Discover Maynooth

Maynooth brings together the history of a town, a distinguished college and paths along the Royal Canal. Maynooth Castle stands in a secluded spot in the centre; at St Patrick’s College, the Chapel and the Russell Library offer a glimpse of architecture and historic collections. If you enjoy the outdoors, the National Famine Way, which passes through the town, and the Royal Canal Greenway offer further options. You can therefore choose between cultural history and activity along the canal when planning your stay.

The castle and the town’s history

Maynooth Castle dates back to the early 13th century. Its location is remarkable: the castle stands in a secluded spot in the centre of Maynooth and has well-maintained grounds with plenty of greenery. The keep houses an exhibition about the history of the castle and the FitzGerald family. This lets you combine your visit with a look at the history of the building and the family, without having to focus on just one topic.

The Maynooth Heritage Trail traces the town’s history from the Middle Ages through 1916 and beyond to Ireland’s struggle for independence. It offers another way to explore Maynooth’s past. The National Famine Way also passes through Maynooth, but offers a different historical perspective: statues of small shoes line the stretch through the town. They represent the children who made this famine journey. You can take these two themes into account as distinct historical interests when planning your trip.

The college, Chapel and Russell Library

At St Patrick’s College, the College Chapel combines Gothic Revival architecture with devotional styles that were common in Irish church decoration in the 19th and early 20th centuries. If you are interested in church architecture, you can look out for this combination of different styles.

The Russell Library preserves the historic collections of St Patrick’s College, founded in 1795 as a seminary to train Irish priests. The collection includes around 34,000 printed works dating from the 16th century to the mid-19th century. Exhibitions can be visited during opening hours without booking in advance. External readers can also access the library; visitors are asked to make an appointment in advance. When planning your visit, it is therefore important to distinguish between visiting an exhibition and using the library as an external reader.

Along the Royal Canal

The Royal Canal Greenway stretches for more than 130 kilometres from Maynooth towards Cloondara, beginning at Maynooth railway station. The towpath is generally flat and surfaced; today, people of all ages and with varying abilities use it for walking, running and cycling. Its length makes the Greenway an option for outings of varying lengths: you can plan your route according to how far you want to go, without needing to cover the entire route.

The canal path is also a habitat for native wildlife. As well as offering opportunities for exercise, it provides a connection with nature. If you prefer to visit cultural sites, you can focus on the castle and college history; if you want to spend time outdoors, you can make the Greenway or the National Famine Way a focus of your trip.

Getting there and finding the right area

Maynooth has good rail, bus and motorway connections to Dublin city centre. If you are considering Maynooth as a place to stay, these connections may be a factor when choosing a holiday rental, particularly if Dublin is also part of your trip. You can also begin exploring the Royal Canal Greenway right at Maynooth railway station. The priorities that matter to you—town history, college culture, the canal path or connections to Dublin—can help guide your choice of where to stay.

Discover more places

If you would also like to include other nearby places in your research, you can find Prosperous, Droichead Nua, Celbridge, Kilcullen, Narraghmore, Kildare, Clane and Ballitore.

For the broader travel overview: County Kildare.