Overview
Rathdrum (Irish: Ráth Droma, ‘ringfort of the ridge’) stands high on the western side of the Avonmore River valley, at the edge of the Wicklow Mountains. Two names give the town its weight: Charles Stewart Parnell, born a kilometre away at Avondale, and Anne Devlin, the republican and housekeeper to Robert Emmet, born in the town itself in 1780. It’s a compact town with a modest main street – the reasons to stop are the riverside park, the railway viaduct, and above all the Avondale estate on its doorstep.
History and heritage
In the late 18th and early 19th centuries Rathdrum was a serious centre for the woollen trade, flannel especially, built on local sheep and cottage spinning and weaving. A Flannel Hall was put up in 1795, and the town also carried two breweries, a tannery and a corn mill. The trade fell away after the Act of Union in 1800, and the market square that had hosted livestock fairs since the early 1700s slowly quietened. Local lore still has Parnell addressing crowds from the top of a beer barrel during the Land League campaigns.
The railway changed the place. The line from Wicklow reached the area in 1861, and the present Rathdrum station opened on 18 July 1863, once the viaduct was finished, replacing the earlier Kilcommon halt. More recently the town stood in for 1920s Ireland when much of Michael Collins (1996) was filmed here, with plenty of locals taken on as extras.
Parnell Memorial Park
The Rathdrum Development Association created Parnell Memorial Park in 1991, on 5.5 acres of former glebe land, to mark the centenary of Parnell’s death. A bronze statue of Parnell is the focal point; a bronze deer sculpture, added for the 400th anniversary of County Wicklow, sits among the reeds by the ponds, and the Round House viewing platform above the river was there in Parnell’s own day.
The paved loop takes 20 to 30 minutes at a stroll, on gentle gradients suitable for pushchairs, mobility scooters and dogs, with benches looking out to the railway viaduct and the foothills. It’s open 24 hours a day, year-round, and both entry and parking are free.
Walking the town and viaduct
The five-arch Avonmore Bridge, built in 1754 by John Braddel of Carnew, still carries traffic across the river; its stonework has been repaired over the centuries but the proportions are the originals. Just upstream, the Victorian railway viaduct dominates the skyline – and, contrary to the impression it gives, the line is very much alive: Iarnród Éireann still runs regular passenger trains over it to Dublin and Rosslare, with the Dublin run taking about an hour and a half. It photographs best in low morning light or in autumn when the valley turns.
St Mary’s and St Michael’s Roman Catholic Church, designed by J.J. McCarthy in the 1860s, looks over the valley in Gothic-revival style, its tracery echoing the monastic ruins at Glendalough. The Market Square and Fair Green remain the social hub, lined with independent shops, cafés and pubs.
Day trips and nearby highlights
If you only do one thing from Rathdrum, make it Avondale House and Forest Park, a short walk or drive out of town. The estate runs guided tours of Parnell’s childhood home, and the surrounding woodland has marked trails from easy loops to hill routes, plus the treetop walk. Red squirrels, badgers and over 90 bird species are regular sightings on the paths.
Further afield, the Glenmalure Valley off the R752 draws walkers into rugged glacial scenery, and Baltinglass has a well-preserved 12th-century abbey. For the coast, Bray is a straightforward run north on the same railway line.
Practical information for visitors
- Opening hours: Parnell Memorial Park is open 24 hours, 365 days a year. Avondale House runs seasonally (March–October, 11am–6pm, plus bank holidays). The bridge, viaduct and town centre are accessible at all times.
- Parking and transport: free parking beside the park and around the town centre. Rathdrum station has regular Iarnród Éireann services, the platform a five-minute walk from the square; Bus Éireann and Wexford Bus (route 740) also serve the town. The R752 connects to the N11/M11, about an hour from Dublin.
- Accessibility: the park loop is fully paved and wheelchair accessible, and most main-street attractions are step-free. The viaduct is best viewed from the riverside path.
- Facilities: cafés, pubs and B&Bs in the town centre, with public toilets near the square and more at Avondale.
Start at the park, follow the river up to the viaduct, then give the rest of the day to Avondale – that’s the sequence that makes Rathdrum worth more than a coffee stop.