One of the many beautiful things about Dublin, is that the lush Irish countryside with its open grasslands and gently rolling hills is quite literally right on its doorstep.
Situated west of Dublin, the inland county of Kildare is famous for it sporting, horseracing and hunting. With racing events happening all year round, the racecourses at the Curragh, Punchestown and Naas are the most popular meeting places for racing enthusiasts, especially during the Irish Derby in June.
The Irish National Stud at Kildare is a state-run, thoroughbred breeding farm established in 1900 by Colonel William Hall-Walker of the Johnnie Walker whiskey. In 1915 he presented the stud farm to the British crown, and this was then handed over to the Irish nation in 1943. The neighbouring Japanese Gardens were created by Hall-Walker’s Japanese gardener, Tassa Eida. Laid out to represent the stages in man’s life, they’re considered to be one of the finest examples in Europe.
County Kildare has also gained a strong reputation as a sporting destination. With its world class golf courses, the county hosted the European Open from 1995 until 2007. The river and canal systems are ideal for boating holidays and fishing while the Grand and Royal canals also offer romantic scenery as one cruises along on a traditional barge. Coarse and game angling on the river Liffey or Barrow is another pastime that is readily enjoyed in this breathtaking natural landscape.
Shired in 1297, Kildare is part of the Greater Dublin Area, a regional area surrounding Dublin. The county is associated with St Brigid, one of the three patron saints of Ireland, who founded the Church of the Oak (Cill Dara) from where the county gets its name.
