waterfall
Powerscourt Waterfall
Ireland's highest waterfall at 121 metres, cascading down a rock face in the beautiful Powerscourt Estate in the Wicklow Mountains.
9 km · about 15 min drive
EuropeIrelandLeinster
Newtownmountkennedy
Leinster, Ireland · Europe
About Newtownmountkennedy
Newtownmountkennedy works well as a base: 10 minutes from Charlesland, 18km from Glendalough Upper Lake.
Newtownmountkennedy is in Leinster, Ireland, with about 2,800 people. You drive on the left here. The nearest town is Charlesland, about 5 km away.
Newtownmountkennedy (Irish: Baile an Chinnéidigh, meaning 'Kennedy's town') is a small town in County Wicklow, Ireland. It developed within the historic townland of Ballygarny (Irish: Baile Ó gCearnaigh) (now Mount Kennedy Demesne), although all that remains is a motte where a church, graveyard and a castle or towerRead more
house once stood just 0.85 km (0.53 mi) north of the town. It acquired its present name in the mid-seventeenth-century, when Sir Robert Kennedy, M.P. for Kildare, made it his principal residence. It is just off the N11 road to Wexford, just south of Kilpedder and south-west of Greystones. It is about 15 km (9.3 mi) north of Wicklow town, 15 km (9.3 mi) south of Bray and approximately 35 km (22 mi) from Dublin. This town has one of the longest place names in Ireland, so is sometimes abbreviated to NTMK and it often referred to by locals as simply Newtown.
Between the 2011 and 2016 census, the population of the town increased by 17.6% (from 2,410 to 2,835 inhabitants), one of the highest growth rates in County Wicklow on the period. The area is a dormitory town for some workers commuting to Bray and Dublin.
The headquarters of Coillte, the Irish Forestry Board, are situated in the village forest. Newtownmountkennedy is in the Roman Catholic parish of Kilquade, and one of the Kilquade parish's two chapels of ease is located in the village at the junction with the Roundwood Road.
Where to Stay in Newtownmountkennedy
Compare prices across Booking.com, Airbnb, Expedia, and more. Select your dates to see availability.
Filter presets
Pick your must-haves once: provider links open pre-filtered. Each filter lists which sites it applies to.
Compare before you book!
Prices can vary significantly between platforms. We recommend checking at least 2-3 sites to find the best deal for your stay in Newtownmountkennedy.
Explore the Area
Discover famous landmarks, scenic roads, and more near Newtownmountkennedy.
Loading map...
Frequently Asked Questions
What is there to see near Newtownmountkennedy?
Within an hour or so of Newtownmountkennedy: Powerscourt Waterfall (9 km), Lough Tay (Guinness Lake) (11 km), Sally Gap (14 km), Glenmacnass Waterfall (16 km).
Are there any good drives near Newtownmountkennedy?
The nearest famous roads are Sally Gap, Wicklow Gap and A4085 Beddgelert to Caernarfon.
Where is Newtownmountkennedy?
Newtownmountkennedy is in Leinster, Ireland, about 5 km from Charlesland.
Road trip
Drive to Newtownmountkennedy
Add it as a stop and the planner works out the driving, the nights and what's worth seeing on the way.
Start planningWhat's nearby?
Swipe through places to go
Places within a drive of Newtownmountkennedy. Keep the ones you like and add them to your trip.
Explore now
Quick Information
- Population
- 2,835
- Continent
- Europe
- Country
- Ireland
- Region
- Leinster
- Timezone
- Europe/Dublin
- Coordinates
- 53.0905, -6.1115
Tags
Worth the detour from Newtownmountkennedy
8 notable places within an hour's 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.
11 km · about 20 min drive
mountain pass
Sally Gap
A high crossroads pass over the Wicklow Mountains amid blanket bog, with the famous Military Road running through.
14 km · about 25 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.
16 km · about 30 min drive
ancient ruins
Glendalough
Atmospheric early medieval monastic settlement in a glacial valley in the Wicklow Mountains, with round tower, stone churches and tranquil lakes.
17 km · about 20 min drive
natural wonder
Glendalough Upper Lake
The upper of Glendalough's two lakes, ringed by cliffs and mine ruins at the head of the valley — quieter than the monastic city.
18 km · about 20 min drive
scenic viewpoint
The Spinc, Glendalough
A boardwalk ridge walk high above the Upper Lake at Glendalough, climbing beside the Poulanass waterfall.
18 km · about 20 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.
20 km · about 25 min drive
Driving roads near Newtownmountkennedy
8 named roads, passes and coastal drives within 150km.
- Right hereLough 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.
- Right hereSally GapA high crossroads pass over the Wicklow Mountains amid blanket bog, with the famous Military Road running through.
- 18 kmThe Spinc, GlendaloughA boardwalk ridge walk high above the Upper Lake at Glendalough, climbing beside the Poulanass waterfall.
- 20 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.
- 26 kmVale of AvocaA wooded river valley on the R752 in Wicklow at the meeting of the Avonmore and Avonbeg rivers.
- 32 kmHowth Cliff WalkA looped cliff path around Howth Head with views to Ireland's Eye and the Wicklow mountains, easily reached from Dublin.
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
Other places to explore near Newtownmountkennedy.
Plan a trip around Newtownmountkennedy
Your trip starts here
Plan a road trip from Newtownmountkennedy.
Pick the days, drop in the stops, and share it with whoever's coming.