Naas
Template:Short description {{#invoke:other uses|otheruses}} Template:Use Hiberno-English Template:Use dmy dates Template:Infobox settlement Template:Historical populations Naas (Template:IPAc-en Template:Respell; Template:Langx or Template:Lang Template:IPA) is the county town of County Kildare in Ireland. In 2022, it had a population of 26,180, making it the largest town in County Kildare (ahead of Newbridge) and the fourteenth-largest urban centre in Ireland.<ref name="tableF1015census2022"/>
History
The name of Naas has been recorded in three forms in Irish: Template:Lang, translating as 'Place of Assembly of the Kings'; Template:Lang, translating to 'the Place of Assembly'; and Template:Lang, translating to 'Place of<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> assembly of the Leinster Men'.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Irish mythology suggests that the name arose as the burial site of Nás (a wife of Lugh of the Tuatha De Danann).<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> It is also said to be where Lugh held his royal court.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> Nás was said to have been buried on The Moat Hill (Dún Nás). The Book of Leinster contains the Dindsenchas (lore of places) of Naas with the following verses discussing where the name supposedly came from.:<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>
“(Nás)… claims of right the brow and the beauty of the spot, since she is gone, with the noise of combat, how should ye know at all the spot where she died?
“Nás took in hand a deed unwise: (truth and not folly) death o’erwhelmed her; ‘tis from her Nás was named, famous perpetually for stern law.
“Nás of the Leinstermen, bright with splendid bounty, ‘tis there the lady was buried; from her it is called with clear certitude: the lore of the ancient hides not this.”
In the Middle Ages, Naas became a walled market town and was occasionally raided by the O'Byrne and O'Toole clans from the nearby area which became County Wicklow. To guard against this danger, town walls were built in around 1415. Naas features on the 1598 map by Abraham Ortelius as Nosse.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
In 1409, Henry IV granted Naas its first charter as a corporation, consisting of Portreeves, Burgesses and Commonality.<ref name=klh-chronology-134-ad-1900>Template:Cite web</ref> In 1413 King Henry authorised the town to collect tolls at all entrances to the town, with the money being used for fortification of town walls and gates.<ref name=klh-chronology-134-ad-1900/>
A mayor and council were selected by local merchants and landowners. Naas became known as the "county town" of County Kildare because of its use as a place for trading, public meetings, local administration including law courts, racecourses and the army's Devoy Barracks (closed 1998).<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite book</ref> In the Middle Ages, before it settled permanently in Dublin, the Parliament of Ireland occasionally met in Naas, as in 1441.<ref>Lydon, James Ireland and the English Crown 1171–1541 Cambridge University Press 2016</ref>
Saint David's Castle, a 13th-century Norman castle, was first built c. 1210, although the present structure is a fortified house of the 18th century.
In 1568, Queen Elizabeth I of England granted the town a new charter, creating the role of Sovereign of the town.<ref name=klh-chronology-134-ad-1900/>
On 3 March 1577, Lord Rory O'More burnt Naas, to avenge his relatives who had been killed by English authorities.<ref>Template:Cite DNB</ref><ref>Journal of the County Kildare Archaeological Society, Vol 3 (1899), pp.377-378</ref> Lord Deputy Sir Henry Sidney wrote later the same month:Template:Blockquote
In 1595, Robert Ashe, Sovereign of Naas, says on oath that the charter granted the town by Elizabeth I had been accidentally burned.<ref name=klh-chronology-134-ad-1900/>
In 1609, James I granted the town a new charter as well as granting the Sovereign powers to appoint a Serjeant-at-mace to carry the mace before him within the limits of the borough.<ref name=klh-chronology-134-ad-1900/>
In 1628, a further charter of King James grants the corporation the right to pass byelaws provided that they are consistent with the laws of the kingdom.<ref name=klh-chronology-134-ad-1900/> The Sovereign of Naas is to be a Justice of the peace.<ref name=klh-chronology-134-ad-1900/>
In 1671 King Charles II of England issued an updated charter.<ref name=klh-chronology-134-ad-1900/>
One of the first battles of the rebellion of 1798 took place in Naas on 24 May 1798. During the Battle of Naas, a force of about 1,000 rebels was defeated in an unsuccessful attack on the town.
In 1840, the Municipal Reform Act 1840 resulted in the Naas Corporation being dissolved and replaced by a Grand Jury until 1854.<ref name=klh-chronology-134-ad-1900/>
In 1898, the Local Government Act established Naas Urban District Council (later called Naas Town Council). Naas Town Council was abolished in June 2014, when the Local Government Reform Act 2014 dissolved town councils and designated Kildare County Council as the administrative local authority for the entire county.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Naas Town Hall was commissioned as a gaol and completed in 1796.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Amenities
Naas has a hospital Naas General Hospital, Naas Racecourse, Mondello Park International Motor Racing Circuit, a library, the 200-seat Moat Theatre, five-screen 3D Odeon cinema, RSA driving test centre, a tax office, a district court, local authority offices, five supermarkets, several pubs, and a number of schools, hotels and nightclubs.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Economy
Local industrial enterprises include Kerry Group's Global Technology and Innovation Centre,<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> and International Fund Services (a State Street company).<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
The town centre of Naas includes shops, restaurants, nightclubs, boutiques and shops. Other retail outlets have been developed in new retail parks and shopping centres on the outskirts of the town.
A shopping centre on Monread Road was completed in 2010 with Ireland's largest Tesco Superstore as the anchor tenant. Other retail parks serve the town on both ends – northern and southern – with outlets such as Harvey Norman, PC World, B&Q, Smyths Toys, and Halfords.
The Naas/Sallins area is served by two Aldi supermarkets, two Lidl stores, two Supervalu supermarkets, a Tesco Extra supermarket, a smaller Tesco Metro in the town centre, and (as of August 2019) a new Dunnes Stores food hall.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Danish home retail group JYSK, a competitor for Sweden's IKEA, opened their first Irish store Newhall Retail Park in Naas during April 2019.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Several smaller foodstores are scattered around the town.
Aldi has a distribution centre in Jigginstown, Naas.
Religion
The town has two Roman Catholic churches, one Church of Ireland church, and one Presbyterian church. The original parish church, St David's Church, is Church of Ireland. The Roman Catholic parish church, the Church of Our Lady and St. David, dates from 1827.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The Augustinian Friary was founded in the late 14th century.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> In 1997, the second Catholic Church opened in Ballycane on the east side of town and is dedicated to the Irish Martyrs.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Naas is part of the Diocese of Kildare and Leighlin which is run by Bishop Denis Nulty since August 4, 2013.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Naas Presbyterian Church was built in the Victorian period on the site of the old tholsel.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Maudlin's Cemetery, a Church of Ireland graveyard near the town, is noted for its two Victorian-era pyramids.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Media
County Kildare's local radio station Kfm 97.3FM – 97.6FM is based in Naas.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The Leinster Leader, a regional newspaper, and Kildare TV, a local station, are also based in the area.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Transport
The nearby N7 Naas Road connects Naas with Dublin and the M50 motorway (Ireland). Additionally, the M7 Motorway connects Naas with the South and South West.
Naas railway station, which opened on 22 June 1855, closed for passenger traffic on 27 January 1947 to be re-purposed for goods trains. It reopened on 10 March 1947 but was closed 12 years later on 1 April 1959.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The Sallins and Naas railway station, located in nearby Sallins, is used by residents of the Naas area who commute to Dublin.Template:Citation needed
The main bus transportation companies serving the area are Go-Ahead Ireland, JJ Kavanagh and Sons and Dublin Coach.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Schedule Template:Webarchive JJ Kavanagh web site</ref><ref>[1] Template:Webarchive Dublin Coach Naas Timetable Website</ref> Naas's main bus routes include the Go-Ahead Ireland route 126 from Kildare to Dublin city centre (which passes through Naas),<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> a JJ Kavanagh route to Blanchardstown,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> and Dublin Coach and JJ Kavanagh services to Dublin Airport.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
The N7 Naas Road was upgraded in 2006 to a six-lane carriageway with grade-separated interchanges. As of April 2021, Junction 9a of the M7, a new junction for Clane, Millennium Park, and the Sallins Bypass, has been completed and is now open for public use.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
- M7 Motorway – Connects Naas with Limerick, as well as Cork (via M8) and Waterford (via M9)
- N7 (R448 N From Monread Boulevard to Maudlins Interchange) – Connects Naas with Dublin.
- R410 – Connects Naas with Blessington
- R411 – Connects Naas with Ballymore Eustace
- R448 – Connects Naas with Kilcullen
- R445 – Connects Naas with Newbridge
- R409 – Connects Naas with Caragh
- R407 – Connects Naas with Sallins, Maynooth, Clane and Celbridge.
- (South Outer Ring) – Connects Limerick Road at Primrose (West Naas) with Blessington Road at Mountain View (East Naas)
- (Millennium Blvd Ring Road) – Connects Limerick Road at Newhall Interchange M7 with Monread Road at Millennium Roundabout
Education
Naas has five secondary schools, St. Mary's College Naas, a girls' convent school, Template:Lang (Naas CBS) for boys, Piper's Hill College (formerly St. Patrick's Community College), Naas Community College and Template:Lang, a mixed Irish speaking Secondary School.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Naas has several primary schools, including the Convent of Mercy (a girls' school), St. Corban's Boys National School (a school for boys),<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Template:Lang, Ballycane, and St. David's (each mixed schools),Template:Citation needed Template:Lang (located at the Piper's Hill campus), Killashee National School and Naas Community National School is located at Craddockstown.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Naas has a public library which is located in a facility, opened in 2024, in the town centre.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Climate
Naas has an oceanic climate (Köppen: Cfb).
Sport and leisure
The Moat Theatre is a 200-seat performance and visual arts centre in Naas, which hosts local and national stage productions, live music and other events.Template:Citation needed
The local Gaelic Athletic Association club is Naas GAA, and the club has won several senior county football and hurling championships.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Local association football (soccer) clubs include Naas AFC Soccer Club,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Redwood Naas FC,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Monread FC Soccer Club,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> and Naas United FC Soccer Club,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> several of which play in the Kildare and District Football League.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Other sports clubs include Naas Rugby Club, Naas Hockey Club, Naas Cycling Club, Naas Panthers Gymnastics Academy,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Naas Lawn Tennis Club (with 11 courts)<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> and Naas Athletic Club on the Caragh Road.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Naas Golf Club, one of three local golf clubs, is actually located in Sallins.
There are several equestrian facilities in the area, with Naas Racecourse (about Template:Cvt from the town centre),<ref name="naasracecourse">Template:Cite web</ref> and Punchestown Racecourse (just to the south-west of the town at Eadestown). Osborne Stables is also based at Craddockstown, Naas. The annual Punchestown Race Festival is a major event for a full week in April. The Oxegen music festival was held at Punchestown during the summer for a number of years but has not been rescheduled since it was cancelled in 2014.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
There are also a number of swimming pools and leisure centres in the area.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Notable people
- Joseph Bourke (c.1740–1794), 3rd Earl of MayoTemplate:Citation needed
- Hubert de Burgh (1879–1960), cricketer<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
- Thomas Burgh (1670–1730), architect and Member of Parliament for Naas<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
- Mother Teresa Ellen Dease (1820–1889), foundress of the Institute of the Blessed Virgin Mary (Loretto Sisters) in North America (at Toronto)<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
- Charlie Donnelly (b.1983), racing driver<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
- Marian Finucane (1950–2020), radio presenter and television host, lived in Naas<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
- Jamie Heaslip (b.1983), rugby union player, Ireland, Naas and Leinster<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
- John Lyons (1824–1867), a Victoria Cross recipient, was originally from Carlow and died at Naas in 1867<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
- Jenny McCudden, journalist and television producer<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
- Major Leonard Greenham Star Molloy (1861–1937), Harley Street doctor and politicianTemplate:Citation needed
- Gormflaith ingen Murchada (c.960–1030), third wife of Brian Ború<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
- Geordan Murphy (b.1978), rugby union player, Ireland and Leicester Tigers<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
- Sir John de Robeck (1862–1928), Admiral of the Fleet, Royal Navy, 1925–1928<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
- Michael Roe (b.1955), racing driver<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
- James Roe Jr. (born 1998), racing driverTemplate:Citation needed
- Andrew Strong (b.1973), singer and actor, famous for his role in The Commitments, was brought up in NaasTemplate:Citation needed
- Larry Tompkins, (b.1963), Gaelic football managerTemplate:Citation needed
Twinning
Template:Main Naas is twinned with the following places:
- Template:Flagdeco Template:Flagdeco Allaire, Brittany, France<ref name="twins">Template:Cite web</ref>
- Template:Flagdeco Template:Flagdeco Casalattico, Lazio region, Italy<ref name="twins"/>
- Template:Flagdeco Template:Flagdeco Dillingen an der Donau, Bavaria, Germany<ref name="twins"/>
- Template:Flagdeco Template:Flagdeco Omaha, Nebraska, United States<ref name="twins"/>
- Template:Flagdeco Template:Flagdeco St David's, Pembrokeshire, Wales, United Kingdom<ref name="twins"/>
See also
- List of abbeys and priories in Ireland (County Kildare)
- List of towns and villages in Ireland
- Earl of Mayo
References
Sources
- Nolan W. & McGrath T. (eds.) Kildare History and Society (Geography, Dublin 2006) Template:ISBN
External links
Template:Wikivoyage Template:Commons category
Template:County Kildare Template:Largest urban areas in the Republic of Ireland by population Template:Authority control