(Old) Kilcullen The current town and the barony of the same name are named for an earlier settlement, Kilcullen, on a hilltop a few kilometres to the south, now known as
Old Kilcullen. Begun as a monastic settlement in the mid-5th century, it reached its peak as an Anglo-Norman walled town with seven gates and seven, or perhaps eight, roads. Little now remains visible beyond a damaged round tower and a churchyard. This town may have been related to the nearby Dun Ailinne, a ceremonial and possibly palatial site associated with the kings of
Leinster. However, Dun Ailinne predates any known settlement at Old Kilcullen. Old Kilcullen was raided by
Vikings at least twice, in 936 and 944, landing at the site of the modern town.
Foundation The current town, officially known, mapped, and recorded in legal documents as
Kilcullen Bridge, developed after 1319, when a bridge was constructed here across the
River Liffey by a canon, Maurice Jakis, of Kildare Cathedral. It took over, over succeeding centuries, from the previous settlement. Originally, as shown on maps even as late as the late 18th century, the new settlement was wholly on the eastern bank of the Liffey, outside the Barony of Kilcullen.
(Fitz)Eustace Family The Eustace family influenced Kilcullen for much of its history, with one of its seats at Castlemartin.
18th to 19th Century The town was in the vicinity of the
Battle of Kilcullen in the 1798 Rebellion, and Castlemartin was the base of operations for the British Army in Kildare, under Dundas. In 1837, the official town area had a population of 699, one principal street of 112 buildings, chiefly on the western bank of the Liffey, a market on Saturdays, and fairs on 2 February, 25 March, 22, 8 June, and 29 September, 2 October, and 8 December. There was a police station and a dispensary, and
petty sessions were held. At that time, the population of the rural area of Old Kilcullen still exceeded that of the town by a multiple.
Historic Remains On a hill around three kilometres south and east from Kilcullen (Bridge) is the site of the original settlement, now known as
Old Kilcullen, featuring an historic church and graveyard, with an extant
round tower. Old Kilcullen may have been related to the reputed site of a palace or ceremonial place of the Kings of
Leinster at
Dun Ailinne, on an adjacent hill. Local groups have constructed an interpretative site for Dun Ailinne at Nicholastown, about a kilometre from the modern town centre, featuring a sculpture by local sculptor and art teacher Noel Scullion (at Kilcullen's Cross and Passion College). The site was informally launched at the Spring Equinox and formally in summer 2008. In April 2009, it was announced that Dun Ailinne might be part of a bid for World Heritage Site status, along with other royal sites across Ireland. To the west of the town is
Castlemartin Estate, where, to the north-northwest, is situated Castlemartin House. This 18th-century mansion, said to have around thirty rooms, is owned by American billionaire,
John Malone. The house is a successor to a series of older dwellings, perhaps dating back to the 13th century. The estate also includes
St. Mary's Church ("Castlemartin Chapel"), a dependent chapel of Kilcullen Church, founded c. 1200, ruined for centuries and restored in 1979–1980, and a number of other houses. Two of these, and outlying buildings, opening off the northern part of Main Street, were planned to be redeveloped as apartments, restaurants and shops, with permission granted on 15 February 2008. While the estate itself is largely closed to the public, the new development must be without gates, and it was a condition of restoring the old church that reasonable public access to it also be available. Kilcullen has an early church of its own, around outside the town, the New Abbey, commenced in 1486 by Rowland FitzEustace, 1st
Baron Portlester and
Lord Chancellor of Ireland. The abbey's remnants today lie in a church and graveyard and feature some notable tombstones. They can be reached via a Mass path within Valley Community Park, which also passes St. Bridget's Well. Lord Portlester is buried here, as is his daughter, Lady Kildare. In the Brannockstown / Harristown area, near the five-way crossroads, is
Harristown House, originally built in 1740 by Whitmore Davis as the country seat of the La Touche family, gutted by fire in 1891 (while some furniture was saved, most artworks was lost) and rebuilt by James Franklin Fuller in reduced form. The house was sold in 1920, refurnished, and is now open to the public as a tourist attraction. Features include a walled garden and formal walk, the library, French and Italian furniture and 18th-century Chinese wallpaper. Notably, Harristown, although it had no real settlement, was once an electoral borough. Harristown once had its own railway station on the terminated Naas–Sallins–Tullow Branch Line, and a railway bridge over the Liffey, built in 1885. The line has since been lifted, but the bridge remains, out of the way of the roads.
Turnpike Kilcullen Bridge and Old Kilcullen were pivotal to the first toll road in Ireland, founded in 1729, and initially running to "the Bridge at Kilcullen" and later to a point west of this, passing the fair green at Old Kilcullen. The road's administration and maintenance were at times questionable, and amending legislation was made at least twice in its history.
Birth of Motor Racing On 2 July 1903, the
Gordon Bennett Cup race ran through Kilcullen. It was the first international motor race to be held anywhere in what was then the
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland. The
Automobile Club of Great Britain and Ireland wanted the race to be hosted in the United Kingdom, and Ireland was proposed as racing was illegal on British public roads. After some lobbying, a number of local laws were changed, and Kildare was chosen as the venue – partly because the straightness of the roads was deemed a safety benefit. As a compliment to Ireland, the British team chose to race in
Shamrock green which thus became known as
British racing green. The route consisted of several loops which passed through Kilcullen,
Kildare,
Monasterevin,
Stradbally,
Athy,
Castledermot, and
Carlow. The race was won by the Belgian racer
Camille Jenatzy, driving a Mercedes. Modern signs mark both the route and the old inn that was used as a base.
Town Hall and Heritage Group Today, the town hall has historical displays, formed and maintained in cooperation with the active Kilcullen Heritage Group and with the Kildare County Library Service. The town hall displays include photographs, prints, maps and some objects. The Heritage Group holds regular meetings and talks. ==Community and Amenities==