a leisure and pilgrim trail / blue way encompassing Old Connell, Great Connell Priory, The Curragh, Kildare Town with onward links to Wicklow / Glendalough
On my return to Newbridge, I became aware of Conleth of Old Connell's strong links to Brigid of Kildare. He was Brigid's "artificer" and first Bishop of Kildare. Old accounts recall Conleth crossing the Curragh Plains in a chariot when invited by Brigid to be bishop and pastoral leader of her famous monastic settlement. He was a famous metal worker which links to the current activity of Newbridge Silverware. Thanks to the annual Military Seminar, I also discovered that Meiler Fitzhenry, one of Strongbow's senior Cambro-Norman knights, founded Great Connell Priory and is buried there. He was Chief Justice of Ireland on two occasions and the first builder of Dublin Castle on the orders of King John. The beautiful circularity of his story was reflected in the centenary of the handover of the Castle earlier this year, marking the end of centuries of British rule which began with the Norman Invasion. Equally of interest is the presence of stones from the Priory in the walls of Bord na Mona, formerly a British Army barracks. A very ambitious vision would see Bord na Mona consider its tourism potential through the bog train rail network and link a cycle / walk route into a river route. The potential of Fionn and the Fianna, and their exploits on the Hill of Allen and Curragh Plains is yet to be realised.