County Kildare

County Kildare

Area:	1,693 km²
Capital:	Naas
Code:	KE
Population:	163,944 (2002)
Province:	Leinster

County Kildare (Irish: Cill Dara) is an Irish county located to the southwest of County Dublin in the province of Leinster. The name comes from the Irish, meaning church (Cill) of the oaks (Dara), see Adare.

East Kildare's population has increased rapidly; the amount of housing in the Naas suburb of Sallins has increased six-fold since the mid 1990s.

Moore Abbey is in the town of Monasterevan . It is the site of a monastery founded by St Evin in the 6th century. Maynooth is the historic educational centre of the county. It contains National University of Ireland, Maynooth and St Patrick's College, Maynooth.

The town of Kildare is the oldest in the county and the most historic. Naas (Nás na Rí in Irish- meaning meeting place of kings) is the county town, Leixlip town is the site of an enormous Intel factory, Kilcock is a town located 2 miles from Maynooth.

The Curragh horse-racing course is located in County Kildare. The county is known for the quality of horses bred in the many horse stud farms to which it is home. It is also home to the huge yearly Punchestown race festival. Kildare is home to the National Stud.

The nickname for the Kildare GAA team is the Lilywhites, a reference to the all-while Kildare flag. County Kildare is also known as the Shortgrass County.

Towns in Kildare

Categories: Counties of Ireland