Kilkea Church Open Day, Castledermot

What to Expect

Kilkea Church, in the countryside between Castledermot and Athy in south Kildare, opens its doors to visitors for a single morning on Saturday 15 August 2026. Castledermot Local History Group hosts the open day, which runs from 10.30am to 2.30pm. It is one of four events the group is running in the same week, alongside a visit to Levitstown Hall on Sunday 16 August, the Stitch in Time display at Teach Diarmada on Wednesday 19 August, and a guided walking tour of Castledermot on Saturday 22 August.

South Kildare is unusually rich in early ecclesiastical sites, and this stretch of country around Kilkea and Castledermot carries a long church history that is normally viewed only from the road. An open day is the straightforward way to see the interior, ask questions of people who know the building, and put it in the context of the wider parish. Members of the history group are on hand through the four hours, and there is a children’s quiz running alongside the historical viewing, which gives younger visitors something to do while the adults talk. There is no admission charge and no booking process advertised, so you can call in at any point in the window rather than committing to a set start time.

Good to Know

• Saturday 15 August 2026, 10.30am to 2.30pm
• Kilkea Church, Kilkea, Castledermot, Co. Kildare
• Hosted by Castledermot Local History Group
• Free to attend, drop in at any time during the four hour window
• A children’s quiz runs alongside the historical viewing
• Parking is available at the church and at the nearby school
• Part of a run of local history events in Castledermot the same week
• Rural church building, so flat shoes and a jacket are sensible

Getting There

Kilkea lies a few kilometres north west of Castledermot in the far south of County Kildare, signposted off the roads linking Castledermot, Ballitore and Athy. Castledermot itself sits on the old N9 route between Carlow and Kilcullen, about 15 minutes from junction 4 of the M9 motorway. Parking is available at the church and at the nearby school. Bus Eireann services on the Carlow to Dublin corridor stop in Castledermot village, but there is no public transport out to Kilkea, so allow for a short drive or taxi from the village.