County Kildare (Irish: Contae Chill Dara) is an Irish county located to the southwest of Dublin in the province of Leinster. The name comes from the Irish, meaning church (Cill) of the oaks (Dara).
Kildare is bordered by the counties of Carlow, Laois, Meath, Offaly, Dublin and Wicklow. Kildare is part of the "Greater Dublin Area", a regional area surrounding Dublin.
The town of Kildare is the oldest in the county and the most historic. Naas (Nás na Rí in Irish - meaning meeting place of kings) is the county town.
Newbridge (Droichead Nua) is Kildare's largest town and is situated in the centre of the county, near the Curragh plain. It is a thriving and rapidly growing town of over 20,000.
Maynooth (Maigh Nuad) is the historic educational centre of the county.
It contains the National University of Ireland, Maynooth and St Patrick's College, Maynooth.
Leixlip (Léim an Bhradáin) town is the industrial centre of north Kildare, with large Intel and Hewlett-Packard facilities, while Kilcock (Cill Choca) is a town located 6 kilometres (4 miles) from Maynooth.
Celbridge (Cill Droichid) is the largest one street town in Ireland and nearby Straffan is the site of the K Club Golf Course which hosted golf's Ryder Cup 2006.
Monasterevin (Mainistir Éimhín) is the site of the 6th century Moore Abbey founded by St Evin.
East Kildare's population has increased rapidly, for example the amount of housing in the Naas suburb of Sallins has increased six-fold since the mid 1990s.
Kildare was shired in 1297 and assumed its present borders in 1832. Main article at History of County Kildare.
Politically the county is divided into two Dáil constituencies, Kildare North (three seats, to be increased to four at the next election) and Kildare South (three seats). After the 2007 General Election, the TDs elected were; Bernard Durkan (FG), Emmet Stagg (Lab), Aine Brady (FF), Michael Fitzpatrick (FF), Sean O Fearghail (FF), Sean Power (FF) and Jack Wall (Lab). Nevertheless, the whole county is governed at local authority level by Kildare County Council.
