Overview
In the 1830s and 1840s, evicted labourers built a whole quarter of Rathnew in a hurry – mud-walled, reed-thatched cottages thrown up by neighbours on common land in as little as three days, which earned the village its old nickname, ‘the Thatched City’. That improvised, tightly packed streetscape still shapes the place. The name Ráth Naoi means ‘the ringfort of Naoi’, after a figure linked to the kings of Leinster, and a church and graveyard here date to around 500 AD.
Be clear about what Rathnew is, though. Its own high street has little to sightsee – the local Tripadvisor listings run to a Christmas shop and a kitchen showroom – and the real draw is two country houses on its edges, plus a location 45 minutes south of Dublin on the M11/N11, minutes from both the Wicklow coast and the mountains. If you stop, stop for lunch at Hunter’s or a walk through Tinakilly’s gardens.
Tinakilly House and gardens
Tinakilly House stands just outside the village in 14 acres of wooded grounds that slope towards the Broadlough Coastal Lagoon and the Irish Sea. It was built in 1883 as the retirement home of Captain Robert Halpin, who commanded The Great Eastern and laid the first successful transatlantic telegraph cable in 1866; sea-view windows and period features run throughout. The Powers family have held the property since the early 20th century.
The gardens divide into distinct walks – Foxes Wood, a rose garden and a herb garden – open to guests and event visitors. The house runs as a country-house hotel and wedding venue, with the Brunel Restaurant doing fine dining and afternoon tea. Public dining hours vary, so book and confirm menus directly with the estate before travelling.
Hunter’s Hotel
A short walk from Tinakilly, Hunter’s Hotel is a 300-year-old coaching inn, and the same family has run it for over 200 years – since 1825. That continuity shows in the fabric: original stone buildings, creaking floorboards, fireplaces and gardens running down to the River Vartry. It has a place in Ireland’s Blue Book and recognition from the Good Hotel Guide.
There are 16 rooms, including a junior suite and one wheelchair-friendly room, with bed-and-breakfast from around €110 per person, and the restaurant seats 50. Dining is a daily fixture – lunch from 12.30pm, dinner from 7pm – with afternoon tea and weekend specials. It sits just off the R761, a few minutes from Ashford and Mount Usher Gardens, which makes it a natural lunch stop for anyone heading down the coast or into the hills.
Community life
Rathnew wears its traditions openly. The Corpus Christi Procession, first held in 1914, still runs each August with decorated streets and local bands. The GAA club is the other anchor – Rathnew has won the Wicklow Senior Football Championship more than 30 times, most recently in 2017 – and a weekend game is as good a window on village life as any pub.
Walks and nearby attractions
Rathnew’s position between sea and mountain makes it a practical hub for day trips:
- Wicklow town – 3 km east, with the harbour, Wicklow Gaol and seafront walks. It’s also the nearest rail station (the Rathnew line closed in 1964).
- Mount Usher Gardens – a five-minute drive, with formal terraces, a walled garden and historic woodland walks.
- Glendalough – Ireland’s best-known monastic site, in the Wicklow Mountains; the Wicklow Way long-distance trail starts nearby at Rathmore.
- Avondale House and Forest Park – 15 km south, Parnell’s birthplace, with extensive woodland trails.
- Brittas Bay – a broad sandy beach and nature reserve, good for a long walk after a morning in the village.
Practical information
- Getting there: on the M11/N11. From Dublin, take Exit 15 for Ashford/Mount Usher; from Wexford/Rosslare, Exit 16.
- Public transport: bus routes 133 and 184 run from Dublin and Wicklow town, stopping in the village centre. The nearest rail station is Wicklow, about two miles east.
- Parking: on-site for guests at both Tinakilly and Hunter’s; free public parking on the village main street and at Merrymeeting Shopping Centre.
- Contact: Hunter’s Hotel, +353 (0)404 40106, reception@hunters.ie, www.hunters.ie. Tinakilly enquiries and dining reservations are handled directly by the estate.
Coming from the mountains or the coast, time it for a Hunter’s lunch by the Vartry, then walk the Tinakilly gardens before you push on to Glendalough – that’s the afternoon Rathnew does best.