Hosting its first recorded race in 1727 and officially inaugurated in 1868, the Curragh is the oldest and most prestigious racecourse in the country, and one of the finest flat-racing courses in the world. Even if you’re not the horsey type, it’s worth experiencing the passion and atmosphere of a day at the races here. It's 3km southwest of central Newbridge.
Curragh Racecourse
Counties Wicklow & Kildare
Lonely Planet's must-see attractions
27.22 MILES
Trinity's greatest treasures are found within the Old Library and the incredible Long Room is one of the most photographed rooms in Dublin, for good…
25.21 MILES
If you have any desire to understand Irish history – especially the long-running resistance to British colonial rule – then a visit to this former prison…
27.24 MILES
Trinity College Dublin is Ireland's most prestigious university, a collection of elegant Georgian and Victorian buildings, cobbled squares and nature…
27.32 MILES
A magnificent Caravaggio and a breathtaking collection of works by Jack B Yeats – William Butler Yeats' younger brother – are the main reasons to visit…
26.04 MILES
The most popular attraction in Dublin is this multimedia homage to Guinness. An old fermentation plant in the St James's Gate Brewery has been converted…
27 MILES
Explore behind the facade of one of Dublin's famous Georgian townhouses, carefully restored to gently peel back layers of complex social history over 250…
26.55 MILES
Ireland's largest church and the final resting place of Jonathan Swift, St Patrick's stands on the spot where St Patrick himself reputedly baptised the…
25.29 MILES
The hugely impressive 707 hectares that comprise Dublin's Phoenix Park are not just a magnificent playground for all kinds of sport—from running to polo…
Nearby Counties Wicklow & Kildare attractions
2.04 MILES
Housed inside the Newbridge Silverware showroom, beneath a sparkle of glitter balls, is this unexpected display of star-studded memorabilia. There are…
2.04 MILES
Founded in 1934, Newbridge Silverware produces and sells vast quantities of silver jewellery, silver-plated cutlery, homewares and engravable gift items…
2.14 MILES
Dan Donnelly (1788–1820) is revered as Ireland's greatest bare-knuckle fighter of the 19th century. This inconspicuous spot, 4km south of Newbridge (8km…
2.9 MILES
The solid presence of 13th-century St Brigid's Cathedral looms over Kildare's Market Sq. Look out for a fine stained-glass window that depicts Ireland's…
5. Irish National Stud & Gardens
2.9 MILES
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…
6. Lullymore Heritage & Discovery Park
8.32 MILES
Developed on an area of cutaway bog, where peat has been extracted for commercial purposes, this award-winning, family-oriented park offers a huge range…
8.64 MILES
Run by the nonprofit Irish Peatland Conservation Council, this interpretive centre celebrates the amazing biodiversity of Ireland's bogs, and traces the…
9.11 MILES
Rising 7m high, this 9-ton granite standing stone is Ireland's tallest. Thought to date back to 2000 BC, it's one of a group that makes up a stone circle…