At the west end of the town centre you can see the ruined gatehouse, keep and great hall of this 13th-century castle, once home to the Fitzgerald family. The castle was dismantled in Cromwellian times, when the Fitzgeralds moved to Kilkea Castle. Entry is by a 45-minute guided tour only; there's a small exhibition on the castle's history in the keep.
Maynooth Castle
Lonely Planet's must-see attractions
22.24 MILES
Newgrange is one of the most remarkable prehistoric sites in Europe, famous for the illumination of its passage and tomb during the winter solstice sun…
14.19 MILES
Trinity's greatest treasures are found within the Old Library and the incredible Long Room is one of the most photographed rooms in Dublin, for good…
12.09 MILES
If you have any desire to understand Irish history – especially the long-running resistance to British colonial rule – then a visit to this former prison…
14.19 MILES
Trinity College Dublin is Ireland's most prestigious university, a collection of elegant Georgian and Victorian buildings, cobbled squares and nature…
14.43 MILES
A magnificent Caravaggio and a breathtaking collection of works by Jack B Yeats – William Butler Yeats' younger brother – are the main reasons to visit…
22.77 MILES
Slane Castle is a 300-year-old sprawling estate on the banks of the River Boyne in County Meath. The neo-gothic castle and grounds are open to visitors…
13 MILES
The most popular attraction in Dublin is this multimedia homage to Guinness. An old fermentation plant in the St James's Gate Brewery has been converted…
13.55 MILES
Explore behind the facade of one of Dublin's famous Georgian townhouses, carefully restored to gently peel back layers of complex social history over 250…
Nearby attractions
0.17 MILES
Part of NUI Maynooth, and turning out Catholic priests since 1795, St Patrick's College & Seminary is Ireland's second-oldest university (after Trinity…
2. National Science & Ecclesiology Museum
0.22 MILES
Father Nicholas Callan (1799–1864), Professor of Natural Philosophy at St Patrick's College in the mid-19th century, was a pioneer of research into…
3.45 MILES
Magnificent Castletown House is Ireland’s single-most imposing Georgian estate, and a testament to the vast wealth enjoyed by the Anglo-Irish gentry…
4. Steam Museum & Lodge Park Walled Garden
4.8 MILES
The history of steam power and its role in the development of industry is told at this museum, housed in a former church. Along with various models, there…
5. Oughterard Round Tower & Cemetery
7.23 MILES
The 10m-tall stump of an 8th-century round tower marks this ancient Christian site, 7km southeast of Straffan. Its name in Irish means 'high place', and…
9.76 MILES
The Irish government's official guesthouse is this fine Georgian-Victorian pile designed by James Gandon. Originally part of the Guinness estate, it was…
10.11 MILES
Running alongside the northern banks of the Liffey between the villages of Chapelizod and Lucan, roughly along the western edge of Phoenix Park, is the…
10.8 MILES
You can see how the other 1% lives at Dunsany Castle, 5km south of Tara on the Dunshaughlin–Kilmessan road. The residence of the lords of Dunsany, it's…