Straffan brings together several distinct points of interest for a stay: steam engines take centre stage in the Michael Owens Power Hall at the Steam Museum, the Lodge Park Walled Garden features landscaped garden rooms, and the K Club is associated with golf and a spa. Barberstown Castle adds architectural history to the picture; Straffan also overlooks the River Liffey. You can choose to focus on technology, gardens, sport or history.
Steam Engines and Garden Rooms
The Michael Owens Power Hall at the Steam Museum was relocated from Dublin to Straffan. It is home to six large stationary steam engines from the 19th century, which are occasionally demonstrated under steam. If you would like to make a demonstration a set part of your itinerary, check in advance whether one is scheduled for your preferred date.
The Lodge Park Walled Garden is an 18th-century walled garden. Its areas include white and peony-themed garden spaces, a south-facing shrub border, a kitchen garden, a perennial border, a rose garden and a woodland walk to the north. The garden is family-friendly, with paths, hidden garden rooms, lawns and seating. Its different areas give the garden a different focus from the engine hall: here, the emphasis is on garden rooms and their design, while the hall is about steam engines and their demonstrations.
The Barista Bike Café at Straffan Steam Museum and Lodge Park Walled Garden serves breakfast and gourmet lunches featuring selected local produce and ingredients from the walled garden. Food with local and garden-related connections is therefore also among the things to discover in Straffan.
Golf, Spa and the Liffey Descent
The K Club offers two parkland golf courses designed by Arnold Palmer. The K Club in Straffan also hosted the 2006 Ryder Cup. This brings together a current golf offering and a sporting connection to a specific point in history. Tee times and access arrangements may change; check the conditions for your visit.
For wellness, the K Spa at the K Club in Straffan offers luxurious day spa experiences for individuals or friends. Check the booking terms for your preferred date, as they may change.
The Liffey Descent is a paddling race that has been held since 1960; its traditional route starts at the K Club in Straffan. If your trip is planned around a particular race, check the schedule for that year, as race arrangements may vary.
Barberstown Castle and the Local Area
Barberstown Castle is a historic 13th-century castle in the village of Straffan. The original medieval keep dates from 1288; Victorian and Elizabethan additions form part of its architectural history. Unlike the industrial history of the Michael Owens Power Hall, Barberstown Castle can be understood through these different building phases.
Straffan overlooks the River Liffey. Along with its specific themes of steam history, gardens, golf, wellness and architecture, this gives visitors several ways to plan their stay.
Discover more destinations: Maynooth, Athy, Kildare, Leixlip, Johnstown, Clane, Naas, Celbridge.
For the main travel overview: County Kildare.
