cathedral
St Patrick's Cathedral
Ireland's largest cathedral and national cathedral of the Church of Ireland, once led by Jonathan Swift.
4 km · about 10 min drive
EuropeIrelandLeinster
Rathfarnham
Leinster, Ireland · Europe
About Rathfarnham
Rathfarnham works well as a base: 18km from Powerscourt Waterfall.
Rathfarnham is in Leinster, Ireland, with about 17,000 people. You drive on the left here.
Rathfarnham (Irish: Ráth Fearnáin, meaning 'Fearnán's ringfort') is a southside suburb of Dublin, Ireland in County Dublin. It is south of Terenure, east of Templeogue, and is in the postal districts of Dublin 14 and 16. It is between the local government areas of Dún Laoghaire–Rathdown and South Dublin.
LocatedRead more
within the historical baronies of Rathdown and Uppercross, Rathfarnham village originally developed around a fortification overlooking a ford on the River Dodder. From the medieval period, Rathfarnham was on the perimeter of the Pale (the area of Anglo-Norman influence in Ireland, centred on Dublin), and a number of defensive structures were built in the area. Rathfarnham Castle, a fortified house, was built in the late 16th century. Developed around these structures, by the 19th century there were a number of mills operating in the area, and Rathfarnham was still somewhat rural by the early 20th century. During the 20th century, with the expansion of metropolitan Dublin, Rathfarnham became a largely residential suburban area.
The population of all electoral divisions labelled as Rathfarnham was 23,276 as of the 2022 census.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is there to see near Rathfarnham?
Within an hour or so of Rathfarnham: St Patrick's Cathedral (4 km), Dublin Zoo (6 km), Howth Cliff Walk (17 km), Powerscourt Waterfall (18 km).
Are there any good drives near Rathfarnham?
The nearest famous roads are Sally Gap, Wicklow Gap and Dundrod Circuit.
Where is Rathfarnham?
Rathfarnham is in Leinster, Ireland.
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Quick Information
- Population
- 17,333
- Continent
- Europe
- Country
- Ireland
- Region
- Leinster
- Timezone
- Europe/Dublin
- Coordinates
- 53.3006, -6.2828
Tags
Worth the detour from Rathfarnham
8 notable places within an hour's drive.
landmark
Dublin Zoo
Ireland's largest zoo in Phoenix Park, one of the oldest zoos in Europe, home to over 400 animals.
6 km · about 10 min drive
scenic viewpoint
Howth Cliff Walk
A looped cliff path around Howth Head with views to Ireland's Eye and the Wicklow mountains, easily reached from Dublin.
17 km · about 20 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.
18 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.
18 km · about 20 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.
22 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.
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.
30 km · about 35 min drive
Driving roads near Rathfarnham
- 17 kmHowth Cliff WalkA looped cliff path around Howth Head with views to Ireland's Eye and the Wicklow mountains, easily reached from Dublin.
- 18 kmSally GapA high crossroads pass over the Wicklow Mountains amid blanket bog, with the famous Military Road running through.
- 22 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.
- 30 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.
- 33 kmThe Spinc, GlendaloughA boardwalk ridge walk high above the Upper Lake at Glendalough, climbing beside the Poulanass waterfall.
- 49 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
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