going out in Kildare town

Atomic Pineapple

Me and a few of the lads are looking to head out for a weekend away but were looking for something different.

were fed up of the big towns were everyone goes to so we want to try a small town with one nightclub and a few decent pubs.

Kildare town is one of the towns that has popped up during the search but theres only limited info on it on the net.

so I'm wondering what its like?
How many pubs?
what pubs are good?
whats the nightclub itself like?
whats the nightclub crowd like?
anywhere to avoid?
any cheap places to stay?

Now i know people are probably gonna say its **** but we want to try something different from the norm and would like proper views on places rather than just saying some place is ****

thanks in advance

thischarmingman

my favourite pubs in kildare town are cunninghams and lils. not sure what the locals think but i've noticed that the pubs have been really quiet in the past few months (particularly on a friday). I've found kildare to be safe enough though i did get in a scrap in abra kebabra the last time i was out (what is it about that chain?). not sure what the locals think but i've noticed that the pubs have been really quiet in the past few months (particularly on a friday). personally i would recommend naas above kildare for lads on tour but i understand what you guys are at.

aodh_rua

Here goes....

so I'm wondering what its like?
As a local, I'm a bit biased, but Kildare is a great socialising town and tends to attract people from local towns (including the bigger ones) - so it must be getting something right.

How many pubs?
Starting on the way in from the Newbridge-side you have...

The Merrymans *
The Derby House
Cunninghams
Silken Thomas Lounge
Lil Flanagans
Squires Gannons
Graces
Boyles *
Bolands *
Top Nolans
McCormacks *
The Five Jockeys *
The Gobán Saor *
The Harp *

what pubs are good?
It depends what your looking for. The ones with asterisks above are really local, so you might not want to consider them. That said Mahons has the best pint in the town.

Visitors tend to favour:
Cunninghams - previous winner of a national 'Local of the Year' award. Good crowd with a mix of ages etc. Tends to popular with the racing crowd and is a destination of choice after meetings on the Curragh. There's live trad on Wednesdays and Sundays.

Lil Flanagans - lots of alternative live music

Squires - nice bar, popular with the rugby club crowd. Nice pints of Guinness

Silken Thomas Lounge - recently refurbished, it used to be a disco bar but is more focussed on food now

Graces - a bit of disco bar with a younger crowd, don't really go there myself

Top Nolans - regular live trad sessions, but the pool hall down the back wouldn't attract me

whats the nightclub itself like? whats the nightclub crowd like?
It's called Tigerlillies. They spent a lot doing it up and it's a well run venue with a good mixture in the crowd. It tends to attract a crowd from the neighbouring towns too, so I'd consider that an endorsement.

anywhere to avoid?
I wouldn't be mad on the crowd the pool hall attracts to Tops, and I wouldn't hit the locals pubs, but the rest are fine.

any cheap places to stay?
The Derby House is a hotel, the Silken has a guesthouse (and they might do food\nightclub\accomodation deals) and there are some B&Bs around the town.

32finn

well i think aodh rua has filled you in fairly well but, correct me if im wrong but you sound like yee mite be young enough lads so i would recommend: an goban saor-cunninghams-lils and graces. these are all in a close enough area to one another and are only across the road and beside the niteclub. as for the niteclub its self its a fairly good spot, rarely any trouble there and the crowd are good craic too.
if its a bit of craic ur after i wouldnt be 2 bothered about the likes of mahons, top nolans, mccormacks, bolands, five jockeys, or the derby house. the rest listed by aodh rua would be fine, hope this helps!

p.s. avoid abbra, its a dump. any trouble that does happen in the town happens there, plenty of other places around