The best things to do in Kildare Town sit within a short walk or a five minute drive of the market square: climb the round tower at St Brigid’s Cathedral, wander the Japanese Gardens at the Irish National Stud, shop the designer outlets at Kildare Village, and watch flat racing on the Curragh plains.
Kildare is a compact cathedral town with a big reputation, built around St Brigid and a thousand years of horse country. You can see the headline sights in a single day and still have time for a pint and a plate. Here is how a local would point you round it.
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What are the must-see things to do in Kildare Town?
Royal Canal Greenway
Start in the centre and work outward. The cathedral and the heritage centre are on foot from the square; the stud, the village and the Curragh are minutes away by car or a short hop on the local roads.
St Brigid’s Cathedral and Round Tower
The 13th century cathedral stands on the site of St Brigid’s 5th century monastery, the double monastery for monks and nuns that put Kildare on the map and gave the town its name (Cill Dara, the church of the oak). Inside, look for the restored medieval choir and the fire temple foundations in the grounds, said to mark where a perpetual flame once burned in Brigid’s honour. The round tower beside it is one of the few in Ireland you can actually climb. The ascent is by internal ladder, so it is not for everyone, but the view over the town and the Curragh from the top is the reward. The cathedral is open to visitors from 1 May to 30 September, Monday to Saturday 10am to 1pm and 2pm to 5pm, and Sunday 2pm to 5pm; outside those months you book ahead. Check the official round tower page before you set off, as tower access depends on weather and staffing.
Irish National Stud and Japanese Gardens
Two miles south of the town at Tully, the Irish National Stud is a working thoroughbred farm you can walk through, with stallions, mares and foals up close and a paddock of retired champions known as the Living Legends. The real draw for many is the Japanese Gardens, laid out between 1906 and 1910 and still among the finest in Europe, plus the wilder St Fiachra’s Garden next door. It opens daily 10am to 6pm with last admission at 5pm, February to November, and adult tickets start from around €21. Allow two to three hours and aim for a morning slot before the coaches arrive. See the Irish National Stud site for current prices and foaling-season dates.
If the Japanese Gardens leave you wanting more in the same vein, there is a second set worth booking further south:
Lafcadio Hearn Japanese Gardens admission ticket covers entry to the Japanese gardens at Tramore in County Waterford, from €8. A separate spot from the Stud’s gardens in Kildare, but one for the list if a wider garden trail is on the cards.
Kildare Village designer outlet
On the edge of town, Kildare Village is an open-air outlet of more than 100 boutiques, with names like Gucci, Coach, Ralph Lauren and Le Creuset at reduced prices. It is genuinely busy at weekends, so go early if you want the car park and the changing rooms to yourself. Opening hours run Monday to Wednesday 10am to 7pm, Thursday and Friday 9am to 7pm, and Saturday and Sunday 9am to 8pm. Parking is free. Brands and seasonal hours are listed on the Kildare Village site.
The Curragh
The Curragh is 5,000 acres of open grassland on Kildare Town’s doorstep, grazed by sheep and used to exercise racehorses at dawn. At its centre, the Curragh Racecourse is Ireland’s home of flat racing, host to all five Irish Classics. The headline meeting is the Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby, running 26 to 28 June in 2026, with a weekend ticket covering all three days from €70. The other Classics fall here too: the Irish 2000 and 1000 Guineas in late May, the Irish Oaks in July and the Irish St Leger in September. Even on a non-race day the plains are a fine spot for a walk and a look at the gallops, with the racing string out early most mornings. Fixtures and tickets are on the Curragh Racecourse site.
Kildare Town Heritage Centre
Back in the square, the Heritage Centre sits in the 19th century Market House and is the right first stop if you want the story before the sights. It runs displays on St Brigid, the round tower and the town’s long link with horses, and it is the starting point for the Slí Bhríde pilgrim path that traces her route between the cathedral and the holy well. The staff know the town and will steer you to whatever suits your day. Allow about an hour, and it is free to look around.
Lesser-known corners around Kildare Town
Clonfert Pet Farm
Once you are past the headline stops, a few quieter places are worth the short detour.
- St Brigid’s Well: a holy well on the Tully road, near the stud, that predates Christianity and still draws people around St Brigid’s Day on 1 February. A calm, simple spot rather than a built-up attraction.
- Donnelly’s Hollow: a natural amphitheatre out on the Curragh, marked by a stone for the 1815 bare-knuckle bout between Dan Donnelly and the English champion George Cooper. A quick stop with a good story attached.
- Pollardstown Fen: just north of town, Ireland’s largest spring-fed fen, with a boardwalk and rare plants you will not find growing anywhere else in the country. Good for a slow, flat walk.
Where to eat and drink in Kildare Town
The town punches above its size for food and pubs.
- Hartes of Kildare on Market Square is the long-standing gastropub of choice, an award winner known for its Wallaby Burger and a proper Sunday lunch. It gets busy, so book ahead at weekends.
- Silken Thomas is the big family-run pub on the square, named for the 16th century rebel earl, with the Lord Edward restaurant upstairs and the Chapter 16 late bar at the back. A safe bet for a feed and a session, and they pour their own Silken Thomas Irish coffee.
- Kildare Brewing Company produces the Curragh Plains Pale Ale and a St Brigid’s Red, brewed with local water and grain, and you will see them on tap around the town. A good way to taste something you cannot get anywhere else.
For a quick coffee or a sandwich between sights, the cafes around the square and at Kildare Village do the job; the village in particular has a decent run of places to sit and refuel mid-shop.
Make a day of it: nearby Kildare
If you have wheels and a second day, these are all a short drive from Kildare Town.
Castletown House at Celbridge is Ireland’s earliest and largest Palladian country house, built from 1722, with 140 acres of parkland to wander. More on that in our guide to Celbridge. Newbridge Silverware, ten minutes up the road, pairs a working silverware visitor centre with a museum that holds pieces once owned by Audrey Hepburn and Princess Diana. Lullymore Heritage Park, out on the Bog of Allen, is the one for younger kids, with woodland trails and a heritage village.
For more across the county and its towns, see our things to do in Newbridge and things to do in Naas guides.
Frequently asked questions
What are the must-see things to do in Kildare Town? The headline sights are St Brigid’s Cathedral and Round Tower, the Irish National Stud and Japanese Gardens, Kildare Village designer outlet, and the Curragh racecourse, with the Heritage Centre on the square.
How much is the Irish National Stud? The Irish National Stud and Japanese Gardens opens daily 10am to 6pm, last admission 5pm, from February to November, with adult tickets from around EUR21. Allow two to three hours and aim for a morning slot.
When is St Brigid’s Cathedral open? The cathedral is open to visitors from 1 May to 30 September, Monday to Saturday 10am to 1pm and 2pm to 5pm, and Sunday 2pm to 5pm. Outside those months you book ahead.
Is anything free in Kildare Town? Yes. The Kildare Town Heritage Centre is free and takes about an hour, covering St Brigid, the round tower and the town’s horse-racing history. Pollardstown Fen, just north of town, is Ireland’s largest spring-fed fen with a free boardwalk.
When is the Irish Derby at the Curragh? The Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby runs 26 to 28 June in 2026, with a weekend ticket covering all three days from EUR70.
Getting to Kildare Town
Kildare Town is about 50km southwest of Dublin, roughly 45 minutes by car on the M7 (junction 13). Trains run direct from Dublin Heuston to Kildare station in around 35 to 45 minutes, and the station is a short walk from the square. Note that there is no bus from the station to the Irish National Stud, which is about a 45 minute walk, so a taxi or car is easier for that leg. For a full local rundown, IntoKildare is the official county tourism source.
When to visit Kildare Town
Spring and summer are the natural window: the cathedral and round tower open for the season from 1 May, the gardens are at their best, and the Curragh’s big meetings, from the Guineas in May to the Irish Derby in late June, fall in this stretch. St Brigid’s Day on 1 February is the other anchor, now a national holiday, with festivities around the town and the well. Race days bring crowds and road traffic, so plan your timing and check fixtures before you travel.
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More great Irish days out
Heading further afield? A couple of Ireland’s most-booked experiences, all an easy trip from Leinster:
Guinness Storehouse, Dublin. The St James’s Gate tour finishes with a pint in the Gravity Bar and its rooftop views over the city. Book a time slot ahead, it sells out at weekends.
Where to stay in Kildare
Making a night of it? Browse hotels, guesthouses and places to stay in Kildare:
See places to stay in Kildare on Expedia
Heritage sites in Kildare
Kildare has 3,086 recorded archaeological monuments, and 2 are set up to visit. See the historic sites in Kildare worth visiting →
Walking trails in Kildare
Kildare has 10 waymarked walking trails on the national register, graded and mapped. See the walking trails in Kildare worth lacing up for →
Nature reserves in Kildare
Kildare has 1 nature reserve open to the public. See the wild places worth visiting in Kildare →
Historic buildings in Kildare
Kildare has 1,581 recorded NIAH buildings, 29 of them rated of National or International importance, from Georgian houses and churches to bridges and mills. See the historic buildings in Kildare worth seeking out →
Top things to do in Kildare
Moone High Cross, The Moone Cross, in County Kildare, is a 8th century cross and is one of the tallest and best preserved and High Crosses in Ireland.
Moore Abbey Wood, Woodland area of approximately 250 acres of conifer and broadleaf trees, in Monasterevin County Kildare.
St Brigid’s Cathedral & Round Tower, St Brigid’s Cathedral in Kildare Town was built by the Norman Bishop Ralph of Bristol in 1223.
The Steam Museum and Lodge Park Walled Garden, If you are looking for an enjoyable and interesting day out you should visit The Steam Museum and Lodge Park Walled Garden, Straffan.
Castledermot Round Tower & High Cross & St. David’s Graveyard, Today St James’Church of Ireland church stands at the site of St Dermot’s church, this ancient church at Castledermot was formerly known as Díseart Diarmada, meaning Dermot’s hermitage.
Punchestown Standing Stone, Various functions for the Punchestown Standing Stone, in County Kildare, have been suggested: perhaps it was a burial markers, or a boundary stone or perhaps it signified a cult belief.
Johnstown Garden Centre, John and Elsie Clarke founded the Johnstown Garden Centre in August 1974 on a greenfield site in the quaint village of Johnstown, near Naas in County Kildare.
Riverbank Arts Centre, Works in partnership with international, national and local artists to deliver an accessible and consistently high quality arts programme in an intimate environment, to the population of Kildare.
What’s on
Taste of Kildare
Sat 15 August · Naas Racecourse · Festival
Events & attractions: Fáilte Ireland Open Data (failteireland.ie), CC BY 4.0.
Frequently asked
What are the must-see things to do in Kildare Town?
The headline sights are St Brigid's Cathedral and Round Tower, the Irish National Stud and Japanese Gardens, Kildare Village designer outlet, and the Curragh racecourse, with the Heritage Centre on the square.
How much is the Irish National Stud?
The Irish National Stud and Japanese Gardens opens daily 10am to 6pm, last admission 5pm, from February to November, with adult tickets from around EUR21. Allow two to three hours and aim for a morning slot.
When is St Brigid's Cathedral open?
The cathedral is open to visitors from 1 May to 30 September, Monday to Saturday 10am to 1pm and 2pm to 5pm, and Sunday 2pm to 5pm. Outside those months you book ahead.
Is anything free in Kildare Town?
Yes. The Kildare Town Heritage Centre is free and takes about an hour, covering St Brigid, the round tower and the town's horse-racing history. Pollardstown Fen, just north of town, is Ireland's largest spring-fed fen with a free boardwalk.
When is the Irish Derby at the Curragh?
The Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby runs 26 to 28 June in 2026, with a weekend ticket covering all three days from EUR70.