racetrack
Mondello Park
Ireland's only permanent motorsport circuit, located in County Kildare and the home of Irish national racing since 1968.
9 km · about 15 min drive
EuropeIrelandLeinster
Johnstown
Leinster, Ireland · Europe
About Johnstown
Johnstown works well as a base: 5 minutes from Naas, 24km from Sally Gap.
Johnstown is in Leinster, Ireland, with about 1,000 people. You drive on the left here. The nearest town is Naas, about 4 km away.
Johnstown (Irish: Baile Eoin) is a village in County Kildare, Ireland. It is located 2 km (1.2 mi) north of Naas just off the N7 at junction 8. It is approximately 25 km (16 mi) from Dublin city centre, and is a home for commuters working in Dublin and Naas. Most of the housing was built after 1990.
The village wasRead more
set out as a planned settlement. It is in a civil parish of the same name.
The main street was a part of the old main road southwest from Dublin towards Cork and Limerick. The Johnstown Inn was a busy coaching stop until the 19th century, and outside it the Cork mail coach was stopped and burned at the start of the 1798 rebellion. It had a post office that closed in the 1920s. Its only shop, a Centra, closed in June 2025.
The village still has the ruins of the medieval St John's church that became a ruin after 1500 under the Tudor seizure of church property. The church was a satellite of St. John's (Hospitaller) Priory in Kilmainham, Dublin. The church is famous for the grave of the Earl of Mayo, the viceroy, who was killed in India in 1872.
The main road eventually bypassed Johnstown in 1964 when the Naas dual carriageway was finished. This was enlarged into the 6-lane N7 road from Dublin to Johnstown, after which it reduces to the 4-lane M7 motorway that runs towards Limerick.
Where to Stay in Johnstown
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is there to see near Johnstown?
Within an hour or so of Johnstown: Mondello Park (9 km), Sally Gap (24 km), Dublin Zoo (25 km), St Patrick's Cathedral (26 km).
Are there any good drives near Johnstown?
The nearest famous roads are Sally Gap, Wicklow Gap and Copper Coast Geopark.
Where is Johnstown?
Johnstown is in Leinster, Ireland, about 4 km from Naas.
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Quick Information
- Population
- 1,005
- Continent
- Europe
- Country
- Ireland
- Region
- Leinster
- Timezone
- Europe/Dublin
- Coordinates
- 53.2383, -6.6222
Tags
Worth the detour from Johnstown
8 notable places within an hour's drive.
mountain pass
Sally Gap
A high crossroads pass over the Wicklow Mountains amid blanket bog, with the famous Military Road running through.
24 km · about 25 min drive
landmark
Dublin Zoo
Ireland's largest zoo in Phoenix Park, one of the oldest zoos in Europe, home to over 400 animals.
25 km · about 30 min drive
cathedral
St Patrick's Cathedral
Ireland's largest cathedral and national cathedral of the Church of Ireland, once led by Jonathan Swift.
26 km · about 30 min drive
mountain pass
Wicklow Gap
High mountain pass on the R756 across the Wicklow Mountains between Hollywood and Glendalough, following the medieval pilgrims' route of St Kevin's Road through wild granite moorland.
26 km · about 30 min drive
waterfall
Glenmacnass Waterfall
A waterfall spilling off the plateau beside the Military Road in the Wicklow Mountains, with parking right at the top.
27 km · about 30 min drive
scenic viewpoint
Lough Tay (Guinness Lake)
A dark lake with a pale sand beach at one end, viewed from the R759 above; used as the Viking village in the series Vikings.
28 km · about 30 min drive
waterfall
Powerscourt Waterfall
Ireland's highest waterfall at 121 metres, cascading down a rock face in the beautiful Powerscourt Estate in the Wicklow Mountains.
29 km · about 35 min drive
Driving roads near Johnstown
- 24 kmSally GapA high crossroads pass over the Wicklow Mountains amid blanket bog, with the famous Military Road running through.
- 26 kmWicklow GapHigh mountain pass on the R756 across the Wicklow Mountains between Hollywood and Glendalough, following the medieval pilgrims' route of St Kevin's Road through wild granite moorland.
- 28 kmLough Tay (Guinness Lake)A dark lake with a pale sand beach at one end, viewed from the R759 above; used as the Viking village in the series Vikings.
- 32 kmThe Spinc, GlendaloughA boardwalk ridge walk high above the Upper Lake at Glendalough, climbing beside the Poulanass waterfall.
- 40 kmHowth Cliff WalkA looped cliff path around Howth Head with views to Ireland's Eye and the Wicklow mountains, easily reached from Dublin.
- 50 kmVale of AvocaA wooded river valley on the R752 in Wicklow at the meeting of the Avonmore and Avonbeg rivers.
Driving in Ireland
- Drives on
- the left
- Petrol
- ~€1.78/litre
- Motorway tolls
- ~€2.10/100km
When to drive here
April to October
Nearby Destinations
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