Nearby Activities
Dublin City Tour
Golf : 9 and 18 hole and Par Three Golf Courses
also Driving Ranges
Horse riding and trekking
Fishing in River Liffey,
Grand and Royal Canals
Donadea Forest and Canal Tow Path walks
5 Screen Cinema and
Theatres
Driving School and Track Days at Mondello Park
Racing Circuit.
K Bowl Entertainment Centre featuring 10 Pin
Bowling, American Pool, Air Hockey & Gamezone
Motorcycle Rental at www.motorental.ie
24 models to choose from.
Sightseeing
National
Stud
Nearby
Kildare town is home to the National Stud and Museum allowing the
visitor an oppurtunity to see the past and present of the Irish
thoroughbred horse. The skeleton of the great Arkle can be seen. Discount tickets available
from Setanta Farmhouse
Japanese
Gardens
In the
same complex as the National Stud are the Japanese Gardens. The
Gardens , which symbolise life, traces the journey of the soul from
Oblivion through twenty stages to Eternity. The Gardens offer the
visitor both visually appealing views and also provokes thoughts
about the true meaning of life.
St.
Fiachra's Garden
In 1999
the Irish National Stud created a commemorative garden to St.
Fiachra, Patron Saint of Gardeners, to celebrate the Millennium. It
was designed by Professor Martin Hallinan, award winning landscape
architect. He created a garden which presents visitors with a
simialr natural environment to that which inspired the spirituality
of the monastic movement in Ireland during the 6th and 7th centuries
.
Castletown House
Castletown
is the largest and most significant Palladian style country house in
Ireland. Built c.1722 for the speaker of the Irish House of Commons,
William Conolly (1622- 1729) the designs of a number of important
architects were used, notably Alessandro Gailiei, Sir Edward Lovett
Pearce and later Sir William Chambers. The entire estate was sold by
the Conolly-Carew family in 1965 to a property developer and in 1967
the house and some parkland were purchased by the Hon. Desmond
Guinness. Both Mr Guinness and subsequently the Castletown
Foundation, who acquired the house in 1979, devoted considerable
effort and resources to maintaining the house and restoring the
principal rooms to a high standard. Castletown was transferred to
state care on 1 January 1994.
Russborough House
Russborough House in Blessington, is situated
near the borders of counties Kildare and Wicklow. Nestled in
spectacular natural surrounding, there is no other Palladian house
in Ireland to rival it aesthetically or architecturally. It was
designed by the renowned German architect, Richard Cassels.
Newbridge Silverware
Visitor Centre
For 70 years, Newbridge Silverware has been designing and
producing quality giftware and tableware. The evolution of the
Newbridge Silverware brand from that which was associated with
cutlery to a premier name in the design and manufacture of quality
jewellery and lifestyle products is indeed remarkable.
At the heart of the brand’s success is the Newbridge Silverware
showrooms, located at the company’s headquarters in Newbridge, Co.
Kildare.
Larchill
Arcadian Gardens
Larchill is one of Ireland's most important,
rediscovered gardens. Created in the mid 18th century, Larchill is a
'Ferme Ornée' (Ornamental Farm) and as such is the only surviving
complete garden of its type in Europe.Scenic walks through parkland
and beech avenues link 10 magical garden follies. Rare breeds graze
the land. There is a picturesque 8 acre lake with two fairytale
island folies, a formal Walled Garden with Shell Lined tower and a
decorative gothic farmyard.
Lullymore Heritage and
Discovery Park
Lullymore is a small mineral island that rises
gently out of the Bog of Allen.
Lullymore Heritage & Discovery Park provides a unique and
fascinating insight into the development of the Irish people over
our 9,500 year history.
The park consists of indoor exhibitions, replica ancient dwellings,
woodland, bogland walkways and theme gardens .
St. Brigid's Cathedral and
Round Tower
St. Brigid's Cathedral, most recently rebuilt
in the 19th century, stands on the original site of the nunnery
founded by St. Brigid in the 5 th century. Today it houses numerous
religious artefacts including a 16th century vault, religious seals
and a medieval water font, later used for christening. The
architecture reflects the defensive function of the Cathedral, with
distinctive Irish merlons (parapets) and walkways a noticeable
feature of the roof.
Moone High Cross
Marked
by the ruins of a medieval church near the vicinity of Moone Abbey,
is the site of an ancient monastery. The church is believed to have
been founded by St. Palladius, who came to Ireland in 431. It was
later dedicated to St. Columcille.
Ballitore Quaker Museum
In 1975 the meeting house of the Society of
Friends (Quakers) which had fallen into ruin was restored by Kildare
County Council as its contribution to the European Architectural
Heritage Year, and it has served as the library for the Ballitore
area since then. The museum, which is incorporated into the library,
contains a selection of artefacts and memorabilia of a mainly local
nature. Items of a Quaker interest also feature and include a
wedding dress and bonnet, worn by Marian Richardson (nee Wakefield)
at Ballitore in 1853. In the entrance hall are the door and lintel
stone from the original Shackleton home at Harden in Yorkshire which
was built in 1660. Also in the entrance hall is a ledger dated 1807-
1810 for the Shackleton Mills at Lucan. Amongst the Ballitore
manuscripts on display are Shackleton letters and notebooks which
contain water colours by Mary Shackleton and the Ballitore Magazine
for July 1809.
Kildare Designer Outlet
village
A trip to Kildare Village Outlet Shopping makes
an ideal shopping getaway. The architecture of Kildare Village is
inspired by the region’s stud farms and world renowned
thoroughbred horse-breeding industry. Animated facades, a varied
roofscape and rich landscaping, all contained in an open air mall,
provide the perfect setting for a unique shopping experience. Fabulous fashions for women, men and children
are available, including shoes,
jewellery, lingerie sportswear, travelling equipment and sought
after lifestyle luxuries abound at Kildare Village Outlet Shopping.
Perfectly priced gifts and gift vouchers too can be found at an
array of new and recently-opened fashion boutiques operated by the
best designer names.
Dublin
City Tour
The Dublin Tour has been carefully designed to
give you the freedom to explore and experience the history and
culture of Dublin at your leisure. We visit all the main Dublin
attractions along our route and these include Dublin Zoo and Trinity
College (home of the Book of Kells). Our entertaining Dublin tour
guides, who are all accredited by Failte Ireland, will show you the
city as only a native can. Your 24-hour ticket allows you to hop on
and off as often as you wish.
Discount tickets available
from Setanta Farmhouse