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Counties Wicklow & Kildare

Wicklow and Kildare may be neighbours and have a boundary with Dublin in common, but that's where the similarities end.

Immediately south of the capital is wild, scenic Wicklow. Its most dramatic natural feature is a gorse-and-bracken mountain spine that is the east coast’s most stunning landscape, complete with deep glacial valleys, isolated mountain passes and, dotted throughout, some important historical treasures, including one of Ireland’s most important early-Christian sites and a couple of 18th-century Palladian mansions.

To the west is flat, fertile Kildare, which also has a handful of elegant Palladian piles but is best known as horse country – of the thoroughbred kind. Some of the world’s most lucrative stud farms are here, many with links to the horse-breeding centre of Kentucky in the USA. Kildare is also home to some of the best golf courses in Ireland and the country’s largest outlet mall.

Top attractions

These are our favorite local haunts, touristy spots, and hidden gems throughout Counties Wicklow & Kildare.

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Powerscourt Estate
Wicklow's most visited attraction is this magnificent 64-sq-km estate, whose main entrance is 500m south of Enniskerry. At the heart of it is an elegant Palladian mansion, but the real draws are the formal gardens and the stunning views that accompany them. Most of the house is not open to the public, but there's a fine cafe and several gift and homewares shops, while the grounds are home to two golf courses and the best hotel in Wicklow. The estate has existed more or less since 1300, when the LePoer (later anglicised to Power) family built themselves a castle here. The property changed Anglo-Norman hands a few times before coming into the possession of Richard Wingfield, newly appointed Marshall of Ireland, in 1603. His descendants were to live here for the next 350 years. In 1730 the Georgian wunderkind Richard Cassels (or Castle) was given the job of building a 68-room Palladian-style mansion around the core of the old castle. He finished the job in 1741, but an extra storey was added in 1787 and other alterations were made in the 19th century. The Wingfields left in the 1950s, after which the house had a massive restoration. Then, on the eve of its opening to the public in 1974, a fire gutted the whole building. The estate was eventually bought by the Slazenger sporting-goods family, who have overseen a second restoration as well as the addition of all the amenities the estate now has to offer, including the two golf courses and the fabulous hotel, part of Marriott's Autograph collection. The 20-hectare landscaped gardens are the star attraction, originally laid out in the 1740s but redesigned in the 19th century by gardener Daniel Robinson. Robinson was one of the foremost horticulturalists of his day, and his passion for growing things was matched only by his love of booze: the story goes that by a certain point in the day he was too drunk to stand and so insisted on being wheeled around the estate in a barrow. Perhaps this influenced his largely informal style, which resulted in a magnificent blend of landscaped gardens, sweeping terraces, statuary, ornamental lakes, secret hollows, rambling walks and walled enclosures replete with more than 200 types of trees and shrubs, all designed to frame the stunning natural backdrop of the Great Sugarloaf mountain. Tickets come with a map laying out 40-minute and hour-long walks around the gardens. Don't miss the exquisite Japanese Gardens or the Pepperpot Tower, modelled on a 7.5cm-tall pepper pot owned by Lady Wingfield. The animal cemetery is the final resting place of the Wingfield pets and even one of the family's favourite milking cows. Some of the epitaphs are surprisingly personal. The house itself is every bit as grand as the gardens, but with most areas closed to the public, there's not much to see beyond the bustle of the ground-floor cafe and gift shop. A 6km drive to a separate part of the estate takes you to the 121m-high Powerscourt Waterfall – walking from house to falls is not recommended as the route lies on narrow roads with no footpath. It's the highest waterfall in Ireland, and at its most impressive after heavy rain. A nature trail has been laid out around the base of the waterfall, taking you past giant redwoods, ancient oaks, beech, birch and rowan trees. There are plenty of birds in the vicinity, including the chaffinch, cuckoo, chiffchaff, raven and willow warbler.
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Glendalough Monastic Site
Nestled between two lakes, haunting Glendalough (Gleann dá Loch, meaning 'Valley of the Two Lakes') is one of the most significant monastic sites in Ireland and one of the loveliest spots in the country, centred on a 1000-year-old Round Tower, a ruined cathedral and a tiny church known as St Kevin's Kitchen. It was founded in the late 5th century by St Kevin, a bishop who established a monastery on the Upper Lake's southern shore and about whom there is much folklore. During the Middle Ages, when Ireland was known as 'the island of saints and scholars', Glendalough became a monastic city catering to thousands of students and teachers. The site is entered through the only surviving monastic gateway in Ireland. The Glendalough Visitor Centre, opposite the Lower Lake car park, has historical displays and a good 20-minute audiovisual show. From the Upper Lake (1.5km west of the visitor centre), several good hiking trails head into the hills. Visitors swarm to Glendalough in summer, so it's best to arrive early and/or stay late, preferably on a weekday, as the site is free and open 24 hours. The lower car park gates are locked when the visitor centre closes.
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Killruddery House & Gardens
A stunning mansion in the Elizabethan Revival style, Killruddery has been home to the Brabazon family (the earls of Meath) since 1618 and has one of the oldest gardens in Ireland, with a magnificent orangery built in 1852 and chock-full of statuary and plant life. Compulsory 45-minute guided tours lead you through the impressive house, designed by architects Richard Morrisson and his son William in 1820. It's 2km south of Bray just off the R768. The house was reduced to its present-day still-huge proportions by the 14th earl in 1953; he was obviously looking for something a little more bijou. An excellent farmers market sets up from 10am to 3pm on Saturdays year-round.
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Irish National Stud & Gardens
The Irish National Stud, 1.5km south of town, is the big attraction in Kildare – visitors have included Queen Elizabeth II. Owned and managed by the Irish government, the immaculately kept centre breeds high-quality stallions to mate with mares from all over the world. You can wander the paddocks and go eye-to-eye with famous stallions, or take a 45-minute guided tour (four daily; included in admission). Around 3pm in the spring, you'll see the foals being walked back to their stables. The stud was founded by Colonel Hall Walker (of Johnnie Walker whiskey fame) in 1900. He was remarkably successful with his horses, but his eccentric breeding technique relied heavily on astrology: the fate of a foal was decided by its horoscope and the roofs of the stallion boxes opened on auspicious occasions to reveal the stars above and hopefully influence the horses' fortunes. Guided tours take place every hour on the hour, with access to the intensive-care unit for newborn foals. If you visit between February and June, you might even see a foal being born. Alternatively, the foaling unit shows a 10-minute video with all the action. Given that most of those foals are now geldings, they probably have dim memories of their time in the Teasing Shed, the place where stallions are stimulated before 'covering' a mare. The fee for having a mare inseminated by the stud's top stallion can be as much as €120,000. Other attractions on-site include lakeside walks, a 'fairy trail' for kids and the Irish Horse Museum, a celebration of championship horses and the history of horse racing. You can also visit Colonel Hall Walker's Japanese Gardens (part of the complex), considered to be the best of their kind in Europe. Created between 1906 and 1910, they trace the journey from birth to death through 20 landmarks, including the Tunnel of Ignorance, the Hill of Ambition and the Chair of Old Age.
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Wicklow Brewery
Engaging hour-long tours at this craft brewery guide you through the brewing process, from milling local grains to mashing, whirlpooling, fermenting, maturing and, finally, kegging. Beers are preservative-free and use the brewery's own well water. St Kevins Red Ale and the spicy Gingerknut IPA are standouts. Tours include five tastings (often featuring experimental brews). On weekends you can stop by the brewery's beer hall for a pint; live-music concerts regularly take place amid the kettles and tanks. Its brews are also available on tap and by the bottle at the attached Mickey Finns Pub.
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Russborough House
Magnificent Russborough House is one of Ireland's finest stately homes, a Palladian palace built for Joseph Leeson (1705–83), later the first Earl of Milltown and, later still, Lord Russborough. Since 1952 the house has been owned by the Beit family, who founded the De Beers diamond-mining company and stocked the mansion with a remarkable art collection, including masterpieces by Velázquez, Vermeer, Goya, Rubens and others. Admission includes a 45-minute guided tour of the house. It's 5km southwest of Blessington. Russborough was built between 1741 and 1751 to the design of Richard Cassels, who was at the height of his fame as an architect. Poor old Richard didn't live to see it finished, but the job was well executed by Francis Bindon. The house remained in the Leeson family until 1931, but it was only after the Beits bought the pile that the drama began. In 1974 the IRA stole 16 of the paintings, all of which were later recovered. In 1984 Loyalist paramilitaries followed suit, hiring Dublin criminal Martin Cahill to mastermind the heist. Although most of that haul was also recovered, some pieces were damaged beyond repair. In 1988 Beit donated the most valuable works to the National Gallery, but that didn't stop two more break-ins, in 2001 and 2002: one of the stolen paintings was a Gainsborough that had already been taken – and recovered – twice before. Thankfully all of the paintings were recovered after both attempts, but where a succession of thieves couldn't succeed, the cost of upkeep did: in 2015 the owners announced they were going to auction off 10 of the paintings, a decision that caused much consternation as the family had always maintained that the collection was to be held in trust for the Irish people. On the tour of the house, which is decorated in typical Georgian style, you'll see all the (remaining) important paintings, which, given the history, is a monumental exercise in staying positive. Its 80-hectare parklands encompass an 18th-century walled garden, a hedge maze, themed walking trails (including a willdlife trail where you can spot badgers, foxes, hares and swans), and a birds of prey centre (adult/child €8/6) with 40 species, including owls and golden eagles.
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Avondale House
This fine Palladian mansion was the birthplace and Irish headquarters of Charles Stewart Parnell (1846–91), the 'uncrowned king of Ireland' and one of the key figures in the Irish independence movement. Avondale House was designed by James Wyatt in 1779. Its highlights include a stunning vermilion-hued library and the American Room, dedicated to Parnell's eponymous grandfather, admiral of the USS Constitution during the War of 1812. The house is closed for renovations until 2020 but the gardens remain open dawn to dusk year-round. From 1880 to 1890 Avondale was synonymous with the fight for Home Rule, which was brilliantly led by Parnell until 1890, when a member of his own Irish Parliamentary Party, Captain William O'Shea, sued his wife Kitty for divorce and named Parnell as co-respondent. Parnell's affair with Kitty O'Shea scandalised this 'priest-ridden' nation, and the ultraconservative clergy declared that Parnell was unfit to lead – despite the fact that as soon as the divorce was granted the two lovers were quickly married. Parnell resigned as leader of the party and withdrew in despair to Avondale, where he died the following year. The magnificent 209-hectare estate that surrounds the house is managed by the Irish Forestry Service, Coillte (www.coillte.ie), and there are a number of hiking trails, such as the Railway Walk; download a trail map from the website.
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Wicklow's Historic Gaol
Wicklow's infamous jail was notorious throughout Ireland for the brutality of its keepers and the harsh conditions suffered by its inmates. The smells, vicious beatings, shocking food and disease-ridden air have long since gone, but adults and children alike can experience a sanitised version of what the prison was like – and stimulate the secret sadist buried deep within – on a highly entertaining tour of the prison, now one of Wicklow's most popular tourist attractions. The prison was opened in 1702 to house inmates sentenced under the repressive Penal Laws and continued in this role until 1877, when it was reduced to the status of a remand prison (a bridewell), before closing in 1924. The building fell into ruin before finally being restored in the 1990s in recognition of its historic significance. Actors play the roles of various jailers and prisoners, adding to the sense of drama already heightened by the various exhibits, which include the gruesome dungeon and a life-size treadmill that prisoners would have to turn for hours on end as punishment. The prison also has a genealogical library, where you can scour digital databases for details of Irish ancestry. Tours are every 10 minutes except between 1pm and 2pm. Regular adult-only night tours come complete with ghouls, snacks and a glass of wine.
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St Patrick's College
Part of NUI Maynooth, and turning out Catholic priests since 1795, St Patrick's College & Seminary is Ireland's second-oldest university (after Trinity College, Dublin). The college buildings are impressive – Gothic architect Augustus Pugin had a hand in designing them – and the grounds contain a number of lofty Georgian and neo-Gothic buildings, gardens and squares. It's worth taking the guided tour to see the College Chapel, the world's largest choir chapel, with stalls for more than 450 choristers. The college was founded so that aspiring priests didn't have to skip off to seminary school in France – and so get infected with strains of republicanism and revolution. In 1898 it was made a Pontifical College (which meant that its curriculum was determined and controlled by the Holy See) and in 1910 it became part of the then recently established National University of Ireland. The college's student body remained exclusively clerical until 1966 when lay students were finally admitted, but even today, despite being part of the bigger university, it remains largely autonomous and its 80-odd male seminarians are distinct from the university's 8500 other students.