Naas
An Nás / Nás na Ríogh (Irish)
Town
View of the town and of Naas General Hospital
View of the town and of Naas General Hospital
Official seal of Naas
Seal
Motto(s): 
Prudens ut Serpens  (Latin)
Wise as a Serpent [1]
Naas is located in Ireland
Naas
Naas
Location in Ireland
Coordinates: 53°13′01″N 6°39′47″W / 53.217°N 6.663°W / 53.217; -6.663
CountryIreland
ProvinceLeinster
CountyKildare
CouncilKildare County Council
Dáil ÉireannKildare North
European ParliamentMidlands–North-West
Elevation
114 m (374 ft)
Population
 (2022)[2]
26,180
Time zoneUTC±0 (WET)
 • Summer (DST)UTC+1 (IST)
Eircode
W91
Telephone area code045
Irish Grid ReferenceN893196
Websitewww.naas.ie

Naas (/neɪs/ NAYSS; Irish: Nás na Ríogh or an Nás [ən̪ˠ ˈn̪ˠaːsˠ]) 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 center in Ireland.[2]

History

Naas Town Hall

The name of Naas has been recorded in three forms in Irish: Nás na Ríogh, translating as 'Place of Assembly of the Kings'; An Nás, translating to 'the Place of Assembly'; and Nás Laighean, translating to 'Place of [9] assembly of the Leinster Men'.[10]

Irish mythology suggests that the name arose as the burial site of Nás (a wife of Lugh of the Tuatha De Danann).[11] It is also said to be where Lugh held his royal court.[12] 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.:[13]

“(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.[14]

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).[15][16] In the Middle Ages, before it settled permanently in Dublin, the Parliament of Ireland occasionally met in Naas, as in 1441.[17]

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.

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 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.[18] Naas Town Hall was commissioned as a gaol and completed in 1796.[19]

Amenities

St. David's church
Canal Harbour, Basin Street
Canal from Abbey Bridge
South Main Street

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.[20]

Economy

Local industrial enterprises include Kerry Group's Global Technology and Innovation Centre,[21] and International Fund Services (a State Street company).[22]

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.[23] Danish home retail group JYSK, a competitor for Sweden's IKEA, opened their first Irish store Newhall Retail Park in Naas during April 2019.[24] 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.[25] The Augustinian Friary was founded in the late 14th century.[26] In 1997, the second Catholic Church opened in Ballycane on the east side of town and is dedicated to the Irish Martyrs.[27] Naas is part of the Diocese of Kildare and Leighlin which is run by Bishop Denis Nulty since August 4, 2013.[28] Naas Presbyterian Church was built in the Victorian period on the site of the old tholsel.[29] Maudlin's Cemetery, a Church of Ireland graveyard near the town, is noted for its two Victorian-era pyramids.[30]

Media

County Kildare's local radio station Kfm 97.3FM – 97.6FM is based in Naas.[31] The Leinster Leader, a regional newspaper, and Kildare TV, a local station, are also based in the area.[32]

Transport

"Perpetual Motion", located at the north end of the Naas bypass, created by Rachel Joynt and Remco de Fouw in 1995.

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.[33] The Sallins and Naas railway station, located in nearby Sallins, is used by residents of the Naas area who commute to Dublin.

The main bus transportation companies serving the area are Go-Ahead Ireland , JJ Kavanagh and Sons and Dublin Coach.[34][35][36] Naas's main bus routes include the Go-Ahead Ireland route 126 from Kildare to Dublin city centre (which passes through Naas),[37] a JJ Kavanagh route to Blanchardstown,[38] and Dublin Coach and JJ Kavanagh services to Dublin Airport.[39][40]

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.[41]

Education

Naas has five secondary schools, St. Mary's College Naas, a girls' convent school, Meanscoil Iognáid Rís Nás na Riogh (Naas CBS) for boys, Piper's Hill College (formerly St. Patrick's Community College), Naas Community College and Gaelcholáiste Chill Dara, a mixed Irish speaking Secondary School.[42] Naas has several primary schools, including the Convent of Mercy (a girls' school), St. Corban's Boys National School (a school for boys),[43] Scoil Bhríde, Ballycane, and St. David's (each mixed schools), Gaelsoil Nás na Ríogh (located at the Piper's Hill campus), Kilashee National School and Naas Community National School is located at Cradockstown.[44]

Naas has a public library which is located in the canal harbour area.[45] With plans to move to the town centre.[46]

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.

The local Gaelic Athletic Association club is Naas GAA, and the club has won several senior county football and hurling championships.[47]

Local association football (soccer) clubs include Naas AFC Soccer Club,[48] Redwood Naas FC,[49] Monread FC Soccer Club,[50] and Naas United FC Soccer Club,[51] several of which play in the Kildare and District Football League.[52]

Other sports clubs include Naas Rugby Club, Naas Hockey Club, Naas Cycling Club, Naas Panthers Gymnastics Academy,[53] Naas Lawn Tennis Club (with 11 courts)[54] and Naas Athletic Club on the Caragh Road.[55]

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 1 km from the town centre),[56] 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.[57]

There are also a number of swimming pools and leisure centres in the area.[58]

Notable people

Twinning

Naas is twinned with the following places:

See also

References

  1. ↑ "International Civic Heraldry". Ngw.nl. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 6 July 2012.
  2. 1 2 3 "F1015: Population and Average Age by Sex and List of Towns (number and percentages), 2022". Census 2022. Central Statistics Office. April 2022. Retrieved 29 June 2023.
  3. ↑ "CSO". Cso.ie. Archived from the original on 20 September 2010. Retrieved 6 July 2012.
  4. ↑ "Histpop – The Online Historical Population Reports Website". www.histpop.org. Archived from the original on 7 May 2016.
  5. ↑ 1813 estimate from Mason's Statistical Survey
  6. ↑ See also JJ Lee "On the accuracy of the Pre-famine Irish censuses Irish Population, Economy and Society edited by JM Goldstrom and LA Clarkson (1981) p54
  7. ↑ See also New Developments in Irish Population History, 1700–1850 by Joel Mokyr and Cormac O Grada in The Economic History Review, New Series, Vol. 37, No. 4 (Nov., 1984), pp. 473–488
  8. ↑ "Sapmap Area – Settlements – Naas". Census 2022. CSO. 2016. Archived from the original on 30 July 2017. Retrieved 12 January 2018.
  9. ↑ Bourke, Ulick Joseph (1887). Pre-Christian Ireland. Brown & Nolan. p. 44.
  10. ↑ "Naas Town". www.naastown.com. Archived from the original on 14 July 2011. Retrieved 18 November 2017.
  11. ↑ Revue celtique (in French). Bouillon. 1894. p. 318.
  12. ↑ Bourke, Ulick Joseph (1887). Pre-Christian Ireland. Brown & Nolan. p. 44.
  13. ↑ Gwynn, Edward (10 February 2018). The Metrical Dindshenchas, Vol. 3 (Classic Reprint). Fb&c Limited. ISBN 978-0-656-24090-6.
  14. ↑ "A Modern Depiction of Ireland, One of the British Isles". World Digital Library. 1572. Archived from the original on 7 October 2011. Retrieved 6 July 2012.
  15. ↑ "First ever class at Army Apprentice School to reunite". Leinster Leader. 31 August 2009. Archived from the original on 16 June 2013. Retrieved 6 June 2013.
  16. ↑ Wright, George Newenham (1825). An historical guide to the city of Dublin, illustrated by engravings, and a plan of the city. Dublin: Baldwin, Cradock, and Joy. p. 31.
  17. ↑ Lydon, James Ireland and the English Crown 1171–1541 Cambridge University Press 2016
  18. ↑ "Local Government Reform Act 2014". Irish Statute Book. Office of the Attorney General. Archived from the original on 7 March 2015. Retrieved 27 April 2015.
  19. ↑ "Naas Town Hall, Main Street North, Naas West, Naas, County Kildare". National Inventory of Architectural Heritage. Retrieved 5 November 2023.
  20. ↑ "Local Business Listings in Naas, Co. Kildare. Business Services, Health & Beauty, Trades and Transport". www.naastown.com. Archived from the original on 12 November 2018. Retrieved 11 November 2018.
  21. ↑ "Kerry Group to create up to 900 jobs in Kildare". RTÉ News. 9 October 2012. Archived from the original on 23 October 2013. Retrieved 11 April 2013.
  22. ↑ "Commercial Business Park Tenants". millenniumpark.ie. Millennium Park. Archived from the original on 12 November 2018. Retrieved 11 November 2018.
  23. ↑ "New Dunnes Stores in Naas has some big brands in its Food Hall". kildarenow.com. KildareNow. 16 August 2019. Archived from the original on 28 August 2019. Retrieved 28 August 2019.
  24. ↑ "Danish firm JYSK opens first homeware store in Naas". rte.ie. RTÉ. 2 April 2019. Archived from the original on 27 May 2019. Retrieved 29 May 2019.
  25. ↑ "Catholic Church of Our Lady and Saint David, Sallins Road, Naas West, Naas, County Kildare". www.buildingsofireland.ie. National Inventory of Architectural Heritage. Retrieved 20 May 2020.
  26. ↑ "Historic Environment Viewer". Government of Ireland. KD019-030011-. Retrieved 18 November 2021.
  27. ↑ "Church of the Irish Martyrs, Ballycane". www.naasparish.ie. Archived from the original on 4 August 2020. Retrieved 20 May 2020.
  28. ↑ "Bishop Denis Nulty: Carlow Cathedral, Kildare and Leighlin Diocese". www.carlowcathedral.ie. Archived from the original on 14 November 2017. Retrieved 18 November 2017.
  29. ↑ "Naas Chronology 134 AD – 1900 – Kildare Local History. ie". kildarelocalhistory.ie. Archived from the original on 7 August 2021. Retrieved 7 August 2021.
  30. ↑ "Maudlins pyramids – Naas Co. Kildare". Creative Ireland Programme.
  31. ↑ "Contact Kfm". kfmradio.com. Co Kildare FM Radio Limited. Archived from the original on 12 November 2018. Retrieved 11 November 2018.
  32. ↑ "Contact us – South Main Street, Naas". leinsterleader.ie. The Leinster Leader. Archived from the original on 3 April 2019. Retrieved 11 November 2018.
  33. ↑ "Naas station" (PDF). Railscot – Irish Railways. Archived (PDF) from the original on 2 March 2011. Retrieved 19 November 2007.
  34. ↑ "126 – Rathangan – Kildare – Naas – Dublin".
  35. ↑ Schedule Archived 10 November 2011 at the Wayback Machine JJ Kavanagh web site
  36. ↑ Archived 19 February 2018 at the Wayback Machine Dublin Coach Naas Timetable Website
  37. ↑ "Go Ahead Ireland Timetable Route 126, Dublin – Naas – Newbridge – Kildare". www.goaheadireland.ie.
  38. ↑ "Transport For Ireland – Route 139 Naas to Blanchardstown -". Transport for Ireland. Archived from the original on 6 July 2019. Retrieved 28 August 2019.
  39. ↑ "N7 24-hour Bus Service from Dublin Airport to Portlaoise via Kildare, Naas, Newbridge, Red Cow Luas | Dublin Coach". www.dublincoach.ie. Archived from the original on 29 May 2019. Retrieved 29 May 2019.
  40. ↑ "Timetables – JJ Kavanagh". Archived from the original on 28 August 2019. Retrieved 29 May 2019.
  41. ↑ "Sallins bypass in Kildare opens to traffic". 9 April 2021. Archived from the original on 27 April 2021. Retrieved 27 April 2021. {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  42. ↑ "About Piper's Hill". phcol.ie. Archived from the original on 22 December 2015. Retrieved 7 October 2015.
  43. ↑ "St. Corban's B.N.S". Stcorbans.com. Archived from the original on 4 October 2012. Retrieved 6 July 2012.
  44. ↑ Stagg, Emmet (31 January 2015). "Naas Community National School Secures Permanent Accommodation". irish Labour Party. Archived from the original on 7 January 2016. Retrieved 21 July 2015.
  45. ↑ Nass Library Archived 1 February 2010 at the Wayback Machine web site
  46. ↑ O'Meara, Paul. "No plans to knock Naas library building once facility is moved". www.leinsterleader.ie. Retrieved 1 March 2022.
  47. ↑ "Naas GAA". Naasgaa.ie. Archived from the original on 5 July 2012. Retrieved 6 July 2012.
  48. ↑ "Naas AFC". Naas AFC. Archived from the original on 25 May 2009. Retrieved 23 June 2009.
  49. ↑ "Redwoodnaasfc.com". Archived from the original on 4 June 2016. Retrieved 4 June 2016.
  50. ↑ "Monread FC". Monread FC. Archived from the original on 8 December 2013. Retrieved 6 July 2012.
  51. ↑ "Naas United Football Club, Donnelly Mirrors: Kildare Soccer Team". Soccer-ireland.com. Archived from the original on 9 March 2012. Retrieved 6 July 2012.
  52. ↑ "Clubs". Archived from the original on 13 December 2018. Retrieved 1 December 2018.
  53. ↑ "Naas Panthers Gymnastics Academy". www.gymnasticsireland.com. Archived from the original on 9 November 2017. Retrieved 18 November 2017.
  54. ↑ "Club Info – Courts". Naas Lawn Tennis Club. Archived from the original on 12 November 2018. Retrieved 11 November 2018.
  55. ↑ "Naas Athletic Club". Naas Athletic Club. Archived from the original on 9 October 2012. Retrieved 6 July 2012.
  56. ↑ "Naas Racecourse". Naasracecourse.com. Archived from the original on 16 September 2008. Retrieved 26 October 2008.
  57. ↑ "Oxegen 2014 music festival cancelled". BBC News. 20 April 2014. Archived from the original on 19 August 2017. Retrieved 18 November 2017.
  58. ↑ "Swimming Pools in Kildare, Swimming facilities in Naas". www.naastown.com. Archived from the original on 12 November 2018. Retrieved 11 November 2018.
  59. ↑ "Hubert Henry De Burgh". cricketeurope.com. Cricket Europe. Archived from the original on 2 December 2018. Retrieved 1 December 2018.
  60. ↑ "The De Burghs of Oldtown, Co. Kildare". turtlebunbury.com. Turtle Bunbury. Archived from the original on 2 December 2018. Retrieved 1 December 2018.
  61. ↑ "Dease, Ellen, named Mother Teresa, of the Institute of the Blessed Virgin Mary in America". Volume XI (1881–1890). Dictionary of Canadian Biography. Archived from the original on 2 December 2018. Retrieved 1 December 2018.
  62. ↑ "Donnelly named Young Driver of the Month". RTÉ Sport. Retrieved 24 April 2023.
  63. ↑ Holland, Kitty (3 January 2020). "Women lead tributes to Marian Finucane: 'It's nearly like your mother has died'". Irish News. Irish Times. Archived from the original on 1 December 2020. Retrieved 19 July 2020.
  64. ↑ "Kildare rugby star Jamie Heaslip and wife Sheena welcome baby girl". kildarenow.com. Kildare Now. 13 July 2018. Archived from the original on 2 December 2018. Retrieved 1 December 2018.
  65. ↑ "10 June – John Lyons VC, Carlow". otd.ie. On This Day. Archived from the original on 2 December 2018. Retrieved 1 December 2018.
  66. ↑ "Jenny McCudden and Quincy Lehr to read at City Museum". Galway Independent. 19 March 2008. Archived from the original on 18 April 2012. Retrieved 19 March 2008.
  67. ↑ "Brian Boru's Wife a Naas Woman (by James Durney)". Co Kildare Online Electronic History Journal. Kildare Community Network. Archived from the original on 2 December 2018. Retrieved 1 December 2018.
  68. ↑ "When Kildare men were kings of English rugby". leinsterleader.ie. Leinster Leader. 7 October 2017. Archived from the original on 2 December 2018. Retrieved 1 December 2018.
  69. ↑ "Death of Sir John de Robeck". Co Kildare Online Electronic History Journal. Kildare Community Network. Archived from the original on 2 December 2018. Retrieved 1 December 2018.
  70. ↑ "Naas racing great Michael Roe's story told in new RTÉ documentary". leinsterleader.ie. Leinster Leader. 23 October 2018. Archived from the original on 2 December 2018. Retrieved 1 December 2018.
  71. 1 2 3 4 5 "Naas Town Council – 2006 report – Page 4 – Twinning in Naas" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 6 March 2012. Retrieved 6 July 2012.

Sources

  • Nolan W. & McGrath T. (eds.) Kildare History and Society (Geography, Dublin 2006) ISBN 978-0-906602-57-7
Wikivoyage has a travel guide for Naas.
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Naas.
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