Route: Day 9 Pollardstown Fen to Kildare

5 miles, 9km

Paved minor ‘L’ roads, wooden boards in Pollardstown Fen, grass in the Curragh and at Brigid’s Garden Well.

Pollardstown Fen carpark

Kildare Market Square

Rathbride Healing Stone via The Curragh

Kildare Heritage Centre (Market Sq, Kildare Town) (shops, cafes, restaurant in the area)

St. Brigid’s Fire Temple (in the grounds of St. Brigid’s Cathedral)

Solas Bhríde Centre and Hermitages

Brigid’s Healing and Garden Wells

Kildare Heritage Centre (Market Sq, Kildare Town) (shops, cafes, restaurant in the area)

Silken Thomas (045 522232), Website: silkenthomas.com, Email: info@silkenthomas.com

Solas Bhríde Centre and Hermitages (045 522890), Website: solasbhride.ie, Email: info@solasbhride.ie

From the Pollardstown Fen car park follow the path to the Boardwalk start and loop around this magnificent wild nature reserve back onto the path & return to the carpark (approx 20 mins). From the carpark turn right & walk on taking the first left turn (there is a Pollardstown Horse Feed sign nearby) onto a small road L7023.

Cross over the stone railway bridge for your first view of the Curragh of Kildare. At the T junction turn right and follow the sign for Rathangan R401. Cross back over another stone railway bridge onto the Upper Curragh (be careful of traffic on this bridge.)

Spread out on the left side & wander this magical plain. Keep the road within your sight line. At the white stones at Cloonmore Lodge cross over the road to wander on the right side of the Curragh to Rathbhride Cross (signed Rathangan/Kildare/Allenwood) & the Healing Stone.

Leaving Rathbhride Cross continue on towards Kildare by wandering on the Curragh between the road (within your sightline) & the wood chip horse track. When you come to the end of the white rails & meet a dirt track veer right back onto the road to pass the Cill Dara Golf club. Go through the gate beside the cattle grid to leave the Curragh. (Note there is a sign to Kildare facing the wrong way here. Follow the Cattle Grid sign to Kildare.)

You are now walking the last part of your Pilgrimage into Kildare past houses & over the stone railway bridge, past the Solas Bhríde house at Dara Park into Kildare’s Market Square for a Welcome by the Brigidine Sisters & Tom from the Heritage Centre in the Market House.

Walk across the Square to Brigid’s Cathedral and the Fire Temple in the grounds of the cemetary. Return to the Market Square and find Bride Street, walk straight along Bride Street to the new Solas Bhride Centre Site. Continue along the road past the Solas Bhride Centre, on the left you will find the Healing Well and on the right, you will find the turn for the Garden Well.