Castlemartin House and Estate - Location and Access

Location and Access

The estate lies immediately adjacent to the town, to the west, and largely west of the River Liffey, though a small part of the land has for centuries lain east of the river, above Kilcullen Heritage Centre and town hall / theatre / cinema. Accesses to the main body of the estate, secured with gates and cameras, are from the Newbridge Road, on the approach to Kilcullen from the Curragh. The estate is bounded on one side by the Pinkeen Stream, a tributary of the Liffey, and the "Laurel Walk Woods."

There is no general access to the estate lands. This includes, despite promises at the time of restoration, to St. Mary's Church (Castlemartin Chapel). Neither Castlermartin House nor the church can now be seen from the public roads, though the house is said to have a river view. The access issue was a factor in local opposition to an offer by O'Reilly to take the "Portlester Monument" into the estate; its subject, Rowland FitzEustace, 1st Baron Portlester, had lived at Castlemartin in the 1400s.