport and infrastructure


Roads

County Kildare houses the hub of Ireland
Ireland

Ireland is the List of islands by area in Europe, and the twentieth-largest island in the world. It lies to the north-west of continental Europe and is surrounded by hundreds of islands and islet....
's network of major road
Road

A road is an identifiable Road number, way or Trail between Location . Roads are typically smoothed, Pavement , or otherwise prepared to allow easy travel; though they need not be, and historically many roads were simply recognizable routes without any formal construction or Maintenance, repair and operations....
s.

The N4(M4) from Dublin to Sligo
Sligo

Sligo , is the county town of County Sligo in Republic of Ireland. The town is a borough and has a charter and a town mayor. It is the second largest urban area in Connacht ....
 travels along the north of the county
County

A county is a land area of Local government government within a larger state. A county may have city and towns within its area....
 by-passing the towns of Leixlip, Maynooth and Kilcock.

The N7(M7)
M7 motorway (Republic of Ireland)

The M7 motorway is a motorway in Republic of Ireland that runs continuously from the outskirts of Naas in County Kildare to south of Portlaoise in County Laois....
 from Dublin to Limerick
Limerick

Limerick is the third largest city in the Republic of Ireland and the county seat of County Limerick in the province of Munster, in the midwest of Republic of Ireland....
 runs through the county and by-passes the towns of Naas, Newbridge, Kildare and Monasterevin. This road is commonly dubbed the "Naas Dual carriageway
Dual carriageway

A dual carriageway or divided highway is a road or highway in which the two directions of traffic are separated by a central barrier or strip of land, known as a central reservation or median....
" because when it was originally up-graded in 1964 the road from Dublin to Naas was a double lane carriageway, one of the first of its kind in Ireland.

The N9(M9)
N9 road

! align="center" style="font-size: 115%" colspan="2" ||-! align="center" style="font-size: 115%" colspan="2" ||-! align="center" style="font-size: 115%" colspan="2" |Destinations ...
 is another National Primary Route that commences at Kilcullen
Kilcullen

Kilcullen , or Kilcullen Bridge, is a small town on the River Liffey in County Kildare, Republic of Ireland. Its population of 2,985 makes it the 12th largest settlement in County Kildare and the fastest growing in the county, having doubled in population from 1,483 in the census of 2002....
 and ends at Waterford
Waterford

Waterford is the primary city of the South East region. Founded in 914 in Ireland AD, by the Vikings, it is Ireland's oldest city. It is the fifth largest city in the country of Republic of Ireland....
. The first few miles of this are motorway which essentially by-passes Kilcullen. From there it is a single lane carriageway passing towns such as Timolin
Timolin

Timolin is a hamlet in the south of County Kildare, Ireland. It is on the former N9 road about south of Dublin. It is a small village, with less than a hundred inhabitants, one Retailing and a two pubs....
, Moone
Moone

Moone is a small village in the south of County Kildare, Ireland. It is on the former N9 road about south of Dublin. It has only a few hundred inhabitants, a church, a National School, one Retailing and a small community centre....
 and Castledermot
Castledermot

Castledermot is an inland village in the south-east of Ireland in County Kildare, about from Dublin, and from the town of Carlow. The N9 road from Dublin to Waterford passes through the village but completion of a bypass is due during 2010....
 before leaving the County at the County Carlow
County Carlow

County Carlow is a counties of Ireland in Republic of Ireland located towards the south east of Ireland, in the province of Leinster. It has an overall population of 50,349, as of April 2006....
 border.

Rail

The County is also served by the trains connecting the Dublin to Munster, South Leinster, and South Connaught, with daily connections to Cork
Cork (city)

Cork is the second largest city in the Republic of Ireland and the Ireland third most populous city after Dublin and Belfast. It is the principal city and administrative centre of County Cork and the largest city in the Provinces of Ireland of Munster....
, Waterford, Limerick, and Galway
Galway

Galway is the fourth largest city in the Republic of Ireland and the only city in the province of Connacht in Republic of Ireland. The city is located on the west coast of Ireland....
. The principal Irish Rail intercity train station in the county is Kildare, however, Newbridge, Sallins and Hazelhatch
Hazelhatch

Hazelhatch is an area on the border between Co. Kildare and Co. Dublin in Ireland. It is located approximately halfway between Celbridge and Newcastle, County Dublin....
 are also served by a Dublin commuter train service called the Arrow
Arrow

An arrow is a pointed projectile that is shot with a bow . It predates recorded history and is common to most cultures....
.

Canals

Kildare was the centre of Ireland's inland waterway when it was constructed in the 1830s, and 1840s. This connects Kildare with Waterford, Dublin, Limerick and Athlone. The Royal Canal still forms the boundary with County Meath to the North.

Economy

At the centre of the Irish motorway system, County Kildare is one of Ireland's premier sites for inward direct investment from the multinational sector. Kildare currently (2006) contains the European base of electronics firms, Intel and Hewlett Packard, two of the largest employers in this sector in the entire island. Phramaceutical giant Wyeth
Wyeth

Wyeth, formerly known as American Home Products , is one of the largest pharmaceutical company in the world. The company is based in Madison, New Jersey....
 has its European Manufacturing base in County Kildare, with another plant in nearby Newcactle in County Dublin. Major pizza-making, soft drinks, and frozen food enterprises are located in Naas
Naas

Naas is the county town of County Kildare, Republic of Ireland. With a population of over 23,000, it is the largest town in the County of Kildare....
. Large supermarket distribution centres are located in Naas and Kilcock
Kilcock

Kilcock is a town in the north of County Kildare, Ireland, on the border with County Meath. Dublin city is quite nearby, and Kilcock is a dormitory town for many commuters....
.

The Irish Army
Irish Army

The Irish Army is the main branch of the Irish Defence Forces . It was first formed in 1922 after the implementation of the Anglo-Irish Treaty and the subsequent foundation of the Irish Free State....
's largest military base, its command headquarters, and its training centre at the Curragh
Curragh Camp

The Curragh Camp is an army base and military college located in The Curragh, County Kildare, Ireland. It is the main training centre for the Irish Army....
. Allenwood
Allenwood

Allenwood is a small Ireland village in County Kildare situated on the Grand Canal of Ireland. Allenwood is located about from Dublin and half way between Rathangan%2C_County_Kildare and Clane in North County Kildare....
 and Timahoe
Timahoe

Timahoe is a village in County Laois, Ireland, 12 km south of Portlaoise on the R426 road regional road....
 are also the location of large peat burning power stations operated by the state, and Kildare has historically be an employment centre in this sector.

Kildare is the centre of the Irish horse industry. Kildare has more stud farms than any other county in Ireland, and an important racecources at Punchestown, near Naas
Naas

Naas is the county town of County Kildare, Republic of Ireland. With a population of over 23,000, it is the largest town in the County of Kildare....
, and at the leading flat national racecourse at the Curragh. Kildare is also home to the state owned national stud farm, the national equestrian centre in Kill, and Goff's equine auction centre (also in Kill). Most of Ireland's prominent show jumping competitors are located in, or come from county Kildare, especially the areas near Kilcock and Sallins. Several prominent international breeders have substantial stud farms in Kildare, including many from the Arab
Arab

An Arab is a person who Identity as such on linguistic or cultural grounds. The plural form, Arabs , refers to the Ethnocultural group at large....
 world.

County Kildare is the richest county in Ireland outside of Dublin, with the lowest unemployment rates in Ireland, throughout the economic recession of the 1980s. Kildare was the first county in Ireland to experience the Celtic Tiger
Celtic Tiger

File:CelticTigerEconomist.PNGCeltic Tiger is a term used to describe the period of rapid economic growth in Republic of Ireland that began in the 1990s and slowed in 2001, only to pick up pace again in 2003 and then slowed down, once again by 2007 with further contraction in 2008....
 economic boom in the early 1990s, mainly as a result of the decision of Intel to locate between Leixlip and Maynooth, and a pick up in construction boom that predated that of other countries.

Politics

Politically the county is divided into two Dáil constituencies, Kildare North (three seats, to be increased to four at the next election) and Kildare South (three seats). After the 2007 General Election, the TDs elected were; Bernard Durkan (FG), Emmet Stagg (Lab), Aine Brady (FF), Michael Fitzpatrick (FF), Sean O Fearghail (FF), Sean Power (FF) and Jack Wall (Lab). Nevertheless, the whole county is governed at local authority level by Kildare County Council
Kildare County Council

Kildare County Council is the local authority for County Kildare, founded by the Local Government Act 1898 along with the other councils of Ireland....
.

Education

  • Two third-level educational institutions -- St. Patrick's College founded by King George III in 1795 to educate Ireland's Catholics and the National University of Ireland, Maynooth founded in 1997 -- are located in Maynooth. They share campus space and many facilities. The two institutions were formally separated in 1997. NUI Maynooth is the only university
    University

    A university is an institution of higher education and research, which grants academic degrees in a variety of subjects. A university provides both undergraduate education and postgraduate education....
     in the Republic of Ireland not situated in a city.
  • Clongowes Wood College
    Clongowes Wood College

    Clongowes Wood College is a private secondary boarding school for boys, located near Clane in County Kildare, Republic of Ireland. Founded by the Society of Jesus in 1814, it is one of Ireland's oldest Catholic schools, and featured prominently in James Joyce's semi-autobiographical novel A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man....
     is a private secondary boarding school for boys, located near Clane. Founded by the Society of Jesus
    Society of Jesus

    The Society of Jesus is a Roman Catholic religious order of clerks regular whose members are called Jesuits, Soldiers of Jesus Christ, and Foot soldiers of the Pope, because the founder, Saint Ignatius of Loyola, was a knight before becoming a Holy Orders....
     (The Jesuits) in 1814, it is one of Ireland's oldest Catholic schools.
  • Newbridge College
    Newbridge College

    Newbridge College is a co-educational fee-paying secondary school in Newbridge, County Kildare, Ireland, run by the Dominican Order. The Dominican Fathers founded Newbridge College in 1852 as a boarding school for boys....
     is a co-educational secondary school. The Dominican Order
    Dominican Order

    The Order of Preachers , after the 15th century more commonly known as the Dominican Order or Dominicans, is a Roman Catholic religious order founded by Saint Dominic in the early 13th century in France....
     founded Newbridge College in 1852 as a boarding school for boys.


Music

  • Iconic folk musician Christy Moore
    Christy Moore

    Christopher Andrew 'Christy' Moore is a popular Irish folk singer, songwriter, and guitarist. He is well known as one of the founding members of Planxty....
     was born in Newbridge, County Kildare
    Newbridge, County Kildare

    Newbridge is a town in County Kildare, Republic of Ireland, near the Irish midlands. Its population 18,520 makes it the second largest town in Kildare and the 17th largest in the Republic of Ireland....
    .
  • Luka Bloom
    Luka Bloom

    Luka Bloom is an accomplished Ireland folk-rock singer-songwriter. He is also the younger brother of Irish folk music singer Christy Moore....
     is from Newbridge, County Kildare
    Newbridge, County Kildare

    Newbridge is a town in County Kildare, Republic of Ireland, near the Irish midlands. Its population 18,520 makes it the second largest town in Kildare and the 17th largest in the Republic of Ireland....
    .
  • Choice Music award winners Super Extra Bonus Party
    Super Extra Bonus Party

    Super Extra Bonus Party are a Choice Music Prize Choice Music Prize#Irish Album of the Year 2007 indie-electronica band, formed in November 2005 and based in Dublin, Ireland....
     are from Newbridge
  • Damien Rice
    Damien Rice

    Damien Rice is an Irish people rock music singer.So far, he has released two studio albums: O in 2002, and 9 in 2006....
     was born and bred in Celbridge, Co. Kildare.
  • Liam Flynn and Donal Lunny
    Dónal Lunny

    D?nal Lunny is an Ireland folk musician. Lunny has been at the cutting edge of the evolution of Irish music for more than thirty-five years and is generally regarded as having been central to the renaissance of traditional Irish music in that time period....
     from the band Planxty are from Co. Kildare.
  • Bell X1 are from Celbridge, County Kildare.
  • Australian Idol 2006 winner and famous Australian and Irish
    Irish people

    The Irish people are a Western European ethnic group who originate in Ireland, in north western Europe. Ireland has been populated for around 9,000 years , with the Irish people's earliest ancestors recorded as the Nemedians, Fomorians, Fir Bolgs, Tuatha D? Danann and the Milesians ?the last group supposedly representing the "pure" Gaelic a...
     singer-songwriter
    Singer-songwriter

    File:Joan Baez Bob Dylan crop.jpgSinger-songwriter is a term that refers to performers who Lyricist, composer and singing their own Musical piece including lyrics and melody....
     Damien Leith
    Damien Leith

    Damien Leo Leith is an Irish Australian singer/songwriter. He was the winner of the Network Ten music contest Australian Idol 2006.He was born in Ireland and now lives in Australia with his Australian wife, Eileen Stapleton, and their two sons, Jarvis Dion and Jagger Ramone....
     was born in Dublin and lived in Milltown, County Kildare until he moved to Australia
    Australia

    Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the southern hemisphere comprising the Australia of the world's smallest continent, the major island of Tasmania, and numerous list of islands of Australia in the Indian Ocean and Pacific Oceans....
    .
  • Punk rock
    Punk rock

    Punk rock is a rock music genre that developed between 1974 and 1976 in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia. Rooted in garage rock and other forms of what is now known as protopunk music, punk rock bands eschewed the perceived excesses of mainstream 1970s rock....
     / Irish Music band Blood or Whiskey
    Blood or Whiskey

    Blood or Whiskey is an Irish punk/folk band from Leixlip, County Kildare, Republic of Ireland.The band was formed in September 1993 taking strong influence from Shane MacGowan, as well as The Pogues and The Clash....
     originate from Leixlip
    Leixlip

    Leixlip is a town in north-east County Kildare, Republic of Ireland, east of the midlands of Republic of Ireland, situated on the confluence of the River Liffey and the River Rye , on the border of the ancient kingdoms of Leinster and Kings of Brega....
  • Rolling Stones guitarist Ron Wood
    Ron Wood

    Ronald David "Ronnie" Wood is an England Rock music guitarist and bassist best known as a member of The Rolling Stones and Faces ....
     owns a home in the area. He lived in it during his affair with an eighteen year old cocktail waitress in July 2008.
  • Joseph Doyle, bassist from Irish band the Frames
    The Frames

    The Frames are an influential Ireland musical band based mainly in Dublin. Founded in 1990, the group has released six albums and appeared in numerous music videos....
     is from Kildare Town.


Sport


GAA

The nickname for the Kildare GAA
Kildare GAA

For more information see Kildare Senior Club Football Championship or Kildare Senior Club Hurling Championship.The Kildare County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association , or Kildare GAA, is one of the 32 GAA county of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Kildare....
 team is the Lilywhites, a reference to the all-white jerseys they wear. Kildare were the first team to win the Sam Maguire
Sam Maguire

Samuel Maguire , an Irish Republican and Gaelic footballer, is chiefly remembered as the eponym of the Sam Maguire Cup, given to the All-Ireland Senior Football Championship of Gaelic football....
 All Ireland football Championship in 1928 defeating Cavan 2-6 to 2-5. County Kildare is also known as the Shortgrass County which is a reference to how short the grass is on the commons of the Curragh.

Golf

Ireland's premier golf course, the Michael Smurfit
Michael Smurfit

Sir Michael Smurfit, Order of the British Empire, Honorary degree , , is a businessman holding dual Republic of Ireland and United Kingdom citizenship....
 owned K Club, situated on the River Liffey
River Liffey

The Liffey is a river in Republic of Ireland, which flows through the centre of Dublin. Its major tributaries include the River Dodder, the River Poddle and the River Camac....
 near Straffan
Straffan

Straffan is a village in County Kildare, Republic of Ireland, situated on the banks of the River Liffey, 25 km upstream of the Irish capital Dublin....
 played host to the 2006 Ryder Cup
Ryder Cup

The Ryder Cup is a golf trophy, donated by Samuel Ryder, which is awarded biennially in an event called the "Ryder Cup Matches" between teams from Europe and the United States of America....
. Other prominent courses are located at Knockanally, Carton Estate, and Clane
Clane

Clane is a village on the River Liffey and in the barony of Clane in County Kildare, Republic of Ireland. It is situated 32 km from Dublin, at the crossroads of the R403 road and R407 road regional roads, halfway between Maynooth and Naas in north Kildare....
.

Horse racing

Kildare is famous worldwide for its horse racing. The Curragh
Curragh

The Curragh is a flat open plain of almost 5,000 acres of common land in County Kildare, Ireland, between Newbridge, County Kildare and Kildare....
 horse-racing course is the home to all five Irish Classic Flat races. Also located in County Kildare are two other courses, Punchestown Racecourse
Punchestown Racecourse

Punchestown Racecourse is located in the parish of Eadestown, near Naas, County Kildare, in the Province of Leinster, Republic of Ireland. It is home of the National Hunt Festival of Ireland....
, home of the National Hunt Festival of Ireland and Naas Racecourse. The latter course in Naas, runs both National Hunt and Flat meetings and is used by top race horse trainers as an ideal test for horses preparing for the Cheltenham festival. The county is famous for the quality of horses bred in the many stud farms to which it is home to. Kildare is also home to the Irish National Stud
Irish National Stud

The Irish National Stud is a horse breeding facility based at Kildare, County Kildare, Ireland. It was formally established by incorporation on 11 April 1946 under the List of Acts of the Oireachtas and is owned by the Irish Government....
 and many other top studs such as Moyglare Stud, Kildagan Stud, and race horse training establishments, such as the Osborne Stables.

Association Football

Kildare County
Kildare County F.C.

Kildare County F.C. is an Ireland football club playing in the Football League of Ireland. The club, founded in 2002, hails from Newbridge, County Kildare, County Kildare and play their home matches at Station Road, Newbridge....
 compete in the FAI League of Ireland
FAI League of Ireland

The FAI League of Ireland is the Republic of Ireland's current national football league system created following the merging of the Football Association of Ireland and the Football League of Ireland....
 First Division.

See also

  • List of abbeys and priories in Ireland (County Kildare)
    List of abbeys and priories in the Republic of Ireland

    Abbeys and priories in Ireland lists abbeys, priory, friary or other monastic religious houses in Republic of Ireland. This article does not include foundations in Northern Ireland, which are covered in List of abbeys and priories in Northern Ireland....


External links