Today, on St. Brigid’s Eve, I walked the Curragh in Co. Kildare as part of the Kildare Leadership Partnership’s Walk the Mantle guided walk, led by the excellent Pat, Ronan, and Sharon. The rain eased just as we set off through the plains.
For anyone unfamiliar with the Curragh, this vast stretch of land is one of the most important Bronze Age landscapes in Ireland. Beneath its grassland, lie layers of human activity stretching back thousands of years – burials, enclosures, and traces of ceremonial and everyday life. This was not an empty plain, but a lived-in, worked, and ritualised landscape, shaped by people who understood the land intimately.
Today, it is also home to The Curragh Racecourse, and The Curragh Military Museum and of course, the many many sheep that keep it well grazed. Without them, just imagine the cost of all that landscaping!
Following the walk, the group enjoyed a friendly natter and cup of tea over a scone. I left feeling boosted after connecting with the land and with other people. On the drive home, I decided to stop in Kildare Town to do the St. Brigid’s Trail. After a day exploring, I treated myself to a coffee in Square, and I’m glad I did – absolutely delicious.
Square, the coffee bar is perfectly situated for locals and tourists alike – on the market square and directly across from the tourist office.
The owners, Alan and Pamela, are both natives of Kildare and love supporting local suppliers. They serve all the usual coffee shop favourites, made with beans locally roasted by PS Coffee Roasters in Kilcullen, and offer handmade bakes from local bakers, including treats from Michelle, aka The Carrot Cake Lady.
The coffee bar is bright and modern, with cosy seating at the back. Vegan and gluten-free options (not suitable for coeliacs) are available, and the café is also a dog-friendly space.
So, whether it’s the Curragh, the heritage centre, the round tower and cathedral, or simply a good coffee, make sure to include Square in your visit to Kildare.
Enjoy! And let us know in the comments if you’ve tried their coffee ☕
- Image: “The Curragh” by James Allan, licensed under Creative Commons Attribution‑ShareAlike 2.0. Used with permission via Wikimedia Commons: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:The_Curragh_-_geograph.org.uk_-_902899.jpg ↩︎
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