County Kildare - Heritage/Historical<< Kildare Homepage |
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| Here's a selection of Kildare Heritage/Historical.Click on the 'Go to ALL' link to get the full list. |
1. Museums |
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Irish National Stud & Japanese GardensTully, Co. KildareThe Japanese Gardens: The symbolism of life the gardens portray traces the journey of a soul from Oblivion to Eternity. The human experiences of the soul's embodiement as it journeys through the paths of life are displayed in the symbolic surrounds of each of the twenty stages throughout the garden. Each stage absorbs the mood and atmosphere of its representation. On descending the 'Hill of Learning' to the level of his fellow students he resists the temptation of the easy path and follows the more challenging rugged path of adventure which leads step by step through his adolescent years to the 'Parting of the Ways' Descending from the summit of the 'Hill of Ambition' the couple pause by the waterfall to pray to their god who makes the way easier and the bridge across the water smooth. Upon crossing, they reach the 'Tea House' and the miniature Japanese Village. On reaching the 'Well of Wisdom' the couple pause to wish for enlightment before crossing the "Red Bridge of Life' which leads them into the 'Garden of Peace and Contentment' beyond. The Irish National Stud: The farm at Tully, Kildare, which is today the home of the Irish National Stud, was the brainchild of Colonel William Hall-Walker, a Scotsman in 1900. He decided, much against the wishes of his father, to breed thoroughbred horses at Tully. Hall-Walker's views on breeding have been described as inspired, preposterous and eccentric. The ten stallion boxes with their distinctive lantern roofs stand as proof of his highly successful, extraordinary policies on breeding and management. He believed that the stars dictated the destiny of all living creatures. He therefore considered it very important that the moon and stars should exercise their maximum influence on their subjects and thus skylights were incorporated into the roofs of all stabling he built. Show me all the details for Irish National Stud & Japanese Gardens | |
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2. Crosses (Historical) |
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Moone High Crosses and ChurchCo. KildareThis High Cross, with its beautiful flat stylised and naïve figures, is 17 feet high, unique and one of the most appealing of all the High Crosses. On the east face are Daniel and seven lions, the Sacrifice of Isaac, Adam and Eve, the Crucifixion; the south face has The Miracle of the Loaves and Fishes, The Flight into Egypt, The Three Children in the Fiery Furnace and various animal, while the north face has SS Paul and Anthony breaking bread in the desert. The cross stands on the site of an Early Christian monastery allegedly founded by St. Columba. An abbot of the monastery is know to have died in 1014, and in 1040 it was raided by Diarmuid of the Ui Ceinnsealaigh who carried away many prisoners from it. In the 13th century the Fitzgeralds founded a new church which has antae, and unless these belong to an earlier church, they represent one of the latest survivals of this feature in Irish architecture. The church was repaired in 1609. Inside it are the remains of another cross built into cement and decorated with animals and centaurs. | |
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4. Towers (Round) |
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Castledermot round Tower, Crosses and ChurchDoyle , Doyles Schoolhouse, Co. KildareRound Tower and Crosses: St. Dermot founded a monastery here which was plundered by the Vikings in 841 and again in 867. Cormac Mac Cuilleannain, the famous scholar, King and Bishop of Cashel, was buried here after his head had been cut off in battle in 908. the monastery was plundered in 1048, and the last known abbot of the monastery died in 1073. Between the entrance gate and the church is a reconstructed Romanesque doorway belonging to a vanished church. The Round Tower was built with irregular granite blocks, but the top part is medieval. There are two fine granite crosses and the base of a third. On the west face of the South Cross can be seen the Arrest of Christ, the Crucifixion, the Sacrifice of Isaac, Adam and Eve and Daniel in the Lion's Den; other panels on the cross have other less decipherable figures and geometrical decoration. On the North Cross there is the Temptation of St. Anthony, Daniel in the Lion's Den, Adam and Eve, David with the Harp, the Sacrifice of Isaac on the west face and the Miracle of the Loaves and Fishes on the south face. In the church yard, Early Christian and medieval slabs and a 'hogback' (covering of a saint's tomb?) can be seen. Franciscan Friary: Near the southern end of the town are the remains of a Franciscan Friary founded in 1302 by Thomas, Lord of Ossory. It was plundered by Bruce in 1317. Originally the church was a long rectangle with a doorway and a pair of lancet windows in the west wall and a tower on the south side. The north transept was added to it later, and this is probably identical with the Chapel of St. Mary built by Thomas, 2nd Earl of Kildare, in 1328. When a part of the south wall of the church fell many years ago it was found to be hollow at the base and enclosed a row of skeletons. To the south of the Friary is a domestic residence, possibly 15th century in date, while to the north some of the retaining wall of the old monastery still exists. The Friary was suppressed in 1541. Dinner available at £35.00. Show me all the details for Castledermot round Tower, Crosses and Church | |
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5. Railway Museums |
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Steam MuseumCo. KildareThe museum has a fine collection of model engines recording the development of the locomotive since the 18th century. Richard Trevithick's Third Model, built 1797, is the oldest 4-wheeled self-propelled object in existence. Collection of full-size stationery engines working under 'live steam' includes early beam engines and a 1920 marine 3-cylinder engine. Fully restored marine from the SS Divis of Belfast. Multimedia and hands-on areas. Tea house, gift shop. | |
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6. Heritage Centres |
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Kildare Heritage and Genealogy Companyc/o Kildar County Library, Co. KildareServices The Kildare Heritage and Genealogy Company offers a Partial Service to enquirers and has access to church, civil, land and census returns for that county. The main records include: Earliest Roman Catholic Records for Co Kildare start in 1753 with latest year 1899. Earliest Church of Ireland (Anglican/Episcopalian) records date from 1669 to 1899. The Kildare centre holds copies of The 1841 and 1901 census Tithe Applotment Books Griffith's Valuation Thom's Almanac 1849, 1854, 1859, 1864 School Registers 1905 - 1910 approx. Show me all the details for Kildare Heritage and Genealogy Company | |
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7. Motte (Historical) |
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Ardscull MotteCo. KildareSitting on top of a hill, this is a massive earthwork consisting of a tall round motte about 35 feet high, surrounded by a ditch and a bank. Traces of a bailey can be seen on the north side. it was probably erected at the end of the 12th century, but it is first mentioned in the historical sources when it was burned in 1286. Bruce's army met and defeated a strong English force nearby in 1315. Stone buildings at the top may have been added just prior to 1654, but these have vanished. Beside the road is a plaque commemorating the 4th Gordon Bennett Memorial Race of 1903 - the first motor race to be run over a closed circuit. Ardscull was one of the points on the circuit. | |
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8. Local Tours |
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Cill Dara TravelThe Manager , Henry Street, Co. Kildare | |
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9. Cathedrals (Historical) |
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Kildare CathedralCo. KildareKildare Cathedral and Round Tower Kildare Cathedral stands on the site of a church which was burned in the 9th century. Succeeding churches were burned and the Cathedral was built by Ralph of Bristol around 1223. In the rebellion of 1641, Ralph's Cathedral was burned but towards the end of the century, part of it was rebuilt. The remainder was rebuilt in 1875. One of it's distinguishing features is the three light window, which depicts scenes from the three Saints of Ireland - Patrick, Brigid and Columcille.Interestingly, Kildare is where St. Brigid is supposed to have founded her first convent. It is believed that the Cathedral was built on the site of her convent, but this is by no means certain. Also of interest is the round tower that is in the grounds of the Cathedral, which has a doorway fourteen feet from the ground. But it is spoiled by the modern battlements that were forced on to the top. | |
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10. Castles (Historical) |
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Kilteel Church and CastleCo. KildareIn the medieval church a 12th century Romanesque chancel arch has been partially re-erected. It is unique in that it is the only Romanesque chancel arch in Ireland which has figure sculpture. On the south side can be seen Adam and Eve, a man with drinking horn, two figures embracing, an acrobat and David with the head of Goliath, while on the north side there is Samson and the Lion, two bearded faces, an abbot with a crosier and other figures. Nearby is a granite cross. Not far away Maurice Fitzgerald, Second Baron of Offaly, founded a Preceptory of the Knights Hospitallers before his death in 1257, and dedicated it to St. John the Baptist. In 1335 Robert Clifford was appointed Porter of the Commandery and was ordered to repair the castle (a precursor of the present building). What remains is a 15th century tower and gateway of five storeys, of which the first and fifth are roofed with barrel vaults. A spiral staircase leads to the roof. The castle was suppressed in 1541, and granted in the following year to Sir John Alen. By the end of the 17th century it had passed to Richard Talbot, later Duke of Tyrconnel. In 1703 it was sold to the Hollow Sword Blade Company, and in 1704 to William Fownes. Further parts of the old Preceptory can be seen near the bridge not far from the church. | |
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11. Forts (Historical) |
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Dun Aillinne Hill-fortCo. KildareRecent excavations have shown that it was probably in use from the Bronze age up till as late as 1800. | |
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12. Homes (Historical) |
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Castletown HouseCo. KildareThe building was begun between 1721 and 1722 for William Conolly (1622-1729), the son of a Donegal innkeeper who, through astute dealings in forfeited estates after the Williamite wars, had become the richest man in Ireland. It was Conolly who instigated building the Parliament House on College Green, the first of its kind in Europe. The design of the house was entrusted to the Florentine Alessandro Galilei (1691-1737), best known for his work on the Lateran Basilica in Rome. It is not known precisely how much of Castletown is Galilei's work, but he was certainly responsible for devising the overall scheme of the centre block, which was flanked by colonnades to lower service pavilions in the manner of Palladio's villas in the Veneto - a concept that was completely new in Ireland and later became the prototype and inspiration for numerous houses. Castletown's interior was largely created during the time of Tom Conollys, the Speaker's great nephew, who inherited the property in 1758 when he was twenty-four. That same year he married the fifteen-year-old Lady Louisa Lennox, daughter of the second Duke of Richmond, whose older sister Emily had already married James, the Earl of Kildare, and was living nearby at Carton. Tom Conolly had a weak, indecisive character, but Louisa was extremely dynamic and immediately set about completing the house. Alterations and improvements to the house during the period of 1760 to 1766 included the creation of the dining-room and work on the red and green drawing rooms. The green drawing-room, formerly the saloon, has been restored with green silk copied from the original fabric (1765) and gilded fillet copied from Chamber's design for the fillet in the gallery at Osterly Park. Tom Conolly died in 1803 but Lady Louisa lived on for many years. She eventually died in 1821, seated in a tent erected on the lawn in front of Castletown, for it was her wish that she should go looking at the house she had loved so much. | |
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13. Historic Hotels |
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Moyglare ManorNorah Devlin , Co. KildareOnly fourteen miles from Dublin, standing amid fields decoratively dotted with cows and sheep, this elegant Georgian manor suggests the richness of its interiors by the extravagant number of flower-filled hanging baskets, window-boxes, and urns which adorn its facade. The beautifully porportioned hall is filled with furniture. There are two conservatories and a vast and elegant dining room where a huge mahogany sideboard groans under massive silver dishes and cut-glass decanters. The bedrooms are equally splendid. Several have antique four-posters. County Kildare is well-known for its racehorses. There is a stud farm next door to Moyglare Manor, and about an hour's drive away is the Curragh, with its famous race track, and the National Stud, which can be visited, as can its famous Japanese Garden. On this side of Dublin you are well-placed either to drive quickly into the city, or easily to reach a main road to take you anywhere in Ireland. | |
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14. Stones (Historical) |
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PunchestownPunchestown, Co. KildareThis gigantic monolith is the tallest and most remarkable of several 'long stones' in Co. Kildare. Now standing 19 feet high, it was re-erected in 1934, having toppled from its tilted position three years earlier. Its overall length measured on the ground was 23 feet and its weight was calculated at 9.22 tons. A Bronze Age cist was uncovered at the foot of the monument. Many such pillarstones are thought to mark burials, but few have been excavated. | |
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15. Churches (Historical) |
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Ardrass ChurchCo. KildareA small stone oratory, rectangular in plan, with a south door and two east windows one above the other. it is most unusual in that it is one of the few remaining examples of a stone-roofed medieval church; its stone roof is supported by an interior pointed vault. it was considerably restored in 1888. | |
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16. Stone Circles |
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Longstone RathCo. KildareA hauntingly esoteric site on a wooded hill in Furness estate, 3 miles east-north-east of Naas and 1 mile south-east of Johnstown. Though usually described as a rath, this is more properly interpreted as a ritual enclosure in the henge tradition. It consists of a circular earthwork nearly 200 feet in diameter, on top of and inside which are a number of mature hawthorn and ash trees. The bank, up to 9 feet high and cut by gaps on the east and west, is encircled by a fosse dug to a depth of 5 feet. The floor of the enclosure rises gradually towards the centre, at which point it is some 3 feet higher than the periphery. Excavations carried out in 1912 revealed that a fierce fire had burned over a large area of the interior, and this had subsequently been covered with a mound of earth and boulders. Precisely at the centre of the ring and rising to the impressive height of 17.5 feet, is a shapely four-sided granite pillarstone, socketed in a rock-cut pit and secured with packing stones. Its overall length is 21 feet, not far short of the similar monster at Punchestown a few miles away. Beside it is a long cist-grave in which were the cremated remains of two individuals, as well as pottery sherds and some items of ornament. No firm dating evidence is available, but the ring-work was probably constructed early in the second millennium BC and presumably belongs to the same general period as the ceremonial henges and sanctuaries. | |
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17. Farmsteads |
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Straffan Butterfly FarmOvidstown, Co. KildareThe farm was opened in 1986 because of the owners interest in butterflies and in nature generally. Butterflies are fascinating and beautiful creatures and the farm is an indoor all weather centre - a mini visit to an exotic tropical environment here in Ireland. It is an opportunity to see at close range some of the world's most exotic creatures and observe their interesting life cycles. There is a large exhibition area of butterfly collections from all over the world with a special emphasis on educational and living displays. In the tropical butterfly house relax among colourful blooms and exotic plants while butterflies fly and feed around you. Other attractions include Living Exhibition: (safely behind glass) of creepy crawlies including Tarantulas, Scorpions, Stick Insects and Reptiles. Facilities: Gift Shop Ample Parking for cars and coaches Toilets Picnic Area All displays are accessible by wheelchair. | |
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