Overview
Kilcock has run a serious art gallery since 1978, which is more than you would expect of a canal town of 8,674 people 35 km west of Dublin. That gallery and the Royal Canal are the two reasons to stop. The town itself is a commuter hub now, the eighth largest in County Kildare – pleasant enough to pass through, but honest to say it’s a base or a walking stop rather than a day out in its own right.
History
The name Kilcock (Cill Choca) means ‘church of St Coca’, for a 6th-century nun traditionally held to be a sister of St Kevin of Glendalough. She founded an early church by the Rye River, and a holy well dedicated to her still sits behind the town centre. The present parish church, a Gothic-Revival building by the architect J.J. McCarthy, was dedicated in 1867 after a £10,000 campaign.
The town’s older claim to fame is commercial: by the 17th century Kilcock was a recognised trading post, and the ‘Kilcock Measure’ was a standard unit for buying and selling oats. Its market cross survived the Cromwellian period only to be destroyed by Yeomen in 1798, when they reoccupied the town after the rebellion. The railway had a false start here – the first line arrived in 1847 and closed almost at once because the gradients were too steep – before a second station (1850) served the town until 1963. The platform under Shaw Bridge reopened in 1998.
The Royal Canal and greenway
The canal is the thing to walk. Kilcock is a primary access point to the 130 km Royal Canal Greenway, a flat, paved, traffic-free route that runs from Dublin out to Longwood, and the town’s stretch takes in a large lock chamber, heritage bridges and riverside picnic spots. It costs nothing and needs no booking.
The reliable Saturday fixture is the free 5 km parkrun along the towpath – volunteer-run, open to all, every Saturday morning. A street market is also held along the canal (locally a Saturday affair, though it’s worth checking before you build a trip around it). The canal harbour is home to Kilcock Canoe Polo Club, which has hosted European championships, so don’t be surprised to find the water busier than the path.
Art and local life
Kilcock Art Gallery was founded in 1978 by Breda Smyth and opened by George Campbell RHA. It shows rotating exhibitions of painting, sculpture and prints by Irish artists, with a retail outlet attached, and opens Wednesday to Saturday, 11am–4pm, and by appointment. The Kilcock Musical & Dramatic Society has been staging plays and musicals since 1970, drawing performers from across the midlands.
The town’s built heritage now has an active champion: the Kilcock Heritage and Historical Society, formally established in November 2025, meets on the 2nd and 4th Monday of each month at Scoil Choca Naofa. The opening of the M4 in 1994 and the arrival of the Musgrave distribution centre are what turned Kilcock into the commuter and logistics town it is today.
Nearby
- Donadea Forest Park – woodland trails, a lake and medieval ruins, a short drive south.
- Larchill Arcadian Garden – restored 18th-century follies and beech avenues, just outside the town.
- Carton House – Palladian house, formal gardens and a hotel, further south towards Maynooth.
- Carbury – a hilltop castle ruin with wide views to the south-west.
Practical information
Getting there: Kilcock is just south of the M4 at junction 9. Bus Éireann route 115 connects it to Dublin and Enfield (check the current timetable for times), and the station runs commuter trains to Dublin Connolly. Under the DART+ Programme, electrification and service extensions to Kilcock are scheduled for 2027, adding a second track between Maynooth and Kilcock and a new accessible pedestrian bridge.
Parking: free on-street parking near the canal and town centre, with a small car park behind the Art Gallery for busier days; Kildare County Council parking bye-laws apply. Streets are largely level and the gallery is wheelchair accessible.
Eating and staying: lodging in the town is limited – Maynooth, Enfield and Celbridge have more – but the high street has cafés and pubs for after a canal walk. Dublin Airport is about 45 km north-east via the M4.
Time a visit for a Saturday morning if you can: the parkrun and the market both land then, and either pairs well with an hour on the towpath.