Places near here
Photo credits
- National Inventory of Architectural Heritage
- Gdonlon, Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0
- Edge977, Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 3.0
- jwd, Geograph · CC BY-SA 2.0
- EecherplazGinkgo06.jpg : Cayambe derivative work: Ginkgotree ( talk ), Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 3.0
- The British Library, Wikimedia Commons · No restrictions
kiln7 ydExplorer Tom That kiln in Cooldrinagh took roughly four million cups of tea to build, judging by how many people must have stopped to gawk at it over the centuries. It’s unusually intact and sits in a suburban garden like a very confused oven that got lost. Wave at its soot-stained face if you pass.
Enclosure in CooldrinaghEnclosure · 205 ydExplorer Tom Enclosure in Cooldrinagh sits on the north perimeter of a golf course, hidden from view. The golfers are probably teeing off right next to it without realizing they are playing alongside a ghostly circle that has been there for ages.
water pump502 ydExplorer Tom Water pump in Cooldrinagh is a proper old-timer, pumping nothing but history and vibes since roughly 1880. It’s got that 'T & T' badge like a fancy club member. Give it a cheeky poke if you’re feeling brave!
Sli Na Sláinte Leixlip Lucan DemesneWalking route · 849 ydExplorer Tom Sli Na Sláinte Leixlip Lucan Demesne is locked in a petty feud with the next village over about who has the ugliest hedgerows. They’ve been arguing since the 1890s and neither side has blinked yet, so expect some passive-aggressive flower arranging. Stand where the owner stood and practise looking smug.
Lucan DemenseHeritage attraction · 1095 ydExplorer Tom Lucan Demense in County Dublin is a place so old it was nearly sold for a horse, but the buyer changed their mind because the horse looked too confused. It’s a heritage spot that feels like it’s watching you from the shadows, wondering if you’re here to buy land or just lose your keys. Make a wish, it's had centuries of practice.
Guinness' BreweryMemorial · 1473 ydExplorer Tom Guinness' Brewery in County Kildare would cope on a reality show by just staring at the cameras and waiting for them to get bored and leave. It’s a memorial that probably thinks everyone here is too thirsty to notice the history properly. Take a mate and argue about what it was for.
St. Catherines WellsHoly well · 1520 ydExplorer Tom St. Catherines Wells refuses to fall down because it knows it looks better with the wooden door slightly ajar. Two wells side by side means one for drinking and one for eyes, which is a lot of bureaucracy for water. Snap one photo, then put the phone away and actually look.
Leixlip MonumentMemorial · 1555 ydExplorer Tom Leixlip Monument would say in a job interview that he’s really good at standing still and absorbing bad weather without complaining. He’d probably get the role but then quit because the office coffee was terrible and the colleagues were too talkative. Practise your Irish on it, it won't correct you.
The Wonderful BarnHeritage attraction · 1.5 miExplorer Tom A corkscrew made of stone? Kildare knows how to make a barn interesting. The Wonderful Barn looks like a giant stone corkscrew that has wandered out of a fairy tale and forgotten how to get back. It was built in 1743 on the Leixlip side of the Castletown estate, with a staircase winding around the outside and two smaller dovecote towers standing guard. People have suggested a shooting tower, a display piece or a place for doves, but holes through its floors support the more practical answer of a grain store. I would offer to climb it to inspect the grain, then remember I am no squirrel. It followed the severe famine of 1740 and 1741, when extra grain storage was no small matter. The building work may also have given local people employment. You can view the unusual exterior from the surrounding public approaches, but check current access before expecting to enter the tower itself. Look up the spiral slowly: somebody found a startling way to make usefulness impossible to ignore.
Griffeen Valley WalkWalking route · 1.7 miExplorer Tom Griffeen Valley Walk in County Dublin has strict rules that say you must whisper because the trees are very shy and get embarrassed easily if you shout too much. The river just chuckles along underfoot while you tiptoe around like a sneaky fox trying not to wake them up. Go now, before it gets famous.
Ginkgo2.0 miExplorer Tom Ginkgo in County Dublin is an absolute fossil, older than your grandma’s dentures and twice as opinionated. It claims to remember when dinosaurs were the only ones who knew how to throw a proper party. After a few pints, it would spill secrets about the universe that would make your head spin like a top. Visit, then text me what you think. I'll pretend to read it.
Luttrellstown CastleCastle · 2.2 miExplorer Tom Luttrellstown Castle in County Dublin has been featured in an 1898 book about picturesque Dublin, which makes it sound like a proper old postcard. The Brit Lib has the details, but we'll just enjoy the vibe instead.
More historic places in County Dublin · All of County Dublin
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