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Kilcullen (), formally Kilcullen Bridge, is a small town on the River Liffey in County Kildare, Ireland. Its population of 3,815 at the 2022 census made it the 13th largest settlement in County Kildare. From 2002 to 2011, it was one of the fastest growing towns in the county, doubling its population from 1,483 to 3,473. It is situated primarily in the Barony of Kilcullen (in the Civil Parish of Kilcullen), with a part in the Barony of Naas South (Civil Parish of Carnalway), and subsidiary areas include Logstown, Harristown, Carnalway and Brannockstown, Gilltown, Nicholastown, and Castlemartin.
Kilcullen Bridge replaced the original settlement of Kilcullen, now Old Kilcullen, in the centuries following the building of the great bridge at the future site of the town. Other local historical features include Dun Ailinne, New Abbey and Castlemartin, for many years the home of media magnate Tony O'Reilly and his wife, horse-breeding shipping heiress Chryss Goulandris, and now owned by US billionaire John Malone. In the town's hinterland are a number of .
Kilcullen straddles the River Liffey and is from the centre of Dublin, from the centre of Newbridge, and also close to Kildare town and Naas. There is just one bridge in the town (on the site of the historic bridge which gave rise to the settlement), and none to the north/west for some distance, until Athgarvan, though there are three to the south/east, in Harristown / Brannockstown, one on a public road, one a road bridge hidden on the old Harristown estate, and one a former railway viaduct, also on private land. First built in the 1310s, the six-arch bridge over the Liffey was last reconstructed c. 1850, and renovated and widened in the early 1970s; the upstream face is modern while if viewed from downstream, the historic style is visible.
Upstream of the town the Liffey is joined by what is called locally the Mill Stream, coming from the direction of New Abbey, and forming the last stage of the substantial Kilcullen Stream (flowing north through Yellow Bog), a nationally monitored waterway. At the western edge of the town is the Pinkeen Stream, a minor tributary of the Liffey, which forms one boundary of Castlemartin Estate. At least two small streams lie further downstream in the Castlemartin area.
The town comprises one main street, with a few connecting roads. The main street slopes from Old Kilcullen and the Athy Road and motorway access, after joining with the Newbridge Road, down to the Liffey, and back up again, more steeply. Schools and churches are concentrated at the southwestern edge, businesses spread along the main street and near the old market square, and the town hall and theatre (former cinema) and heritage centre, and a bank, lie just to the northeast of the bridge.
In 1837, the official town area had a population of 699, one principal street of 112 buildings, chiefly on the western bank of the Liffey, a market on Saturdays and fairs on 2 February 25 March, 22, 8 June and 29 September 2 October and 8 December. There was a police station and a dispensary, and petty sessions were held. At that time, the population of the rural area of Old Kilcullen still exceeded that of the town by a multiple.
Old Kilcullen may have related to the reputed site of a palace or ceremonial place of the Kings of Leinster at Dun Ailinne, on an adjacent hill. Local groups have constructed an interpretative site for Dun Ailinne at Nicholastown, about a kilometre from the modern town centre, featuring a sculpture by local sculptor and art teacher (at Kilcullen's Cross and Passion College) Noel Scullion. The site was informally launched at the Spring Equinox, and formally in summer, 2008. In April 2009, it was announced that Dun Ailinne might form part of a bid for World Heritage Site status, along with other royal sites from around Ireland.
To the west of the town is Castlemartin Estate, where, to the northwest, is situated Castlemartin House. This 18th-century mansion, said to have around thirty rooms, is owned by American billionaire, John Malone. The house is a successor to a series of older dwellings, perhaps dating back to the 13th century. The estate also includes St. Mary's Church ("Castlemartin Chapel"), a dependent chapel of Kilcullen Church, founded c. 1200, ruined for centuries and restored in 1979–1980, and a number of other houses. Two of these, and outlying buildings, opening off the northern part of Main Street, were planned to be redeveloped as apartments, restaurants and shops, with permission granted on 15 February 2008. While the estate itself is largely closed to the public, the new development is required to be without gates, and it was a condition of restoration of the old church that reasonable public access to this also be available.
Kilcullen has an early church of its own, around outside the town, the New Abbey, commenced in 1486 by Rowland FitzEustace, 1st Baron Portlester and Lord Chancellor of Ireland. The remnants of the abbey today lie in a church- and graveyard and feature some notable tombstones. They can be reached by a Mass path, within the Valley Community Park, which also passes St. Bridget's Well. Lord Portlester is buried here as is his daughter, Lady Kildare.
In the Brannockstown / Harristown area, near the five-way crossroads, is Harristown House, originally built in 1740 by Whitmore Davis as the country seat of the La Touche family, gutted by fire in 1891 (while some furniture was saved, most artworks was lost) and rebuilt by James Franklin Fuller in reduced form. The house was sold in 1920, refurnished, and is now open as a tourist attraction. Features include a walled garden and formal walk, the library, French and Italian furniture and 18th-century Chinese wallpaper. Notably, Harristown, although it had no real settlement, was once an electoral borough. Harristown once had its own railway station on the terminated Naas–Sallins–Tullow Branch Line, and a railway bridge over the Liffey, built in 1885. The line has since been lifted but the bridge remains, away from the roads.
There is also the small Riverside Walk behind the Town Hall.
Kilcullen Library, a branch of Kildare County Libraries on New Abbey Road, provides service to the greater Kilcullen area. Located in the former boys' schoolhouse, built in 1925 and operating until 1980, it holds adult, reference and junior sections, some local history information, and a public access internet PC.
Kilcullen has an active Lions Club, meeting regularly and driving and wholly or partly funding a number of community initiatives, such as the Youth Cafe due to open at the Tennis Club building, and the Photographic Competition, designed to capture a record of scenes and personalities, to be kept in the Heritage Centre. One of their major fund-raising events is the Duck Race in the Liffey, which since 2010 formed part of a larger community-led River Festival.
There is an active local Scouting group, and a well-established credit union, with a large office near the town bridge, as well as the Kilcullen Flower and Garden Club.
Kilcullen is part of the Union of Newbridge in the Church of Ireland (along with Newbridge town, Athgarvan and Brannockstown), having one of that Union's three churches, St. John's.
Kilcullen also has a Baptist church in Brannockstown (near Harristown), Brannockstown Baptist Church. It was founded in 1873 by John La Touche who was influenced by Charles Spurgeon.
Slightly to the east of the town, in parts of Brownstown and Carnalway, is a private refuse disposal facility, KTK. The owner of the facility made available funding over many years, notably from 2000 to 2006, from a levy on dumping there, to support the work of local groups such as the Tidy Towns Committee. As of late 2008, this facility had begun closure processes, being more or less full.
There is also a successful badminton club in the area which has both junior and senior members competing in inter-county tournaments and competitions such as the Westside and the county championships. It has a fierce rivalry with Naas badminton club which it competed against.
There is a Sli na Slainte healthy walking route around the area, passing the graveyard, St. Bridget's Well, the bridge and Bishop Rogan's Park.
The Liffey at Kilcullen is known for trout angling and the North Kildare TSAA manages fishing rights from Harristown through to the town centre.
Kilcullen is also home to the oldest canoe club in the country. Established in 1957 by Paddy Maloney, it has been the home of Olympic and international kayak athletes. Kilcullen Canoe Club are the current holders of the Irish Marathon Canoeing Cup (aka the Riba De Sella Cup), as well as the Irish Junior Series Cup. On 27 July 2008, the club opened its new clubhouse, just over half a century since the club was started. It is dedicated to the memory of Pat Dunlea, who played a major role in the building and financing of the facility. It lies just upstream of The Bridge and actively encourages locals to get involved.
For national elections, Kilcullen is today in the Kildare South Dáil constituency. It was controversially, for a period, in a Wicklow constituency.
After some protests in 2007–2008, the County Council began to provide a limited street cleaning service in mid-2008.
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