Enjoy a self guided tour as you discover the stories of the town of Rathangan with this free audio guide

Discover the stories of this picturesque town situated in the northwest of County Kildare and at the heart of Ireland’s Ancient East. Rathangan lies on the edge of the vast Bog of Allen and on the banks of the River Slate and the Grand Canal. The town takes its name from the ancient fort that still stands proudly at the north-west of the town. This is a place with a long and fascinating history, and our audio guide is filled with stories about ancient Irish tribes, the Norman conquest and the 1798 rebellion.

Over the centuries noteworthy literary and cultural figures have called the town home. On our self guided tour, we will hear of their associations with the area and help to give you an appreciation of their work. Many notable literary figures came from the town, including Maura Laverty and the poet William A. Byrne. This audio guide will walk you through the many stories by visiting the tangible reminders of the town’s history and heritage.

This Audio Guide is an Abarta Heritage Production

This audio guide was produced by Abarta Heritage on behalf of Rathangan Tidy Towns, in collaboration with local historian Laurence Fullam and support from Seamus Kelly and Rathangan History Group. This project was funded by Kildare County Council (Heritage Section), Waterways Ireland and Tidy Towns. The story was narrated by Gerry O’Brien, and recorded at Bluebird Studios with sound engineer Declan Lonergan and producer Róisín Burke.